Richard Hammond#Vampire dragster crash

Richard Mark Hammond{{Cite web |title=Hammond, Richard Mark, (born 19 Dec. 1969), television presenter and journalist, since 1990 |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/display/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-245470 |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Who's Who & Who Was Who |date=2007 |language=en |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U245470}} {{Subscription or membership required}} was born on 19 December 1969,{{Cite tweet |number=281333665718489088 |user=RichardHammond |title=I'm 43. Yes, I'm 43. Sorry, just practising saying it. Sounds mad. Thanks for all the kind birthday wishes. And even for the unkind ones! |first=Richard |last=Hammond |date=19 December 2012 |access-date=11 January 2025}} in Solihull, Warwickshire,{{Cite news |last=Greenstreet |first=Rosanna |date=2009-01-03 |title=Q&A |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/03/richard-hammond-top-gear-interview |access-date=2025-01-11 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} eldest of three sons{{Cn|date=January 2025}} of Alan and Eileen Hammond. His younger brothers are Andrew (writer of the 'Crypt' series) and Nicholas.{{Cn|date=January 2025}} He is the grandson of workers in the Birmingham car industry.{{cite book|author=Hammond, Richard|title=On The Edge: My Story|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LPAny1ViFZ0C |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|year=2007|isbn=978-0-297-85327-5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/exclusions/familyhistory/fd100207.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070327111653/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2Fexclusions%2Ffamilyhistory%2Ffd100207.xml|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 March 2007|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|title=Family detective: Richard Hammond|first=Nick|last=Barratt|date=12 April 2008|access-date=22 May 2010}} In the mid-1980s Hammond moved with his familyAncestry Library Edition{{vs|date=December 2022}} to the North Yorkshire cathedral city of Ripon located 10 miles south of the market town of Bedale, and 8 miles south of the village of Thornton Watlass where his father ran a probate business in the market square. He attended Blossomfield Infant School in Solihull's Sharmans Cross district from the age of 3–7. Originally a pupil of Solihull School, a fee-paying boys' independent school, he moved to Ripon Grammar School, and from 1986 to 1988 attended Harrogate College of Art and Technology. According to a 2011 episode of Top Gear (Series 16, Episode 5), Hammond's first job was shovelling grit into a water filtration plant.

After graduation, Hammond worked for several BBC radio stations, including Radio Cleveland, Radio York, Radio Cumbria, Radio Leeds and Radio Newcastle; as well as working for Renault's press office as a means to meet people from the motoring press.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7iCzuHSs2U|title=Richard Hammond Discusses The End of Top Gear – Q&A|date=11 February 2024 |publisher=DriveTribe on YouTube}}

Presenting the afternoon programme at Radio Lancashire, his regular guests included motoring journalist Zog Ziegler, who would review a car of the week by being interviewed by Hammond over the phone. The two became good friends, and it was Ziegler who encouraged Hammond to enter into motoring reviews on television. After starting out on satellite TV (Men & Motors), he auditioned for Top Gear.{{cite web|url=http://australia.bbcknowledge.com/topgear/richard-hammond.html |title=Richard Hammond Trivia and Quotes on TV.com |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc |year=2010 |access-date=4 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101012014013/http://australia.bbcknowledge.com/topgear/richard-hammond.html |archive-date=12 October 2010 }}

{{main|Top Gear (2002 TV series)}}

File:Richard Hammond 1.jpg

Hammond became a presenter on Top Gear in 2002, when the show began in its revamped format. He is sometimes referred to as "The Hamster" by fans and his co-presenters due to his name and relatively small stature compared to May and Clarkson.{{cite news|last=Litson|first=Jo|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24691429-5009160,00.html|title=Richard Hammond, Hamster driven by Top Gear |work=News.com.au|date=23 November 2008|access-date=21 June 2009}}

Following a high-speed dragster crash while filming in September 2006 near York, Hammond returned in the first episode of series 9 (broadcast on 28 January 2007) to a hero's welcome, complete with dancing girls, aeroplane-style stairs and fireworks. The show also contained images of the crash, which had made international headlines, with Hammond talking through the events of the day after which the audience broke into spontaneous applause. Hammond then requested that the crash never be mentioned on the show again, though all three Top Gear presenters have since referred to it in jokes during the news segment of the programme. He told his colleagues, "The only difference between me now and before the crash is that I like celery now and I didn't before".{{cite web|url=http://current.com/items/88981381/why_richard_hammond_acquired_a_taste_for_celery_after_his_crash.htm|title=Why Richard Hammond acquired a taste for celery after his crash // Current|publisher=Current.com|date=27 May 2008|access-date=21 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010225011/http://current.com/groups/google-current/88981381_why-richard-hammond-acquired-a-taste-for-celery-after-his-crash.htm|archive-date=10 October 2012 }}

Following the BBC's decision not to renew Clarkson's contract with the show on 25 March 2015,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32052736|website=BBC News|title=Jeremy Clarkson dropped from Top Gear, BBC confirms|date=25 March 2015|access-date=25 March 2015}} Hammond's contract expired on 31 March.{{cite news|title=Top Gear: Richard Hammond and James May no longer work for the BBC|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/11506618/Top-Gear-Richard-Hammond-and-James-May-no-longer-work-for-the-BBC.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/11506618/Top-Gear-Richard-Hammond-and-James-May-no-longer-work-for-the-BBC.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Telegraph|date=31 March 2015|access-date=25 April 2015}}{{cbignore}} In April, he ruled out the possibility of continuing to present Top Gear, commenting via Twitter that "amidst all this talk of us 'quitting' or not: there's nothing for me to 'quit'. Not about to quit my mates anyway".{{cite news|title= Top Gear to have all-new team as Richard Hammond rules himself out |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/apr/24/top-gear-richard-hammond-james-may-jeremy-clarkson|work=The Guardian|date=24 April 2015|access-date=28 May 2015}} On 12 June 2015, the BBC confirmed that Top Gear would return with a 75-minute special, combining two unseen challenges featuring all three presenters from series 22, with studio links from Hammond and May. It aired in the UK on BBC Two on 28 June at 8 p.m, and in the United States on BBC America on 13 July at 9 p.m.

File:Top Gear Live Italia, 2014 Richard Hammond, James May, Jeremy Clarkson.JPG

During filming of a Top Gear segment at the former RAF Elvington airbase near York on 20 September 2006, Hammond was injured in the crash of the jet-powered car he was piloting.{{cite web|title=TV presenter 'stable' after crash|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/5366422.stm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017154900/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/5366422.stm|archive-date=17 October 2007|url-status=live|access-date=18 June 2009|website=BBC News|quote=The 36-year-old was thought to be driving at about 300mph on an airfield near York when he crashed on Wednesday.|date=21 September 2006}}{{cite web|title=Hammond talks to Top Gear co-star|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5371556.stm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203095946/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5371556.stm|archive-date=3 February 2007|url-status=live|access-date=8 December 2008|website=BBC News|quote=Mr Hammond suffered a "significant brain injury" when he crashed a jet-powered car at a speed of up to 300mph during filming near York.|date=22 September 2006}}{{cite web|title=Investigation into the accident of Richard Hammond

|url=http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/releases/richardhammond.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928001836/http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/releases/richardhammond.pdf|archive-date=28 September 2007|url-status=live|access-date=18 June 2009|date=22 June 2007|publisher=Health and Safety Executive|website=hse.gov.uk|quote=The BBC Top Gear programme production team had arranged for Richard Hammond (RH) to drive Primetime Land Speed Engineering's Vampire jet car at Elvington Airfield, near York, on Wednesday 20 September 2006.}}{{Rp|1}} He was travelling at {{nowrap|288 mph}} {{nowrap|(463 km/h)}} at the time of the crash.{{cite web|title=0-288mph-0 in 20 seconds|url=http://www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/2007/01/stories/09/1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021025011/http://www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/2007/01/stories/09/1.html|archive-date=21 October 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=18 June 2009|date=28 January 2007|publisher=BBC Magazines|website=topgear.com|quote=Watch the reconstruction step-by-step as we talk you through every stage of the events leading up to the 288mph crash, or play it through at full speed to appreciate the astonishing acceleration and G-force of the 10,000bhp rocket car.}}

His vehicle, a dragster called Vampire, was theoretically capable of travelling at speeds of up to {{nowrap|370 mph}} {{nowrap|(595 km/h)}}. The vehicle was the same car that in 2000, piloted by Colin Fallows, set the British land speed record at {{nowrap|300.3 mph}} {{nowrap|(483.3 km/h)}}.{{Rp|3}}{{cite web|title=Speed king breaks 300mph barrier|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/821539.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309121059/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/821539.stm|archive-date=9 March 2008|url-status=live|access-date=18 June 2009|website=BBC News|quote=Engineer Colin Farrows has smashed the British land speed record with a 300mph run in his jet-propelled car.|date=6 July 2000}} The Vampire was powered by a single Bristol-Siddeley Orpheus afterburning turbojet engine producing {{convert|5,000|lbf|kN|abbr=on|0}} of thrust.{{cite book

|last=Taylor |first=John W.R. FRHistS. ARAeS

|title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1962–63

|year=1962

|publisher=Sampson, Low, Marston & Co |location=London

}}

Some accounts suggested that the accident occurred during an attempt to break the British land speed record,{{cite web|title=TV host seriously hurt in crash|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/5365676.stm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018162545/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/5365676.stm|archive-date=18 October 2007|url-status=live|access-date=18 June 2009|website=BBC News|quote=He said: "We were down there with Top Gear who were filming him trying to break the British land speed record.|date=21 September 2006}} but the Health and Safety Executive report on the crash found that a proposal to try to officially break the record was vetoed in advance by Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman, due to the risks and complexities of such a venture.{{Rp|4}} The report stated: "Runs were to be carried out in only one direction along a pre-set course on the Elvington runway. Vampire's speed was to be recorded using GPS satellite telemetry. The intention was to record the maximum speed, not to measure an average speed over a measured course, and for (Hammond) to describe how it felt."{{Rp|1}}

