Jeremy Clarkson’s Last Lap Around The Top Gear Test Track
By Paulo Acoba
12 turns and 1.75 miles long. Probably the most recognizable race circuit in the world.
Bittersweet day for Jeremy Clarkson as he tweeted earlier today (July. 13, 2015) his last lap around Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey a.k.a. the Top Gear Test Track. Just four months ago, Clarkson auctioned off a lap around the famous retired airfield at the annual Round House charity event, a charity that assists young artists and creatives in the UK area. The winning bid brought in more than $150,000 and was won by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and racing driver Marino Franchitti. Earlier in the day, Clarkson also tweeted to his followers that he needed help choosing between a Mercedes AMG GT, Ferrari 488 GTB and a LaFerrari as the car that he would do his final lap in.
There’s no way of knowing until the official video is released (or word is leaked) but Clarkson probably took all three for a romp around his old stomping grounds, and knowing his penchant for AMG, took the AMG GT as his own personal final lap. His last tweet about the event also hints at the fact that the AMG GT was his car of choice as he pulled off a glorious tailslide around Chicago (the famous turn before the main runway where there’s usually a camera mounted on top of tires near the clipping point.) And there’s no other car that can pull off such epic tailslides without Clarkson worried about the insurance then the AMG GT (but we could be wrong…probably not.) Marino Franchitti also took this awesome selfie showing a very morose Clarkson at the wheel.
@JeremyClarkson showing @nickmasondrums & I the way around the Top Gear track. This is our Volvo faces #serious pic.twitter.com/SMs5pkxQUD
— Marino Franchitti (@MFranchitti) July 13, 2015
Right. About to do my last ever lap of the Top Gear test track. What car should I use? pic.twitter.com/xbaZkEi3sE
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) July 13, 2015
My last ever lap of the Top Gear track is done. Bit sad leaving the place for the final time.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) July 13, 2015
2 good things about the last lap. It raised a load of cash for a good cause. And I did the motherfucker of all tail slides through Chicago.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) July 13, 2015
Clarkson, one known for his melodramatic style and hyperbole, called this lap his, “final time.” But as far as we know, Clarkson isn’t banned from returning to the track if he so chooses and will probably appear on the track a couple of more times in his lifetime. But if it was indeed his final time on the track, what a way to do a proper sendoff.