Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond tease Chris Evans for making 'secret Top Gear' as only they can

The former presenting trio could not resist having a laugh at the DJ's expense

Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson and James May have been teasing Chris Evans after his recent Top Gear revelation (PA)

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have reacted to news that Chris Evans is making a "secret Top Gear film" in the only way the former presenting trio could.

The three men, whose future remains in doubt after Clarkson's BBC contract was not renewed in March, all posted seemingly mocking tweets shortly after the Radio 1 DJ let slip his plans to shoot a "Top Gear sequence" with an independent production company on Tuesday and "see how it goes".

Mature as ever, this is how the original hosts responded:

Of course there is also the possibility that all four are having us all on together, after Evans retweeted the above messages.

Evans, who presents a breakfast show on BBC Radio 2 and is making a one-off return with TFI Friday this week, has previously ruled himself out of the Top Gear job.

But asked by presenter Tim Lovejoy on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch whether he had started to present Top Gear yet, Evans said: "Not started yet, but we are doing a secret Top Gear film on Tuesday."

Lovejoy replied "It's not so secret now", but Evans went on: "It still will be, because nobody knows where it's going to be but we're going to make one and see how it goes.

"We're making a Top Gear - we're doing a Top Gear sequence with an independent production company and we're going to see how it goes."

The future of the motoring series was thrown into the air earlier this year when Clarkson was suspended after assaulting producer Oisin Tymon over hot food in a hotel.

It is still unclear what will happen to the show after it was reported that co-presenters Richard Hammond and May have been offered deals in the region of £1 million a year to stay for another series.

The trio's contracts ran out earlier this year and it remains in doubt whether Hammond and May will go back on previous statements suggesting they would not host Top Gear with an "awks surrogate Jeremy".

When contacted about Evans' comments the BBC said they will not be commenting on "speculation".