Top Gear Festival South Africa: in pics

The Top Gear Live World tour stopped off in South Africa this weekend where Jeremy, Richard and James kicked off what we hope will be a brand new type of motoring event.

The star-studded Top Gear Festival at the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit did, of course, feature a Top Gear stunt show fronted by the boys, but that was only part of the story.

This time there was more. Much more. There's a full report here, or click through for an impressive pictorial record... 

Photography: Mark Yeoman

A definite festival highlight: David Coulthard giving it loads in the Red Bull

Somewhere in the middle of all that smoke is DC... 

...and here’s the proof. DC's donuts definitely delivered 

Stig was there too. Here our tame racing driver prepares for a wet lap in a much modified M3

Local hero Jody Scheckter brought along some of his collection of F1 cars, sharing driving duties with his brother and sons. Pictured: his 1977 Wolf, 1972 McLaren and 1974/5 Tyrrell 

Five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell hadn't driven an F1 car since 1980, but here he is in this JPS Lotus 72. He didn't hang about either... 

Jody's brother Ian Scheckter, himself a 1970s F1 driver, prepares to go out in the Tyrrell 007 

The Scheckter cars in the pits - forefront is Jody's 1979 championship winning car 

Top Gear TV's Executive Producer Andy Wilman and Tiff Needell on commentary duties 

In addition to fronting the stunt show, Jeremy, Richard and James were on track commentating and generally milling about all weekend  

As we know from the telly show, Hammond loves the Porsche 911 GT3 RS... 

...while May says the Ferrari 458 is miles better... 

...and of course Clarkson disagrees with both. He's a Mercedes SLS man 

Only one thing for it, then - a race. Jeremy's SLS beats James and Richard away from the line... 

... but remarkably it was Captain Slow who came in first  

Not sure what Jeremy's looking so pleased about - he came last   

TG favourite Sabine Schmitz in Scheckter's new Jaguar XJ220-based ice-cream van  

The world's fastest ice-cream van in action. It had the measure of the Beemer over the course of a lap

Crowds pour into Kyalami - the legendary track that last hosted a Grand Prix in 1993  

Ferrari Enzo and 288 GTO in a drag race

Ford GT drag race  

Jody Scheckter gets a run in DC's Red Bull - and loves it   

F1 cars on the grid at Kyalami - that's Jody on the left about to jump into Ferrari  

And here is that Ferrari - the very car that Jody won the 1979 World Championship in 

Jezza on the big screen 

James does his best John Travolta impression  

Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason also brought his cars along. Eddie Jordan looks on

A bona fide legend in our midst. Sir Stirling Moss on great form 

Stirling jumps into an Aston for a few swift laps  

Plenty of Porsche action on track  

Freestyle bikes were unbelievable - unfortunately they could only perform in the dry  

Welcome to the Top Gear Thunderdome

South African crowds: ace    

Tiff was on hand to open the stunt show with local star Sash Martinengo before being joined by Jeremy, Richard and James  

The final performance of the stunt show on Sunday was postponed due to the elements. But once the risk of death by lightening had passed, the boys got out there... 

All hands on deck sweeping water off the stunt arena floor in the build up to show time. The bloke on the left getting stuck in? Top Gear telly boss Andy Wilman 

Take a bow, Richard Hammond 

What other event bookends the sophistication of classic cars driven by legendary drivers... with a bloke firing a fridge off the back of a monster truck? 

And there it goes - fridge in flight

In fact, the monster truck came in handy for firing all sorts of things

Explanation needed. In order to finally settle the argument over which is faster, Jeremy and James stuck the Merc SLS and Ferrari 458 on rolling roads connected to blowers and inflated massive blow-up models of themselves. James generally won. Soon to become an industry standard

The remarkable stunt show finale, as the boys invent car bungee jumping. And behind the wheel of that Nissan Micra: South African presenter Sasha Martinengo. Sasha, we salute you... 

Just some of the stars who enjoyed the festival. From left to right: Sabine Schmitz, Jaki Scheckter, Stirling Moss, Nick Mason, Derek Bell, Ian Scheckter, Jody Scheckter, Eddie Jordan

One of the TG crew tells the drivers – including a World Champion, a rock star and one of the all-time legends of the sport – what's what. They all seem to be paying attention, though