Hammond was completing a seventh and final run to collect extra footage for the programme when his front-right tyre failed,{{Rp|8}}{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL2289040920070622|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129084342/https://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL2289040920070622|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 November 2020|title=Hammond crash report finds safety failings|publisher=Uk.reuters.com|date=22 June 2007|access-date=21 June 2009}} and, according to witness and paramedic Dave Ogden, "one of the parachutes had deployed but it (the car) went on to the grass and spun over and over before coming to a rest about 100 yards from us."{{cite web|title=Top Gear's Hammond Has Brain Injury|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/200806413543385|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012131619/http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13543385,00.html|archive-date=12 October 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=18 June 2009|date=21 September 2006|publisher=British Sky Broadcasting|website=Sky News|quote=Dave Ogden, one of the first on the scene, said Hammond had been travelling at speeds close to 300mph.}} The emergency crew quickly arrived at the car, finding it inverted and partially embedded in the grass. During the roll, Hammond's helmet had embedded itself into the ground, flipping the visor up and forcing soil into his mouth and damaging his left eye. Rescuers felt a pulse and heard the unconscious Hammond breathing before the car was turned upright. Hammond was cut free with hydraulic shears, and placed on a backboard.{{Rp|9}} "He was regaining consciousness at that point and said he had some lower back pain". He was then transported by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to the neurological unit of the Leeds General Infirmary.{{Rp|9}}{{cite news|title=Top Gear star 'making progress'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/5369512.stm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307131425/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/5369512.stm|archive-date=7 March 2007|url-status=live|access-date=18 June 2009|website=BBC News|quote=Doctors at Leeds General Infirmary, where he has been since Wednesday, said his condition was now "stable".|date=22 September 2006}} Hammond's family visited him at the hospital along with Top Gear co-presenters James May and Jeremy Clarkson. Clarkson wished Hammond well, saying "Both James and I are looking forward to getting our 'Hamster' back", referring to Hammond by his nickname. For five weeks while Hammond was recovering in hospital, Clarkson sent a funny message to Mindy, Hammond's wife, every day to try to keep her going. Hammond thought if everyone found out, Clarkson would "die of shame" "cos it makes him look soppy".{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/richard-hammond-im-having-a-mid-life-98528|title=Richard Hammond: I'm having a mid-life crisis in reverse|publisher=mirror.co.uk|access-date= 23 February 2019|date=22 December 2011}}

The Health & Safety Executive report stated that "Hammond's instantaneous reaction to the tyre blow-out seems to have been that of a competent high performance car driver, namely to brake the car and to try to steer into the skid. Immediately afterwards he also seems to have followed his training and to have pulled back on the main parachute release lever, thus shutting down the jet engine and also closing the jet and afterburner fuel levers. The main parachute did not have time to deploy before the car ran off the runway."{{Rp|13}} The HSE notes that, based on the findings of the North Yorkshire Police (who investigated the crash), "the accident may not have been recoverable", even if Hammond's efforts to react were as fast as "humanly possible".{{Rp|13}}

Hammond made his first TV appearance since the crash on the BBC chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 22 December, just three months after the incident, where he revealed he was in a medically induced coma for two weeks and afterwards suffered from post-traumatic amnesia and a five-second memory.{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/12_december/22/ross_hammond.shtml|title=I swore and it went dark but I'm absolutely fixed, Richard Hammond tells Jonathan Ross|work=bbc.co.uk|access-date=23 February 2019}}{{cite web | url=https://grandtournation.com/topgear/richard-hammond-emotionally-recalls-horror-top-gear-crash-strange-feeling-lm22/ | title=Richard Hammond Emotionally Recalls Horror Top Gear Crash: "Strange Feeling" | date=14 October 2022 }} Despite saying he was "absolutely fixed" on the Jonathan Ross episode, in 2011, while talking to the Daily Mirror, Hammond admitted he had no memory of the interview, saying: "I lost a year. I don't remember doing the interview with Jonathan Ross or doing Top Gear Live in South Africa" showing the full impact of his brain injury five years before.{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/richard-hammond-im-having-a-mid-life-98528|title=Richard Hammond: I'm having a mid-life crisis in reverse|publisher=mirror.co.uk|access-date=23 February 2019|date=22 December 2011}}{{better source needed|reason=UK tabloid|date=August 2019}}

The crash was shown on an episode of Top Gear on 28 January 2007 (Series 9, Episode 1); this was the first episode of the new series, which had been postponed pending Hammond's recovery. Hammond requested at the end of the episode that his fellow presenters never mention the crash again, a request which has been generally observed, although occasional oblique references have been made by all three presenters. On The Edge: My Story, which contains first-hand accounts from both Hammond and his wife about the crash, immediate aftermath, and his recovery, was published later that year.

In February 2008, Hammond gave an interview to The Sunday Times newspaper in which he described the effects of his brain injuries and the progression of his recovery.{{cite news|last1=Smith

|first1=Emma|date=24 February 2008|title=On the Move: Richard Hammond|url=https://archive.org/details/ruralteensonmove0000smit

|url-access=registration

|newspaper=The Sunday Times |quote=He had reached 314mph – an unofficial British land-speed record – before the accident, which was caused by a tyre bursting and sending the car spinning out of control, turning it upside down and leaving Hammond's head effectively to act as a brake as his helmet dug into the ground.}} He reported suffering loss of memory, depression and difficulties with emotional experiences, for which he was consulting a psychiatrist.{{cite news|last=Atkins|first=Lucy|title=There was a lot more to fix than I thought|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/feb/26/healthandwellbeing.society|work=The Guardian|date=26 February 2008}} He also talked about his recovery in a 2010 television programme where he interviewed Sir Stirling Moss and they discussed the brain injuries they had both received as a result of car crashes.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sfptv |title=BBC Four – Hammond Meets Moss |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=19 June 2011 |access-date=14 November 2012}}

{{main|Brainiac: Science Abuse}}

In 2003, Hammond became the first presenter of Brainiac: Science Abuse; he was joined by Jon Tickle and Charlotte Hudson in series 2.{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/brainiac-science-abuse/show/29974/summary.html|title=Brainiac: Science Abuse on TV.com – Free Full Episodes & Clips, & Show Info|publisher=Tv.com|access-date=21 June 2009|archive-date=9 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509023342/http://www.tv.com/brainiac-science-abuse/show/29974/summary.html|url-status=dead}} After the fourth series it was announced that Hammond was no longer going to present the Sky1 show after he signed an exclusive deal with the BBC. Vic Reeves took his place as main presenter for the show's final two series.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5345812.stm|title=Vic Reeves to host Sky's Brainiac|work=BBC News|date=14 September 2006}}

Early in his career, as well as his radio work, Hammond presented a number of daytime lifestyle shows and motoring programmes such as Motor Week on Men & Motors.

He presented the Crufts dog show in 2005, the 2004 and 2005 British Parking Awards, and has appeared on School's Out, a quiz show on BBC One where celebrities answer questions about things they learned at school. He has also presented The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding the Legend.{{cite web|url=http://movie-tv-episode-database.com/Documentary/Richard-Hammond-s-Gunpowder-Plot-Exploding-The-Legend-625672/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205023610/http://movie-tv-episode-database.com/Documentary/Richard-Hammond-s-Gunpowder-Plot-Exploding-The-Legend-625672/|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 December 2008|title=Richard Hammond's Gunpowder Plot: Exploding The Legend : Documentary|publisher=Movie-tv-episode-database.com|access-date=21 June 2009}} Along with his work on Top Gear, he presented Should I Worry About...? on BBC One, Time Commanders on BBC Two and the first four series of Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1. He was also a team captain on the BBC Two quiz show, Petrolheads, in which a memorable part was one where Hammond was tricked into bumping his classic Ferrari while trying to parallel park blindfolded in another car.

