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Perry McCarthy
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Perry Edward McCarthy (born 3 March 1961) is a British racing driver, who drove for the Andrea Moda team in Formula One in 1992, though never making it into a race, before moving into sportscars, including driving in the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times between 1996 and 2003.
Key Information
McCarthy also portrayed The Stig in the first two series of the revamped version of BBC motoring show Top Gear.
Career
[edit]Born in Stepney, East London,[1] McCarthy grew up to work for his father's company servicing North Sea oil rigs. Unlike most Formula One drivers, McCarthy did not start racing in karts. He worked his way through the junior categories of motor sport in Europe, such as Formula Ford, Formula 3, eventually F3000 and various touring and sports car races in the US, including drives for Spice Engineering.
In 1991, McCarthy was chosen to test for the Footwork Formula One team. Although he impressed the team, his break did not come until the eve of the 1992 Formula One season, when he was signed by the independent Andrea Moda team run by Andrea Sassetti who thought that entering Formula One would be a good way to advertise his shoe business. The team was uncompetitive, disorganized and poorly managed, and after a lengthy battle to gain a FIA Super Licence the season soon descended into farce.[2] Because Sassetti was unable to release McCarthy for Enrico Bertaggia, who had left the team before and attempted to return with the promise of extra funding, McCarthy received unfair treatment from the owner, being frequently denied more than a handful of laps in which to prepare, which led to his failure to qualify for any Grand Prix, and sometimes his car was used as a spare car for teammate Roberto Moreno. His Grand Prix debut in Spain lasted eighteen metres down the pit lane in pre-qualifying before the engine failed. In the British Grand Prix, he was sent out with wet tyres on a dry track. For the Hungarian Grand Prix, he was only allowed to leave the pits 45 seconds before the end of the pre-qualifying session, which made it impossible for him to set a lap time even if he had a faster car. Finally, in the Belgian Grand Prix, Andrea Moda's final entry, McCarthy was sent out for the qualifying session with a broken steering part in his car, which had been extracted from teammate Roberto Moreno's car, which would have led to a violent crash at the Raidillon curve had McCarthy not managed to regain control of the car. [3] The team was expelled from the championship close to the end of the season in controversial circumstances and McCarthy was left without a drive. In a July 2004 interview with The Times, McCarthy discussed how this period in his career had contributed to his being dubbed the world's unluckiest racing driver, saying "Dick Dastardly had more luck than me".[2]
McCarthy did not race in Formula One after 1992, but tested for both Williams and Benetton teams during the 1990s. He was denied a permanent role as test driver at Benetton because he was covering for their normal test driver, Alessandro Zanardi, who was unwell. He had little success at Williams because he did not see eye to eye with the engineers and the position was then given to David Coulthard.[citation needed]
Other racing
[edit]In 1995, McCarthy raced in the short-lived Formula Classic series, scoring two podiums.[4][5]
Top Gear
[edit]After a brief retirement, McCarthy returned to sports car racing, appearing at Le Mans in 2002 and numerous other events. In 2002, he released his autobiography entitled Flat Out, Flat Broke, in which he spoke candidly about his time in Formula One and, in the second edition, his work for the BBC's Top Gear motoring show as The Stig, a masked, anonymous, racing driver who evaluated the latest high performance cars.[6] McCarthy was the original, black-suited Stig, who left after the first two series. He provided commentary on F1 races for the BBC in 2009.[7] McCarthy now works as a corporate ambassador and after-dinner speaker for corporations around the world.[8]
Bibliography
[edit]In 2002, McCarthy wrote an autobiography, titled Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way!; it detailed his career, and the hardships he faced while trying to break into Formula One. In the second edition of this book, McCarthy revealed that he was Top Gear's The Stig.[9]
Racing record
[edit]Complete International Formula 3000 results
[edit](key)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | GA Motorsports | JER | VAL | PAU | SIL | MNZ | PER | BRH | BIR DNQ |
NC | 0 | |||
| Team Ralt | BUG Ret |
ZOL Ret |
DIJ 16 | |||||||||||
| 1989 | Cowman Racing | SIL | VAL | PAU | JER | PER | BRH | BIR DNQ |
SPA 7 |
BUG 15 |
DIJ | NC | 0 | |
Complete Formula One results
[edit](key)
| Yr | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Andrea Moda Formula | Andrea Moda S921 | Judd V10 | RSA | MEX | BRA DNP |
ESP DNPQ |
SMR DNPQ |
MON DNPQ |
CAN DNP |
FRA DNA |
GBR DNPQ |
GER EX |
HUN DNPQ |
BEL DNQ |
ITA DNP |
POR | JPN | AUS | NC | 0 |
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
[edit]| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 |  Viper Team Oreca
|
Dominique Dupuy Justin Bell
|
Chrysler Viper GTS-R | GT1 | 96 | DNF | DNF |
| 1997 | David Price Racing
|
 David Brabham Doc Bundy
|
Panoz Esperante GTR-1 | GT1 | 145 | DNF | DNF |
| 1999 | Audi Sport UK Ltd.
