Richard Hammond Fined for Speeding in Porsche and Bentley 2026

Richard Hammond, the former Top Gear host, has been fined £999 for speeding in his Porsche and Bentley. The 56-year-old celebrity pleaded guilty to two charges of speeding, adding seven penalty points to his license. A court in Telford ordered him to pay a total of £1,771, including fines, costs, and surcharges.

Speeding Incidents and Penalties

The first incident occurred on December 2 last year. Hammond was driving his Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo at 68mph in a 50mph zone on the A40 in Pencraig, Herefordshire. Just 20 days later, on December 22, he was caught driving his Bentley Continental GT at 82mph in a 70mph limit on the A50 Rudhall overbridge. Both offences were recorded by West Mercia police using speed cameras.

Legal Troubles and Court Proceedings

Hammond, nicknamed “The Hamster” by his Top Gear co-stars, initially avoided police contact. Speeding tickets sent to his Herefordshire castle and a farm estate were returned as “addressee gone away.” Officers eventually tracked him down to his £2m mansion near Abergavenny, where more than 30 vehicles are registered. In court, Magistrate Ann Minton imposed two fines of £333 and £666, plus £240 in costs and £532 in victim surcharges.

This is not Hammond’s first brush with speed-related legal issues. In 2013, he and Jeremy Clarkson received a three-month driving ban in France after being caught speeding while filming a Top Gear episode. Hammond also survived a harrowing 320mph jet car crash in 2006 that nearly killed him. Despite these experiences, his latest offences show a continued pattern of high‑speed driving in luxury automobiles.

Key Takeaways

• Richard Hammond was fined £999 for two speeding incidents within three weeks.
• He drove a Porsche at 68mph in a 50mph zone and a Bentley at 82mph in a 70mph zone.
• Seven penalty points were added to his license, bringing his total court costs to £1,771.
• Police had difficulty locating him due to returned mail, eventually finding him at his Welsh mansion.
• Hammond has a history of speeding offences, including a 2013 ban in France.

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