In 2006, Hammond fronted the Richard Hammond's 5 O'Clock Show with his co-presenter Mel Giedroyc. The programme, which discussed a wide range of topics, was shown every weekday on ITV between 17:00 and 18:00.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}

In July 2005, Hammond was voted one of the top 10 British TV talents.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4465560.stm |title=New Doctor Who tops talent list |work=BBC News |date=24 November 2005 |access-date=14 November 2012}}

He presented Richard Hammond and the Holy Grail in 2006. During the special, he travelled to various locations around the world, including the Vatican Secret Archives, exploring the history of the Holy Grail.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/01_january/20/grail.shtml|title=Richard Hammond and the Holy Grail|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|date=20 January 2006|access-date=22 August 2011}}

As part of Red Nose Day 2007, Hammond stood for nomination via a public telephone vote, along with Andy Hamilton and Kelvin MacKenzie, to be a one-off co-presenter of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour on 16 March 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/comicrelief2007.shtml|title=BBC Radio 4 – Woman's Hour – Comic Relief 2007|publisher=BBC|access-date=21 June 2009}} However, he was defeated by Andy Hamilton.

In April 2007, Hammond presented a one-off special on BBC Radio 2 for Good Friday followed by another in August 2007 for the bank holiday.{{Cite news|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/top-gears-hammond-spend-bank-holidays-radio-2/647324|title=Top Gear's Hammond to spend Bank Holidays on Radio 2|access-date=22 January 2018}}

File:2007 BritCar24Hours TopGearBMW.jpg]]

Hammond recorded an interview with the famed American stuntman Evel Knievel, which aired on 23 December 2007 on BBC Two, and was Knievel's last interview before his death on 30 November 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2007/12/top-gear-meets-evel-knievel.html|title=Top Gear meets Evel Knievel|website=TV Tonight|access-date=21 June 2009|date=20 December 2007}}

In September 2008, Hammond presented the first episode of a new series; Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections on the National Geographic Channel.{{cite web|url=http://natgeochannel.co.uk/engineering-connections|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080812084213/http://natgeochannel.co.uk/engineering-connections|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 August 2008|title=Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections | Programmes | National Geographic Channel|publisher=Natgeochannel.co.uk|access-date=21 June 2009}} In this show, Hammond discovered how the inventions of the past, along with assistance from nature, help designers today. Episodes include the building of the Airbus A380, Taipei 101 and the Keck Observatory. Series 2 of Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections began in May 2010 and has included the building of the Wembley Stadium and the Sydney Opera House.

Hammond appeared in an advertisement for Morrisons supermarkets in 2008,{{cite news|last=Salter|first=Jessica|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2526419/Richard-Hammond-paid-750000-for-Morrisons-advert.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825175143/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2526419/Richard-Hammond-paid-750000-for-Morrisons-advert.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 August 2009|title=Richard Hammond paid £750,000 for Morrisons advert|newspaper=Telegraph|date=9 August 2008|access-date=21 June 2009|location=London}} and joined the cast of TV show Ashes To Ashes for a special insert on the 2008 Children in Need special.

While in New Zealand for Top Gear Live 2009, Hammond filmed several television commercials for Telecom New Zealand's new XT UTMS mobile network. Telecom claimed that the new network was "faster in more places", compared to its competitors and its existing CDMA network. After the network suffered three highly publicised outages in late 2009 and early 2010, Hammond became the butt of a joke when he did not return to New Zealand for Top Gear Live 2010. His fellow Top Gear co-hosts said he was too embarrassed to come back to New Zealand, and in a supposed live feed back to Hammond, the feed suddenly drops out as the "XT Network had crashed".{{cite news|url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/telecom/news/article.cfm?o_id=207&objectid=10627382|title= Top Gear duo get plenty of mileage out of Telecom's woes|work= The New Zealand Herald|date= 20 February 2010|access-date=24 February 2010}} Hammond was later given the right of reply to his colleagues during an interview with Marcus Lush on RadioLIVE's breakfast show in New Zealand.{{cite web|url= http://www.radiolive.co.nz/LUSH--Has-Richard-Hammond-crashed-more-times-than-Telecom-XT/tabid/506/articleID/12199/Default.aspx|title= Has Richard Hammond crashed more times than Telecom XT?|work= RadioLIVE|date= 23 February 2010|access-date=24 March 2010}}

Hammond hosted the UK version of the US series Wipeout, called Total Wipeout for BBC One. It took place in Argentina, and was co-presented by Hammond and Amanda Byram. Hammond presented and performed the voiceover for the clips in a London studio, and Byram was filmed at the obstacle course in Buenos Aires.{{cite web|last=Rushton|first=Katherine|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/people/2008/09/BBC1_hands_hammond_saturday_night_wipeout.html|title=BBC1 hands Hammond Saturday night Wipeout | News | Broadcast|publisher=Broadcastnow.co.uk|date=17 September 2008|access-date=21 June 2009}} The series was cancelled at the end of 2012.{{cite news|last=Fletcher|first=Alex|title='Total Wipeout' axed by the BBC|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a373905/total-wipeout-axed-by-the-bbc.html|access-date=26 August 2012|newspaper=Digital Spy|date=29 March 2012}}

Hammond also presented a science-themed game show for children, Richard Hammond's Blast Lab which aired on BBC Two and CBBC.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/blastlab|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718200918/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/blastlab/|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 July 2010|title=CBBC Programmes – Richard Hammond's Blast Lab|publisher=BBC|access-date=28 October 2010}}

In March 2010, Hammond presented a three-episode series called Richard Hammond's Invisible Worlds, which looked at things too fast for the naked eye to see, things that are beyond the visible spectrum (e.g., ultraviolet and infra-red light), as well as microscopic things.

One of Hammond's lesser known television roles was as presenter of the BBC Two gameshow Time Commanders, a sophisticated warfare simulator which used a modified version of Creative Assembly's Rome: Total War game engine.{{cite web|author=CVG|title=CVG interviews Rome: Total War developers|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/140495/interviews/looking-back-rome-total-war/|access-date=16 March 2011}}

Since February 2011, Hammond has presented an online technology series Richard Hammond's Tech Head.{{Cite web|url=http://www.channelflip.com/richard-hammonds-tech-head/ |title=Richard Hammond's Tech Head |website=ChannelFlip |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110818040123/http://www.channelflip.com/richard-hammonds-tech-head/|archive-date=18 August 2011 |url-status=dead}} In July 2011, Hammond presented a two-part natural science documentary Richard Hammond's Journey to the Centre of the Planet, focused on Earth geology and plate tectonics.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x7fdp/episodes/2011|title="Richard Hammond's Journey to the Centre of the Planet" previous episode listings|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=21 July 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x7fdp|title="Richard Hammond's Journey to the Centre of the Planet" official programme website|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=21 July 2011}}

In April 2012, Hammond hosted a BBC America programme titled Richard Hammond's Crash Course,{{cite web|title=Richard Hammond's Crash Course – Launch Trailer|url=http://www.bbcamerica.com/crash-course/videos/launch-trailer/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403181155/http://www.bbcamerica.com/crash-course/videos/launch-trailer/|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 April 2012|work=BBC America|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 March 2012}} which was also shown in the UK from September 2012{{cite web|title=Richard Hammond's Crash Course, Abrams Tank|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mms3w|work=BBC|access-date=26 August 2012}} on BBC Two. In May 2012, Hammond co-presented an animal documentary for BBC One called Planet Earth Live alongside Julia Bradbury. The programme recorded animals living in extreme conditions.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00s7w60|title=Planet Earth Live|work=bbc.co.uk|access-date=24 February 2019}}

In June 2014, Hammond presented a scientific fourteen part series on National Geographic Channel titled Science of Stupid which focused on the application of physics in everyday life.{{cite news|title=Science of Stupid|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/top-gear-star-richard-hammond-6939025|access-date=9 April 2014|newspaper=Birmingham Mail}} In December, Hammond presented a three-part science documentary for BBC One called Wild Weather with Richard Hammond which focuses on the hidden world of our Earth's extreme weather system.{{cite news|title=Wild Weather with Richard Hammond|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/dec/02/wild-weather-richard-hammond-review|access-date=2 December 2014|agency=The Guardian}}

In September 2015, Hammond presented a two-part documentary for Sky 1 called Richard Hammond's Jungle Quest, supported by Sky Rainforest Rescue.{{cite news|title=Sky 1 to broadcast Richard Hammond's Jungle Quest supported by Sky Rainforest Rescue|url=https://corporate.sky.com/media-centre/news-page/2015/sky-1-to-broadcast-richard-hammonds-jungle-quest-supported-by-sky-rainforest-rescue|access-date=30 November 2015|agency=sky.com|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208114322/https://corporate.sky.com/media-centre/news-page/2015/sky-1-to-broadcast-richard-hammonds-jungle-quest-supported-by-sky-rainforest-rescue|url-status=dead}}

File:The Grand Tour opening scene shoot (30963619511).jpg]]

In March 2017, whilst filming for The Grand Tour episode Feed the world in Mozambique, Hammond frequently fell off his motorbike due to the poor roads."Feed the world", The Grand Tour, series 2, episode 11:

• May "He could publish a book about his journey, and call it The wrong way up."
• ...
• Clarkson: "I never thought I'd say it, but it's actually possible to get bored of watching Hammond fall of his motorbike all the time..." On one occasion he reportedly hit his head and was knocked unconscious.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2017/0320/861010-richard-hammond-injured-while-filming-the-grand-tour/|title=Richard Hammond injured while filming The Grand Tour |publisher=RTE|date=20 March 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/S-M0ZCjCQJKNd65Tu3yE_w?iid=HkcHsPSjSnid3LlUsAqOPw |title=I've checked and i'm not dead |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=20 March 2017 |access-date=22 March 2017 |archive-date=23 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323054016/https://drivetribe.com/p/S-M0ZCjCQJKNd65Tu3yE_w?iid=HkcHsPSjSnid3LlUsAqOPw |url-status=dead }}

