Who is former Top Gear ‘Stig’ Phil Keen? Sports car racer who was revealed as the man in the white suit
NOT only has Phil Keen been unmasked as the final Stig on Top Gear, he’s also the most successful British GT racing driver of all time.
Here we take a look at Phil’s time on the show, as well as his illustrious motor racing career.
Who is Phil Keen?
Phil Keen was born on October 20, 1983, in Reading, Berkshire.
Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson revealed Phil was the third and final person to play the “The Stig” on the show.
Phil took on the role between the years of 2010 and 2022, right up until the show was cancelled.
Jeremy hosted a viewing party for the final episode of The Grand Tour at the pub on his farm, where he told a crowd: “The original Stig was Perry McCarthy, followed by Ben Collins, followed by Phil Keen.
“There isn’t a current Top Gear so there isn’t a current Stig, but the last one was Phil Keen.”
On top of inhabiting the suit of the mythical legend, Phil is also a top professional racing driver who’s had an incredible career spanning over two decades.
Racing Career
Phil has enjoyed a long and successful stint in GT racing.
He was crowned champion in the British GT Championship SuperSport class in 2009.
Phil won an incredible eight races out of 14 alongside his team-mate Marcus Clutton during the course of the season.
It was the only year he drove in the SuperSport class — he returned to GT3 the following year.
At the age of 40, Phil still competes in the class — as of October 3, 2024, he was sitting in fourth place.
He is considered to be the most successful driver in the championship’s history.
Driving for Barwell Motorsport between 2016-18, Phil finished runner-up three years in a row.
He holds a record 19 British GT Championship wins, with 12 poles.
And he’s also racing in the European Le Mans Series LMGT3 category for the 2024 season.
There isn’t a current Top Gear so there isn’t a current Stig, but the last one was Phil Keen
Jeremy Clarkson
Phil has competed in various GT3 cars, including the Lamborghini Huracan GT3, Porsche 911 GT3-R, BMW Z4 GT3, Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo and Ferrari 296 GT3.
He served as an official Lamborghini factory driver and won the 2019 GT World Challenge Europe Pro-Am title with the manufacturer.
His total career wins so far stand at 45, with 92 podiums and 22 poles.
The Stig gig
Phil took over the role of The Stig in 2010, following Ben Collins’ departure from the show.
He continued in the role until Top Gear’s final episode in 2022.
As The Stig, Phil’s main job was setting lap times for cars tested on the show’s track at Dunsfold Aerodrome.
He was also responsible for training celebrity guests off-camera for the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car segment.
Legendary legacy
Phil’s tenure as The Stig spanned over a decade, making him the longest-serving driver to take on the legendary role.
His reveal as the man in white marks the end of an era for Top Gear fans, closing the chapter on one of television‘s best-kept secrets.
The Stig’s identity was always a closely guarded secret, with the character never speaking on camera and always appearing in full racing suit and helmet.
Every Stig’s anonymity was part of a long-running joke on the much-loved show.