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| {{Infobox_Celebrity | |||
| | name = The Stig | |||
| | image = TopGearStig.jpg | |||
| | caption = The Stig (Series 3 onwards) | |||
| | birth_date = Unknown | |||
| | occupation = Test driver / trainer | |||
| }} | |||
| '''The Stig''' is the name given to the anonymous ] on the ] ] show '']''. In the show he is cast as a mysterious "tame racing driver" whose identity is unknown, and who never speaks or removes his helmet on camera. Nonetheless he is fully credited as a presenter, albeit as "The Stig", alongside ], ] and ]. | |||
| The Stig's primary function on the show is to ] in various cars around the Top Gear circuit in Dunsfold Park, and to train each week's guest in setting a lap time in the ] feature on the show. In addition the Stig carries out other driving duties when the need arises. | |||
| The Stig has also appeared on some of Jeremy Clarkson's motoring specials, such as ''Heaven and Hell'' and ''The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly'', as well as on BBC's '']''. | |||
| ==Origins== | |||
| The Stig's name derives from presenter Jeremy Clarkson's days at ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/article586470.ece?token=null&offset=0 | title=The backroom boy who put Top Gear on top of the world | work=Times Online | date=] |accessdate=2006-09-26}}</ref> According to Clarkson, new students were always called "Stig." A proposed name for the Stig was originally "The Gimp" until protests from ] nixed the idea.<ref name=autotrader>{{cite web | url=http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/CARS/FEATURES/32815.html | title=The original Stig speaks | work=Auto Trader UK | date=] | accessdate=2006-11-01}}</ref> There have been two official Stigs on the show, while various other Stigs have made ]s for particular episodes. | |||
| ===Black Stig=== | |||
| ] | |||
| The first Stig wore black overalls and helmet. It was introduced in the first episode of the current format by Jeremy Clarkson as the resident test driver, as the presenters could not consistently post fast times themselves.Clarkson noted that "we don't know its name, we really don't know its name, nobody knows its name, and we don't wanna know, cause it's a racing driver." Clarkson then described The Stig as having a very small brain, who had worthless opinions, a disorder described by Clarkson as "] Syndrome". Its job description was to "just go out there and drive fast".<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 1, Episode 1 (])</ref> | |||
| Black Stig posted a lap time of 1:46 for the ] segment. This Stig was used for the first two series of the show. It was then "killed off" at the start of the third series when he was shown driving a modified ] off the flight deck of ] during a stunt and landing in the sea.<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 3, Episode 1 (])</ref> | |||
| ===White Stig=== | |||
| After the Black Stig was "killed off", a new "White Stig" was introduced, wearing white overalls and helmet.<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 3, Episode 2 (])</ref> White Stig has been featured in the show beyond just the Power Lap segment. His work has included driving cars in other segments of the show, for example finding a winner between the ], ] and ] Carrera S on the ],<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 7, Episode 1</ref> and racing against the hosts in a bid to see who would cross the starting line at a race track; White Stig driving a ] ] from ], ] to ] in ] against the hosts in assembling an identical car from the ground up.<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 8, Episode 7 (])</ref> In Series 10 The Stig was recruited to take public transport in the Cross London Challenge and had to deal with such tasks as riding a bus, using an ] and having to answer a ], but instead just stared at the ringing device.<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 10, Episode 5 (])</ref> | |||
| White Stig has also appeared outside ''Top Gear'' in some of Clarkson's motoring specials, such as ''The Good, The Bad, The Ugly'' where Clarkson reviewed and compared American and non-American cars, ''Heaven and Hell'', where the Stig was used to compare the track times of the ] and the ], and raced Clarkson, in a ], with a ]. In Clarkson's latest DVD, Supercar Showdown, The Stig, in a Porsche 911, raced Sabine Schmitt, in an Audi R8, around the Ascari track in Spain, to see which was the fastest. | |||
| White Stig posted the fastest lap time of 1:44.4 around the ''Top Gear'' test track for the ] segment. | |||
| ===Cameo appearances=== | |||
| There have been two cameo appearances by other Stigs on the show. | |||
| Episode 3 of Series 9 was set in the United States, with the presenters purchasing American cars and driving them across four states while on holiday. One of the challenges set for the presenters was for the cars to set a lap time around a racetrack, for which "the Stig's American cousin" was introduced. Nicknamed "Big Stig" by the presenters, this Stig wore a "fat suit" in order to appear overweight. However, he was skilled enough to record lap times for two of the cars, although he had trouble with Richard Hammond's pick-up truck due to weak brakes. | |||
| Episode 4 of Series 10 featured the presenters driving across ]. To test the performance of the three cars used by the presenters around a dirt rally track, Clarkson introduced "The Stig's African cousin." This incarnation of The Stig was black, wore only ''Puma'' shoes, a loincloth and the iconic white helmet. He set lap times for two of the cars, but walked away from the track when Clarkson's ] failed to start. The others joked that African Stig was trying to get a respectable time by walking the course, and didn't bother using the car as it was too slow. | |||
| ==Records== | |||
| The Stig's fastest official lap time around the ''Top Gear'' test track was 1 minute 17.3 seconds in an ].<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 10, Episode 9 (])</ref> Faster times had previously been posted in a ] car (0.59.0),<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 5, Episode 8 (])</ref> an ] (1.08.6)<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 6, Episode 6 (])</ref> and a ] (1:10.6),<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 10, Episode 5 (])</ref> but none of these were deemed street-practical due to inability to navigate regulation UK speed bumps, or because they cannot be purchased by the public. | |||