|
James Weaver Andy Wallace
|
Audi R8C | LMGTP | 198 | DNF | DNF |
| 2002 | DAMS
|
Jérôme Policand Marc Duez
|
Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S | LMP900 | 98 | DNF | DNF |
| 2003 | Audi Sport UK Arena Motorsport
|
 Frank Biela Mika Salo
|
Audi R8 | LMP900 | 28 | DNF | DNF |
References
[edit]- ^ "Perry McCarthy". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ a b "Dick Dastardly had more luck than me The Times". Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "Fuelling Around podcast: Perry McCarthy on being the original Stig and competing in Formula 1". 26 May 2022.
- ^ https://forums.autosport.com/topic/218051-wheatcroft-formula-classic/
- ^ https://www.unracedf1.com/it-took-seven-holbay-engines-to-ruin-wheatcrofts-formula-classic/
- ^ "Perry McCarthy: 'I was the original Stig'". BBC News. 25 August 2010.
- ^ Horth, John. "BBC - Press Red Blog: What's On BBC Red Button (28 March - 10 April)". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- ^ "Perry McCarthy - The Original Stig From Top Gear". Perrymccarthy.co.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- ^ "Portrait of a driver: Perry McCarthy". The Telegraph. London. 8 May 2004. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
- ^ a b "Perry McCarthy Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Perry McCarthy". Motor Sport. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ Small, Steve (2000). "Non-Starters". Grand Prix Who's Who (Third ed.). Reading, Berkshire: Travel Publishing. p. 621. ISBN 978-1-902007-46-5. Retrieved 7 August 2023 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Perry McCarthy". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
Perry McCarthy
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life
Childhood and family background
Perry McCarthy was born on 3 March 1961 in a council flat in Stepney, East London, into a working-class family.[8][9] When he was five years old, his family relocated from Stepney to Essex, where he grew up in a modest household shaped by his father's trade.[8] His father worked initially as a painter and decorator before establishing a company specializing in paint stripping and anti-corrosion maintenance for North Sea oil rigs, reflecting the family's blue-collar roots in the East End.[8] McCarthy's early years were marked by socioeconomic challenges typical of his environment, including attendance at a tough local comprehensive school where he faced bullying but developed resilience.[8] He gained an initial interest in mechanics through accompanying his father on work sites, observing heavy machinery and industrial operations during his teenage years.[8] To support his emerging ambitions amid financial constraints, McCarthy took on demanding manual labor in his father's oil rig business in the early 1980s, enduring long shifts of sandblasting and coating at heights up to 130 feet.[8][10]Entry into motorsport
At the age of 17 in 1978, McCarthy attended the Brands Hatch Racing School, where he drove a Talbot Sunbeam and discovered his passion for racing.[8] McCarthy funded his entry into competitive motorsport through savings accumulated from working on North Sea oil rigs, where he labored for two years starting in 1979 at the age of 18, enduring 12- to 14-hour shifts seven days a week in harsh conditions to amass the necessary capital.[11][12][7] This self-financing approach was essential given his modest East London background, allowing him to debut in single-seater racing without substantial external sponsorship.[2] His first competitive outings came in late 1981, when he contested a couple of races in the British Formula Ford 1600 series with the Jubilee Racing team, driving a Van Diemen chassis; his initial event was the Champion of Brands meeting at Brands Hatch.[13] McCarthy then committed to a full season in 1982, marking his transition from amateur enthusiast to aspiring professional, though he balanced racing with part-time jobs in shops and other manual labor to cover ongoing expenses.[14][8] The financial strains of this amateur-to-professional shift were significant, as limited funds restricted his ability to compete consistently and upgrade equipment, forcing him to rely on minimal local sponsorships supplemented by his oil rig earnings.[8][15] Despite these challenges, McCarthy achieved a breakthrough in 1983 by winning the Dunlop Formula Ford 1600 championship, securing multiple victories and podiums that demonstrated his talent and paved the way for higher categories.[14][16] This title, earned through determined performances in a competitive field, highlighted his resilience amid the era's demanding entry-level racing landscape.[13]Racing career
