Dialled in with Perry McCarthy: The OG Stig, Racing Driver & Presenter
Some say he never checks the time, because his watch is always perfect. Better still, his heartbeat ticks like a certified Swiss movement. Perry McCarthy, a self-proclaimed ‘horribly serious person with a massive sense of humour’ – who was the man behind that first visor?
It’s been over 20 years since the character of “The Stig’ first graced us as part of the Top Gear reboot with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. I for one, vividly remember the weekly Sunday ritual of sitting down to watch the latest episode- whether it was the “Celebrity in the Reasonably Priced Car” segment, or the Stig hot-laps which took the latest and greatest around the Top Gear (Dunsfold) test track.
A lot has changed over the years, with Black Stig being ‘killed off’ in 2003, and quickly replaced by White Stig. Top Gear has been through multiple revisions with its signature mystery man, who is now being kept alive through the BBC’s top-quality YouTube content, covering car reviews and the continuation of hot laps on the same track.
You might be thinking at this point, “But what does this have to do with watches?” – well, it is no secret that car and watch lovers share many characteristics as part of their respective hobbies and true loves. Is it the mechanical nature? Or the endless specifications and hidden gems that have us all beaming over a glass of something in the pub… who knows!
What I do know is, once that world-famous helmet was off, the Stig reveals his interests in the world of horology. That’s right, the original Stig – Perry McCarthy sat down with 10to2’s George Wadsley to talk about the intrinsic link between motorsport and luxury watch brands, how it felt being the Stig, and what he has been up to since that fateful drive-off-an-aircraft-carrier moment.
Perry McCarthy’s background and Formula 1
Perhaps a lot of people won’t know this, and I am sure there are plenty of articles on being the Stig, but Perry has an extensive background as a competitive motorsports driver, even reaching the heights and the pinnacle of the sport, F1.
What is your hardest moment in F1? “Me, Damon Hill, Jonny Herbert – Years ago, there was a huge crash in Formula 1; it was Martin. The suspension collapsed, the car hit the wall so badly he was thrown from the car and we genuinely thought we lost him”. Whilst Perry may not be a household name in F1, he came through the ranks alongside some of the greats. Perry came straight into Formula Ford, but whilst trying to progress with limited funds, the sights of F1 seemed almost impossible. “It wasn’t until I was 31 years old, I got taken into Formula 1. It was quite odd, even back then when things were so much different to now. I had a few potential chances presented in my late 20s, but they never materialised”
However, Formula 1 did materialise, but without jumping the gun – it wasn’t the most illustrious or successful career that Perry hoped for. “I didn’t have or need funding to join the Andrea Moda team – the new Italian team, and the new kids on the block”. Small, underfunded, no track record… wouldn’t we all take it? “There wasn’t a list of teams I could choose; it was this way or no way. I had a dream to see if I could do something special within the team – but wow, what an absolute mistake that was; the whole thing was an unmitigated disaster!”.
By the third or fourth race, Moda was so bad, so underinvested, and the portrayal of his skillset was massively mis-placed.
“The car was a 2-year-old design before it even hit the track. Preparation, testing and any form of a budget were non-existent. There was a myriad of reliability issues and even my more experienced teammate (Roberto Moreno) …even he was struggling”.
Perry was a rolling spare so to speak, a sport which required insanely enormous budgets had a team that was running on a shoestring. Perry travelled out of his own pocket, but the commitment was always there even though it did not materialise in F1, but it did elsewhere.
Formula 1 > Watches?
George: “We want to keep some relevance to our beloved watches, and watch sponsorship in F1 continues to reach new heights”
The recent boom in global sponsors and partnerships across the F1 paddock is something to behold. Whilst not new, and historically the strength of tobacco, luxury goods and gasoline brands have always risen to the top and been spotted on the side of the world’s best F1 cars, the world of watches continues to see itself rubbing shoulders with some of the best.
Perry: “For a very long time, Formula 1 has had a great relationship with watch companies. They are so synonymous with accuracy, timing and at times, extremely complicated and mechanical beasts”. You may think Rolex? TAG Heuer? AP? But actually, Perry’s first experience with a luxury watch brand was Longines. “They were the chief timing partner of Formula 1 in the 80’s.”
George: “Longines is a brand that nowadays does not always get the recognition it deserves. They make some stunning dress watches and more recently, they compete on a design level with JLC”.
Perry: “I did not have any personal sponsorship with them or any watch manufacture, but Longines does hold a special place in my heart – because my Grandfather, who worked for Dagenham Council, received one as his retirement gift and left it to me when he passed on”.
With any sponsorship deal, it ebbs and flows and naturally industries rise to the top throughout different periods. “As long as they have the budget, they will always be part of the headline. First it was tobacco companies, the banking industry, telecoms providers, and you can see now the next big thing is crypto sponsorship!”.
It isn’t just the sponsorship where the watches come out to play. The mechanical marvel and engineering that is at the heart of every single (successful…) Formula 1 team to give them a tenth of a second advantage is no different that the innovation and micro-engineering that occurs in the watch world.
George – “Seeing H.Moser & Cie become part of the Alpine F1 as a title sponsor highlights the shared proposition. In the last couple of weeks Moser has released the Streamliner Alpine Mechanic’s Edition”.
This groundbreaking hybrid smartwatch developed by H. Moser & Cie. in partnership with Alpine F1, tailored specifically for the high-pressure demands of Formula 1 engineers and mechanics. Limited to just 200 pieces, this innovative timepiece merges traditional analogue design with advanced quartz-smart technology, utilising a discreet digital display beneath the dial. Built with race-day functionality in mind, it provides real-time alerts, countdowns, and notifications.
Post Stig and what is next?
Perry was no stranger to change, and resilience has helped shaped his dynamic career. I couldn’t help but ask “How did you bounce back after the Stig gig?”, but Perry was open and honest. “The obsession and burning desire within me keep things moving. It is no different than watch companies being innovative – silicon technology? Tourbillon movements? I have always believed you can win and be at the front even if you don’t have the best tools at your disposal. Honesty, integrity and grit (with a sprinkle of confidence and high-quality marketing) is paramount”.
Becoming the Stig also gave Perry a platform to execute something he always wanted to do – release a book. “Flat out, Flat broke gave me an avenue to tell my story. Life isn’t linear, and I have been fortunate to be able to bounce back after being smashed to pieces a few times”
COVID changed a lot of aspects of Perry’s life, and he couldn’t help but scratch the entrepreneurial itch which has driven Perry over the last 40 years. The market for non-alcoholic, 0% beverages is enormous. We won’t spoil the surprise any further, but it is definitely worth keeping an eye out for a new player on the market… and I assure you the can design will make it obvious which is the original Stig’s!
Wrapping up
As we wrapped up, we hit Perry with two quick questions:
George: “Who is the greatest F1 driver of them all?
Perry: “Senna, no question about it at all”.
George: “What is your favourite watch?”
Perry: “To admire from a distance, it has to be a Patek Nautilus”.
Perry, I think you should go speak to Darren Huckerby to admire a little bit closer! It has been an absolute pleasure getting to meet one of the TV heroes that shaped not only my childhood, but many, many peoples. Perry and Clarkson created a cult-icon, with the celebrity in the reasonably priced car, the fastest car around the track, they made some of the best TV every Sunday night.
Watches may not be at the forefront of the original Stig’s current life priorities, but they will always be connected, with a love for all things mechanical and fast (sometimes, very fast) is what we are all about here at 10to2.