| ==Identity== | |||
| The Stig's true identity is never revealed on the show, and in order to maintain the secrecy, all shots show him wearing full racing ]s and matching ] Diamondback ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.simpsonraceproducts.com/products/product_detail.aspx?cat_id=300&prod_id=4671 |title=Product description | work=Simpson Performance Products | accessdate=2008-02-09}}</ref> All that can be seen from the gap between his helmet and jumpsuit is that he is a white male with dark hair. It is also known that he wears Size 10 racing boots as discovered by the ] <ref>{{cite web | url=http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,22750-2270385_3,00.html | title=Bad boys are back in town | work=Times Online | date=] |accessdate=2006-09-26}}</ref> and a well-timed camera flash managed to show The Stigs' eyes by ].<ref name=autotrader2>{{cite web | url=http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/car_page_content/top_gears_the_stig_unmasked_at_last.html | title=Top Gear's The Stig - unmasked at last? | work=Auto Trader| date=] |accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref> | |||
| The identity of the first Stig was revealed to be ] when his book '']'' was published in 2003. McCarthy is a former ] driver and test driver for the ], ] and ] teams, and also tested for ].<ref name=autotrader>{{cite web | url=http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/CARS/FEATURES/32815.html | title=The original Stig speaks | work=Auto Trader UK | date=] | accessdate=2006-11-01}}</ref> | |||
| The identity of the new Stig has not been officially revealed. In a ] special episode of ''Top Gear'', The Stig was shown doing a ski jump using a snowmobile. According to the Swedish tabloid newspaper '']'', the driver performing the ski jump stunt was Dan Lang, a Swedish snowmobile cross driver.<ref>{{sv icon}}{{cite web | url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/nyheter/story/0,2789,788722,00.html| title=''Han hoppar med skoter''| work=] | date=] | accessdate=2007-09-26}}</ref> | |||
| In January 2006, a Daily Express article reported that ] was The Stig.<ref>{{cite news | author=Veronica Lorraine | title='The Stig' is unmasked | work=] | |||
| | publisher=Financial Times Information Limited - Europe Intelligence Wire | date=] | |||
| | quote=We can reveal he is none other than former Formula 1 and British touring car championship driver Julian Bailey.}}</ref> Both Russ Swift<ref> | |||
| {{cite web | title=Stunt driver Russ Swift | work=AutoTrader UK | date=] | url=http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/car_page_content/33557.html | accessdate=2007-07-18}}</ref> and Perry McCarthy<ref name=autotrader/> have revealed that there is more than one driver that play the role of The Stig. | |||
| ] with an "I AM THE STIG" T-shirt presented to him by Jeremy.]] | |||
| The show has alluded to The Stig with ] drivers that visit the show. In the episode of ], ], ] appeared as the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car". When asked directly by Clarkson if he was The Stig, Hill played on the fact that he may be The Stig, but then denied it.<ref>{{cite web | title=Top Gear Videos, Celeb Laps: Damon Hill | work=Topgear.com | url=http://www.topgear.com/content/timetoburn/sections/videos/07/broadband.html | accessdate=2006-10-08}}</ref> ] was interviewed on ], ] and at the conclusion of his lap, Clarkson presented him with an "I AM THE STIG" T-shirt. | |||
| When former F1 driver ] appeared on the show, Jeremy Clarkson noted that The Stig theorised that the ] (the show's "reasonably priced car" at the time) could achieve a 1:44 time on the track.<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 7, Episode 5 (]) Clarkson: ''The Stig has always told us, that track would give us a 1:44 in that car, and I thought...''</ref> Mansell proved the Stig's theory by lapping in a time of 1:44.6; The Stig subsequently posted a lap-time of 1:44.4 in the Liana. During the review of ]'s lap, Clarkson commented that he, as did most of the other F1 drivers, took very different racing lines from The Stig's. Button commented that "...obviously, The Stig isn't a Formula One Driver, then." to which Clarkson replied with "Might be."<ref>''Top Gear'' Series 8, Episode 8 (]) Clarkson: ''You do that line as well! Formula One drivers all do that and The Stig doesn't!'' Button: ''Oh really?'' Clarkson: ''No.'' Button: ''Well obviously, The Stig isn't a Formula One Driver, then.'' Clarkson: ''Might be.''</ref> | |||
| Although The Stig does talk with celebrities while preparing them for their "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" lap times, he is never shown talking on screen, and in ] articles he is portrayed as unable or unwilling to talk. Clarkson has written that The Stig is not permitted to talk on screen because any opinion he might voice on cars would be rubbish;<ref>{{cite web | url=http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article2503695.ece | title=Volvo XC70 SE Sport | work=Sunday Times | date=] | accessdate=2007-12-26}}</ref> however, The Stig has talked in an interview with a ] TV Channel, ].<ref> finalgear.com Posted March 12th, 2007 at 13:17 GMT</ref> | |||
| ==Listening habits== | |||
| Another source of entertainment for the presenters is the music The Stig listens to whilst doing Power Laps around the Top Gear track. Often a specific genre will be chosen for one or more series. These have included ], ]s, ], ], ], ], ], ], salesman techniques, and ] tapes. | |||
| ==Introductions== | |||
| {{wikiquote|Top Gear#The_Stig|The Stig}} | |||
| The hosts of the show will often introduce footage of The Stig by offering humorous speculations as to his identity, such as "Some say that his voice can only be heard by cats, and that he is banned from the city of ]. All we know is... he's called The Stig." The introductions often include references to topical news stories. Previously, Stig's name would be used in formal introductions, such as "His Holiness, The Stig!!" All of the introductions that are used for The Stig can be found on the Top Gear 2008 calendar, with many other witty introductions, such as 'his face can be found on a Japanese banknote'. | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist|2}} | |||
| {{Top Gear}} | |||
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