Why it's trending
The story trended because of Hammond's fame as a former Top Gear presenter and the ironic nature of a car enthusiast being caught speeding. The details of police struggling to find him and his multiple luxury cars also attracted attention.
Former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has been fined £999 and given seven penalty points after being caught speeding twice in three weeks in Herefordshire while driving luxury cars. The 56-year-old pleaded guilty to two charges of speeding at Telford magistrates court last week, according to BBC, The Guardian, and ITVX.
All three sources confirm the details: Hammond was caught on 2 December 2025 driving his Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo at 68mph in a 50mph limit on the A40 in Pencraig, and on 22 December driving his Bentley Continental GT at 82mph in a 70mph limit on the A50 Rudhall Overbridge. Magistrate Ann Minton ordered him to pay a total of £1,771, comprising two fines of £333 and £666, £240 in costs, and victim surcharges of £532.
Police initially sent speeding tickets to a Grade II-listed castle Hammond bought in 2012 and a £1m farm estate near Hereford, but the letters were returned marked 'addressee gone away'. He was eventually tracked down to his £2m home near Abergavenny in Wales, where more than 30 vehicles are registered. Two additional charges of failing to identify himself as the driver were withdrawn after Hammond claimed he had posted a reply by First Class post.
Hammond, who hosted Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May from 2002 to 2015 before launching The Grand Tour on Amazon, has a history of speeding. He and Clarkson received a three-month driving ban in France in 2013 after being caught speeding while filming. Hammond also nearly died in a 320mph jet car crash in 2006. The court also noted he had been accused of another driving offence in August last year.
Timeline
- First speeding offence
Richard Hammond was caught by a police officer with a handheld speed camera driving his Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo at 68mph in a 50mph zone on the A40 in Pencraig, Herefordshire, just before 13:00 GMT.
- Second speeding offence
Hammond was clocked driving his Bentley Continental GT at 82mph in a 70mph limit on the A50 Rudhall Overbridge in Herefordshire at about 11:45 GMT.
- Sentencing
At Telford magistrates court, Hammond pleaded guilty to two speeding charges and was fined £999 plus costs and surcharges totaling £1,771, and given seven penalty points on his licence.
Questions people ask
What were the speeding charges against Richard Hammond?
He was charged with two counts of speeding: one for driving his Porsche Taycan at 68mph in a 50mph zone on 2 December 2025, and another for driving his Bentley Continental GT at 82mph in a 70mph zone on 22 December 2025.
How much was Richard Hammond fined?
He was fined a total of £999 (two fines of £333 and £666), plus £240 in costs and £532 in victim surcharges, making a total of £1,771.
Did Richard Hammond have any prior speeding offenses?
Yes, he and Jeremy Clarkson received a three-month driving ban in France in 2013 for speeding while filming Top Gear. He also had another driving offence alleged in August 2025, but details are not specified in the sources.
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