Junior formulae and early professional racing
McCarthy entered the British Formula 3 Championship in 1985 with a single race appearance driving a Van Diemen RF85 powered by a Ford Kent engine, where he failed to score points.[1] Seeking greater opportunities, he joined Madgwick Motorsport for the 1986 season, campaigning a Reynard 863 with Volkswagen power, which propelled him to 12th in the championship with 11 points from 14 starts, including a strong fourth-place finish at Brands Hatch.[1][17] His pace was particularly evident in variable conditions, highlighted by a second-place result at the Spa-Francorchamps round, demonstrating his adaptability and skill development in competitive international environments.[8] In 1987, McCarthy continued with Madgwick, switching to a Reynard 873 initially with Volkswagen and later Alfa Romeo engines, achieving his best F3 campaign by finishing eighth overall with 22 points from 17 races, including two podiums such as third at Brands Hatch.[1][18] However, the season was marred by mechanical failures and significant crashes, including a major accident that resulted in a persistent leg injury, testing his resilience amid the high-stakes progression toward professional single-seater racing.[8] These incidents, while setbacks, honed his recovery and determination, essential for navigating the sponsorship challenges that plagued his early career, where funding from Essex-based Hawtal Whiting provided crucial support but remained precarious without broader backing.[8] By 1988, McCarthy's F3 involvement waned to just two outings with Madgwick in a Reynard 883-Alfa Romeo, yielding no points as financial constraints intensified, forcing a strategic pivot.[1] This period underscored his early professional struggles, including inconsistent sponsorship that limited full-season commitments and international exposure beyond European rounds, yet built the fortitude needed for his transition to higher formulae in 1989.[2] Despite the hurdles, his mid-pack consistency in British F3 established a foundation of technical proficiency and competitive experience.[8]Formula 3000
Perry McCarthy debuted in the International Formula 3000 Championship in 1988, driving for the works Ralt team in a Ralt RT22-Judd, as part of his progression from Formula 3.[19] He contested three late-season races that year, starting with the Bugatti circuit at Le Mans where he qualified 19th but retired due to mechanical failure. At Zolder, McCarthy qualified 15th before another retirement from mechanical issues, while at Dijon-Prenois he finished 16th from 21st on the grid, demonstrating resilience despite the car's limitations.[19] In 1989, McCarthy switched to Roger Cowman Racing, competing in a Lola T89/50-Cosworth, but funding constraints restricted him to just two outings.[19] His standout performance came at Spa-Francorchamps, where he qualified an impressive 11th and finished seventh, marking his best result in the series and showcasing strong pace in variable conditions. At the Bugatti circuit round in Le Mans, however, he struggled with a 26th-place qualification and a 15th-place finish, hampered by setup issues.[19] Throughout his F3000 tenure, McCarthy faced significant challenges, including frequent mechanical failures that led to two retirements in 1988 and limited sponsorship that prevented full-season participation.[14] To fund his 1989 campaign, he resorted to mortgaging his house, highlighting the financial pressures of competing at this level without major backing.[14] Despite no podiums or pole positions across his five starts, McCarthy's wet-weather prowess—evident in qualifying sessions like the Birmingham Super Prix earlier that year—earned him attention from team principals and refined his adaptability for higher-tier racing.[14]Formula One
