[Video] Gillian Anderson on Top Gear

Gillian Anderson made her mark on the Top Gear track this weekend, racking up the highest number of practice laps ever. But she actually made an impact before she got there, simply by driving herself.

Celebrities taking part in the Surrey-based Star In A Reasonably Priced Car challenge, usually take the show’s offer of a chauffer-driven car to get them there. But Anderson joins music mogul Simon Cowell, Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch and legendary actor Michael Gambon in being the only guests to have driven themselves.

“I like being in control,” Anderson laughed. “I drive everywhere.”

Anderson clearly does enjoy driving; completing a whopping 22 laps during her time with ‘tame racing driver’ The Stig. “Most people come down and do 7 or 8,” host Jeremy Clarkson teased. Well, it was wet, she couldn’t see the lines, she’d only had three hours sleep… Not that the excuses were coming out or anything, the actress joked.

But while Clarkson was “brutally honest”, revealing Anderson’s first five or so laps were over two minutes in time (thereby putting her way down the bottom of the celebrity leader board) she actually set another record: most improved.

In fact, Anderson finished with an impressive time of 1.48.5 by the end of the day, putting her above fellow screen stars Charles Dance and Kiefer Sutherland. Clarkson also said that although he’d labeled it ‘mildly moist’, based on the day’s weather, Anderson’s was actually the fastest wet lap time on the board. All in a day’s work, eh?