Drive with the Stig for £35,000

Top Gear’s tame racing driver, The Stig, has been let out of the studio to give a lottery winner the drive of his life.

Just hours before Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton took centre stage, The Stig entertained the crowds at a rain-soaked Silverstone.

Top Gear's The Stig - unmasked at last?

Driving the rare two-seater Santander Formula 1 car the mysterious Stig took his wealthy, unnamed guest out for three laps at speeds of more than 170mph.

The £5 million lottery winner paid £35,000 for the once-in-a-lifetime experience, during a charity auction at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital.

But the rain didn’t ruin his day – The Stig took the bull by the horns and reportedly slid the car at 178mph through one corner.

Like this year’s F1 cars the rare two-seater didn’t have traction control, and was show with cold tyres – which lack grip.

View our slide show of who the Stig might be

Top Gear even claims he won a pitlane admirer:

“Whoever’s in that car is a seriously good driver,” said Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso.

“I’ve no idea who he is, but he’s definitely ex-F1.”

Eagle-eyed spectators may have spotted The Stig on track only hours before the Formula 1 brigade took to the track.

It was a great day for British motor sport as Lewis Hamilton gave 90,000 Silverstone fans and a global television audience a master class in wet weather driving.

View our slide show of Lewis Hamilton's race

He finished the race a massive 68.5 seconds ahead of BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld.

“It is by far the best victory I’ve ever had,” exclaimed Hamilton.