Mike Newton, Tommy Erdos and Ben Collins driving a Lola HPD Coupé have won the Le Mans Series LMP2 title for the RML AD Group. Ben took the chequered flag on Sunday in a measured and disciplined final stint from the driver better known, until recently, as The Stig. “It has been great having Ben with us” said Mike, “He’s fitted in so well, but when he joined us we had no expectation that he’d bring quite so much public interest with him.”

Speaking on behalf of AD Group, the team’s principal sponsors, Pauline Norstrom, the company’s Motorsport & Marketing Director, expressed her delight. “Securing the title is such a relief, we’re ecstatic!” she said. “At last, all the hard work has paid off, and we’re delighted to give our guests a taste of success.”

“This has been a great performance by the whole team,” said Ray Mallock, Founder and Chief Executive of RML. “The Lola HPD has been superbly reliable all season, and the drivers have done a great job of delivering the championship in the best tradition of endurance racing; by being consistently on the pace yet keeping out of trouble.”

Ben also had a massive boost when Formula 1 legend Nigel Mansell wished him the best of luck now he has been unmasked, saying Collins, who has been under the glare of the media spotlight since being unveiled as the Top Gear star last month, would now be able to prove how good he is on the track. He said: “I’m happy for him and I hope he can now earn some money out of it. “This weekend will show how good a driver he really is, I know he’s good.”

At Silverstone over the weekend, Ben was keeping a fairly low profile and seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the attention he is now attracting. But racing fans at the Northamptonshire track were clearly pleased to see him, patting him on the back as he walked through the pits and wishing him well.