During the season finale of The Grand Tour season three, Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson announced the current format was coming to the end and later announced that there would be two more seasons of specials, without the tent or live audience.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

In January 2021, Hammond starred alongside MythBusters{{'}} Tory Belleci in The Great Escapists, a fictional six-episode adventure series for Amazon, which was produced by Chimp Productions. The series stranded the pair on a deserted island where they used the resources they could find to build the means to survive.{{cite web | url = https://deadline.com/2019/08/richard-hammond-tory-belleci-amazon-1202700658/ | title = 'The Grand Tour's Richard Hammond & 'Mythbusters' Tory Belleci Take On Adventure Format For Amazon – Edinburgh | first = Peter | last =White | date =21 August 2019 | access-date = 21 August 2019 |work =Deadline Hollywood }}

On 10 June 2017, Hammond crashed a Rimac Concept One while filming for The Grand Tour in Hemberg, Switzerland. He was on his last run up a timed hillclimb course during the Bergrennen Hemberg event. Just after crossing the finish line, the car ran off the road, tumbled down the hill and eventually came to rest upside down {{convert|110|m}} from the road.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40234865|title=Ex-Top Gear host Richard Hammond injured in Swiss crash|date=10 June 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=10 June 2017|language=en-GB}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40423665|title=Richard Hammond recalls horror crash: I thought I was going to die|date=27 June 2017|access-date=24 February 2019|work=BBC News}}

Hammond remained conscious throughout and he later described the feeling of "oh god, I'm going to die", as well as being "aware of tumbling – sky, ground, sky, ground, sky, ground, sky, ground." He was airlifted to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a tibial plateau fracture in his left knee, and a plate and ten screws were surgically inserted.{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2017-12-08/grand-tour-richard-hammond-wife-car-crash/|title=Richard and Mindy Hammond on his life-threatening Grand Tour crash and escaping death for the second time|date=8 December 2017|access-date=24 February 2019|archive-date=24 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224231416/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2017-12-08/grand-tour-richard-hammond-wife-car-crash/|url-status=dead}}

{{tweet

|text =It was the biggest crash I've ever seen and the most frightening but incredibly, and thankfully, Richard seems to be mostly OK.

|name =Jeremy Clarkson

|username =JeremyClarkson

|date =10 June 2017

|ID =873577127043637248

}}

Jeremy Clarkson and James May, fellow presenters on The Grand Tour, both witnessed the scene from afar; believing Hammond was dead, May recalled feeling a "blossoming, white-hot ball of pure, sickening horror forming in my heart",{{cite web|url=https://drivetribe.com/p/hammond-bins-it-OpsGdbxnT6CwttuU5xiTLA?iid=AzalBFLmQuq2IAy19gdlKw|title=Hammond Bins It|publisher=drivetribe.com|access-date=24 February 2019|date=12 June 2017|archive-date=24 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224231324/https://drivetribe.com/p/hammond-bins-it-OpsGdbxnT6CwttuU5xiTLA?iid=AzalBFLmQuq2IAy19gdlKw|url-status=dead}} and Clarkson described his "knees turning to jelly" at the sight of the crash.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/12/jeremy-clarkson-genuinely-thoughtrichard-hammond-dead-crash/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/12/jeremy-clarkson-genuinely-thoughtrichard-hammond-dead-crash/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Telegraph News|date=12 June 2017|access-date=24 February 2019|title=Jeremy Clarkson 'genuinely thought' Richard Hammond was dead in crash after he was referred to as a 'body'}}{{cbignore}}

After the ordeal, the FIA allegedly ruled that the "show runs" that Hammond and company were doing at the time of the accident violated the governing body's International Sporting Code and that the crash "acted against the interests of the sport." As a result, the Bergrennen Hemberg organizers were fined $5,138, and six-month license suspensions were imposed on race director Christian Müller and stewards Hermann Müller, Karl Marty, and Daniel Lenglet. In August of that year, Motorsport.com reported that the future of the entire event was "now in jeopardy."{{cite web|url=http://thedrive.com/news/13538/swiss-hill-climb-organizers-fined-5000-over-richard-hammonds-rimac-crash|title=Swiss Hill Climb Organizers Fined $5000 Over Richard Hammond's Rimac Crash|date=16 August 2017 |publisher=thedrive.com|access-date=24 February 2019}} Despite the reports, the Bergrennen Hemberg continues to be run annually.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bergrennen-hemberg.ch/ |title=Startseite – Bergrennen Hemberg |access-date=5 August 2024 |archive-date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407020432/https://www.bergrennen-hemberg.ch/ |url-status=dead }}

File:Richard Hammond in Toronto at the 2024 Canadian International Auto Show.jpg]]

Hammond announced on Twitter on 21 June 2021 that he would be making a show with Discovery+ about the restoration of old cars.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/RichardHammond/status/1406913486769250306|title=I'm making a new show and I'm putting my money where my mouth is. @discoveryplusuk @drivetribe #RichardHammondsWorkshop|access-date=January 19, 2022}} Its first episode has been shown on 18 October 2021 with a total of 26 episodes in three seasons.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

Hammond married Amanda "Mindy" Hammond ({{nee|Etheridge}}),{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5372890.stm|work=BBC News|title=Hammond 'has taken first steps'|date=23 September 2006|access-date=22 May 2010}} a columnist for the Daily Express,{{Cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists|title=Columnists|website=Express.co.uk}} in May 2002, after they first met while working at a PR firm in London. They have two daughters born in 2001 and 2004. In January 2025, Hammond announced that he and his wife were separating after 28 years together.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-10 |title=Richard Hammond reveals shock split from wife after 28 years together |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/richard-hammond-divorce-wife-mindy-net-worth-b2677046.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=The Independent}}{{Cite web |title=Richard Hammond announces split from wife Mindy after an 'amazing 28 years' |url=https://news.sky.com/story/richard-hammond-announces-split-from-wife-mindy-after-an-amazing-28-years-13286039 |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Sky News}} On February 9, 2025 Hammond announced on his podcast that his father had died.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/richard-hammond-father-death-divorce-grief-b2694883.html |title=Richard Hammond reveals 'tremendous grief' as he announces death of father |date=February 9, 2025 |last=Muir|first=Ellie |work=The Independent |access-date=February 10, 2025 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/24922224.top-gears-richard-hammond-announces-death-father/ |title=Top Gear's Richard Hammond announces death of his father |date=February 10, 2025 |last=Baker|first=Julia |work=Hereford Times |access-date=February 10, 2025 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/top-gear-legend-reveals-tragic-9930752 |title=Top Gear legend reveals tragic loss and talks of 'tremendous grief' |date=February 9, 2025 |last=Hurst|first=Ben |work=Gloucestershire Live |access-date=February 10, 2025 }}

It was his friend Zoggy Ziegler who first gave Hammond his nickname Mr.Hamster. After the couple announced the impending birth of their first child, Ziegler's response was "And out will pop another hamster." The nickname stuck, especially on Top Gear due to his name and relatively small stature compared to May and Clarkson.

He and his family adopted TG, the official Top Gear dog, after it became apparent that the labradoodle was afraid of cars. The dog died at age 11 in January 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.grandtournation.com/thegrandtour/richard-hammonds-top-gear-dog-has-died-at-age-11-ts0181/|title=Richard Hammond's Top Gear dog has died at age 11|publisher=grandtournation.com|access-date=23 February 2019|date=11 January 2017}}

Hammond plays bass guitar, on which he accompanied the other Top Gear presenters when they performed alongside Justin Hawkins on Top Gear of the Pops for Comic Relief in 2007.{{cite web | url=https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2007/march/mar1207hammondmakesmucidebut/ | title=Hammond's "truly terrible" music debut }}

He likes to ride his bicycle, scooter, or motorbike in cities, for which he is mocked mercilessly by fellow presenter Jeremy Clarkson.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6605717.stm|work=BBC News|title=Hammond 'prefers cycling in town'|date=29 April 2007|access-date=22 May 2010}}

During the news segment of Top Gear{{'}}s 2010 USA Road Trip special, Hammond openly expressed his dislike of the band Genesis. This fact was later exploited by his co-presenters (particularly by Clarkson, who has called Genesis one of his favorite bands) in three special episodes: during the Middle East Special, when they installed a secret second stereo unit in his Fiat Barchetta that only plays the band's Live over Europe 2007 album; in the India Special, Clarkson played the same song, "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" which was used in the previous special (albeit the Seconds Out version) through the megaphone mounted in his Jaguar XJS, despite Hammond driving a different car (a Mini Cooper Sport). In the 2013 Africa Special, Clarkson (BMW 528i Touring) once again played Genesis in an attempt to get Hammond (Subaru Impreza WRX Estate) to let him pass.

