‘THE 571G’ sells for over £10,000

Top Gear fan Rick Fusari grabbed the chequered flag and won the race to buy THE 571G during the climax of DVLA Personalised Registrations’ three-day auction at the Haycock Hotel in Wansford, Cambridgeshire.

The 45-year-old paid a total of £10,690 for the unique plate - more than 26 times its £400 reserve - made ‘famous’ for its obvious link to the mystery race-ace and hugely popular figure from the Top Gear TV show.

Mr Fusari, who runs the Greenford Motors car dealership in West London, now has the dilemma on which of his two Ferraris to place the plate!

He said: “Like all motoring enthusiasts I’m a fan of Top Gear, ironically, though, my mum always says she can’t stand ‘that man’ Jeremy Clarkson, but that won’t stop me going out and buying a white crash helmet.”

Damian Lawson, Marketing Manager for DVLA Personalised Registrations, said: “We had more than a dozen people chasing the THE 571G registration - and there we were thinking there was only one Stig but now we’re not so sure!”