James May thinks there is a "mutual loathing" between himself and his 'Grand Tour' co-stars.
James May (left) explains why there is a chemistry between himself and his Grand Tour co-stars
The 60-year-old presenter appears on the Prime Video motoring series alongside Jeremy Clarkson, 63, and Richard Hammond , 53, and explained that if they were all in the same year at school they all would have been in "rival gangs" but that is exactly what makes the "chemistry" between the three of them work.
Speaking on ITV's 'Lorraine', he told stand-in host Ranvir Singh: "People talk about the chemistry of us three and what is the secret and to be honest we don't know. It's a complete mystery to us. A large part of it is if we were at school together and we all were the same age - and we're not - but if we were in the same year, we wouldn't be in the same gangs. We'd be in slightly rival gangs so that's what makes it work. It's not that we don't like each other but we wind each other up. I'd be in the geeky nerdy gang and would do things like build bicycles and play with cameras, Hammond would be doing something like the Scouts or the Cadets and Jeremy would be in something really nauseating like the young farmers.
"We would automatically be at loggerheads and that's why it works. If you try to recreate what the three of us have, they do it with people who basically like each other and that doesn't work. It's got to be driven by mutual loathing. The only reason I crashed in the tunnel - which is a sad lapse of judgment on my part - is because I was trying to win."
The former 'Top Gear' star is also by his nickname of Captain Slow and joked that he "doesn't mind" the title so much because some people might appreciate it.
He quipped: "That came from, I think it was one of the researchers in the 'Top Gear' days but I don't mind. Some people like a man who can go slow."
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