Features
Men of the year
From rally champions to chief executives, Top Gear salutes this year's leading lights
The Philosopher
Sébastien Loeb, champion extraordinaire
A man of few words he may be but there are many things we like about world rally champ Sébastien Loeb. We like his low-key cool. We
like his bewildering turn of speed.
And we like how, after just three years in WRC, he has left the fastest rally drivers on the planet wondering if maybe they should take up Crown Green Bowls instead.
But that's not what makes him Man of the Year material. For that we must go back
to the final day of the Wales Rally GB, when he threw his unwanted victory back in the FIA's face after it failed to halt the event following
the death of Michael 'Beef' Park.
He may not be the life and soul of the WRC party, but on that sad day he was its conscience. A class act.
'For a few days in May, Danica Patrick was bigger than Britney. An FHM shoot in red bikini and boots helped'
The Pin-up
Danica Patrick, Indycar rookie, media superstar
For a few days in May, Danica Patrick was bigger than Britney. An FHM shoot in red bikini and boots helped. As did a Sports Illustrated cover, and
back-to-back, coast-to-coast chat shows...
All for a driver who at best ended her debut season in the US IRL series a decent midfielder. But that's ignoring the Indianapolis effect.
In the nation that hosts the World Series for baseball, the 500 is the biggest race on the planet and 23-year-old Patrick set the place on fire this May.
Missing out on a front row start by a whisker (everything is a whisker at 227.004mph), Patrick was leading 16 miles from the finish when her fuel strategy caught up with her. Fourth at the line, she sent the media into paroxysms of delight. Racing's seldom looked so good.
Read more about Danica in our feature.
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