In 1991, Perry McCarthy served as a test driver for the Footwork Formula One team, where he conducted shakedown laps and provided valuable feedback on the FA12C chassis powered by the underpowered and unreliable Porsche V12 engine.[20][21] During these sessions at Silverstone, McCarthy impressed team members, including Michele Alboreto, despite the car's significant weight disadvantage and frequent mechanical issues, such as a high-speed crash at Imola's Tamburello corner that required stitches.[20] His performances in testing highlighted his potential as a pathway from Formula 3000 to the elite level of Grand Prix racing.[22] McCarthy's opportunity for a full-time Formula One seat came in 1992 with the newly formed Andrea Moda team, an underfunded outfit led by shoe manufacturer Andrea Sassetti, which fielded the S921 chassis with Judd V10 engines.[23] The season was marred by chronic unreliability and logistical chaos, resulting in McCarthy attempting to qualify for 10 Grands Prix but failing each time due to pre-qualifying eliminations.[23] Team dynamics were strained by Sassetti's inexperience and financial constraints, with mechanics often working in substandard conditions and the cars lacking essential components like proper seats or windscreens.[20] Key incidents underscored the team's dysfunction, including McCarthy's debut attempt at the South African Grand Prix in Kyalami, where he was initially barred from driving due to a revoked FIA Superlicence over unpaid debts but was reinstated shortly before the event, only to withdraw after limited laps due to mechanical woes.[23] At the Brazilian Grand Prix in Interlagos, he was outright excluded by race officials for ongoing Superlicence issues, preventing any on-track action.[23] Further setbacks included missing the French Grand Prix entirely because of a lorry drivers' strike that stranded the team's transporter, and chassis failures like engine blowouts in Spain (lasting just 18 meters) and a jammed steering rack at Spa's Eau Rouge corner.[23][20] The Andrea Moda tenure ended disastrously after the Belgian Grand Prix, when the team was expelled from Formula One amid fraud charges against Sassetti for bouncing checks to suppliers.[23] In the aftermath, McCarthy tested the Benetton B192 alongside Michael Schumacher in autumn 1992, providing setup feedback during shakedown runs, though he was not offered a permanent role due to sponsorship limitations.[24] Reflecting on the experience, McCarthy has emphasized how the era's barriers—such as the need for substantial funding and political connections—severely limited opportunities for talented but under-resourced drivers like himself, effectively stalling his Grand Prix aspirations.[25][23]Endurance and sportscar racing
Following his Formula One experience, McCarthy transitioned to endurance racing in the mid-1990s, seeking the teamwork and reliability demands of multi-hour events over the high-pressure single-seater format. His sportscar debut came in 1996 with the Lotus Racing Team, driving a Lotus Esprit V8 in the BPR Global GT Series, where he achieved a second-place finish at the 4 Hours of Silverstone alongside Jan Lammers, highlighting early promise in GT machinery despite mechanical challenges common to the era's prototypes and GT cars. This marked his entry into a phase focused on long-distance reliability and strategic driving, contrasting the sprint nature of his prior career. McCarthy made five appearances at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1996 and 2003, often grappling with mechanical failures that underscored the endurance format's emphasis on durability over outright speed. In his debut in 1996, he partnered with Dominique Dupuy and Justin Bell for Société Viper Team Oreca in a Chrysler Viper GTS-R (GT1 class), but retired after 51 laps due to engine issues, completing only a fraction of the race distance amid intense competition from factory Porsche and McLaren entries. The following year, 1997, saw him with David Price Racing in a Panoz Esperante GTR-1 (GT1), co-driving with David Brabham and Doc Bundy; the car caught fire after 145 laps, forcing another DNF and illustrating the reliability hurdles faced by emerging American manufacturers challenging European dominance. By 1999, McCarthy joined Audi Sport UK in the innovative open-top Audi R8C (LMGTP class) with Andy Wallace and James Weaver, pushing to 198 laps before a gearbox failure ended their run, though the team's pace demonstrated Audi's growing prowess in prototype racing.