accent_racer

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/29/some-sa...fires-the-stig/

"We saw this one coming; the BBC has apparently sacked The Stig. Britain's Daily Mirror tabloid reports that the Stig, a.k.a. Ben Collins, has been let go and that a new Stig has already replaced him on Top Gear. In fact, the Mirror says it already have pics of the new Stig at a Nürburgring track event, wearing the signature white coveralls and smoked visor helmet. How does the paper know it's not Collins in the photos? Simple: it had another photographer at Ben's house – 1,100 miles away – watching Collins play with his children at the same time.

The firing of the Stig comes a week after a battle erupted over Collins' autobiography, slated for release in September. Details about the Stig's true identity have been trickling out for some time, including the recent discovery that Collins Auto-Sport, a company owned and operated by Ben Collins, claimed income from "driving services for the BBC, mainly in the Top Gear programme."

Of course, this could still just be speculation, and TG may have hired another driver just for that one track event. If Collins has indeed been canned and the show follows form, a segment will be filmed showing the demise of the white Stig and the appearance of his replacement. At least that's what they did when the original black-clad Stig, Perry McCarthy, left the show. Wonder what colors the new Stig will fly..."

Source: Daily Mirror

supercow

part of the stig's contract says that he's ever found out he's fired. The first stig was fired after he wrote a book about being the stig. Look for a book from ben soon I'd say! lol

187sks

Yeah he's already trying to publish an autobiography.

Wonder what they'll do to differentiate the new Stig? I'm guessing red Stig next. But the Stig is a strong enough icon now they may keep him white. I hope not.

chapp

You guys are aware that it isnt just one guy that is Stig right?
Ben Collins is one, but there are 2 others too wink.gif

AT05GT

Red Stig was Communist Stig from Vietnam.

StrikeEagle

The Stig is multiple people. Besides Ben Collins (who probably did the bulk of the driving) and the 'non-Stigs', such as the fat cousin, african cousin, etc., they've had Michael Schumacher for a Ferrari drive and at least one other. Plus that had another one for the race between the car, bike, and public transport.

eggcatcher

we already knew it was him, although anyone who follows sportscar racing in the US will know he does ALMs races now and then, usually petit le mans and other races where extra drivers are used. He's also a journalist/car tester for a UK motorsport magazine, last year he did an article on Nascar, (he won the UK version a few years ago), driving the car at Bristol, can't remember what team it was, but he lapped good enough to qualify for a race there, enjoyed the drive, and team were surprised with him, since then he's been chasing a drive, so may have one.

Also, i got a feeling (due to racing drivers usually being tiny) the Tony Stewart could have been fat Stig used in the florida special. German stig could have been that woman from Nurburgring (now presenter on German version of top gear), lorry driver Stuart Oliver (British driver in FIA Truck racing series-in BTCC at the time, and TG like using BTCC drivers for other things-car football, motorhome racing etc), however I realy can't think of any black rally drivers that could have been African Stig.

StrikeEagle

^^^ Only one I could think of would be Lewis Hamilton, but the build is all wrong, the color is slightly off, and I really doubt he'd ever put himself in a loincloth and pumas...