James May fails 1980 driving test retake after speed-limit errors
James may took a modern UK driving test for the first time since 1980 and failed the practical part after repeatedly going over the speed limit. He tried it without any prior revision, then found the car’s modern settings were the first hurdle.
May and modern driving aids
May said, “The first thing you do now, in case you didn’t know, is you turn off lane assist, speed warning, and stop start because they are instruments of tyranny, and I am a free man,” during the clip. That line captures the friction in the test: he knew enough to handle the car, but not enough to stay within the limits the examiner was watching.
He correctly answered safety questions about tire pressure and had no trouble with the actual driving maneuvers. The problem came once the car was moving, where he realized he was repeatedly over the limit rather than losing control of the test itself.
Speed in Salisbury
May was often blipping over 46 mph in a 40 mph zone and 33 mph in a 30 mph zone. For a driver who had already passed in 1980, that is the clearest sign that modern testing now punishes lapses in road discipline more than basic vehicle handling.
Modern UK driving tests now include a theory test and a practical driving exam, and the article places that change alongside ADAS, short for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, now present everywhere and mandatory in several countries. In May’s case, the broader shift is simple: the car can help, but the examiner still grades the driver.
1980 to 2026
May originally passed in 1980, and this retake was framed against the millions of miles he has driven on Top Gear and The Grand Tour. That history makes the result less about inexperience than about how much the rules and the cockpit have changed since his first pass.
Published on Jun 15, 2026 at 1:26 PM (UTC+4), the clip leaves one practical takeaway for any returning driver: familiarity with the wheel is not the same as familiarity with today’s test standards, and the speedometer is where mistakes now turn into failure.
