A Blind Man Has Posted A Top-10 Lap Time On The Top Gear Test Track

Despite having lost his sight completely six years ago, Dr Amit Patel has just set the ninth-fastest time around the Top Gear test track – with a passenger on board
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A blind man has just set a top-10 time around the Top Gear test track.

Dr Amit Patel set a time of 1:46.58 seconds in one of the Toyota GT86s used by Top Gear for its Star in a Reasonably Fast Car laps. The former first-response medic is completely blind but didn’t even take the easy option of an automatic gearbox – he managed the clutch and six-speed gearbox on his way to setting a time that would put him ninth on the Reasonably Fast Car leaderboard.

A Blind Man Has Posted A Top-10 Lap Time On The Top Gear Test Track

To help Amit achieve the seriously impressive feat was performance driving instructor Mark Watkins, who has experience of working with blind and partially sighted people on racetracks. Mark acted as Amit’s eyes and coached him in a Yaris away from Dunsfold Aerodrome, the home of the Top Gear test track, before booking in for timed laps at the world-famous venue. Amit said:

“It’s been six years or so since I’ve been behind the wheel of a car, but it’s funny how things come back to you – the sound of the engine, the gear changes, the clutch and the brake. But then driving, and not knowing where you’re driving, that’s the insane part.

“I focused on the instructions, concentrating on what Mark was saying. I tend to forget that I can’t see, it was crazy just to think that I was actually doing this. Being on the test track, driving the GT86, it was a dream come true.”

A Blind Man Has Posted A Top-10 Lap Time On The Top Gear Test Track

Toyota, which has worked with the Olympic and Paralympic Committees for eight years, made no modifications to the GT86 normally used by stars like Chris Hoy, Jay Kay and David Tennant. There were no dual-control features.

What makes the top-10 time even more impressive is the obvious ballast factor of Mark being in the passenger seat. Some say it could be worth a couple of seconds per lap…

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Comments

CannedRex24

That’s a lap time that’s just 3.5 seconds less than the stig in a Golf GTi.

Impressive is a word I don’t think I can justify use

02/04/2019 - 14:01 |
50 | 2
Elliot.J99
02/04/2019 - 14:07 |
144 | 0

Jesus: I will now cure this man of his blindness
Dr Patel: Bruh I don need yo help watch this
Jesus:

02/04/2019 - 17:28 |
52 | 0
Anonymous

So is it fifth or ninth? Unless I’m missing something.

02/04/2019 - 14:12 |
2 | 2
Matt Kimberley

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Whoops. The Toyota release we took this from originally stated fifth, which I put in the standfirst before discovering a different table that put the time ninth. I obviously forgot to change it, but it’s now sorted.

02/04/2019 - 14:19 |
6 | 0
Basith Penna-Hakkim

That is just amazing especially in a GT86

02/04/2019 - 15:36 |
2 | 0
Mr.PurpleV12

The stigs blind cousin lol

02/04/2019 - 15:58 |
50 | 0
CarGuy 5

Been done before, previous stig Ben Collins did it with a blind guy but can’t remember the time

02/04/2019 - 17:26 |
0 | 6

that was like a 2 min + time
impressive still

but this is just amazing considering THE GUY CANT SEE. and was quicker than many who can

02/05/2019 - 03:08 |
2 | 0
5:19.55

We have found the next Paralympic sport!

02/04/2019 - 19:04 |
4 | 2
Carmadnab

This is an amazing story.

02/04/2019 - 21:44 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Dr Patel BOOST 💪💪

02/04/2019 - 23:00 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Get that man a Formula One drive

02/05/2019 - 00:19 |
2 | 0