[5][26] In the early 2000s, McCarthy continued with competitive prototypes, racing for DAMS in a Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S (LMP900 class) at the 2002 Le Mans alongside Jérôme Policand and Marc Duez, retiring after 98 laps from a driveshaft failure that highlighted ongoing transmission vulnerabilities in high-stakes endurance battles. His final Le Mans outing in 2003 was with Audi Sport UK in an Audi R8 (LMP900), co-driving with Tom Kristensen and Mika Salo; a fuel system issue led to a DNF after covering significant distance, yet the entry's strong qualifying pace affirmed McCarthy's role in Audi's sustained prototype program. Beyond Le Mans, he competed in the American Le Mans Series, securing a fifth-place overall at the 1999 12 Hours of Sebring with Audi Sport Team Joest in the R8R alongside Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro, and sixth in 2003 at Sebring with the R8. These efforts emphasized collaborative driving stints and pit strategy, where McCarthy's experience helped manage tire wear and fuel efficiency in grueling conditions.[27] McCarthy retired from active racing after the 2003 season, citing the physical toll of endurance events and a desire to pivot toward media and speaking opportunities, though he occasionally appeared in historic racing thereafter. His sportscar tenure, spanning GT and prototype categories, showcased resilience amid frequent DNFs, contributing to teams like Audi and Panoz during a transitional era for sportscar technology focused on hybrid powertrains and aerodynamics.[2][1]Media career
Role as The Stig on Top Gear
In 2002, Perry McCarthy was recruited to portray the original "Stig" on the relaunched BBC motoring show Top Gear following a chance encounter with presenter Jeremy Clarkson at the London launch party for McCarthy's autobiography Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way.[28][29] Clarkson, along with producer Andy Wilman, selected McCarthy for his extensive Formula One experience and ability to drive a wide range of vehicles quickly, emphasizing the appeal of an anonymous, helmeted driver to add mystery to the show's format.[30] Initially pitched as "The Gimp," which McCarthy rejected, the character's name was changed to "The Stig," derived from a nickname used at Repton School, attended by Clarkson and Wilman.[28][29] McCarthy's primary responsibilities as the Stig involved setting lap times on the Top Gear test track in a variety of cars, from everyday models like the Renault Clio to high-performance vehicles such as the Pagani Zonda, while maintaining a silent, aloof persona clad in a full black racing suit and helmet.[30] He was bound by a gentleman's agreement of secrecy rather than a formal contract, which required him to avoid public interactions and ignore the show's presenters on camera to enhance the enigmatic image, though this often proved challenging in behind-the-scenes settings.[30][28] McCarthy served in the role during the show's first two revived series, from 2002 to 2003, before departing amid growing pressures to preserve his anonymity.[31] His exit was influenced by the role's restrictive secrecy clause, which limited his opportunities for corporate speaking and other media work, as well as insufficient compensation relative to the show's rising success; additionally, British media outlets like the Sunday Mirror began speculating on and revealing his identity in 2003, prompting the production to "kill off" the character by driving it off an aircraft carrier.[28][30][32] The Stig role significantly revived McCarthy's public profile after his racing career, establishing the character as an iconic element of Top Gear that fueled global fan theories about multiple drivers or celebrity portrayers, such as speculation involving Michael Schumacher.[33][32] This anonymous persona not only boosted the show's international popularity but also positioned McCarthy as a symbol of motorsport mystery, later allowing him to leverage the experience in motivational speaking once the secrecy lapsed.[28][30]Broadcasting and other media appearances
In 2009, McCarthy served as a commentator for BBC's Formula 1 coverage, offering expert analysis during select races as part of the network's Sport Multiscreen service, where he joined host Michael "Abs" Absalom to provide insights, interviews, and explanations of the sport's technical aspects for younger audiences via CBBC and Red Button features.[2][34] Throughout the 2010s, McCarthy made several guest appearances on motoring podcasts and shows, sharing his experiences in racing history and Formula 1. For instance, in 2014, he discussed his career trajectory, sponsorship challenges, and rivalry anecdotes on the Motor Sport Magazine podcast.[35] In 2019, he appeared on the MotorMouth Podcast, reflecting on his time as a professional driver and the original Stig.[36] Following the 2010 public revelation of the second Stig's identity, McCarthy engaged in media discussions about his own tenure in the role, emphasizing the anonymity's challenges and behind-the-scenes dynamics on Top Gear. In an August 2010 interview with the Sunday Mirror, he detailed interactions with celebrity guests and production secrets, highlighting how the character's mystique enhanced the show's appeal.[37] These appearances positioned him as a go-to expert for F1 insights without delving into his personal post-racing ventures. In July 2025, McCarthy appeared on the Formula 1 podcast Beyond the Grid, discussing his racing career and experiences as the original Stig.[25]Post-racing career
