Capital Summertime Ball 2024

[John]

Speaking of former F1 greats and Top Gear, there is a special interview on BBC2 tonight with Richard Hammond meeting Sterling Moss. I saw this a few weeks ago on BBC4, and its very very good. They are both survivors of life threatening injuries caused by car crashes, Moss had his F1 career ended in a very nasty crash. BBC2 11.20pm

[kyle_y]

What a fantastic episode that was last night! The Touareg race in the North Pole, the Bugatti Veyron SS, the tribute piece on Senna - all brilliant! I really thought Top Gear had lost it's way after the last series which was pretty awful overall, but this series so far has been great!

Whereas I normally fast forward through the interview part of the SIARPC, I've now really taken a liking to Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. They were really down to earth and genuine, happy to talk and having a laugh, enjoying themselves and not taking themselves too seriously. I guess all the guests are like that, but with these two there was something real and genuine about it all. Or maybe it's just the fact that it's not what I'd expect from a couple of Hollywood A-listers that made it that tiny bit more special and enjoyable to watch.

[Dear Greg-]

who's up for chipping in for a veyron? we can timeshare it out to everyone, any takers?

[DC]

yeah go on then, i'll cash in my pennies jar and sell the house.

[eisbär]

Clarkson's wife must be very tolerant.

[John]

Interesting end to this series. Hurry back. Please.

[John]

OK........ so i'm a bit pissed off right now, and this is why. Today the mystery and the secrecy of who the Stig is is all over, after it appears an opportunist book company have cashed in on this. This is such a shame. The whole mystery as to who he is was an integrel part of the show! Fans of all ages loved guessing who it might be. Granted a few people had probably guessed (searches on the internet often linked him to Ben Collins) but without the concrete proof the mystery was still alive.

I don't believe this is the end though. I believe that Top Gear have enough wit to overcome all this, and maybe turn it into a joke. I am interested to know what will happen to Ben Collins now. Perry McCarthey was 'killed off'. This Stig however has been killed many many times! Kill him one last time maybe?

[MrDoovdeHaxorz]

I think the Koenigsegegegegegegegegegeggegegegeggegegegg will return to use as it has nearly killed him in the past.

There's already rumours of him being sacked and also a few... coincidental cases of drivers losing other seats in racing series around the world.

There will no doubt be a new Stig, I predict in either Red or Blue overalls, so it won't be the end of the whole thing.

[R94N]

Yeah, they'd do something like a long-lost cousin or something like that.

[MrDoovdeHaxorz]

Well last time they changed the guy, they just said new Stig, the cousin etc is usually a gag based around a theme of whatever they're doing such as American Stig, African Stig, Rig Stig.

What I can't get my head around is what Collins really gains from this, sure he might get a few book sales, but I think Top Gear benefits a hell of a lot more as the talk is now more about it, and speculation as to who will replace Collins now he is almost certainly gone (Breach of Contract specifically the confidentiality clause), people will be more likely to watch Top Gear's next series now than follow Mr Collins' career in GT Racing... Some are already saying he's a c*** etc for revealing this (even though it's more the book company than him, I suspect), so it's not like he's done himself a massive amount of good.

[John]

Exactly. I don't think many fans are too chuffed about learning who it is. Like I said, the good thing about it was the mystery! I don't even think we cared who it was, it was just fun speculating!

[John]

Just a thought.... but surely the BBC or Top Gear could now sue Ben Collins as he is in breach of contract

[MrDoovdeHaxorz]

Just a thought.... but surely the BBC or Top Gear could now sue Ben Collins as he is in breach of contract

I would have thought so.

Some say current F1 pilot Karun Chandhok has made an audition for the job

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[Lee.]

Was'nt Ben collins the 1st Stig but they killed him on the aircraft carrier because he had told someone he was the Stig ?

[John]

Was'nt Ben collins the 1st Stig but they killed him on the aircraft carrier because he had told someone he was the Stig ?

See my 1st post. That was Perry McCarthey

[cxx666]

What I can't get my head around is what Collins really gains from this

In the short term a hell of a lot of publicity, long term, nothing.

Top Gear "killed off" black stig after his identity was reveiled so I see no reason why white stig shouldnt follow the same fate.

