Perry McCarthy

Former F1 driver


image-size = 150
pixels = 150
Name = Perry McCarthy
Nationality = flagicon|UK British
Years = F1|1992
Team(s) = Andrea Moda
Races = 11 (0 starts)
Championships = 0
Wins = 0
Podiums = 0
Points = 0
Poles = 0
Fastest laps = 0
First race = 1992 Brazilian Grand Prix
First win =
Last win =
Last race = 1992 Italian Grand Prix

Perry McCarthy (born March 3, 1961) is a British racing driver. Born in London, McCarthy did not have the typical beginnings of a Formula One driver. With no karting background and being forced to work for his father's company servicing North Sea oil rigs in order to survive, his early career was a constant struggle against wealthy opponents who were able to dedicate themselves entirely to motor sport.

Working his way through the junior categories of motor sport in Europe, such as Formula Ford, Formula 3, eventually F3000 and various touring and sportscars races in America, McCarthy gained a reputation for being both talented and unpredictable.

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 Italian playboy Andrea Sassetti who thought that entering Formula 1 would be a good way to advertise his shoe buisness. Sadly the team was uncompetitive, unorganized and poorly managed, and after a lengthy battle to gain an FIA Super Licence the season soon descended into farce. McCarthy, frequently denied more than a handful of laps in which to prepare, failed to qualify for any Grand Prix. The team folded before the end of the season in controversial circumstances and McCarthy was left without a drive.

McCarthy never raced in Formula One after 1992, but tested for both Williams and Benetton teams during the 1990s but was denied a permanent role as test driver, in Benetton because he was covering for their normal test driver being off sick and Williams because he did not see eye to eye with the engineers and the position was then given to a young David Coulthard.

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.

Perry McCarthy appeared in 2002 and 2003 on the BBC's "Top Gear" motoring show as The Stig, a masked, anonymous, racing driver who evaluated the latest high performance cars. McCarthy was the original, black-suited Stig, who was "killed off" at the start of the 3rd series for revealing his identity in an autobiography.Fact|date=August 2008

Complete Formula One results

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Bibliography

*"", Haynes Publishing Group. ISBN 1-84425-018-0