Motivational speaking and ambassadorship
Following his retirement from competitive racing in 2003, Perry McCarthy transitioned into motivational speaking, beginning with after-dinner engagements at motoring clubs and expanding to global corporate audiences.[30] By leveraging his experiences as a Formula One driver and the original Stig on BBC's Top Gear, he has delivered over 1,500 presentations worldwide, focusing on inspirational themes derived from his career challenges.[38] McCarthy's speeches emphasize resilience and overcoming adversity, drawing on his F1 setbacks—such as driving for the underfunded Andrea Moda team—and the teamwork required during his 24 Hours of Le Mans campaigns. He often illustrates a "million-to-one" odds mindset, recounting his early days funding racing through grueling oil rig work in the North Sea before achieving his dream of reaching the pinnacle of motorsport and later embodying the anonymous Stig persona.[39] These narratives highlight personal performance under pressure, turning failure into opportunity, and the importance of determination, tailored for management teams, sales groups, and business conferences.[40] In addition to speaking, McCarthy serves as a corporate ambassador, providing commentary and hosting events for organizations worldwide, including hosting the 2023 gala dinner for the British Safety Council's International Safety Awards.[2][41] His role extends to motivational workshops on performance and risk management, often infused with humor from his racing anecdotes.[42] As of 2025, McCarthy remains active in resilience-focused talks, with scheduled keynotes on work ethic and determination for corporate events. He also engages in media discussions, such as a July 2025 podcast appearance on Formula 1's Beyond the Grid, where he reflected on his career's improbable journey.[40][25]Authorship
Perry McCarthy's primary contribution to authorship is his autobiography Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way!, first published in September 2002 by Haynes Publishing. The book chronicles his improbable journey from a teenager with no racing background or financial backing to a Formula One driver, emphasizing the financial hardships, relentless determination, and humorous mishaps that defined his career.[43][44] In the memoir, McCarthy recounts vivid anecdotes from his time with the underfunded Andrea Moda team, including mechanical failures and chaotic race weekends that tested his resolve, all delivered with self-deprecating wit and unvarnished honesty about the sport's cutthroat economics. Funding woes are a central theme, detailing how he supported his racing ambitions through grueling jobs on North Sea oil rigs while scraping together sponsorships. The initial edition subtly hints at his secret role as the original "Black Stig" on BBC's Top Gear without explicit confirmation, adding intrigue to his post-racing persona.[6][45] The book achieved bestselling status in motor racing literature, praised for its candid style and engaging narrative that contrasts with more technical F1 accounts. Reviewers highlighted its "cockney energy and enthusiasm" as a charming, feel-good tale of perseverance, making it a welcome, lighter alternative in the genre. Its success bolstered McCarthy's transition to motivational speaking, where themes of resilience from the book became staples in his presentations.[6][45][44] Subsequent editions expanded on its legacy; the second edition explicitly revealed McCarthy's identity as The Stig, while a third edition and a 2022 audiobook—narrated by McCarthy himself with a foreword by Damon Hill—kept the work relevant, maintaining its status as one of the best-selling motorsport autobiographies. No other major authored works by McCarthy have been published as of 2025, though the book's enduring popularity underscores his literary impact on sharing the unromanticized side of professional racing.[6][46]Racing record
Complete Formula 3000 results
