Hammond said as he sat in the vehicle: "What's odd is, I remember the last time I got in this thing, but I don't remember getting out." Photo / Youtube
Hammond said as he sat in the vehicle: "What's odd is, I remember the last time I got in this thing, but I don't remember getting out." Photo / Youtube
In 2006, Richard Hammond, who was a host on Top Gear at the time, ended up in a coma with serious head injuries when he crashed a "rocket car" going roughly 463 km/h.
Hammond, 52, crashed the Vampire Dragster rocket car while attempting to break a land speed record forthe car-enthusiast television programme.
He spent five weeks in hospital recovering.
After going through the traumatic ordeal Hammond struggled with severe depression, making his return to the vehicle even more astounding.
Hammond, 52, crashed the Vampire Dragster rocket car in 2006 while attempting to break a land speed record for car-enthusiast program, Top Gear. Photo / Youtube
The impetus for the nerve-wracking reunion was to film a promotional video for the Drivetribe YouTube channel which he owns with fellow ex-Top Gear hosts, James May and Jeremy Clarkson.
In the video, Hammond can be seen anxiously circling the Dragster while footage of his horrifying accident plays alongside.
Hammond declares to the camera: "I'm doing what I promised myself I would never do, and get back into the Vampire dragster that so very, very nearly killed me.
"I will be doing what I swore – oh, do you know what, I'm just going to do it now."
Hammond looked very shaken as he got behind the wheel saying: "What's odd is, I remember the last time I got in this thing, but I don't remember getting out, so technically I'm still in it."
Ultimately the experience proved too much for Hammond and he stepped out of the vehicle and asked his colleague, May, to take the test drive for him.
Hammond said as he sat in the vehicle: "What's odd is, I remember the last time I got in this thing, but I don't remember getting out." Photo / Youtube
It is no surprise that the prospect of driving the dangerously fast vehicle again was a step too far. Hammond shared his feelings and memories of the accident with The Mirror at the time: "I was upside down inhaling a field. My nose and eyes were full of earth. I'd gone ploughing on my head. My very last thought was, 'Oh bugger, that's gone wrong'."
"Well we're checking out now. You've had it. I was aware of my brain saying, 'We'll wave the flag' - and that was the point I passed out".
"Doctors use a point system. Fifteen is normal, three is flatline. I was a three. I was that close to being dead."
The next thing Hammond knew he was in Leeds hospital with doctors predicting he would need more than a year in treatment there. Miraculously, after just five weeks, he was able to return home to his wife Mindy and their two daughters, Isabella and Willow.
