Wer war der erste Stig bei Top Gear?

Since the Top Gear series first took hold in America in 2017, undoubtedly its most mysterious contributor has always been the unnamed race car driver donning a complete suit and helmet to thrash some of the world's rarest cars around, referred to simply as The Stig.

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But what exactly does The Stig do? Beyond that, how have the character's contributions been instrumental in the show's success, and how much training actually goes into doing the phenomenal driving feats? Here's what we know about one of television's most mysterious adrenaline junkies.

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The Stig is a highly trained driver tasked with doing some seriously intense laps around a course.

Originally created by the show's British counterpart's founder, Jeremy Clarkson, The Stig is a play on the nature of unnamed masked race car drivers who became synonymous with the sport of racing as a whole. And the fact that those playing The Stig hardly ever reveal their appearance is quite literally the series' longest-running joke.

The Stig's primary role on Top Gear is to act as the show's de-facto test driver for the myriad of expensive, unique, and even hazardous vehicles that come into the host's interests. The character is placed in whatever vehicle they deem for it and instructed to set the fastest lap time physically possible in it, which is then added to an overall comparison chart the show runs for all the cars it tests in its circuit in order to compare them. 

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The mystery surrounding who is Top Gear's mysterious test driver, the Stig, was solved tonight after Michael Schumacher revealed himself as the show's secret driver.

During an interview with presenter Jeremy Clarkson on the first show of the new series, the former formula one driver took off the Stig's famous white helmet after the studio audience urged him to show his true identity.

The revelation was met with applause from the audience while Clarkson jokingly pretended not to recognise the driver.

He asked him what his name was before he became famous as the Stig, before excitedly shouting to the audience: "It's Michael Schumacher!"

But there was debate among viewers and fans of the programme about whether Schumacher was really the Stig, or if tonight's unveiling was just a comedy stunt.

Clarkson had previously promised that the true identity of the test driver would be revealed on the show.

The Stig, who test drives cars around the Top Gear track in Dunsfold, Surrey, and trains each week's guest for their lap for the "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car" feature, has had a closely guarded identity. People have speculated that several drivers may share the role behind the famous white overalls and helmet.

Ben Collins, a racing car test driver and stunt driver for Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace, was believed to be the Stig and was reported as such in several press reports earlier this year.

Rumours have often been used to add to the mystery surrounding the character, who never speaks to the camera.

In tonight's show, Clarkson quizzed Schumacher about some of the rumours, asking: "Are you illegal in 17 US states?"

Schumacher, who was formula one world drivers' champion seven times, replied: "No, it's much exaggerated. It's only nine."

Clarkson then asked about another rumour: "Some people have told us you only know two facts about ducks and both of them are wrong. Is that true?"

Schumacher replied: "Well obviously they can fly", and was quickly interrupted by Clarkson, who said: "No, they were right, you don't know anything about ducks."

Former formula one driver Perry McCarthy was Top Gear's original Stig, who dressed all in black during the first two series.

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