The Stig: Look Who's Been Hiding Under the Famous Helmet

His name is The Stig, and every automobile-oriented person in Britain knows it.

To a loud and often incongruous musical soundtrack, he drives fast cars for the BBC's 'Top Gear' programme. If The Stig can drive car A around a track in one minute 12.7 seconds, but can lap in car B in one minutes 11.9 seconds, then car B is deemed to be the quicker vehicle.

The Stig does not speak, so we cannot identify his voice.

A dark visor conceals The Stig's face.

For years, the BBC have concealed The Stig's true identity, but now the truth has leaked out. It transpires that a number of drivers have worn the white overalls and the dark-visored helmet. Anybody who is slim could wear the kit, which is probably why I have not been approached for the job.

Now that the true names have been revealed, a very interesting one leaps off the page: McLaren-Mercedes F1 driver Heikki Kovalainen.

One of Top Gear's most popular features is inviting celebrities to drive the quickest lap of a circuit at Dunsfold airfield they can manage in an ordinary family car. All sorts of people have tried, including Simon Cowell, who was very, very quick.

At the top of the leader board is The Stig, but guess who is pressing him hard? None other than Lewis Hamilton, who drove his lap in the wet, and who is confident he can beat The Stig's time when he tries again in dry conditions.

Is it possible Lewis does not know of his teammate's extra-curricular activities? I don't think so. And is that his motivation for wanting to be No. 1 on the Top Gear chart?

This enquiring mind wants to know.

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Click here to watch Lewis Hamilton's Top Gear interview and lap. Note that Lewis's wet lap was quicker than Jenson Button's dry lap, but who could be surprised?