I hopped on the Top Gear bandwagon a little late, having just finished devouring the past two seasons thanks to helpful websites like Finalgear.com. During this period of shows is when host Richard Hammond crashed a jet-powered dragster going 288 mph. Though he suffered significant injuries including head trauma, Hammond was back on the Top Gear set just four short months after the crash. He now admits that was "much too early." The Daily Mail reports that Hammond, a.k.a. Hamster, has since struggled with some degree of suicidal depression and still suffers from memory loss and spacial awareness issues that make simple tasks like parking a car difficult. That's surprising to hear, considering we watched Hammond drive all manner of high-powered autos last season, even competing in a 24-hour endurance race. Though he is as physically healed as he's likely going to get, the host with the best hair in Briton thinks his progress now depends on rewiring his brain to cope with complex emotional states. It makes four months in physical therapy sound preferable, but we wish his holy Hamster all the best as he returns to form. Thanks for the tip, Sincleazy!
[Source: The Daily Mail, Photo by EDMOND TERAKOPIAN/AFP/Getty]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
AK @ Feb 25th 2008 2:43PM
Best of luck to him.
Also, it's spatial, not spacial.
Blair @ Feb 25th 2008 2:46PM
I also get my Top Gear fix from finalgear.com anyone that likes cars should be watching this show... Good reviews and very funny.
I hope Hamster is ok! Top gear would not be the same without him, the 4 of them make top gear what it is!
porschedevotee @ Feb 25th 2008 4:03PM
You don't even need to be a car enthusiast to appreciate the show. The stunts they pull are enough to keep anybody entertained :) I've gotten more people than I can remember hooked on the show, including the least car-savvy of my friends.
Bruxell @ Feb 25th 2008 2:55PM
I kind of hate Top Gear, mostly for its overly simplistic reviews, and Clarkson's anti-American babbling. Still, Hammond is one of the better parts of the show, and I wish him the best.
One of my favorite things ever on the show was Clarkson razzing Hammond about the accident and told the audience to remember that "speed kills."
The look on Hamster's face was priceless.
DW @ Feb 25th 2008 3:03PM
"overly simplistic reviews" isn't really what i'd call them. if you are referring to just spouting out numbers and figures like most magazines and american car shows do, then yes, but they review cars in a way different manner.
they concentrate more on how each car makes them feel when they drive it instead of "Car A is faster than Car B, therefore Car A is better." a lot of the times they talk about things most people wouldn't notice but they do because they love cars. they appreciate these things a lot more than the average joe.
also each segment is supremely well produced and always shows off each car's different character. if they always used the same formula it would just get really really boring.
Bruxell @ Feb 25th 2008 3:13PM
Clarkson mostly talks about how much he appreciates the amount of power a car has, and they do almost all their reviewing on a flat, relatively simple test-track made out of half an airfield. I'd like the show more if they used a different venue, or even drove some of the cars on the street. I find their methods simplistic.
porcupine @ Feb 25th 2008 2:58PM
"briton" is not where hammond is from.
Mbuku Kanyau Mbithuka @ Feb 25th 2008 3:01PM
Its sad to hear that. I hope he gets better.
Some of the stuff they do for the Camera is downright stupid, considering they are not trained stuntsmen..
I also dislike with a passion Clarkson attitude towards everything American, especially when he claims german products as his own becouse they are European. Hiding the fact that UK sucks when it comes to cars..
British Leyland Anyone?
DW @ Feb 25th 2008 3:12PM
He was actually rather fond of the Vette, the Z06, the CTS-V (minus the bonging noises), and really does appreciate older classic American cars like the Mustang and the Challenger. Not to mention he has owned a Ford GT and still owns a Ford Focus. The Focus being one of Top Gear's most favorite cars ever.
He also always complains about how German cars have no passion or soul.
Never hid the fact UK sucks with cars. They did a whole episode on how much BL cars sucked.
AlexP @ Feb 25th 2008 4:00PM
I believe you're mistaking German cars with Korean/Malaysian cars.
But of course, that's their opinion, and it's pretty well supported by the fact that most Korean cars sold in Europe aren't exactly... Good, until recently.
Dazza @ Feb 25th 2008 4:32PM
If you've followed Clarkson's work for the past twenty as I have - and it looks like you haven't - you'd know that anyone or anything is fair game to Clarkson, and what's important is how suitable the car is to UK roads and driving conditions, not where the car comes from. Some of his most memorable scathed targets were old BL products.
DIRETTORE @ Feb 25th 2008 8:12PM
* Mbuku Kenyu,
I think you are quite mistaken.
What about Bentley, RR, LOTUS??? Ultima? I could go on & on with the kit car industry.
Lotus is what the industry benchmark should aim for. Light weight - weight is thy enemy.
God bless you Hammy!
It should be noted he didnt have proper license to operate that category vehicle. There may have been diferent results if he had.
And actually Jeremy bashed the Z06 (TOTALLY UNFAIR + UNJUSTIFIED)
He loved the GT40 but it was riddled with electronic glitches.
And he damned the 3 pointed star with Nazi Zionism! (Yet he had a hot SL AMG himself!)
meshies @ Feb 25th 2008 3:06PM
Damn. I feel bad for the little dude. Get well hamster.
Chaz @ Feb 25th 2008 3:09PM
Good luck Hammond, we love you!
almost Dr. G.. @ Feb 25th 2008 3:09PM
im a little late to the top gear bandwagon too (just joined last week) but i love the show. i saw all of season 10 and didnt even know that hammond had gotten into such a bad wreck. i wish him the best!
broosewee @ Feb 25th 2008 3:11PM
Top/Fifth gear are my anti-drug. Take it easy Hamster!
Chris Ice @ Feb 25th 2008 3:19PM
Having watched many, many, maaaany hours of that show...I could tell that Richard was very different in the episodes post-accident. He seems quite angry now (mean at times), and sometimes appears just dazed or only partly there.
I've been in a nasty accident which hospitalized me for weeks...and it took me nearly 2 years to recover fully. I was shocked to see Richard back after only such a short time, from a crash which was likely 2x as violent as mine.
Regardless, everyone has to cope in their own way...and just sitting around may have been just as harmful for *him* as jumping back in with both feet.
Good news is that he's aware of it, and that's the first step in actually dealing-with and managing it.
Ben H. @ Feb 25th 2008 3:33PM
"Feisty" was the word James and Jeremy used. You could definitely tell Hammond is different. I'm hoping always, in the best way. :) Be well, Hamster!
PJ @ Feb 25th 2008 3:27PM
Oy vey.
All right, not "alright." Spatial, not "spacial." Britain, not "Briton."
Hooked on fonics worked for I'm! ;-)
MK @ Feb 25th 2008 3:29PM
You know AutoBlog doesn't proof-read anything.