The Grand Tour’s quest to find a new racing driver is heating up. Last season’s driver, The American, isn’t returning for the second season, so the trio of Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond are burning up the classifieds in search of a suitable replacement. The first man to answer the call is former Formula One driver and current Porsche driver and ambassador Mark Webber. Needless to say, Webber’s whole “audition” was captured in all its glory, and in typical Grand Tour fashion, hilarity ensues as Webber does a “hot lap” on a Mercedes-AMG GT R while the three hosts argue over his identity.

The search for a new racing driver continues

Let’s get one thing clear: Mark Webber is not the new racing driver on The Grand Tour. The man has far too many things on his plate to even have the time to make a guesting on the show, let alone serve as its full-time racing driver. So yes, this promotional video is nothing more than a skit for shits and giggles. It is funny though and, quite arguably, one of the show’s best skits in recent memory.

The whole bit starts when Clarkson tells May and Hammond that he’s found a “contender” to take the place of The American. Webber drives up in a Porsche Panamera to Clarkson’s delight and May and Hammond’s confusion. As it turns out, the two hosts have no idea who he is, making for an awkward introduction. Webber soon gets behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT2 RS and proceeds to run a quick lap around the track. The hosts then tell him to do a similar lap on a Mercedes-AMG GT R and Webber’s pace turns lackluster, much to the bewilderment of the three hosts. Turns out, Webber’s allergic to driving any car that isn’t a Porsche. A non-too-impressed Hammond eventually tells Webber “We’ll be in touch,” before the skit runs its course. So the “quest” for The Grand Tour’s new racing driver rages on. Any guesses on who will feature in the next segment? There’s a good chance it won’t be Webber, or “Tom Hardy,” or “Mark Ricciardo.”

Hopefully, the show finds a suitable replacement in time for the show’s season premiere on December 8 on Amazon Prime TV.

References

Mercedes AMG

Read our full review on the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R.

Porsche GT2

Read our full review on the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS.