| Ben Collins | |
|---|---|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Ben_Collins_in_2014.png) Collins in 2014 | |
| Nationality |  British |
| Born | 13 February 1975 Bristol, United Kingdom |
| Racing licence | &sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:FIA_Silver_Driver.png){kind=small} FIA Silver |
| Previous series | |
| Championship titles | |
| 2003 | ASCAR |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
| Years | 2001, 2002, 2011, 2014 |
| Teams | Team Ascari, RML |
| Best finish | 12th |
| Class wins | 0 |
Benjamin Lievesley Immi Collins (born 13 February 1975)[1][2] is a British racing driver from Bristol. He has competed in motor racing since 1994 in many categories, from Formula Three and Indy Lights to sportscars, GT racing and stock cars.
Collins was placed second in the Marlboro Masters Formula 3 championship event in 2000. He set the pace at the 2001 Le Mans 24 hours race in his first season for approximately four hours during the rain at night.[vague] After winning the European Stock Car Championship in 2003 ASCAR stock car racing he was signed by PDM Racing to do selected rounds of the 2004 Indy Racing League, but the car never appeared. In 2005, he competed in the British GT Championship in a Porsche 996 GT3, winning races on the way before moving up to the FIA GT Series with Ascari where he led races and scored several pole positions.
In addition to racing, Collins' company Collins Autosport Limited provides precision and stunt driving services, particularly for BBC Television, including Top Gear[3][4] and Top Gear Live, as well as for the film industry, such as driving James Bond's car in Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale, and Eve Moneypenny's car in Skyfall.
In August 2010, The Sunday Times alleged that Collins may be one of the identities of the Stig—an otherwise unidentified presenter on the Top Gear show—on the basis of financial filing made by the Collins Autosport company.[5] On 1 September 2010 the BBC was refused a court injunction preventing Collins from publishing an autobiography revealing himself to be the Stig.[6] On 1 October 2010, it was announced that Collins would join Fifth Gear as a presenter.[7] In 2012 Collins joined as co-presenter of Polish TVN's Automaniak.[8] In February 2014, he was added to the 'Drivers Club' of the newly formed Formula E series, but did not compete in the inaugural 2014–15 season.[9]
- ^ Speedsport Magazine, Race Driver Database: Ben Collins. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
- ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
telegraph-outingwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
times-open-secretwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Top Gear driver unmasked as Sunday Times lifts helmet on Stig's identity". the Guardian. 22 August 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
- ^ Hewage, Tim (1 September 2010). "Top Gear's The Stig Is Finally Unmasked". Sky News. Archived from the original on 4 September 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ Sweney, Mark (10 January 2010). "'The Stig' joins Channel 5's Fifth Gear". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
- ^ "Nowy sezon "Automaniaka" z legendarnym Benem Collinsem!". Tvn.pl. 11 November 2013. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
- ^ "Alguersuari, Minassian & Klien add names to Formula E Drivers' Club". Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2015.