THE GRIN TOUR
Hammond all smiles as he’s back to work after smash
May shouts out to Hammond Richard gets back to work The smiling Grand Tour host was pictured hobbling on crutches in London this week. He fractured his knee escaping a fireball wreck last month as he filmed for the Amazon motoring show in Switzerland. He had lost control of a 220mph Rimac Concept One electric car while taking part in a time trial. It plunged 100ft down a hill, narrowly missing a house, and flipped several times before landing upside down. Hammond, 47, crawled from the wreckage before it burst into flames. He later admitted he thought he was going to die. Back at work this week, it’s going to be a while before he’s in top gear. Insiders say he is unlikely to be able to drive fast for long periods until at least September – and it may be as long as six months. He will have to get used to being a passenger and living life in the slow lane. Show bosses are looking at ways Richard, who presents Grand Tour with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, can still feature in stunts but not drive. Among the options being considered are a chauffeur and guest drivers. EX-F1 driver Jenson Button, 37, is one of the names in the frame. Our coverage of the host’s horror crash
DRAGSTER
A source said: “Richard is making good progress but it is going to be a long job and the elephant in the room is that we are a show about cars and currently a third of the team is unable to drive a car. “Richard desperately wants to be involved and one possibility is that he can be chauffeured around. Another is that we could use a guest driver to take his place for some of the longer driving stunts we have planned. “It would be amusing seeing Richard in the back of car with a proper driver at the wheel acting as his chauffeur. “Richard should be fine for studio filming as he can sit down – as long as he gets the all-clear to fly.” In 2006 Hammond suffered brain injuries and nearly died during a 288mph dragster accident. Clarkson has been busy reworking bits of the show and devising ways to cover Hammond’s injury. The Grand Tour will show his crash in episode one of the new series later this year.
janine.yacoob@trinitymirror.com