When cars go bad: TV stars' nightmares
11 October 2007 Andy Goodwin rounds up the stars’ motoring mishaps. Richard Hammond The Top Gear star’s monumental 288mph crash in September last year was found to have been caused by an ‘exploding’ front tyre. The jet-powered Vampire dragster veered off the track at Elvington airfield in Footage of the crash was shown at the beginning of the last series of Top Gear, making it the show’s highest ever rated episode. Crash rating 5/5
Jason Plato Yesterday intrepid Fifth Gear presenter and racing driver Jason Plato found himself in a spot of bother when the car he was testing burst into flames at 150mph, burning his hands, neck and face. The British Touring Cars Championship star said: “The car spontaneously erupted into a ball of flames and I was sat in the middle of a fireball. I hit the brakes, brought the car to a stop as quickly as I could and jumped out.” Jason’s bad luck comes just days before his crucial BTCC decider. Crash rating 4/5
Jeremy Clarkson The Top Gear presenter often berates Volvo cars and their owners for being ‘boring’. Little did he know a Volvo 760 GLE would take revenge during a 2004 Top Gear challenge. Clarkson broke his thumb while crash-testing the car into a wall at 30mph. Crash rating: 1/5
Tom Ford Fifth Gear presenter Ford recently filmed a piece for the show about drifting (skidding a car sideways) in a tiny Bedford Rascal van. The petrolhead presenter’s van went out of control before slamming into a trackside barrier, breaking three of his toes. Ford said: “I got away lightly”. Crash rating 3/5
Jason Dawe Jason once told us the reason he became a motoring journalist was because of a crash. "I wrote off my Triumph Spitfire after nine days," said the Used Car Roadshow star. "I decided I was going to get a job where they give you cars for free."
Auto Trader links Top Gear presenters Auto Talk: Jason Plato Former Top Gear presenters Auto Trader TV show presenters Mike Brewer and Edd China |
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