Izzy Hammond, daughter of former Top Gear star Richard, was involved in a serious crash as she raced in Formula E on Sunday.
Izzy, a popular journalist and YouTuber in the driving world, was taking part in the latest edition of Formula E Evo Sessions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
These are described as events when ‘some of the world’s most influential digital content creators and global personalities get behind the wheel of the GEN3 Evo’ as bosses attempt to expand the sport’s popularity.
The Evo Series first took place in Miami last year when former Man City star Sergio Aguero and Brooklyn Beckham were two of the 11 celebrities that got behind the wheel.
This time around Izzy, whose father became a hugely popular British TV personality through his presence on shows like Top Gear, The Grand Tour andTotal Wipeout, was involved, but things took a worrying turn in the main event of the day.
After a positive opening sector she went round into Turn 13, but she was unable to slow down her vehicle sufficiently before she crashed into a concrete wall after her wheels had screeched loudly.
The impact was heavy, with the damage to her car severe as one wheel came off along with a front wing, while debris could be seen all over the track.
Thankfully, Izzy was OK despite the hefty collision as she said on the team radio: ‘I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine.’
She later walked away from the incident with no reported injuries.
The crash into the concrete wall was believed to have around 45Gs (G-force) of impact, according to reports.
Onlookers were left shocked by what had gone on and her vehicle was later seen heavily damaged as it was transported away by a truck.
Izzy was competing alongside several other influencers at the event, including Joshua Larkin (TheBurntChip), William Lenney (WillNe), Arthur Frederick (ArthurTV), Ethan Payne (Behzinga), Vikram Singh Barn (Vikkstar), Max Klymenko, Stan Browney, Khaby Lame, JUCA and Emelia Hartford.
The crash was in stark contrast to earlier in the day during what appeared to be practice sessions, when Izzy had seemed to relish the experience.
However, at one point during her time on the track she could be heard to scream: ‘F***, this is scary!’
After the practice sessions she had posted a photo of herself on Instagram inside her car, with the caption: ‘THAT WAS WILD (CAR IS THE RIGHT WAY UP AND NOT ON FIRE).’
Explaining the premise of the Evo Sessions, Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds said: ‘The Evo Sessions are about bringing motorsport to places where it hasn’t been before. With a true competitive format, we are opening up Formula E to hundreds of millions of new fans – authentic, exciting and bold.
‘This year we have really stepped up our efforts to create an experience that will surely thrill the fans. There has never been anything like this in motorsport, and we are proud to be pioneers.’
Formula E’s Chief Marketing Officer Ellie Norman added: ‘This is what the future of sport looks like. Content creators are how the new generation of fans discover and connect with sport.
‘Evolving EVO to work with some of the world’s biggest content creators is critical to our growth strategy and will allow us to reach new audiences and bring new fans into Formula E, as we strive to become the defining youth culture of motorsport.’
Meanwhile, Izzy is one of Richard’s two daughters from his relationship with former wife Mindy, who he split from in January last year.
After graduating from the University of Bristol with a BA in English in 2023, she has become an increasingly prominent voice in the driving landscape as a journalist and YouTuber – and she regularly appears alongside her father across various ventures.
Back in 2023, she joined DriveTribe, a social networking platform founded by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Hammond as a hub for automotive content.
Izzy – who has 279,000 followers on Instagram – has been described as a ‘cherished presenter’ who brings a ‘fresh perspective’ to the motoring world by the channel.
She has also appeared on her dad’s Who We Are Now podcast, a show that focuses on personal growth, masculinity and mental health.
Richard was famously involved in a serious crash while filming a stunt for Top Gear in 2006, with the incident almost causing the show to be scrapped.
The 56-year-old nearly died when one of the tyres on his Vampire jet car blew while he was travelling at 320mph, causing it to spin out of control and crash, flipping it upside down and leaving him with serious head injuries that put him in a coma for two weeks.
He later said he had ‘survivor’s guilt’ and that he had begged senior producers to carry out the stunt.
Reflecting on the crash in 2024, former Top Gear producer Andy Wilman said: ‘Richard’s first big crash was a real wake up.
‘Because I remember driving up the M1 and thinking: F***, it’s a TV show, and I had just rung the hospital and they went: “He’s in intensive care and we don’t know if he’s going to make it”.
‘You’re like: We’ve done everything … you’re not thinking about who’s to blame or anything like that, because everything was in place.
‘But you think: He’s got a wife and two children. What are we doing?
‘It was the fear and the helplessness, obviously, because they (the hospital staff) won’t tell you any more on the phone, give you any details, and you’re stuck in traffic, and you’re panicking, and you’re thinking: What’s the point of what we do? What is the point?
‘We did have a good chat about this, me, Jeremy and the others. Our dysfunctional family sorted itself out.’
