Photo: Sikander Iqbal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born in United Kingdom · Nationality British — culture / media / television / motoring

Richard Hammond

Media and journalism Film, television and entertainment

Documented profile covering 7 controversies, including “2025–2026: Two speeding offences in a Porsche and Bentley — guilty pleas, seven points and fines” and “2017: Rimac Concept One crash in Hemberg — sanction against hill-climb organisers”.

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Profile No. 2113 · Updated on 12 October 2026

7Documented controversies

11Sources

1 followed by a conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

December 2025–28 July 2026

2025–2026: Two speeding offences in a Porsche and Bentley — guilty pleas, seven points and fines

Conviction

Hammond pleads guilty to two speeding offences committed in December 2025: 68 mph on a stretch limited to 50 mph and then 82 mph on a stretch limited to 70 mph. In July 2026, he receives a total of seven penalty points, with fines and costs reported as £1,771.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
The GuardianRichard Hammond fined for speeding in Porsche and BentleyPressHigh reliability
[2]
Sky NewsFormer Top Gear host Richard Hammond fined for speedingPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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June–August 2017

2017: Rimac Concept One crash in Hemberg — sanction against hill-climb organisers

Civil / administrative proceedings

Hammond leaves the road in a Rimac Concept One after crossing the finish line of a demonstration hill climb in Hemberg; the car plunges down a slope and catches fire, while he suffers a fractured knee.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
Rimac AutomobiliAccident involving the Concept_One at Hemberg Hill Climb, SwitzerlandPrimary sourceVery high reliability
[2]
Motorsport.comSwiss hillclimb organisers fined over fiery Hammond crashPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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December 2016

2016: Remark linking eating ice cream to homosexuality — criticism from LGBT organisations and campaigners

No legal proceedings

On The Grand Tour, Hammond responds to a discussion about ice cream by saying that he does not eat it and that he is "straight", widely interpreted as a stereotype associating certain foods with homosexuality.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
The GuardianRichard Hammond under fire for 'ice cream is gay' jokePressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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March–July 2014

2014: Burma Special — Hammond's response to racial pun involving "slope"

Civil / administrative proceedings

After Clarkson remarks that there is "a slope" on a bridge as an Asian man crosses it, Hammond replies that it is indeed "higher on that side". Ofcom concludes that the sequence deliberately exploited the racist double meaning.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 2

[1]
OfcomOfcom Broadcast Bulletin 259 — Top Gear Burma SpecialRegulatory authorityVery high reliability
[2]
The GuardianTop Gear breached rules with racial term, Ofcom saysPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2013

2013: Speeding in France with Clarkson — temporary driving ban

Civil / administrative proceedings

Hammond and Clarkson receive penalties in France following a speed check during a sports-car journey associated with Top Gear. Retrospective sources report a temporary driving ban in France lasting approximately three months.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
The GuardianRichard Hammond fined for speeding in Porsche and BentleyPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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January–April 2011

2011: Anti-Mexican stereotypes — Hammond central to segment, diplomatic complaint and BBC apology

No legal proceedings

Hammond describes a Mexican car using a series of national stereotypes — "lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight" — in a Top Gear segment that prompts a formal complaint from the Mexican embassy.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
OfcomOfcom Broadcast Bulletin 179 — Top Gear MexicoRegulatory authorityVery high reliability
[2]
Embassy of Mexico in the United KingdomMexican Embassy complaint concerning Top Gear remarksPrimary sourceVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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September 2006–June 2007

2006–2007: High-speed Vampire crash — HSE investigation into Top Gear safety arrangements

No legal proceedings

Richard Hammond is seriously injured when a tyre on the Vampire jet car bursts at very high speed during a Top Gear shoot. The Health and Safety Executive investigates preparation, training, risk management and technical causes.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 2

[1]
Health and Safety ExecutiveInvestigation into the accident of Richard HammondOfficial documentVery high reliability
[2]
The GuardianHSE criticises Top Gear over Hammond crashPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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II. Constellation of documented links

Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
Line width: number of documented references
Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (1)

Jeremy Clarkson3 documented references

III. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.

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