Richard Hammond, the Solihull-born former Top Gear presenter, has revealed the chilling thought that crossed his mind in the split seconds before his near-fatal jet car crash, as he marked the 20th anniversary of the incident. The 56-year-old took to Instagram to express his gratitude to the emergency services who saved his life after the 320mph accident in 2006.
The crash occurred while Hammond was driving the jet-powered Vampire dragster during filming for the BBC motoring programme at the former RAF Elvington airbase near York. The front-right tyre suffered a structural failure at 288mph, causing the vehicle to veer off the track and flip.
As the wrecked dragster rolled, Hammond's helmet became embedded into the ground, flipping the visor up and forcing masses of soil into his mouth and nose. He spent two weeks in a coma and was left with a frontal lobe brain injury and amnesia.
'The next thing on my to do list was to die'
In his Instagram post, Hammond wrote: "20 years ago today, I came to an abrupt stop upside down in a Yorkshire field, convinced I was about to die." He explained that a front tyre had blown on the jet-powered dragster he had been driving at over 300mph.
"I had pulled the lever to release the parachute and done my best to steer the car away from disaster, but disaster was, it seemed, my fate and having done everything I could do avert it, I gave myself over to that fate," he continued.
Hammond said he "didn't scream" during the accident and stated it "wasn't frightening", adding that "it simply occurred to me that the next thing on my to do list was to die". He credited his survival to the many people involved in rescuing him from the shattered car, flying him to hospital, and treating him there.
Gratitude to emergency services
The presenter went on to name members of the Air Ambulance and aftercare teams who assisted him, saying he will be "forever grateful" to them. He reflected on his life since the crash, mentioning his career breaks, adventures, and his two daughters.
"I have had so many lucky career breaks, so many amazing adventures around the world and am father to the two happiest, kindest, most wonderfully talented and loving daughters," Hammond wrote. "But I would have seen none of them if these people hadn't turned up to work that day and done their job. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart."
Long-term effects of the crash
Hammond has previously spoken about the lasting impact of the accident. In a 2014 interview with Radio Times, he said: "It was a lot to deal with. I had a pretty tricky few years. The knock-on effects of the injury meant I was susceptible to depression, obsession, compulsion and paranoia, although I wasn't aware of that at the time. It gave me an unnatural platform from which to observe my own mental state, which was exhausting."
In 2023, he told The Diary Of A CEO podcast that his long-term memory was "not brilliant" and that his injuries "could mean there is an increased risk" of a condition linked to memory loss. "I have to consciously write memories down and work hard to recall them sometimes. It might be because I'm 53, it might be because I'm working a lot and I'm tired, it might be the onset of something else," he explained.
Life after Top Gear
After leaving Top Gear alongside co-hosts Jeremy Clarkson and James May in 2015, Hammond rejoined them for Prime Video's The Grand Tour, which they fronted until 2024. Francis Bourgeois, James Engelsman and Thomas Holland have now taken over presenting responsibilities for the new series.
Hammond is currently in a relationship with therapist and former teacher Keira Glen after his split from journalist Mindy Etheridge after 23 years in 2025. They share two adult daughters, Izzy and Willow.
