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Top Gear mystery man races for town team
Top Gear's famous Stig has been unmasked as a driver for a Wellingborough racing team.
Bristol racer Ben Collins drives sportcars for RML Motorsport, the team run by legendary tuner Ray Mallock from their base in Whittle Close.
The Stig was revealed to be Mr Collins after the High Court yesterday refused to ban the publication of his autobiography, in which he says he is the mysterious white-suited and helmeted driver.
Mr Collins, who has a long association with RML dating back to 2003, currently drives for the team in the Le Mans Series, a championship which includes the famous 24-hour race.
The team is most commonly known for their long association with touring car racing, and they run Chevrolets in both the British and World Touring Car Championships.
The Stig will be appearing at Silverstone on September 12 for the next round of the Le Mans Series.
RML's marketing director, Rupert Manwaring, said: "Obviously there have been rumours in the industry for a while, but that didn't concern us, we employed Ben because he was the driver we wanted."
Mr Manwaring also revealed Mr Collins was not like his silent on-screen character, adding: "He's a very normal person in real life. He's a very nice guy."
After more than a day of legal argument in private, Mr Justice Morgan said he would not grant the BBC a temporary injunction blocking publication of Mr Collins's autobiography.
The broadcasters began legal proceedings against publishers HarperCollins last week, claiming the publication of the book would break a confidentiality agreement designed to keep the true identity of the mystery racing driver undercover.
The BBC has not yet officially confirmed Mr Collins is the Stig.
Speaking shortly after the High Court ruling, Top Gear presenter James May, said: "Obviously I'm now going to have to take some legal action of my own, because I've been The Stig for the past seven years.
"I don't know who this bloke is, who's mincing around in the High Court pretending it's him."
Simon Dowson-Collins, director of legal services for publisher Harper Collins, said: "We were very surprised the BBC took such action to prevent freedom of expression.
"We maintained all along that the information is already in the public domain."
It was widely reported that The Stig was Mr Collins after his company's financial reports listed Top Gear among its work.
The BBC responded this was "no surprise" as he had appeared numerous times on the programme and supplied drivers for it.
Mr Collins and the RML racing team will take part in the final stage of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone next weekend.
He will compete alongside former Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell and past Formula 1 drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Allan McNish.
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