01/29/2007, 1:26 AM

Industry/General

Video: Richard Hammond jet car crash

The BBC has aired footage of U.K. Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond’s famous jet car crash, which took place in September. Hammond’s crashed the dragster at 288 mph while filming for the popular automotive show. In late September, Hammond ‘begged’ the BBC to air his accident. He even offered to share his commentary on the accident from his hospital bed. In late October, the BBC finally agreed to show the footage. It aired on Top Gear Sunday evening. Video after the jump…

 
 

01/29, 1:45 AM

posted by:

F451

The Hamster is BACK!

01/29, 1:45 AM

posted by:

Don

I salute you Hammond

01/29, 1:52 AM

posted by:

A4

indeed, hes a good man

01/29, 2:12 AM

posted by:

Blakkarr

Stupid lucky, that one there! I just feel of the owner of the car.

01/29, 2:54 AM

posted by:

Brendino

Great line at the end, Mr. Clarkson.

01/29, 3:03 AM

posted by:

basicshape

I’m really glad he found humor in such a dramatic accident. Hats off to you Hammond.

01/29, 3:12 AM

posted by:

onur

The Stig should have given him a hug on that episode :))

01/29, 5:45 AM

posted by:

55amg

TOP GEAR IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yay!

01/29, 6:07 AM

posted by:

55amg

wait why didnt he pull the parachute when it spun?

01/29, 7:26 AM

posted by:

niallpolley

probably because he was too busy trying to work out which way was up

01/29, 8:01 AM

posted by:

JohnnyBlazE

Mad… absolutely… Mad… Love it!
Breedlove in the Spirit of America all over again!
Surviving high-speed on land.

Thankfully it wasn’t Donald Campbell’s fate he met… :)

01/29, 8:26 AM

posted by:

gumball

he was a very luky man, maybe God is a big ‘TopGear’ fan.

01/29, 9:31 AM

posted by:

golf4me

He is an idiot for even getting in that thing. Do not feel sorry for him. I think I saw this same thing on “Jackass 2″…

01/29, 9:44 AM

posted by:

Endurancevm

Gogo Hamster>!@3111?@#1111one!!!!!!one11eleven

01/29, 10:01 AM

posted by:

slider5634

WOW!!! If he hadn’t have had all of his safety equipment on and the car hadn’t been built so damn good I’d imagine A: Top Gear would be gone and B: There would be a lot of people visiting the grave of one Richard Hammond. That is one crazy lucky man and he’s got some balls just for getting in that thing.

01/29, 11:13 AM

posted by:

XeroBlue

Agreed, modern safety gear and procedures save the day. It is a monument to our brilliance that Hamster is fully functional after a crash like that. Hats off to the industry!

01/29, 11:29 AM

posted by:

mujician

Not quite as violent as I expected!

01/29, 12:56 PM

posted by:

b13sentra

we salute you, hamster. god knows i wouldnt have gotten in that thing.

01/29, 1:49 PM

posted by:

maximus

one of the few people i know that have survived a close to 300mph crash

01/29, 2:25 PM

posted by:

rey323

Welcome back Hamster!

01/29, 3:17 PM

posted by:

Fatstrat

I still wonder how different construction of the car could have protected better, but using the jet engine as such probably dictates a certain type of ridgid construction. A typical top fuel dragster will flex like crazy during a 1/4 mile run (they sometimes claim 10k hp with a wink also but usually only officially say 7-8khp). These top fuel cars as are other high performance race cars designed to come apart and absorb energy from the crash. A top fuel car would have been nothing but the drivers ‘cacoon’ after this crash.
This car remained remarkably whole. But, it may have been contact with actual terra firma and his head that caused the injury in which case the design may not of mattered. Something to think about for the rebuilt version.
In any case, great guy, Thank God he is whole.

01/29, 3:18 PM

posted by:

gsh

he said it took 0.4 seconds from the time the tire exploded to him eating dirt, im pretty sure no one could have pulled the parachute in time..

01/29, 4:17 PM

posted by:

eam3

Hey Gumball, I’m pretty sure God is a Top Gear fan. Whereas Satan brings us most of the programming on Speed (Pinks, Unique Whips, Barrett-Jackson, etc.)

01/29, 7:50 PM

posted by:

Diel

But I love B-J.

01/29, 8:13 PM

posted by:

BAMF

can anyone provide links to the rest of the show?

01/29, 8:16 PM

posted by:

PrimeGTP

Oh god, now we get more episodes of the “Whine About Everything That’s Not A Jaguar” show.

01/29, 10:41 PM

posted by:

stick2clutch

Insane… when trying a stunt like this one should always try to identify the weakest link. Was he using Firestones tires? LOL. Hmmm..

01/30, 7:02 PM

posted by:

ironpony42

I’m just glad he’s Ok, and my fav show will go on. Viva la TopGear.

02/01, 2:34 PM

posted by:

SRT-4Ken

—->i have TiVo, how bout an episode of Top Gear is comin on all next week on the discovery channel……..

 
 
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