Dramatic moment Richard Hammond's supercar spins off hillside before bursting into flames

Jonathan Mitchell11 June 2017
The Weekender

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This is the terrifying moment former Top Gear host Richard Hammond crashed off a road before flipping a £2million supercar that burst into flames.

The 47-year-old TV star was filming an episode of Amazon TV show The Grand Tour when he lost control of the car, smashing through a barrier and sending it plummeting down a hillside.

He was found lying on the ground near the Rimac Concept One electric car, having scrambled free just moments before it burst into flames.

Mr Hammond was airlifted to hospital after the crash in a Swiss mountain race on Saturday, where he is still being treated.

Crash: Richard Hammond's supercar burnt out following the crash 
AP

Footage of the smash has been published which shows Mr Hammond speeding towards the corner.

As he approaches, the presenter loses control of the rear and the car crashes through the barrier.

His co-hosts Jeremy Clarkson and James May ran to help him after the car burst into flames, with Mr Clarkson describing the crash as the “most frightening” he has ever seen.

An image taken from video shows the car crashing into a fence on the side of the road
AP

Producer Andy Wilman told the Sunday Mirror: “Jeremy and James both raced down to the scene of the crash as soon as it happened.

“When they saw the wreckage on fire they thought Richard was dead. It was really bad.

"If Richard had been a few seconds slower getting out, he would have been incinerated.”

Richard Hammond has reportedly been airlifted to hospital
Getty Images

A spokesman for The Grand Tour said: "Richard Hammond was involved in a serious crash after completing the Hemburg Hill Climb in Switzerland in a Rimac Concept One, an electric super car built in Croatia, during filming for The Grand Tour Season 2 on Amazon Prime, but very fortunately suffered no serious injury.

"Richard was conscious and talking, and climbed out of the car himself before the vehicle burst into flames.

"He was flown by Air Ambulance to hospital in St Gallen to be checked over, revealing a fracture to his knee.”

It comes 11 years after Hammond suffered life-threatening head injuries following a high-speed crash as he filmed for BBC's Top Gear in 2006.

The presenter was in a coma for two weeks following the 288mph accident, but made a full recovery.

A statement from the organisers of the Bergrennen, which translates as mountain race, said: "On Saturday, an accident took place at the Bergrennen Hemberg in a demonstration run between the training courses.

"The vehicle left the track and landed in the meadow."

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