The Man behind the Mask

Thomas: First things first - why did you choose to reveal your identity to the world?

Stig: Well when I started the job at Top Gear I had a full complement of anonymity and that really only goes one-way. It's kind of like a cup of water in the fact that the more you pour away the less you have left and by the time it got to 2009, BBC Radio Times opened the plug on the whole thing by saying that I was one of two most likely candidates in their own publication. Needless to say the rest of the tabloids over here took this as a sign that it was fair game and they all ran stories saying I was the Stig. So we kind of lingered on for a while but for me the integrity of the character was gone and in many ways I wanted to move on anyway. In terms of timing and everything it seemed like the right time to go on and do other things and that's when I really made the decision to leave.

T: Your unmasking sent shockwaves through the BBC. How did you cope with all the consequent flak fired out by people like Clarkson, Hammond and May?

S: I had to wear a bulletproof jacket and a very hard helmet I can assure you! I was very surprised, although in some ways not surprised, on how they reacted. I think in their view I had become very much part of the furniture, that's probably how it would seem, but obviously with all the effort I had put into Top Gear - my driving and performances behind the scenes - I really expected a little bit more respect when I came out the other side. I think it was a major disappointment, how they behaved, and believe it showed a lack of respect for the people that support them. I hope as time goes on things will heal.

T: Speaking of Jeremy Clarkson, what is the man actually like to work with and is he any good behind the wheel?

S: Well none of them are professional drivers so I effectively spent a lot of time doing a lot of the driving for them. Part of my role at Top Gear was doubling for people and this was, obviously, something I really enjoyed. A lot of what I did on the show involved working alongside the presenters and I relished my time doing it so I'd prefer to look back and remember the good times rather than reflect on how they've behaved of late.

T: As a professional race car driver what do you find most challenging?

S: I'd have to say competing in endurance races like the 24-Hours of Le Mans because, driving at three to four hours at a time, your knees get bruised and banged; your spine begins

to rub and get sore and your eyeballs start closing. You feel completely wiped out and yet you're racing at speeds of well over 320km/h through a very tough course that's surrounded by trees and other things you don't want to crash into.

T: Besides competing in motor sport you've also done a fair share of cinematic stunt driving. What was it like piloting that Aston Martin DBS and being involved in the making of Quantum of Solace?

S: That was just incredible. The movie business is filled with the same sense of camaraderie that you get in the army and working with that stunt crew was amazing. They were of the highest calibre, so being invited to join such an elite group of people certainly was a privilege. As for the Aston Martin DBS, it's a special machine that's incredibly well refined and, I'd have to say, one of the greatest cars ever made and certainly the most pleasurable to drive. Not only is it a very accurate car but it has this incredible V12 engine that bellows a chorus of tunes - something that you really heard around the tunnels of Lake Garda. During filming we were surrounded by the most incredible geography and roads on which I could push the car to its limit . Like I said, we had all these top guys blowing things up and driving the Alfas and trucks that were involved in the chase sequence. It was pretty special.

T: Who is your favourite racing driver of all time?

S: I've got to think about that one. Well when I first started out in motor racing my hero was Gilles Villeneuve, so I suppose I'd stick with him. He was a colourful character, though not necessarily the most successful, from an era in which Formula One was a lot more exciting to watch than it is today. Not only was he a great personality but also his flamboyant, sideways driving style was just spectacular. He was a crazy man!

T: What can we expect from Ben Collins in the future? Do you have any exciting motor sport ventures lurking in the pipeline?

S: Well while everyone was focused on the Top Gear court case I was off competing in this year's Le Mans Series. We actually won our class in LMP2 driving a Lola Honda Coupé, which was really awesome. So my goal next year is to win a 24-hour race. In terms of TV I'm hoping to stay on at Fifth Gear. I've got a few ideas for a new format as well, so it would be great to be a participant in something like that. I must say that I do enjoy television; it's a great medium for bringing some crazy challenges to the screen and I'm keen to use my experience to do more of it.