17 English Petrolheads That Make Us Proud

1. Jeremy Clarkson

He’s managed to upset half the planet with his controversial statements, and there is no more English trait than that. We can’t wait to see what car-based shenanigans Clarkson does next, after losing his job at Top Gear.

2. James May

He might have joined ‘new’ Top Gear in its second season, but he quickly became a favourite thanks to his hopeless sense of direction and contempt for Jeremy’s engineering skill. Oh, and he conducts hilarious doorstep interviews…

3. Richard Hammond

Even though he’s shorter than any grown man deserves to be, you can’t help but love Hammond and his child-like view of the world. He appears to be in a permanent state of mid-life crisis, which is something we’ll all relate to at some point in our lives.

4. Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton burst onto the Formula 1 scene as an enthusiastic 22-year-old, and became the youngest championship runner-up in the sport’s history. So far he’s won two World Championships, in 2008 and 2014, and is showing no signs of slowing down. #Blessed.

5. Guy Martin

Guy Martin is a proper Englishman: as an Isle of Man TT racer he’s clearly quite insane. He also took an Aston Martin to 180mph on public roads, is the proud owner of some impressive sideburns, and has an accent no one outside The North can really understand.

6. Colin Chapman

Chapman founded Lotus, working on the ‘simplify, then add lightness’ motto that has been at the heart of everything the has company built. In the 50s, he used his sports car knowledge to move into the world of motor racing, where he was hugely successful. His mid-engined, lightweight cars didn’t have the outright pace of his opponents, but their superior handling culminated in the Lotus 25, which absolutely dominated the 1963 World Championship.

His Yorkshire drawl might now come with a slight US twang, but Magnus Walker is doing us proud over the pond. After becoming obsessed with Porsches as a kid, Walker used his fashion business to fund his passion for cars, and is now the go-to guy for 911s. Also, his hair is awesome.

8. Chris Evans

He might be an overly enthusiastic radio presenter, but there’s no denying he’s a petrolhead we can be proud of. He owns a LaFerrari (and lets people pay for a lift around Dunsfold to raise money for charity), and he once owned the most expensive car in the world after dropping £7.3m ($11m) on a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder.

As the front man to the other car show on English television, it’d be easy to let him slip under the radar. That would be a huge mistake, as Needell actually used to work on Top Gear, and is one of the most talented drivers you’ll ever see on television. Furthermore, he passionately believes rear-wheel drive is just right.

10. Jason Plato

Plato presented alongside Tiff on Fifth Gear until last year, however it’s his exploits on the track that make him a legend. Ever-present on the British Touring Car Championship battleground, he’s won the title twice and has finished the season in the top three an incredible 12 times. He’s also got the record for most race wins in the series, with 89.

With much of the print publishing industry struggling to come to terms with new media, Harris emerged from the magazine world to become an internet legend. The purveyor of all things sideways, Harris’ drifting exploits have become must-watch material for a whole new generation of petrolheads. Insane car control and a soft British accent are the perfect recipe for winning over the world wide web.

12. James Hunt

You only have to watch the Hollywood blockbuster Rush to understand why your granddad reckons F1 has lost its glamour. Racing in the 70s, Hunt was a womaniser with an incredible talent behind the wheel that saw him take the F1 World Championship title in 1976. He was the definition of raw talent, and had the kind of personality we’d love to see in top level motorsports today.

13. Sir Stirling Moss

Often described as the best driver to never win a Formula 1 World Championship, Moss has still more than earned his place in this list. One of Moss’s greatest achievements was at the 1955 Mille Miglia race in Italy. He took a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR to victory in 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds with an average speed of 98.53 mph (159 km/h). In 1955 that must have been utterly terrifying.

14. Pat Moss/Carlsson

Here’s proof that motor racing is in the English bloodstream. Striling Moss’ younger sister Pat was one of the first and most successful female rally drivers of all time, competing in numerous championships and winning the European Ladies’ Rally Championship five times in the 60s.

When she’s not making loads of money from her modelling career, Kidd uses that money to fulfill her motor racing hobby. She’s also taken part in the Gumball 3000 event, and at one point she held the lap record at the Top Gear test track.

16. Nigel Mansell

There is one word that sums up why Nigel Mansell is a hero: moustache. Sure, he’s a Formula 1 World Champion, and the only person to ever win a Cart Indy Car World Series title in their first season, but we British are proud of our facial hair, and Mansell’s was iconic.

Born into a racing family, it’s no surprise Butler-Henderson has mad talent behind the wheel, and with that double-barrelled surname she’s so very British you can’t help but be proud. Most important of all, according to Wikipedia she owns a Honda S2000, so she’s alright by us!