Many followers of the program, in particular those of us interested in motorsport, had been able to read online for quite some time who his identity was. However the air of mystery, is it someone who was an F1 driver? is he a touring car driver? has gone.

In the news they referred to him as a Formula 3 driver but to be honest i doubt most of the public know what that is.

I think he may well regret this later on, aside from his work as Stig, I'm not aware he has really done anything of much interest to the general public. Give it a day or 2 and most people will have completely forgotten who he is and what he does, or as I hope, did.

[E*F*4L]

reading all the abuse towards the bbc on the times comments board and replying to them, what a bunch of losers - i hope the BBC sack Ben, now for being a money grabbing wanker.

[TheEpicPlum]

Thought he already had been fired? That's why he revealed his identity?

[R94N]

Thought he already had been fired? That's why he revealed his identity?

Yeah, I think so.

[E*F*4L]

Thought he already had been fired? That's why he revealed his identity?

it would have taken him some time to write a whole book, especially a autobiography, he would have known that by outing himself he would get sacked for breaking a confidentially agreement he signed 7 years ago in good faith, basically he got greedy, however he has now got a lot of hate going his way

[Timsk]

I think it's a shame Stig's been outed, there was a good reason to keep the driver the same for all the track testing. If he chose to do it himself then fair enough - maybe he'd just had enough; I just hope he wasn't pushed into it by his management/agent who were only seeing the short-term $$$ from increased book sales.

Guess we'll be seeing another colour Stig soon then. Blue?

[cxx666]

Part of me hopes any new Stig is green, just for the irony of something on top gear being "green", however the other part of me really hopes it is anything but green just to stick 2 fingers up at the environmental eco hippies

I'd think it may well be blue though if they have another colour brought in

[KingTutsWWH]

reading all the abuse towards the bbc on the times comments board and replying to them, what a bunch of losers - i hope the BBC sack Ben, now for being a money grabbing wanker.

it would have taken him some time to write a whole book, especially a autobiography, he would have known that by outing himself he would get sacked for breaking a confidentially agreement he signed 7 years ago in good faith, basically he got greedy, however he has now got a lot of hate going his way

You been reading the Daily Mail again Alan?

I do agree however, that he clearly would have been aware that this would mean the end of his contract. He probably wanted to terminate it, and why not do it in this way? I certainly wouldn't condemn him for it.

On a lighter note, I'd like a pink or purple coloured Stig please. Maybe a female one? Not being sexist re. colours, just thought it'd be nice to see a purple helmet on Top Gear on Sundays!

[MrDoovdeHaxorz]

On a lighter note, I'd like a pink or purple coloured Stig please. Maybe a female one?

Sabine Schmitz would be the obvious choice if she wasn't already on the German version of Top Gear... Danica Patrick is stuck in Indy/NASCAR (sadly), theres a few upcoming talents in the Touring Car support championships who'd be up to it soon if not already like Alice Powell, Sarah Moore, Louise Richardson, wouldn't mind seeing Susie Stoddart actually, she's been racing for a while now where the others I mentioned are young and still developing their craft... yeah I'll stop with the geekery now

just thought it'd be nice to see a purple helmet on Top Gear on Sundays!

*must resist temptation to make obvious/rude gag about Clarkson... must... resist*

[E*F*4L]

You been reading the Daily Mail again Alan?

I do agree however, that he clearly would have been aware that this would mean the end of his contract. He probably wanted to terminate it, and why not do it in this way? I certainly wouldn't condemn him for it.

On a lighter note, I'd like a pink or purple coloured Stig please. Maybe a female one? Not being sexist re. colours, just thought it'd be nice to see a purple helmet on Top Gear on Sundays!

nope, the hate on the DM was for the BBC once again

Sabine Schmitz would be the obvious choice if she wasn't already on the German version of Top Gear... Danica Patrick is stuck in Indy/NASCAR (sadly), theres a few upcoming talents in the Touring Car support championships who'd be up to it soon if not already like Alice Powell, Sarah Moore, Louise Richardson, wouldn't mind seeing Susie Stoddart actually, she's been racing for a while now where the others I mentioned are young and still developing their craft... yeah I'll stop with the geekery now

*must resist temptation to make obvious/rude gag about Clarkson... must... resist*

go on do it !