Hammond's crash available on Top Gear's website
UPDATE: Watch the video after the jump! Clarkson makes a promise.
The triumphant return of Top Gear took place less than an hour ago on BBC in the UK. Afterwards, Richard Hammond hopped on to the Top Gear website to offer up his perspective on the show's return, his crash and the benefits of viewers seeing his brush with death.
In addition to reliving the experience on tonight's show (torrents are being created as you read this), Top Gear put together a step-by-step recreation and also aired video of the crash.
You can read Hammond's blog here and also view the videos on the BBC's website.
UPDATE: a bittorent of the video has been added to Finalgear.com.
The triumphant return of Top Gear took place less than an hour ago on BBC in the UK. Afterwards, Richard Hammond hopped on to the Top Gear website to offer up his perspective on the show's return, his crash and the benefits of viewers seeing his brush with death.
In addition to reliving the experience on tonight's show (torrents are being created as you read this), Top Gear put together a step-by-step recreation and also aired video of the crash.
You can read Hammond's blog here and also view the videos on the BBC's website.
UPDATE: a bittorent of the video has been added to Finalgear.com.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James 6:23PM (1/28/2007)
Fair play to the Top Gear team who promised after the feature on Hammond's crash that they would never mention the accident again. I'm delighted that normal service has been resumed, and my Sunday night's are now back to their old schedule.
*j*
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mavkato 6:44PM (1/28/2007)
does this mean we can stop hearing about it?
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John P. 9:55PM (1/28/2007)
That's it? I've seen worse wrecks in my daughter's daycare playground. Sheesh, I can't believe all the fuss over this, and I actually watched the whole thing.
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Will 12:04AM (1/29/2007)
he was going 288...
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Big jim 11:38PM (1/28/2007)
the crashed kinda sucked
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James Sonne 8:23PM (1/29/2007)
The fuss isn't over how many pieces came flying from the vehicle as it was skidding across the ground, upside down, at 230 mph. The fuss is over the fact that Mr. Hammond was able to survive a crash that put his head two feet below the ground with the force of 10,000 horsepower, and is walking today, holding his two daughters and his wife.
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Jonathan Fung 12:22AM (1/29/2007)
I have to say that the crash (at least on video) sort of didn't live up to all the hype. I was really expecting something bigger, with at least several flips and rolls, and huge chunks of car spread over the tarmac. But that dragster looked pretty solid the whole way through. It was about as exciting as that hoax Hamster crash video posted here a while back with the hamster in the wheel hitting a wall.
Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Hammond made it out alive, and has made a full recovery. His family is happy. And the world (with the exception of those angry British environmentalists) is happy because we have our Top Gear back.
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Billy 12:55AM (1/29/2007)
Man, some of the ----------s here have no appreciation for what can kill someone, and instead are stuck in the pre-adolescent phase of appreciating only flying parts and fireballs. I guess it's for that type of viewer that NASCAR always shows the crashes in its advertisements.
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Huecifcer 11:42AM (1/29/2007)
I agree with you 100%, Billy. You have to wonder how bad of an accident any of these naysayers have ever personally been in... I'd be willing to bet they haven't been in any. And on top of that, when's the last time anyone saw something crash going more than 280 mph?
Hammond is lucky to have survived something so monumental, as well as being extremely generous to show and publicly speak about it. If it were me or just about any other person who's been in terrible accident, I'd want to forget the whole thing.
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Peter 3:42AM (1/29/2007)
WTF? The man very, very nearly died there, sorry the footage isn't spectacular enough for you guys. Would some flying limbs help next time?
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ruggels 5:47AM (1/29/2007)
People are looking for lots of flips, like in the most recent bond film, which was correographed, and the first such filmed seven successive flips, ever. People don't get that real life does not equal hollywood. Ever crashed a car? at street legal speeds? Into a solid object? I totalled a bug running into an explorer at 28mph. or 1/10th what this car was doing. I just don't get people some times. he crashed a car at 288mph and lived, that's what the hype is about, it's astounding he's still walking and talking and working.
I'm astounded he survived, and though he feels different, I'm glad he's back, and his family is not without their husband/father.
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LBuzzer 8:30AM (1/29/2007)
John P.,
Sorry mate, but you're daft.
Dale Earnhardt's crash was pretty "boring" too, and it killed him.
I'd like to see you strap yourself to a jet engine...
Yeah, that's what I thought.
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John P. 9:14AM (1/29/2007)
Buzz. For your information, Dale Earnhardt's crash was almost head first into a wall, This guy's slid along the ground. Don't talk outta your ass Buzz. As someone who has been in both sliding wrecks, and head-first into trees, on motorcycles, and bicycles, there is a HUGE difference.
I'm happy the guy is alright, but it's really not that big a deal. We all know Cluckson is mostly some sideshow yukster, so ofcourse they'll play it up way over and above what it really is. Come-On, get over it already people. I'm sure even Hammond is tired of hearing all the crap.
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tweek 9:54AM (1/29/2007)
"Is that it?" are you guys having a laugh?
Have any of you guys actually tried to dig a hole with just your head? I haven't but do you know, it doesn't sound like a fun thing to try, let alone at well over 200mph!
I think its a testament to the cars designers and engineers that it stood up to that punishment, though for the next version a roof might be handy...
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Peter 9:54AM (1/29/2007)
#12
So I take it the truth is Hammond walked away from that small crash without a scratch, but Clarkson beat him up afterwards to boost the ratings?
I won't bother commenting on your comparison of a 300mph dragster with your bicycle (seriously?), but note that he wasn't merely sliding, but that he d doug head-first 2'into the ground, resulting in massive deceleration.
Bits and pieces shattered all over the pace may look worse, but is usually in fact a good sign, as this means a lot of energy has been used to demolish the car instead of its occupants.
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John P. 10:14AM (1/29/2007)
Blah Blah Blah, I'm just saying if you want to "Man-Up" on someone that truly deserves your respect, go thank your local fireman or police officer, not some dude who slid his ass along some grass in a big toy, at an admittedly fast speed.
That said, I'm glad the guy's ok. At least he "got injured" playing, which is a way better way to go than getting killed by some terrorist, some random accident, or a Heart-Attack.
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Luke White 4:19PM (1/30/2007)
I don't think many people realize that Richard actually WAS injured - a brain injury at that - and spent many weeks in the hospital and had personality/emotional issues as a result of the injury. Yes, he recovered, but he didn't "walk away without a scratch". There's a lot of info. out there on what he went through and the factors that affected his survival and recovery. While it looked "simple" on video, it was a significant event to put a human body through.
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