richard hammond

Last weekend, cult BBC motoring show Top Gear returned to our screens - and with it, a new Stig. But just who is the mysterious 'tame racing driver' that has replaced Ben Collins underneath the disguise of the famous white helmet..?

With the acrimonious fall-out from Ben Collins' departure from cult BBC motoring show Top Gear having now calmed a little, the former Stig - labelled a 'greedy tw*t' by Jeremy Clarkson last week - has revealed his side of the story...

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has admitted he is 'hurt' that Ben Collins has chosen to reveal himself as The Stig, but assures that whilst the cult British motoring show might be 'damaged', it's 'not out'

Leading Formula 1 annual Autocourse continues to break sales records, currently ranking number one in online retailer Amazon's best-sellers list of motor racing books - significantly ahead of the official yearbook and biographies of such luminaries from the sport as Lewis Hamilton, Michael

Newly-crowned Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton is 'phenomenally good at driving', even when the car in question is 'an old snot-box' - that is the expert opinion of Top Gear's enigmatic Stig.

Richard Hammond appears to be in pole position to head up the BBC 's reported ?200 million coverage of Formula One when the sport returns to the broadcaster next season, after current broadcaster ITV activated a getout clause in its contract with Formula One Administration.

British Touring Car Championship stars Tom Chilton, Robert Huff, Matt Neal and Anthony Reid, plus former Champion Tim Harvey, are to appear on Britain's biggest motoring programme Top Gear later this month.