Identity of Top Gear's Stig revealed

Well, the worst kept secret in motoring has finally been revealed.


The Stig is Ben Collins, Le Mans racer and double for Daniel Craig in the latest James Bond film.

It's distressed a number of people within the Beeb and has been likened to destroying Father Xmas himself.

...

The wikipedia doesn't say anything about Ben Collins having an African or Fat American cousin, so I'm calling BS

Just emailed my guy again. My guess is that his denial was him being a sneaky git. The truth is probably that they usually use Ben Collins, but of course when he is not available, they have the option just to slot in another half-decent driver. Relying on one guy could be a pain in the arse for filming schedules.

I always thought it was pretty well known that it was Collins (most of the time), just something you don't talk about or get a 100 % confirmation.

I have a contact at Dunsfold where it is filmed and 90% of the time it is Ben Collins but he reckons that they have used 3 other guys as well on an irregular basis, including, at least one time, Damon Hill.

That was Scogs' theory. I hope that he knows that he was right.

Ben it is with the odd helper when pushed of course.

I had always thought it was Damon Hill.

Heres a pic of the Stig's fat American cousin

Michael Schumacher as the 'white Stig'.

Hmmmm, the mystery deepens...

I'm pretty sure that was Schumacher's very own Ferrari that was timed in the episode last night, so it was also likely him driving it. Unlikely it was him driving any other time though, but it was a good laugh when the helmet came off.

Was certainly a snot fast lap.
Did anyone take notice of the credits? It credited "The Stig" and then later "Special Guest Michael Schumacher", so I think that by having him revealed as the Stig was a purposeful ploy to try and confuse the identity of him again.

yup. a nice little joke/bit of fun which adds to the confusion.

Correct. The Stig is still Ben Collins, just a TopGear attempt to muddy the waters.

p.s. Just as well 'cos I suspect an interview with Schumacher is potentially pretty dull if acting as himself!!

And Schuey didn't do a lap in the Suzuki as he's under contract to Fiat.

Schumi is the only person to own a Black Ferrari FXX - which was also built to his spec, not their default spec.

All that money and you're forced to drive a Fiat Croma as your family car coz of some contract? Jeeze...

I think he'd be quite happy under his contracts...I certainly wouldn't mind driving a Fiat Croma if it meant being gifted Ferraris and earning squillions of dollars

I guess so. Once saw a programme about some Italian who had 'the best job in the world'. He was a test driver for Ferrari. But his private car was a Fiat Uno! I guess his job was so good he didn't care what he drove after work...

Yeah, anything after blasting a Ferrari around a circuit for the entire day would feel pedestrian, so I guess it doesn't really matter what you putter home in.

I'd say you'd actually have to drive the slowest shittiest car you could find at home if your day job was testing ferarris. You'd be so used to putting foot to floor if you had anything with any speed you woulnd't survive the first week.

Just saw the stig 'unveiling'. Don't in the least believe its the real Stig - schuey had much slighter build than the normal guy. good interview thou - was surpirsed schumacher was actually kinda funny. Some great questions - ' doesn't it get really boring watching the same bloke win endlessly'. exactly. he didn't deny it either!

ye i recon its ben collins but with other unknowns (maybe even other touring car racers) that do it from time to time,

they revealed that it was michael schumacher but that is utter bs, because i hardly doubt that michael (yes we are on a first name basis ) would spend most of his time on a rainy cold runway in the middle of england, hes in monaco with his millions and his one-of-a-kind fxx - lucky git.

oh and mapleleafdude thats the stigs truck driving cousin - i watch top gear too much