In 2007, Hammond went to Africa on a Top Gear special across Botswana, with his choice of car being a 1963 Opel Kadett, which he subsequently named Oliver. A week after the special was aired, Hammond announced during the news section that he had shipped Oliver back to the UK, where it was restored by a team from Practical Classics magazine. Oliver features on Hammond's children's science television show Richard Hammond's Blast Lab and in another episode of Top Gear as a kind of "Hill-holder" in the trailer truck challenge (after it acquired the fake personal plate "OLI V3R"). Oliver is also mentioned in Hammond's second autobiography As You Do.As You Do pp. 8–12, 89, 163, 200–11, 301

In 2010, Hammond was the president of the 31st Herefordshire Country Fair held at Hampton Court in Hope under Dinmore. His involvement caused unprecedented attendance with "nearly 15,000 people" drawn to the event to meet the presenter.

{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/herefordandworcester/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8878000/8878766.stm|work=BBC Online|date=2 August 2010|access-date=4 August 2010|title=Richard Hammond attracts record numbers at Country Fair|quote=The Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond was one of the main reasons for a record attendance at the 31st Herefordshire Country Fair.}}

In March 2012, Hammond passed his B206 LST helicopter licence and has since owned a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter.{{Cite web|url=https://www.heliflightuk.co.uk/blog.html?PageRef=8&NewsRef=7|title=News|website=www.heliflightuk.co.uk}}

In September 2018, his wife reported that she and Richard, along with their fifteen-year-old daughter, had been burgled while sleeping at a holiday villa in Saint-Tropez, speculating that they might have been rendered unconscious by noxious gas.{{cite news|url=https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1011826/richard-hammond-wife-feared-gassed-asleep-saint-tropez|work=Sunday Express|title=Richard Hammond and wife Mindy fear they were GASSED as they wake to raided home|first=Matt|last=Gibson|date=2 September 2018}}

File:Bollitree castle - geograph.org.uk - 1684265.jpg]]The Hammond family live in a mock castle in Herefordshire, and they also have an apartment in London. In an interview with The Sunday Times in February 2008, it was reported that Hammond had moved briefly from Gloucestershire to Buckinghamshire, then back again, because he missed the country life.{{cite web|url=http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/features/article3416209.ece |title=The Times |date=9 July 2012 |access-date=14 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511171226/http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/features/article3416209.ece |archive-date=11 May 2008 }}

In October 2012, it was reported he had spent over £2 million buying Bollitree Castle which is situated near Weston under Penyard, Ross-on-Wye. It has been rumoured he has also bought a large house in the town of Wantage, Oxfordshire.{{cite web |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1276474,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017021445/http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1276474,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 October 2007 |title=Article reporting on Hammond's car abandonment |publisher=News.sky.com |access-date=14 November 2012 }}{{Cite web|url=https://ananova.com/news/story/sm_2429141|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215211719/http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2429141.html?menu=|url-status=dead|title=Website Health|date=4 January 2022|archive-date=15 February 2008|website=Ananova Business Web Hosting}}

Hammond owns or has owned many different cars. These include:

• 1929 Ford Model A{{cite web|url=https://hi-in.facebook.com/VSCCTrials/videos/richard-hammond-in-his-model-a-ford-on-pinford-rocks-at-the-hereford-trial/3405167126377577/ |title=Richard Hammond in his Model A Ford on Pinford Rocks at the Hereford Trial |publisher=VSSC trials |date=20 March 2022 |access-date=24 October 2022}}
• 1933 Riley Alpine Tourer{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pd0kDva-Ws |title=Richard Hammond tells us his plans for 2020 |publisher=DRIVETRIBE |date=25 March 2020 |access-date=24 October 2022}}
• 1934 Morgan 3-Wheeler{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/drivetribe/videos/richard-hammonds-new-ride/547456282301181/ |title=Richard Hammond's new ride |publisher=DRIVETRIBE |date=14 November 2017 |access-date=24 October 2022}}
• 1942 Ford GPW{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/elNS9onKTiyPfpekCxBg5w?iid=QA_vmjRISmSHfw-qzShYDQ |title=Car-chaeology |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=21 December 2016 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318084042/https://drivetribe.com/p/elNS9onKTiyPfpekCxBg5w?iid=QA_vmjRISmSHfw-qzShYDQ |url-status=dead }}
• 1956 Land Rover Series 1, Undergoing restoration{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUlHV6FbXm8 |title=Richard Hammond takes his dog for a walk in the new Defender |publisher=Youtube |date=20 November 2020 |access-date=24 October 2022}}
• 1958 Jaguar XK150{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi2_HY9nf9E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/Yi2_HY9nf9E| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Richard Hammond drives his finished project car for the first time|publisher=YouTube|date=14 February 2021|access-date=11 March 2021}}{{cbignore}}
• 1962 Jaguar E-Type Roadster Mk1{{cite web|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/richard-hammond/richard-hammond-jaguar-e-type|title=Richard Hammond on the Jaguar E-Type|publisher=topgear.com|date=29 March 2010|access-date=23 February 2019}}
• 1962 Opel Kadett, bought in 2023 from a seller who like Oliver was originally from Johannesburg. He has since named it Olivia{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwdHEXKoquh/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==|title=Introducing Oliver's girlfriend, Olivia! We've been restoring her live at @carfestevent in our little workshop built for us by our friends at @lkqeurocarparts 🔧 What do you think?|date=28 August 2023|access-date=30 August 2023}}
• 1963 Opel Kadett, a car he bought for Top Gear's Botswana special. He named the car Oliver and had it shipped from Botswana to the UK{{cite web|url=https://www.grandtournation.com/thegrandtour/richard-hammond-and-oliver-a-short-history-mh1211/|title=Hammond and Oliver|publisher=Grand Tour Nation|date=27 February 2017|access-date=6 January 2020|archive-date=19 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819194012/http://www.grandtournation.com/thegrandtour/richard-hammond-and-oliver-a-short-history-mh1211/|url-status=dead}}
• 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390 in Highland Green{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/K1yM9tbtT1WCGQd3ctyU3A?iid=amdXOu5KQJSVTRWY_KFSWQ |title=It's My F***Ing Car |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=8 November 2016 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318083721/https://drivetribe.com/p/K1yM9tbtT1WCGQd3ctyU3A?iid=amdXOu5KQJSVTRWY_KFSWQ |url-status=dead }}
• 1971 Buick Riviera which he used in Series 4, Episode 3 (Lochdown) of The Grand Tour. The car is customised with a big supercharger and a rear wing modelled from a Plymouth Superbird{{Cite web|last=Welham|first=Ben|date=2021-08-02|title=Richard Hammond has kept his Buick from The Grand Tour 'Lochdown' and wants to customise it|url=https://drivetribe.com/p/richard-hammond-has-kept-his-buick-b8dRYrE9SxWkT37AgqDPyw|access-date=2021-08-03|website=DriveTribe|language=en|archive-date=3 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803114859/https://drivetribe.com/p/richard-hammond-has-kept-his-buick-b8dRYrE9SxWkT37AgqDPyw|url-status=dead}}
• 1972 MGB GT, a car he bought for a classic car challenge featured in his last episode of Top Gear, which he subsequently kept{{cite web|url=https://drivetribe.com/p/i-go-the-not-so-long-way-round-Gr8hHxk2TraD-zi6QLcgkQ?iid=JRsZHMEFTQq2kDgJu4es-w|title=Hammond does Tour of his Garage|publisher=drivetribe.com/|date=8 April 2020|access-date=11 March 2021}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• 1979 MG Midget{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/baby-drive-r-fypELcWFQJKOwZcPeZfzAQ?iid=YnZX8PXQS6yYIy4nFnKKSA |title=Baby Drive (R) |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=7 August 2017 |access-date=28 November 2017 |archive-date=4 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404201715/https://drivetribe.com/p/baby-drive-r-fypELcWFQJKOwZcPeZfzAQ?iid=YnZX8PXQS6yYIy4nFnKKSA |url-status=dead }}
• 1979 Ford Escort RS2000 MkII, his first restoration project for his workshop which initially sold for £33K at auction but bought it back after the new owner had registration issues{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT00xYjzp9A&feature=youtu.be |title=Richard Hammond has been hiding this car for over a year!|publisher=Youtube|date=21 December 2022|access-date=22 December 2022}}
• 1987 Land Rover Defender-110, known as "Buster" which he spent over £70,000 rebuilding in 2008.{{cite news|last1=Breeze|first1=Joe|title=First his bikes – now Richard Hammond's 'Bigfoot' Defender is for sale|url=https://www.classicdriver.com/en/article/cars/first-his-bikes-now-richard-hammonds-bigfoot-defender-sale|access-date=4 February 2016|publisher=Classic Driver|date=18 April 2015}}
• 1999 Jaguar XJR (X308) with the supercharged Jaguar AJ-V8 engine, a car he bought in the 2000s, sold, and then bought back in 2022.{{Citation |title=Richard Hammond has bought back the car he regrets selling! | date=14 September 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxcnt8xOI30 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2022-09-15}}
• 2003 Subaru Impreza WRX STI V Limited Edition, which he used in Series 5, Episode 1 (A Scandi Flick) of The Grand Tour. The car was tuned to 356bhp and given a Martini Livery, which was later removed after filming.{{Citation |title=Richard Hammond and James May Reunite After A Scandi Flick Crash | date=23 September 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCavh9Eywxg |language=en |access-date=2022-09-23}}
• 2005 Chevrolet SSR which he used in Series 5, Episode 2 (Eurocrash) of The Grand Tour.{{Citation |title=Richard Hammond has bought a 6.0L V8 TV Legend |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgz5hFJBYmE&pp=ygUKZHJpdmV0cmliZQ%3D%3D |language=en |access-date=2022-08-26}}
• 2012 Land Rover Defender. With custom tuning by Bowler Manufacturing{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/happy-christmas-me-dB-1x5jxTWK7ck_wgKvGtw?iid=OVQ7HeysTpGIV2h__--YCg |title=Happy Christmas Me... |website=drivetribe.com |access-date=2019-01-07 |date=31 December 2018 |archive-date=26 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226232729/https://drivetribe.com/p/happy-christmas-me-dB-1x5jxTWK7ck_wgKvGtw?iid=OVQ7HeysTpGIV2h__--YCg |url-status=dead }}
• 2016 Ford Mustang convertible in white with black Shelby stripes, which he bought as a Christmas present for his wife.{{cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/mindy-hammond/743381/Top-Gear-star-Richard-Hammond-wife-Mindy-Hammond-Christmas-present|title=Mindy Hammond's Christmas Present|publisher=Express.co.uk|date=18 December 2016|access-date=6 January 2020}}
• 2021 Ford Ranger{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtVohKxxNHk&feature=youtu.be|title=7 things Richard Hammond LOVES about his new dream car|publisher=Youtube|date=18 May 2022|access-date=28 May 2022}}
• Land Rover 110 Station Wagon, which was christened "Wallycar" by his eldest daughter and has been owned by him twice.{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/e15v6QTGTKySO1fe9um7Xw?iid=IU8wXWGWRG2GmjYHN3j8hQ |title=My dirty weekend |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=30 January 2017 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318083905/https://drivetribe.com/p/e15v6QTGTKySO1fe9um7Xw?iid=IU8wXWGWRG2GmjYHN3j8hQ |url-status=dead }}
• Land Rover Discovery 4 SDV6 HSE{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/I_pDb12PTOOKEXIbfZrqGA?iid=O7Sgpa_uRxa-y6LMhZMHyg |title=Perfect coming home present... |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=4 March 2017 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318172652/https://drivetribe.com/p/I_pDb12PTOOKEXIbfZrqGA?iid=O7Sgpa_uRxa-y6LMhZMHyg |url-status=dead }}
• Jaguar XK120 currently undergoing restoration.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7A1ggG7BBA|title=Richard Hammond unveils his new project car!|publisher=YouTube|date=27 October 2021|access-date=18 November 2021}}
• 2023 Ram 1500 TRX{{cite web|url=https://www.hotcars.com/richard-hammond-new-daily-driver/|title=Richard Hammond Chooses An American Supercharged V8 Monster As His New Daily Driver|publisher=hotcars.com/|date=27 April 2023|access-date=19 November 2023}}
• 2023 Porsche 911 Turbo S{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7VwcaFT6dc|title= Richard Hammond's Bought A New 600bhp Supercar!|publisher=YouTube|date=10 April 2024|access-date=26 April 2024}}

