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James May's Proposal for the New Driver Suggests He's Not So Smart After All

As you probably know (if you don't, that means you wouldn't care anyway), the Grand Tour has had to part ways with the American, the redneck racing driver essentially standing it for Top Gear's the Stig but not doing a very good job apparently.
The Grand Tour driver audition 8 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
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After the producers decided to give the American the boot, the three were left facing with a bit of a dilemma: who should they bring in his place? With the Stig name and image protected by copyright, any joke involving a man in a single-color racing overall with matching helmet was out of the question, so they had to think of something else.

The first one to make a move was Jeremy Clarkson, and no, it wasn't a jab at one of the backroom staff. Jezza got in touch with former Formula One Australian driver Mark Webber, who matched the very strict criteria imposed by the three: "Mustn't be fat, clumsy or slow."

Well, it turned out he wasn't quite impartial either, as his new job with Porsche made him deliberately drive other brands' cars much more slowly. Besides, it really confused Richard and James who thought he was a musician or an actor.

Then it was Richard's turn. After having gone through two near-death car crashes, Hammond has a natural affinity for danger. So he brought an experienced stunt driver. It's a good thing they gave him a Clio RS to drive and not a McLaren P1 or something because he just couldn't help use a nearby trailer as a ramp to jump onto a building.

Surely, James May, the most cerebral of the bunch, will save the day, right? Well, his suggestion is at least strange, if not even worse than that. Captain Slow thought the best driver for the show would be a convicted car thief. Not only does he know how to drive fast, but they would also be doing a service to the society by providing an ex-con with a workplace.

If you've seen at least one episode of the old Top Gear or the new Grand Tour, you can probably already whiff how this is going to end. Even so, their delivery is excellent, showing once more that years of appearing on TV have honed their acting skills. Would you have a better suggestion for the team (apart from yourself, obviously)?

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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