Fernando Alonso couldn’t entice Mark Webber to come out of retirement to run the Indianapolis 500, but Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May’s hunt for a new driver was enough to get Webber back in the saddle.
“The Grand Tour” posted a video Monday of the Aussie auditioning to become the show’s dedicated driver. Former NASCAR driver Mike Skinner’s character, The American, served in that role during Season 1 but was dropped ahead of Season 2.
Webber admittedly is the ideal candidate on paper, as he’s both available and quick, having retired from the World Endurance Championship after 2016 while he was still at the top of his game. In reality, however, his role as a Porsche ambassador limits his ability to be impartial and push equally hard in every car.
Although Webber won’t join Clarkson, Hammond and May for the second season of their Amazon Prime series, somebody the Aussie raced against back in Formula 3 might: Ben Collins.
Some fans have suggested Collins, formerly The Stig on the trio’s previous program, “Top Gear,” should be added to “The Grand Tour.” And he recently hinted that he might have been.
