The BBC’s flagship motoring programme Top Gear last night revealed their ‘tame racing driver’, the Stig, to be F1 legend Michael Schumacher.
On the programme the Stig was asked to remove his helmet and reveal his identity, which hitherto has been a closely-guarded and much-talked about secret. As the helmet came off there were gasps and applause, and then cheering from the studio audience. Host Jeremy Clarkson then joked with Schumacher, asking him to tell the audience his name.
Motor racing observers had previously considered the Stig to be someone of note, because of the evident skill and speed of the Stig. But tabloid consensus was that it was Ben Collins.
Sceptical pundits were last night suggesting that Schumacher’s appearance had been a publicity stunt and that the real Stig was so furious his identity had been aped that he ate a nearby producer.