Cars previously owned by Hammond:

• 1931 Lagonda 2-litre Supercharged.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/motoring/richard-hammond-lovely-1931-lagonda-4448902 |title=Richard Hammond: My lovely 1931 Lagonda |publisher=dailyrecord.co.uk |date=17 October 2014 |access-date=4 February 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi2_HY9nf9E |title=Richard Hammond drives his finished project car for the first time |publisher=Youtube|date=27 October 2021|access-date=24 October 2022}}
• 1959 Bentley S2, sold in 2021
• 1969 Dodge Charger R/T
• 1969 Porsche 911T, sold in 2021{{Cite web|last=Kokcha|first=Tejas|date=2021-08-02|title=Richard Hammond's classics have been sold for more than £190,000|url=https://drivetribe.com/p/richard-hammonds-classics-have-M0YTyYmrSdyjqmhc_H0r5g|access-date=2021-08-03|website=DriveTribe|language=en|archive-date=3 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803114858/https://drivetribe.com/p/richard-hammonds-classics-have-M0YTyYmrSdyjqmhc_H0r5g|url-status=dead}}
• 1976 Toyota Corolla liftback, which was his first car.{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/K1yM9tbtT1WCGQd3ctyU3A?iid=LKm24VOzS0S4PlCDRD1puA |title=It's My F***Ing Car |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=8 November 2016 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318084505/https://drivetribe.com/p/K1yM9tbtT1WCGQd3ctyU3A?iid=LKm24VOzS0S4PlCDRD1puA |url-status=dead }}
• 1982 Porsche 911 SC (sold in the mid-2000s){{cite web|url=http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_239378-Porsche-911-SC-1982.html |title=1982 Porsche 911 SC in "Top Gear, 2002–2012" |publisher=IMCDb.org |access-date=14 November 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10897 |title=Richard Hammond's 1982 Porsche 911 SC |publisher=Motorworld.net |access-date=14 April 2017}}
• 1985 Land Rover Range Rover Classic which he later sold.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/richard-hammond-checks-out-the-new-land-rover-defender/ar-AAH5tek|title=Richard Hammond looks at New Defender|publisher=motor1.com|date=10 September 2019|access-date=6 January 2020}}
• 1994 BMW 850Ci, which was used to race against Clarkson's Mercedes CL600, which they both bought on Top Gear to prove that one could purchase second-hand V12 cars which were a better buy than the Nissan Pixo (Britain's cheapest new car at the time) for less money. He sold this after a week on the challenge.{{cite web|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/inspection-hammonds-£6k-850ci|title=Richard Hammond's 850CI|publisher=topgear.com|date=12 August 2011|access-date=6 January 2020}}
• 1994 Porsche 928, purchased in 2004 for the purpose of daily driving.{{cite web |url=http://www.drcreview.com/news.asp?art=45 |title=Mopar Muscle for Top Gear's Hammond – DRC Review News Article |publisher=Drcreview.com |date=19 November 2004 |access-date=14 November 2012 |archive-date=15 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101215172633/http://drcreview.com/news.asp?art=45 |url-status=dead }} He later sold the car.
• 1996 Fiat Barchetta, which he revealed that he had previously owned in the Middle East Special when explaining his choice of the Barchetta for the challenge.
• 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello, which he mentioned in Top Gear as the car he regretted selling.{{cite web|url=https://jalopnik.com/richard-hammonds-ferrari-550-up-for-sale-5070840|title=Richard Hammond's 550 Maranello for Sale|publisher=jalopnik.com|date=30 October 2008|access-date=6 January 2020}}
• 1999 Lotus Esprit 350 Sport, sold in 2021
• 2006 Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S.{{cite web|url=http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_132992-Porsche-911-Carrera-2S-997-2006.html |title=2006 Porsche 911 Carrera 2S [997] in "Top Gear, 2002–2012" |publisher=IMCDb.org |access-date=14 November 2012}} He sold it in 2013 following the announcement of the GT3.
• 2010 Fiat 500C TwinAir, which he discussed purchasing during Series 18 of Top Gear.{{cite web|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/richard-hammond/hammond-men-fiat-500s|title=Hammond in 500|publisher=topgear.com|date=20 September 2011|access-date=6 January 2020}} It is unknown when he sold it.
• 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8 which was purchased in the United States on a Series 12 episode of Top Gear. Later he sold it.{{cite web|url=http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_199998-Dodge-Challenger-SRT-8-2008.html |title=2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8 in "Top Gear, 2002–2012" |publisher=IMCDb.org |access-date=14 November 2012}}
• 2009 Aston Martin DBS Volante, which he purchased for £175,000.{{cite news|last1=Dumitrache|first1=Alina|title=Richard Hammond Buys Two Cars for His 40th Birthday|url=http://www.autoevolution.com/news/richard-hammond-buys-two-cars-for-his-40th-birthday-14756.html|access-date=4 February 2016|publisher=Auto Evolution|date=21 December 2009}} Hammond later sold the car.
• 2009 Morgan Aeromax, in which he was involved in a car accident on 9 August 2009.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/5997018/Top-Gears-Richard-Hammond-crashes-again.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/5997018/Top-Gears-Richard-Hammond-crashes-again.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Richard Hammond crashes Morgan|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=9 August 2009|access-date=6 January 2020|last1=Johnston|first1=Ian}}{{cbignore}} He later sold it.
• 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder which he purchased in 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1058509_top-gears-richard-hammond-buys-lamborghini-gallardo-lp560-4-spyder-wife-gets-fiat-500|title=Richard Hammond buys Gallardo|publisher=Motor Authority|date=18 April 2011|access-date=6 January 2020}} He later sold it in 2012.
• 2013 Porsche 911 GT3, which he discussed purchasing during Series 21 of Top Gear. This car was subsequently recalled because of multiple reports of the cars catching fire{{cite web |url=http://www.total911.com/porsche-reveal-cause-of-991-gt3-fires/ |title=Porsche reveal cause of 991 GT3 fires |publisher=Total 911 |date=18 March 2014 |access-date=21 December 2014 |first=Josh |last=Barnett}} and he sold it in 2016.
• 2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which he purchased on 17 April 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.thesupercarblog.com/richard-hammonds-porsche-911-gt3-rs-sale/|title=Richard Hammond's GT3RS for Sale |publisher=SupercarBlog |date=22 April 2017 |access-date=24 December 2018}}
• 2020 Morgan Plus Six{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geUg4U7ru4Y |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/geUg4U7ru4Y| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Richard Hammond bought the car YOU specced|publisher=YouTube|date=19 January 2020|access-date=19 January 2020}}{{cbignore}} The car was later destroyed in a flood on Christmas Eve and subsequently crushed.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7A1ggG7BBA|title=One of Richard Hammond's favourite cars has been destroyed|publisher=YouTube|date=10 March 2021|access-date=11 March 2021}}
• VW camper van, which was customised in pink for his daughters.{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/JaXja1bzSmGXuJButpha7Q?iid=E4snzwJERJeMgbjzjEwTfQ |title=It sounds like such a good idea... |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=23 December 2016 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318084335/https://drivetribe.com/p/JaXja1bzSmGXuJButpha7Q?iid=E4snzwJERJeMgbjzjEwTfQ |url-status=dead }}

