Tiff Needell

Timothy Richard "Tiff" Needell (29 October 1951 - Present): British racing driver and television presenter who competed in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix for Ensign in 1980, failing to finish one race and failing to qualify for the other, before becoming one of Britain's most recognizable motoring television personalities through Top Gear, Fifth Gear, and Lovecars. Born in England, Needell won the 1976 British Formula 3 Championship, which propelled him toward Formula One opportunities. This championship victory marked him as one of Britain's promising junior talents and suggested he possessed the speed to compete at higher levels. For the 1980 season, Needell secured a drive with Ensign Racing, a struggling British privateer team with limited resources and uncompetitive machinery.

He made his Formula One debut at the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder, successfully qualifying for the race. However, during the race, Needell suffered an engine problem and retired without finishing, failing to score championship points. His Formula One debut ended in disappointment through no fault of his own. Needell's second and final Formula One attempt came at the Monaco Grand Prix, Formula One's most prestigious race.

However, at Monaco, Needell failed to qualify, unable to lap quickly enough in the uncompetitive Ensign to make the grid around the demanding street circuit. This failure to qualify ended his Formula One racing career after just two race weekend attempts, one start, and zero points. Recognizing that his Formula One prospects were limited without competitive equipment, Needell transitioned into a highly successful career as a motoring journalist and television presenter. He joined the original BBC Top Gear series in 1987 as a presenter, becoming one of the show's most recognizable faces during its first incarnation.

His racing background and technical knowledge made him an authoritative and entertaining presenter. When the BBC cancelled Top Gear in 2001, Needell and the entire cast defected to Channel 5 to produce and host Fifth Gear, a rival motoring show that ran successfully for many years. Needell became one of Fifth Gear's most popular presenters, known for his enthusiastic presenting style and genuine passion for automobiles. Currently, Needell presents Lovecars, continuing his television career into his seventies.

His transition from racing driver to television personality proved far more successful than his brief Formula One career, establishing him as one of Britain's most enduring motoring media figures across multiple decades. Known for: Presenting Top Gear from 1987, co-founding and presenting Fifth Gear from 2002, currently presenting Lovecars, qualifying for one Formula One race (1980 Belgian GP) but retiring with engine problems, and winning the 1976 British Formula 3 Championship.