Hammond talks about crash, photos of accident released
Much has been said about the horrific crash that occured on September 21st last year in which Top Gear host Richard Hammond nearly lost his life after losing control of the jet car he was driving for a bit on his beloved TV show. Hammond has spoken out today in an article published on the UK's Daily Mirror website. He recalls seeing the accident footage for the first time in the Top Gear offices, which will be debuted to the public during the show's return on January 28th. The footage clearly reveals the cause of the accident, which was a tire that blew out as Hammond and his jet car were travelling 288 mph. Hammond reveals that he actually foretold the crash while taping an intro before the run, saying on camera that this might end up in "the biggest accident you've ever seen". Unfortunately it did end that way, but credit goes to Hammond's white helmet, visible in the footage, and the car's roll cage, for preventing the crash being fatal. Four stills from the crash footage have been released with Hammond's words, but we've only posted one here. Please click the Read link to see the rest and read Hammond's own account of the crash and seeing it for himself the very first time. [Source: Daily Mirror via GermanCarScene]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Karn 1:31PM (1/18/2007)
He's going to milk this thing for every last drop of PR value.
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MB 1:48PM (1/18/2007)
I hope this doesn't take the comedic leisure attidude away from Top Gear now. One of the things I most liked about this show was the abscense of American liability BS. They always seemed to have a bit of common sense with some off the cuff stunts (caravan set afire...)
Anyways, I wish Richard Hammond a full recovery from this incident and that it does not haunt him during his future drives. The playfulness is what makes this show!
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vectorbug 1:48PM (1/18/2007)
He is? The coverage has been really very minimal. He's done one TV interview, and top gear (magazine) is only now writing articles about it.
If I got into a car crash at 280mph and was laughing a week later, I would be posting on the internet every chance I got.
Its Richard hammond, 1 of the 3 coolest people who host the best show on TV, ever.
Go back to FYAD.
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LBuzzer 1:47PM (1/18/2007)
Yes, Karn, he will.
And we'll let him.
The guy almost died doing stuff for our entertainment, things we'd all love to do ourselves, but don't the opportunity or the courage to.
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Gerry 3:00PM (1/18/2007)
Shows you the Top Gear staff are overrated when it comes to driving fast cars. I would love to see Brock Yates and Jeremy Clarkson stuck in a turbine-powered Minibus crashing into a wall at 300 mph.
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alan 4:00PM (1/18/2007)
Wow.
I wish I could be so shallow as to make snide comments about this guy (or the show) when this article is clearly meant as an emotional piece that shows how close everyone who drives a car comes to dying.
This dude clearly had the stuff to get in a car like that and drive it, almost die driving it, and still see it afterwards without freaking out.
I'd like to see anyone else do that.
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Silver 4:17PM (1/18/2007)
"He's going to milk this thing for every last drop of PR value."
You always been this big a prick, Karn?
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John B 8:19PM (1/18/2007)
January 28 you say. Any bets YouTube, Google Video and Bittorrent will be in meltdown the following day with downloads of that show.
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bathtub gin 10:59PM (1/18/2007)
Any word on how Clarkson managed to blame his co-host's accident on American cars or the U.S. in general? Were there Goodyear tires on the car?
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