Hammond is a keen motorcyclist, having ridden for over 30 years.{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/doKwgHX2TQqUZHTBO89AcQ?iid=OyVvYCh0R3ScDvrTKvh7bw |title=Why I love bikes... |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=30 November 2016 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318083902/https://drivetribe.com/p/doKwgHX2TQqUZHTBO89AcQ?iid=OyVvYCh0R3ScDvrTKvh7bw |url-status=dead }}

He owns or has owned many different motorcycles including:

• 1925 Sunbeam Model A, with an asthmatic side-valve 350cc single-cylinder engine, a hand-shift three-speed gearbox, a manual oil pump, acetylene gas lights and no milometer{{cite magazine |last=Wilson |first=Hugo |date=Jul 2014 |title=A Ride With Richard Hammond |url=https://pocketmags.com/eu/bike-magazine/july-2014# |url-access=subscription |magazine=Bike Magazine |pages=34–42 |publisher=bikemagazine.co.uk |access-date=23 April 2017}}
• 1929 BMW R52{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjqnILLJ8IU|title=Richard Hammond does his own lockdown 'Long Way Round' bike trip|publisher=YouTube|date=8 April 2020|access-date=27 January 2022}}
• 1935 Indian{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/WEDcH79eRsW4Y5SpbqqhVw?iid=KFDZKgw2Tb-cXDEdsWoHeA |title=Hammond's Fob Jockeys |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=29 November 2016 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318084501/https://drivetribe.com/p/WEDcH79eRsW4Y5SpbqqhVw?iid=KFDZKgw2Tb-cXDEdsWoHeA |url-status=dead }}
• 1946 Indian Chief{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq-X147wP_8|title=Richard Hammond invited us to a party!|publisher=YouTube|date=1 September 2021|access-date=27 January 2022}}
• 1947 Harley Davidson
• 1951 BMW R51, with a 600cc conversion, a Hoske tank and cut down mudguards
• 1959 Norton Dominator{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2014/december/my-life-in-bikes-richard-hammond/ |title=Richard Hammond: My life in bikes |publisher=motorcyclenews.com/ |date=8 December 2014 |access-date=17 March 2017}}
• 1961 Triumph Bonneville T120C{{cite web |url=http://www.bikemagazine.co.uk/magazine-issues/january-2017 |title=Ride with: Richard Hammond |publisher=bikemagazine.co.uk/ |date=29 November 2016 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318090006/http://www.bikemagazine.co.uk/magazine-issues/january-2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |url-status=dead }}
• 1962 Triumph Bonneville{{cite tweet|user=RichardHammond|author=Richard Hammond|number=795246367056728064|date=6 November 2016|title=Sunday. And I am Steve McQueen on a Desert Sled in Herefordshire.}}
• 1970s Moto Guzzi V7 Sport{{cite tweet|user=RichardHammond|author=Richard Hammond|number=790158786321387520|date=23 October 2016|title=Today's Autumnal playmate.}}
• 1974 Kawasaki Z900
• 1976 BMW R90S, which is an "[i]rresistible low mileage example of BMWs first attempt at a sportsbike. The tank's been repainted, but the rest is original."
• 1976 Honda Gold Wing
• 1976 Yamaha FS-1E
• 1981 BMW R100RT, which Hammond bought "when some friends, including James May, started a thing called the Crap Motorcycle Camping Club of GB. [...] It's called Eric, after the previous owner and it's done 105,000 miles".
• 1988 BMW R100GS
• 1990 BMW K1, with a unique BMW Motorsport inspired paintjob
• 1990 BMW K100RS, which has a batch painted by Dream Machine in BMW Motorsport colours to celebrate Nick Jeffries finishing 8th in the 1984 Production TT on one
• 1991 Suzuki GSX-R1100. In an interview for Bike Magazine in 2014, Hammond stated: "When I was a kid I saw a GSX-R 1100 being filled up in a petrol station. I thought it was amazing. I know this isn't the collectable slab-sided one, but I don't care."
• 1992 Kawasaki KR1-S
• 1992 Kawasaki ZXR-750. In a Bike Magazine interview, Richard stated: "I just love the hoses from the fairing ducts to the engine. I remember seeing these in Mick Staiano Motorcycles in Harrogate and dreaming of owning one."
• 1998 Ducati 916 SPS Fogarty Replica
• 2012 BMW R1200RT, which is according to Richard "[t]he best bike in the world." In 2014, he told Bike Magazine: "I love to hustle on the RT. It's done 8000 commuting miles and is used as a tool."
• 2014 Norton Commando 961 SE
• Bimota SB8R{{cite tweet|user=RichardHammond|author=Richard Hammond|number=777557824008253440|date=18 September 2016|title=You're a bad bike. A bad, bad naughty bike and I'm putting you away now, for both our sakes.}}
• Bimota YB9
• Brough Superior SS80 period race replica
• Brough Superior SS100
• Ducati 900 Super Sport Desmo{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/gallery/doKwgHX2TQqUZHTBO89AcQ/YhwLG1TlS_qAKfmYvXIYvw |title=Why I love bikes... |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=30 November 2016 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318083634/https://drivetribe.com/gallery/doKwgHX2TQqUZHTBO89AcQ/YhwLG1TlS_qAKfmYvXIYvw |url-status=dead }}
• Honda CBX
• Honda SS50. In 2014, Richard told Bike Magazine that the Honda had been disassembled and was being restored by his daughter.
• Moto Guzzi Daytona 1000{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/IrVzyk-FQ6yQgWfV9HG3fw?iid=U-NiPaxASWOGVWEsC_eGCQ |title=Today i am mostly thinking about summer |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=1 February 2017 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318172603/https://drivetribe.com/p/IrVzyk-FQ6yQgWfV9HG3fw?iid=U-NiPaxASWOGVWEsC_eGCQ |url-status=dead }}
• Suzuki GS1000
• Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport scooter{{cite tweet|user=RichardHammond|author=Richard Hammond|number=751164627782868992|date=7 July 2016|title=@JeremyClarkson Now that is orange. Your car, by contrast, is fucking brown. It is. IT'S BROWN YOU BASTARD}}
• Vincent Black Shadow{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/O1eCVLsYTrKfkMbUayUAiA?iid=UuUl-Mz6SFqqITXcrMp36w |title=Hear it roooaaaarrr |publisher=drivetribe.com |date=18 March 2017 |access-date=18 March 2017 |archive-date=19 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319112227/https://drivetribe.com/p/O1eCVLsYTrKfkMbUayUAiA?iid=UuUl-Mz6SFqqITXcrMp36w |url-status=dead }}
• Yamaha Virago

Motorcycles no longer owned by Hammond:

• BMW R1150GS
• Honda CBR1000F
• Honda CBX750F
• Honda MTX50, which was his first motorcycle.
• Honda NSR125R
• Honda XL100
• Kawasaki GP100
• Kawasaki ZZR600
• 1976 Kawasaki Z900. A 40th birthday present from his wife.{{cite web |url=https://drivetribe.com/p/NJZdZ4CCRd2TjX6IGrTY2g?iid=N4MSa7D7ROqVWfvs-6UfGA |title=Story of A biker's sunday |publisher=drivetribe.com/ |date=20 February 2016 |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318172921/https://drivetribe.com/p/NJZdZ4CCRd2TjX6IGrTY2g?iid=N4MSa7D7ROqVWfvs-6UfGA |url-status=dead }} Sold in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6oF3_x4WQs|title=Richard Hammond had to sell ALL these cars|publisher=YouTube|date=8 November 2021|access-date=27 January 2022}}
• 1977 Moto Guzzi Le Mans (Mk1). "I've always wanted a Guzzi. They've got a tractor-like quality. This one is fitted with a period accessory fairing from Apple Motorcycles", Hammond said in an interview for Bike Magazine. Sold in 2021.
• 2019 Norton Dominator Street. Hammond's 50th birthday present. Sold in 2021.
• 1927 Sunbeam Model 2. The first ever vintage vehicle owned by Hammond. Sold in 2021.
• Suzuki GSX-R750WP
• 1929 Velocette KSS. Sold in 2021.

