Question about Clarkson

herb

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Just wandering does anybody on here think Clarkson is a good driver?
I ask this cause I had a discussion with someone today and he reckons Clarkson is a really good driver. Where as I think he's an average driver who for some reason has convinced the viewing public he's a good driver.
What are people's thoughts on Clarksons driving abilities? Good, bad or just average?
 
Well I personally have witnessed him driving on the Top Gear track and yes I would say he was very good :)
 
The main reason I think he's average is when they first started a star in a reasonably priced car Clarkson had a lap time of 1:50 iirc when stars with only half/one days training started beating his time it's funny how he no longer had a time on there! o_O
 
Possible he has learnt a lot since then, no doubt benefitted from a few lessons from the Stig. The Jezza I saw was throwing it around the track and showed no fear whatsoever.
 
Maybe but for someone who has made a living from driving for I don't know how many years? And probably had all sorts of training over those years his performance in the reasonably priced car was terrible!
 
You're probably right herb, cannot say that I recall that episode so cannot really comment any further :)
 
Tbh Os I don't recall seeing his lap I just remember his time on the board. And how it disappeared when so many celebrities beat his time
 
I'd put a wager on that time being there just for the giggles and banter that they have in the studio.
Even if Clarkson did actually set a time, he would of backed off or not attacked it fully.
He never says he is a good driver, infact he makes jokes all the time about his driving. Commenting many times that he is a rubbish driver.

Remember the V8 Rover that was built for him to go against Vicki? That was a monster that he ragged round a wet track. Yes he lost control and did a 360. But that's the show.

I once went to the NEC for the Motorcycle show where Dougie Lampkin was challenged on an indoor trials course. Dougie Lampkin fell off halfway through the performance which made it a close win for him, instead of smashing the other guy. I'd suspect Clarksons time is the same as this. It's all for the show and for the entertainment.
 
They would usually cut the film just as he's about to spin out or lose it. He's not a bad driver but I really don't rate him as anything special.
 
I think he's learnt to do powerslides in the cars he owns/drives and that's about it. I think any of us could be trained to do a decent lap round a circuit or hold a drift if we had a pet Stig available.
 
He doesn't claim to be so why the discussion? He is a television presenter who loves cars. He is no doubt better (through training and experience), with a few notable exceptions, than most of us on here around a track (certainly me).
 
Compared to the average person he is a very good driver , compared to the stig he isnt ..........
but then again neither are/were the other two .

I do think its a loaded question - its sounds as if he should be or that he has made out he is wheras I think he goes out of his way not to .
 
Even if he was Rad, I would only have let him take the Beast around the track if I was guaranteed my baby was going to be showed on TV and not just used for a 10 minute thrill for the Stig.
 

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