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Timothy Needell (better known as Tiff Needell), born October 29, 1951 at Havant, England, is a racing driver and television presenter.

File:Tiffneedell1.jpg

Tiff Needell, former presenter of BBC's Top Gear and currently presenter of Five's Fifth Gear

Needell attended London City University where he achieved an Honours Degree in Civil Engineering. Hired by George Wimpy & Co, his day job was as a Structural Design Engineer.

Needell's racing career started in 1970, when he attended a drivers course at Brands Hatch. His first results came in the the 1970 Daily Mail Stars of Tomorrow FF1600 when he finished fourth. As a result of winning a Formula Ford car in the United Kingdom's Autosport magazine competition, he was able to continue in Formula Fords for 1971. Using a Lotus type 69 for two seasons and despite little funds he was able to forge himself into a front-runner in the category. In 1973 he switched to an Elden chassis and due to financial struggles he was not able to score any results until 1975 when a friend loaned a Crosslé 25F to him. With this car Tiff won the Townsend Thoresen Brands Hatch Challenge. And he ended the year with a "special commendation" Grovewood Award [1]

Progression to FF2000 followed in 1976, with Tiff finishing second in the APG Championship. He also won the Dunlop Award which was based on his qualifying performances. At the end of the year he was awarded the premier Grovewood Award. The remainder of the 1970s saw Needell as a front runner in the British Formula 3 series and then in the Aurora British Formula One championship. In 1979 he was unable to graduate to the F1 World Championship due to the lack of the correct licence, but he was back in 1980, driving two Grands Prix for Ensign, qualifying for one, the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. However, he had an engine problem and did not finish the race. The Grand Prix which he did not qualify for was the Monte Carlo Grand Prix.

Since then, Needell's racing career has mainly consisted of racing tin-tops (hard-topped cars), with varying levels of success in sports cars, historic racing and touring cars. He achieved particular notoriety after an accident with Nigel Mansell at the 1993 TOCA shoot out race at Donington Park. However, Needell is best known in his native country as a noted television presenter and television and print motoring journalist, in particular in association with the BBC TV series Top Gear. In 2001, the BBC cancelled Top Gear (the show was brought back in 2002), Tiff and the whole cast defected and signed with Channel 5 to produce and host a new motoring show named Fifth Gear. He does however, still contribute to Top Gear magazine. He is also known for his almost legendary powerslides.

Trivia

The nickname "Tiff" came from the inability of Tiff's older brother to pronounce his birth name Timothy correctly when they were both children.

Tiff has provided his voice for the first and second games in the 'TOCA Touring Car series' for British video game developer Codemasters.

Tiff's most recent DVD release was 'Danger Zone' in 2000. This features Needell testing various high performance cars

His younger brother Chris is a team manger for Barwell Motorsports team racing Aston Martin DBR9

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+Needell attended [[London City University]] where he achieved an Honours Degree in Civil Engineering. Hired by [[George Wimpy & Co]], his day job was as a Structural Design Engineer.
-Needell's racing career took off after he won a [[Formula Ford]] car through a competition in the [[United Kingdom]]'s [[Autosport]] magazine.  Having been interested in trying to advance his career but not having the money, Needell leapt at the opportunity and won the [[Formula Ford]] title in [[1975]].  The remainder of the [[1970s]] saw Needell as a front runner in the British [[Formula 3]] series and then in the Aurora British [[Formula One]] championship.  In [[1979]] he was unable to graduate to the [[F1]] World Championship due to the lack of the correct licence, but he was back in [[1980]], driving two Grands Prix for Ensign, qualifying for one, the [[Belgian Grand Prix]] at [[Zolder]]. However, he had an engine problem and did not finish the race. The Grand Prix which he did not qualify for was the Monte Carlo Grand Prix.
+Needell's racing career started in 1970, when he attended a drivers course at [[Brands Hatch]]. His first results came in the the 1970 Daily Mail Stars of Tomorrow FF1600 when he finished fourth. As a result of winning a  [[Formula Ford]] car in the [[United Kingdom]]'s [[Autosport]] magazine competition, he was able to continue in Formula Fords for 1971. Using a Lotus type 69 for two seasons and despite little funds he was able to forge himself into a front-runner in the category. In 1973 he switched to an Elden chassis and due to financial struggles he was not able to score any results until 1975 when a friend loaned a Crosslé 25F to him. With this car Tiff won the Townsend Thoresen Brands Hatch Challenge. And he ended the year with a "special commendation" Grovewood Award [http://www.forix.com/8w/needell.html]
+Progression to FF2000 followed in 1976, with Tiff finishing second in the APG Championship. He also won the Dunlop Award which was based on his qualifying performances. At the end of the year he was awarded the premier Grovewood Award. The remainder of the [[1970s]] saw Needell as a front runner in the British [[Formula 3]] series and then in the Aurora British [[Formula One]] championship.  In [[1979]] he was unable to graduate to the [[F1]] World Championship due to the lack of the correct licence, but he was back in [[1980]], driving two Grands Prix for Ensign, qualifying for one, the [[Belgian Grand Prix]] at [[Zolder]]. However, he had an engine problem and did not finish the race. The Grand Prix which he did not qualify for was the Monte Carlo Grand Prix.
 Since then, Needell's racing career has mainly consisted of racing tin-tops (hard-topped cars), with varying levels of success in sports cars, historic racing and touring cars.  He achieved particular notoriety after an accident with [[Nigel Mansell]] at the [[1993]] [[TOCA]] shoot out race at [[Donington Park]].  However, Needell is best known in his native country as a noted television presenter and television and print motoring journalist, in particular in association with the [[BBC TV]] series ''[[Top Gear]]''.  In [[2001]], the BBC cancelled Top Gear (the show was brought back in [[2002]]), Tiff and the whole cast defected and signed with [[Five (TV)|Channel 5]] to produce and host a new motoring show named ''[[Fifth Gear]]''. He does however, still contribute to [[Top Gear]] magazine. He is also known for his almost legendary [[powerslide]]s.