For those who can’t wait another 8.25 hours, here’s the James May Top Gear trailer in high quality, once again thanks to danbarnesdavies.

We also have a high quality version of the Clarkson trailer that was previously posted in poor YouTube quality.

You can also download both trailers if you wish.

Clarkson and May have both written new articles at TopGear.com about Hammond. Both are very excellent reads and Clarkson even mentions some of the stuff coming up in this new season:

And in the series currently sitting on the shelves waiting for Richard to be better, we have tested tractors, built our own stretched limos, and repaired a stretch of road in Warwickshire.

Clarkson’s article can be found here and May’s article can be found here. I recommend you read both.

James May broke his wrist during a recent presentation of MPH’06 (a live Top Gear of sorts set on a stage). He wrote about it in an article in today’s Telegraph:

James May, the other bloke off Top Gear and co-host of this year’s MPH ‘06 live motoring theatre, was last night said to be “severely hacked off” in his local pub after sustaining a suspected fractured wrist in a high-speed supermarket trolley crash.

May, 43, was performing a live stunt for the MPH extravaganza, billed as “human 10-pin bowling”. In this, he attempted to guide a modified shopping trolley, fitted with rudimentary steering, into 10 giant rubber skittles on the opposite side of the stage after being propelled by his co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson, driving a low-powered G-Wiz electric city car.

However, in what the show’s script described as a “humorous twist”, and supposedly unbeknown to May, the G-Wiz was replaced at the last moment with a 480bhp Ford Shelby Mustang. Members of the audience, many of whom filmed the tragedy on mobile phone cameras, have reported that the trolley reached a speed of “almost 20mph” before it struck the skittles and toppled sideways in a rather pathetic way.

The best part of the article though is the Hammond bit:

Richard Hammond, who was involved in a similar accident involving a jet-powered trolley some weeks ago, and who claimed to present the popular Sunday-night TV show Songs of Praise with May and Clarkson, told reporters: “Riding around in a supermarket trolley is the sort of thing that drunken 22-year-old men on a stag night would do. Sadly, it’s the sort of thing we would do as well.” Half an hour later, he told them the same thing again.

However, within minutes of that paragraph being written, the real Richard Hammond rang this column and said, “I’ve heard about your trolley crash. That’s pathetic. I hope you’re not going to use it as an excuse to make some more cheap gags about my short-term memory loss, because it’s been greatly exaggerated and anyway, I’m better now.” Even after several hours he had not rung to repeat himself, so he might have a point, unless he simply forgot to call back.

Man I love James May.

Richard has trouble remembering what his last meal was or what he just read reports the Daily Express after interviewing James May. It’s pretty much expected and it’s unknown if it’s temporary or whatnot, but at least he’s doing okay otherwise and still has his long term memory.

But within 24 hours, he had improved. Within 48, he was out of danger. Five minutes ago, as I sat at my desk, bugger me if he didn’t ring me up and talk to me in a perfectly lucid, normal way. He was a bit confused, certainly, but it was Richard Hammond. Excellent.

More at the Telegraph.

The 36-year-old [Hammond] has now been moved out of the high dependency unit and onto a general ward, his family said.

Fellow Top Gear presenter James May said on Friday he believed the injured presenter was “perfectly intact” after the pair had had a conversation at his hospital bedside.

“I’m not a doctor but I am his mate and I believe that deep inside the Hammond I know is perfectly intact,” he said.

A statement from the BBC said: “It had been intended that the new series of Top Gear would begin on 8 October. Given the circumstances, it’s still too early to say when the series will return. Jeremy, James and the Top Gear team have been completely focussed on Richard and all that the wonderful staff of the Leeds General Infirmary have done for him.

“The priority for now must be ensuring Richard makes a full recovery, but we would not think of finalising plans for the next series without discussing it with everyone involved. When it is suitable, the team will do this and we will announce a new transmission date.”

Full article at BBC News.

The Daily Telegraph has a great article on James May and his comments after going to see Richard Hammond in the hospital.

“I was chuffed to see him and although he’s muttering, he seems much like the irritating little shit I know and love. Even when he can’t say much, he seemed to make as much sense as he does when he can talk normally.”

“Having seen him today I do believe Richard will make a full recovery from this awful crash and, when he’s back on his feet, I’m looking forward to going down to the pub with him.”