The fastest sailor around the world is now the fastest Star in a Reasonably Priced Car. Ellen MacArtur, Patron of the Nancy Blackett Trust, saw off fifty-nine other celebrities on the BBC’s Top Gear show yesterday when she posted the fastest lap time of them all.

Ellen was invited to take the challenge in a Suzuki Liana around Top Gear’s airfield circuit, as part of the programme’s regular guest feature. She managed a time of 1:46.7, relegating the previous leader comedian Jimmy Carr into second place (with a time of 1:46.9) and music mogul Simon Cowell into third (with a time of 1:47.0), and well as earning generous compliments from presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

For those of you who missed it, the programme is repeated tomorrow (Tuesday 6th December) at 7.00pm on BBC2.

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