Perry McCarthy competed in the International Formula 3000 Championship during partial seasons in 1988 (3 races) and 1989 (3 races), with additional participation in the British Formula 3000 Championship in 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. His results are summarized in the following table, separating International and British entries for clarity, aggregating data across teams and chassis where multiple entries occurred in a season.[1][47]| Year | Series | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Races Entered/Started | Wins | Poles | Fastest Laps | Points | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | International F3000 | Ralt Racing | Ralt RT22 | Judd | 3/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | Partial season; end-of-season outings (rounds 9-11: Jyllandsringen, Brands Hatch, Zolder).[47] |
| 1988 | British F3000 | Ralt Racing (3 races); Concept 3/Madgwick (2 races) | Ralt RT22; Reynard 883 | Cosworth; Alfa Romeo | 5/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | Partial season with team changes.[1] |
| 1989 | International F3000 | Roger Cowman Racing / Apomatox | Lola T89/50 / Reynard 89D | Cosworth DFV | 3/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | Partial season (rounds 7-9).[48] |
| 1989 | British F3000 | GA Motorsport; Various | Lola T88/50; Lola T89/50 | Cosworth DFV | 8/8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10th | Full season participation.[1][49] |
| 1990 | British F3000 | Various | Various | Various | ?/? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 7th | Partial season with reported 3 podium finishes; team changes noted (unverified full extent).[50] |
| 1991 | British F3000 | Various | Reynard 90D | Cosworth | 4/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12th | Partial season.[51] |
Complete Formula One results
Perry McCarthy competed in the 1992 Formula One World Championship season with the Andrea Moda team, entering 10 Grands Prix but failing to qualify for any race due to a combination of team issues, exclusions, and poor performance in pre-qualifying sessions.[52][53] He recorded no starts and zero championship points.| Year | Grand Prix | Team | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Qualifying | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | South African GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | - | Excluded (late arrival) |
| 1992 | Brazilian GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | - | Excluded (superlicense ban) |
| 1992 | Spanish GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | 32 | Did not pre-qualify |
| 1992 | San Marino GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | 32 | Did not pre-qualify |
| 1992 | Monaco GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | 32 | Did not pre-qualify |
| 1992 | Canadian GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | 32 | Did not pre-qualify |
| 1992 | French GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | - | Did not pre-qualify (car unavailable) |
| 1992 | British GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | 32 | Did not pre-qualify |
| 1992 | German GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | 32 | Did not pre-qualify (excluded from results) |
| 1992 | Hungarian GP | Andrea Moda | Andrea Moda Formula | S921 | Judd GV V10 | Goodyear | 31 | Did not pre-qualify |
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
Perry McCarthy competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on five occasions between 1996 and 2003, primarily in GT1 and prototype classes, though all entries ended in retirements due to mechanical failures.[5]| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Class | Car | Laps | Class Position | Overall Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Viper Team Oreca | Dominique Dupuy, Justin Bell | LM GT1 | Chrysler Viper GTS-R | 96 (DNF - engine failure in 13th hour) | DNF | DNF |
| 1997 | David Price Racing | David Brabham, Doc Bundy | LM GT1 | Panoz Esperante GTR-1 | 145 (DNF - fire in 12th hour) | DNF | DNF |
| 1999 | Audi Sport UK Ltd. | James Weaver, Andy Wallace | LM GTP | Audi R8C | 198 (DNF - gearbox failure in 17th hour) | DNF | DNF |
| 2002 | DAMS Leader (Film Luc Besson) | Marc Duez, Jérôme Policand | LMP900 | Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S | 98 (DNF - transmission failure) | DNF | DNF |
| 2003 | Audi Sport UK (Arena International) | Frank Biela, Mika Salo | LMP900 | Audi R8 | 28 (DNF - fuel system issue in 3rd hour) | DNF | DNF |