Top Gear officially reveals Stig's identity, and he's even more impressive than we thought
Fair warning: This is our third Stig post in about a week, so if you're not a fan of the Top Gear and its Tame Racing Driver, feel free to mosey on down the page. Speculation about the Stig's identity has always been a fun way to pass the time with fellow car buffs. It's one of those secrets that you'd love to solve, but that you hope nobody ever does at the same time.Last week, a service man came forward to say that he came across the Stig's white suit and helmet while doing some work at a home in the UK, and then an art gallery blabbed that a certain well-known racecar driver came into their gallery to commission some Stig artwork. Between the two of them they figured it was time to let the world know what they did, so they revealed Stiggy's true identity. Well, they got it all wrong according to the blokes at Top Gear.
In response to all of the speculation that has been reported as fact (by this outlet among others), the show wants to set the record straight. That's why the BBC outlet has just issued a statement identifying their white-clad road warrior. The Stig has been revealed to be...wait for it....Graham Hill. Yes, the very same Graham Hill who won the GP World Drivers Championship in 1962 and 1968 and was reported to have died in a tragic plane crash back in 1975. Who would have guessed? Ironically, his son and fellow Formula One World Champion Damon Hill was one of the people rumored to have donned the white driving suit and helmet. What a clever ruse.
This comes as quite a shock to everyone who has followed the story. After all, Graham would be about 80 years old now. Some say his mustache wax was the clue that made the team come forward with the news. Some say he has been growing frustrated getting out of so many awkward supercar doors. All we know is, you can follow the link to hear the whole exciting story of how this two-time champion worked with the BBC to fake his own death, some 20 years before the BBC even dreamed up the need for a Stig on a show they hadn't even created yet. Fascinating. Thanks for the tip, Rafer!
[Source: Top Gear | Image: Slim Aarons/Getty]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Jeff 4:05PM (1/21/2009)
Absolutely WTF?????
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Rafer 4:25PM (1/21/2009)
Ben Collins isn't nearly as exciting as this. This is Stig worthy.
jon 8:24PM (1/21/2009)
this is clearly a joke people... this is just a clever way of keeping the white stig around.
Kiiks 8:41PM (1/21/2009)
A perfect way to rekindle the mystique. Well done, BBC.
Jared 10:21PM (1/21/2009)
"So they approached Graham Hill, whose professional driving career was over at that point, and asked him to crash a plane and then hide in a bush until he got the call from the Top Gear team 20 odd years later," said a BBC insider."
I cant stop laughing!
YankeeSpeeder 3:33AM (1/22/2009)
Actually, the Stig outed himself 4 months ago.
http://cars.talkzilla.com/boards/board.aspx?board_id=38
meatbag 4:10PM (1/21/2009)
and here i could have sworn it was one of the Bently boys...
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Serge 4:08PM (1/21/2009)
Interesting...
Well, the guy can drive like he's 25!!!
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Red 4:09PM (1/21/2009)
Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn...automatically story of the year.
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LMBVette 4:10PM (1/21/2009)
So Top Gear is having a bit of fun with this....good for them.
I like it better not knowing who the Stig is (even though I've known 'unofficially' for quite awhile).
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Red 4:30PM (1/21/2009)
Samsies, as my lady says. :-)
gt-racer 7:20PM (1/21/2009)
That's why I love the brits, here in America a joke like that would be labelled offensive by the overly sensitive network suits and there would have been an apology issued to the (stig's)family.
Kudos. Way to make TV fun again.
Sean 4:11PM (1/21/2009)
Ha ha ha! Final episode stunt casting! (Birdman)
But seriously, well played gentlemen. I wish half of the shows on TV had the hilarious writing staff that works for the BBC.
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BigMcLargeHuge 4:19PM (1/21/2009)
I say they have to kill off White Stig at this point. Its only fair to Black Stig.
Equal opportunity and all that.
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Jeff 4:22PM (1/21/2009)
I agree white boy must die. The best part of Stig was not knowing who he was.
But what should be next? Brown or Yellow?
I dont mind a Red Stig.
Golferal 8:41PM (1/21/2009)
Well, we are on a roll here in the states with the whole "equal opportunity" thing...
ack154 4:22PM (1/21/2009)
Wow.
I told one of my friends about this story saying that the BBC released a statement... and he stops me and says "Is he dead?"
"Well... sort of..."
I'm so confused.
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NetAddict 4:25PM (1/21/2009)
"The mystery driver's identity was uncovered when a cleaner discovered some empty tins of moustache wax in a Mclaren SLR that the Stig had just lapped round the Top Gear test track."
Sounds like they are up to some shenanigans and this is a joke..
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paul 4:26PM (1/21/2009)
they must save some face. and also, what better way of attempting to disprove a story, than to poke fun at it
Rafer 4:27PM (1/21/2009)
No I think its for serious.