Furthermore, Hammond owns or has owned the following vehicles:

• 2005 Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter{{cite tweet|user=RichardHammond|author=Richard Hammond|number=758212875492159488|date=27 July 2016|title=Just parked at work and, don't like to boast, but hello, THAT IS PERFECT. May go on about that a bit today}}
• John Deere 6210 SE tractor
• 2022 Ford Transit (used for his restoration company){{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jcol4twYr4&feature=youtu.be|title=Richard Hammond has bought a seriously UNEXPECTED daily driver!|publisher=YouTube|date=13 July 2022|access-date=13 July 2022}}

Hammond is an ambassador of UK charity for children with brain injury and neuro-disability The Children's Trust.{{Cite web|title=Our Ambassadors {{!}} The Children's Trust |url=https://www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/about/ambassadors |access-date=2021-02-03 |website=www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk|language=en}}

On 29 September 2013, terminally-ill eight-year-old Emilia Palmer was driven by Hammond in a pink Lamborghini Aventador Roadster (newly repainted for the occasion). Hammond flew his Robinson R44 helicopter, G-OHAM, to Shobdon Airfield in Herefordshire, then picked Palmer up from her home in Kimbolton, Herefordshire and drove her back to the airport for a high-speed run on the main runway. The event was arranged at short notice by Rays of Sunshine.{{cite news|url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013/10/01/top-gear-star-richard-hammond-drives-in-for-emilia/|title=Top Gear star Richard Hammond drives in for Emilia|work=Shropshire Star|date=1 October 2013|access-date=28 October 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://now.msn.com/emilia-palmer-8-gets-dream-ride-with-top-gear-star-richard-hammond-in-pink-lamborghini|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006014024/http://now.msn.com/emilia-palmer-8-gets-dream-ride-with-top-gear-star-richard-hammond-in-pink-lamborghini|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 October 2013|title='Top Gear' star gives ailing 8-year-old dream ride in pink Lamborghini|work=MSN Now|date=5 October 2013|access-date=28 October 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/sick-girl-s-pink-lamborghini-dreams-come-true-194736936.html|title=Sick Girl's Pink-Lamborghini Dreams Come True|work=Yahoo! Shine|first1=Beth|last1=Greenfield|author2=Shine Staff|date=7 October 2013}}

{{Criticism section|date=April 2025}}

During the second episode of series sixteen of Top Gear, Hammond suggested that no one would ever want to own a Mexican car, since cars are supposed to reflect national characteristics and so a Mexican car would be "lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence, asleep, looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat."{{cite news|last1=Hooper|first1=Simon|title=Mexican anger over BBC 'feckless, lazy' claims|url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/02/02/mexico.top.gear/|website=CNN|access-date=12 April 2015|quote=Richard Hammond said: "Why would you want a Mexican car, because cars reflect national characteristics... Mexican cars are just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence, asleep, looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat."}} Hammond finished with the remark "I'm sorry, but can you imagine waking up and remembering you're Mexican?!"{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/feb/04/mexico-top-gear|location=London|work=The Guardian|first=Rodrigo|last=Camarena|title=Can Top Gear laugh off its Mexican insults?|date=4 February 2011}} The comments prompted Mexico's ambassador in London, Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza, to lodge an official complaint to the BBC. Demanding an apology from the BBC, the ambassador stated: "These offensive, xenophobic and humiliating remarks only serve to reinforce negative stereotypes and perpetuate prejudice against Mexico and its people."{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-12338053|title=Top Gear sparks Mexico complaints|date=1 February 2011|website=BBC|access-date=28 June 2018}} The BBC defended the broadcast of this segment on the grounds that such national stereotyping was a "robust part" of traditional British humour.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-mexico-dd-idUSTRE7134II20110204|work=Reuters|title=BBC defends "Top Gear" jokes about Mexico|date=4 February 2011}}

In December 2016, in reference to the interior styling of a Volvo S90, co-presenter Clarkson joked that "the only problem is that in one of those, you couldn't enjoy a chocolate Magnum ice cream" – to which Hammond responded: "It's all right, I don't eat ice cream. It's something to do with being straight."{{cite news|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/12/27/top-gears-richard-hammond-claims-ice-cream-is-only-for-gay-people/|last=Butterworth|first=Benjamin|title=Richard Hammond claims ice cream is only for gay people|date=27 December 2016|website=PinkNews|access-date=28 June 2018}} It has been speculated that the joke was written as a reference to a Kingis ice cream advert in Finland, where that episode of The Grand Tour was filmed.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a818146/grand-tour-advert-could-explain-richard-hammond-ice-cream-gay-joke/|title=The Grand Tour: Does this advert explain Richard Hammond's controversial 'ice cream is gay' joke?|website=Digital Spy|first=Ben|last=Lee|date=3 January 2017|access-date=10 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241130114738/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a818146/grand-tour-advert-could-explain-richard-hammond-ice-cream-gay-joke/|archive-date=30 November 2024|url-status=live}} LGBT rights campaigner Peter Tatchell who was unaware of the reference, accused Hammond of "pandering to prejudice", adding that "it's a perverse world when everyday pleasures like ice cream becomes the butt of homophobic innuendo."{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/dec/27/richard-hammond-ice-cream-gay-the-grand-tour|last=Hunt|first=Elle|title=Richard Hammond under fire for 'ice-cream is gay' line on The Grand Tour|date=27 December 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=28 June 2018}} A spokesperson for UK LGBT rights charity Stonewall stated that "Hammond's choice of words were not just ridiculous, but chosen purposefully to mock and belittle."{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/38442533/richard-hammond-is-criticised-for-gay-ice-cream-joke-on-amazon-show-the-grand-tour|title=Richard Hammond is criticised for gay ice cream joke on Amazon show, The Grand Tour|date=27 December 2016|website=BBC Newsbeat|access-date=28 June 2018}} A year later, in an interview with The Times, Hammond stated: "Look, anyone who knows me knows I wasn't being serious, that I'm not homophobic. Love is love, whatever the sex of the two people in love... It may be because I live in a hideously safe and contained middle-class world, where a person's sexuality is not an issue".{{cite news|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/12/03/richard-hammond-defends-joke-that-ice-cream-is-only-for-gays/|last=McCormick|first=Joseph Patrick|title=Richard Hammond defends 'joke' that ice cream is only for gays|date=3 December 2017|website=PinkNews|access-date=28 June 2018}} In an interview with Newsweek Today, Hammond denied making homophobic comments, and refused to apologise for the remarks: "I entirely reject any criticism of me being anti-gay. That's just not the case."{{cite news|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/12/07/richard-hammond-angrily-denies-making-homophobic-comments/|last=Duffy|first=Nick|title=Richard Hammond angrily denies making homophobic comments|date=7 December 2017|website=PinkNews|access-date=28 June 2018}}

{{cleanup list|section|date=January 2019}}

{{BLP sources section|date=December 2018}}

Car and motorcycle books

• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=What Not To Drive|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|date=2005|isbn=9780297848004}}
• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=Richard Hammond's Car Confidential|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|date=2006|isbn=9780297844457}}
• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=Richard Hammond's Caravan Confidential|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|date=2010|isbn=9780753826713}}
• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=A Short History of the Motorcycle|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|date=2016|isbn=9780297609902}}

Children's books

• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=Can You Feel the Force?: Putting the Fizz Back into Physics|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|date=2006|isbn=9781405315432|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/canyoufeelforce00rich}}
• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=Car Science|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|date=2008|isbn=9780756640262}}
• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=Great Mysteries of the World|publisher=Penguin Random House|date=2013|isbn=9780370332376}}
• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=Blast Lab: More than 30 Mind-Blasting Experiments!|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|date=2009|isbn=9780756656485}}

Biographies

• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=On The Edge: My Story|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780753824047|url-access=registration|publisher=Phoenix|date=2008|isbn=9780753823309}}
• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=As You Do: Adventures with Evel, Oliver and the Vice-President of Botswana|publisher=Orion|date=2009|isbn=9780753825624|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/asyoudoadventure0000hamm}}
• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=Or Is That Just Me?|publisher=Phoenix|date=2010|isbn=9780753825624|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/oristhatjustme0000hamm}}
• {{cite book|last=Hammond|first=R.|display-authors=0|title=On the Road: Growing up in Eight Journeys – My Early Years|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|date=2014|isbn=9781780225098}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikiquote|Top Gear#Richard Hammond .28.22Hamster.22.29|Richard Hammond}}

{{commons category}}

• {{Twitter|RichardHammond}}
• {{IMDb name|id=1414369|name=Richard Hammond}}
• [http://www.cafonline.org/Default.aspx?page=14951&WT.mc_id=381 Donations to Yorkshire Air Ambulance double as a result of their life-saving rescue of Richard Hammond]
• [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/03/richard-hammond-top-gear-interview Q&A] – The Guardian – 2009-1-3. Hammond questions about himself. Retrieved 2009-6-29.

{{Richard Hammond}}{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammond, Richard}}

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