Top Gear X Circuit Superstars Star In A Reasonably Fast Car Invitational 2021
Join us as we look at the up-and-coming video series Top Gear X Circuit Superstars Star In A Reasonably Fast Car Invitational 2021 and who's taking part.This Thursday sees the start of our brand-new event, the Top Gear X Circuit Superstars Star In A Reasonably Fast Car Invitational 2021 (or TGXCSSIARFCI21 for short, actually, let's just stick with Top Gear X Circuit Superstars for now!)
If you feel that the event name is a mouthful, then look at the number of people involved in this fun-fuelled collaboration. SQUARE ENIX® Ltd., and Original Fire Games have partnered with BBC Studios and Top Gear to make a special online version of the show's famous "Star in a Reasonably Fast Car" feature. Over the next six weeks, a top-tier line up of motorsport, esports and YouTube stars will take on the CIRCUIT SUPERSTARS unique twist of the Top Gear 'Test Track' ahead of the launch of the much-anticipated racing game.
Would you like a taste? Here's a teaser for you to enjoy.
Who are the racers?
Let's take a closer look under the hood at our star-studded list of competitors who will try to set the fastest lap on the famous circuit and claim the top spot on the Top Gear X Circuit Superstars leaderboard. Here are some quick-fire facts about our ten competitors. Start your engines!
Lando Norris
Competing in Formula One with McLaren, Lando Norris is a podium-winner and fan favourite in the paddock while also earning himself the title of 'the memelord of Formula One.' He is an avid gamer with his own twitch channel where he streams in his free time, with fellow members of Quadrant – his team of online racers and content creators).
Catie Munnings
Trailblazer Catie Munnings shot to fame after winning the FIA European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy in 2016 at the age of 18. She is currently competing in the all-new Extreme E championship, an electric off-road series racing to some of the most remote corners of the planet to highlight the climate change challenges faced by different ecosystems. Catie is already a race-winner in the series, having raced her Odyssey 21 to victory in the Arctic XPrix in Greenland with Andretti United.
Steve "SuperGT" Brown
One fifth Quadrant (a team of online racers brought together by Lando Norris), SuperGT is bringing his racing talent to the track in the real world and in the virtual world. Over half a million subscribers tune in to watch Steve’s virtual racing exploits, in parallel to his racing career in the Ultimate Karting Championship.
Sam Bird
Currently racing for Jaguar Racing in the ABB Formula E Championship, Sam Bird is NOT from Love Island before you go running a web search. In addition to racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Ferrari, Sam has an impressive record in Formula E, winning a race in every season since the all-electric championship was founded in 2014, and amassing a tally of 11 race wins and 22 podiums.
Charlie Martin
Charlie Martin is a professional racer and diversity activist aiming to become the first transgender competitor in the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans and made history last year as the first trans competitor to take on the Nurburgring 24 Hours, on the infamous circuit known by many as the “Green Hell.” Charlie is currently racing in the Britcar Endurance Championship in a Praga 1, between races with Team Driverse in ADAC GT4 Germany.
Aarav Amin
Aarav is a Motorsport Content Creator and one fifth of Quadrant. He is renowned for his F1 gaming content, focussing on career/story mode content. He’s been listed as Quadrants resident psychic; we wonder if he’ll be able to predict where he’ll place on our leader board. He has also raced virtually with the greats, including Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc which can be found on his YouTube channel.
Conor Daly
Conor Daly is a fan favourite in the IndyCar paddock. A second-generation race driver, Conor is the son of Derek Daly, who reached the pinnacle of motorsport, racing in Formula 1 and IndyCar for over a decade. Conor currently proudly sports his now signature mullet, which debuted at the beginning of the 2021 IndyCar season and, in addition to his renowned skill on ovals, was one of the talking points of the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 this year. When he’s not behind the wheel of his no. 20 IndyCar, Conor also keep his skills sharp in other disciplines, from dirt racing to iRacing on his Twitch channel.
Jamie Chadwick
Is there anything Jamie Chadwick can’t do? Jamie Chadwick is the reigning W Series Champion and is already tied for the lead of the 2021 championship. Jamie was the youngest driver and first female to win a British GT Championship 2015 and the first ever female winner of the MRF title in 2019. She is currently a Formula 1 Development Driver for Williams Racing while also jumping between the world of open-wheel racing to off-road racing to compete in the Extreme E championship with Veloce.
Jimmy Broadbent
Jimmy Broadbent is a sim racer and sim racing YouTuber, respected around the world for his authenticity and humour and of course his fierce racing skill! From creating content from his sim rig in his shed, to testing some of the best simulators in the world, and even driving vintage F1 cars, Jimmy isn’t afraid to take on a challenge. In 2021 Jimmy began his real-world racing career, joining Czech manufacturer Praga Cars to race the spaceship-like Praga R1 in the Britcar Endurance Championship.
Romain Grosjean
A man who needs no introduction, Romain Grosjean will be our first driver to take on the Top Gear x Circuit Superstars Test Track, bringing his experience in F1 and IndyCar to the world of Circuit Superstars. Is Romain ready for the challenge?
"Like every racing fan, I have always wanted to drive the Top Gear test track, and Circuit Superstars is making that a reality. The competition will be tough, with top drivers from a variety of championships and with just one chance to set the perfect hot lap, it will be exciting to see who comes out on top."
Guiding the action
You've met the racers, but who would be best to guide us through every lap, crash, and possible victory? Enter Jack Nicholls, a sage of all things racing who will provide commentary for the whole series of Top Gear X Circuit Superstars. You may recognise Nicholls’ dulcet tones from the Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive, the Formula E Championship, and his F1 commentary for BBC Radio 5 Live.
We spoke to Nicholls, and he offered some further insight into the challenge our competitors will face. "Make no mistake, this game looks cute, but with a very short circuit and a top-down view, our competitors will find it fiendishly difficult to hook up the perfect lap. The competition will be fierce!"
Make sure you don't miss out and sign up for the alert for when Romain Grosjean, our first competitor, goes live.
Who do you think will emerge triumphant? Who will you be cheering for? Let us know via our social channels.