“Sebastian Vettel driving a $5,000 Suzuki Liana”- Four-time World Champion drives ‘reasonably priced’ car around Top Gear test track

Four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel took a Suzuki Liana for a hot-lap around the Top Gear test track in Surrey. 

Top Gear is a popular British television show that revolves around motorsports and cars in general. It has featured some iconic guests over the years, including several famous Formula 1 drivers.

Back in 2011, it was Sebastian Vettel who visited the show’s very own test track in Surrey. However, his visit wasn’t to drive any supercar or F1 car around the track. On the contrary, Vettel was to drive a ‘reasonably priced’ car, which was provided to him by the makers of the show.

It was a Suzuki Liana, which definitely isn’t a race car, and the reigning World Champion at the time had to set up a time. The fastest lap time was set by former Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello. The Brazilian driver had a time of 1:44.300 in the $5,000 car.

Vettel spoke to the show’s iconic character ‘Stig’ upon arrival, and them immediately took the car out for a spin. The first thing he did as he started his first hot lap was blast some music.

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Did Sebastian Vettel break Rubens Barrichello’s record in Top Gear?

After one lap around the circuit, a presenter asked Vettel how he felt about it compared to Silverstone. Replying to the question, he admitted that the main difference lied in his familiarity with the track.

“It’s very wide,” the German driver said. “Obviously I know Silverstone quite well. I don’t know this so well, so I need some time to get used to it. A lot of blind apexes, and quite tricky. Especially when you don’t have power in your car to cover for your mistakes.”

Vettel put in a good lap, but the time was not revealed on track. The stopwatch controller said that the lap time would be kept a secret until Vettel went for the interview with host Jeremy Clarkson.

At the show however, it turned out that Vettel had indeed broken Barrichello’s record. The former Red Bull driver put in a time of 1:44.000 which made him the fastest driver ever on the show’s ‘reasonably priced car’.

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