Features

Where do cars rank on your personal scale of all things good?
Somewhere in the middle. Not too low, but not too high. Behind fishing and family, and only just before money.

Can you tell us how you make donuts?
No, I haven't a clue. I eat them regularly though.

You've got all weekend to drive from London to the South of France; what's the car, who's in the passenger seat, and what's on the stereo?
My wife Denise is in the passenger seat, I'd be driving a black Bentley with the roof down and Bobby Darin's Live at the Copacabana would be on the stereo. Or maybe some Sinatra or Sammy Davis Jnr. I'm a massive swing fan.

Can you tell the difference between the smell of a frying clutch and the smell of burning rubber?
Definitely, because I fry the clutch regularly. It happened only last week when I was going up a hill, but I grew up with the smell of burning rubber so I can tell the difference.

What's the fastest you've ever driven?
I'm not a speed king, so I haven't really ever gone over 100mph. In fact, I've never had a car that can go over 70mph.

What's your earliest memory of a car?
It was trapping my thumb in my dad's Austin Cambridge. There are pictures of me in there, and that's one of my earliest memories.

When and where were you happiest in a car?
Going fishing. Doesn't matter where I'm driving or where I'm going, as long as I'm off fishing, I'm happy.

What one gadget would make life behind the wheel easier for you?
Well, I've already got a satnav, and that makes it easy for me, but I think that's all I need.

How much is a litre of fuel
Too bloody much, I tell you! But it's about £1.12 a litre

Who or what caused your worst car crash?
A woman! It was on the M6 on a rainy day and the traffic was starting and stopping. The bloke in front of braked, so I put mine on, but the woman behind me didn't and she went into the back of me. After that all you could hear was a procession of cars hitting the back of her.

When it comes to driving licences, is cleanliness next to godliness?
Well, mine's clean, so yes.

How many laps into a F1 race before you nod off?
As soon as I see the advertising... I'm off. Well, I can watch the start and when they get into the first corner, and then I'll turn it on again at the end to see who's won. It used to be about overtaking and the driver's abilities, but now it's switched to being all about having eight seconds in the pit stop instead of 13 and how many fuel stops you have. There's less focus on the driver's skill.