Richard Hammond speaks out on high speed crash and says he's always been a 'cautious' driver

Richard Hammond, who has been involved in a number of high-profile crashes, has said he has always been a “cautious” driver.

The television presenter, 49, said that, despite being a risk-taker, he was not “gung-ho” behind the wheel.

Hammond, 49, was left in a coma for two weeks with brain injuries after crashing a jet-powered car at Elvington airfield near York in 2006.

Speaking about driving, the Grand Tour star admitted that he has become more careful since starting a family.

He said: “"I'm 50 next year. I have two beautiful teenage daughters and a beautiful wife and I want to be there for them.

"This is a job, remember. I do my job to be with my family. That's why I work, therefore I wouldn't jeopardise the reason that I do it.

“I wouldn't risk not being there to see them. I think we all become a little more cautious perhaps."

In 2006 Hammond, 49, was left in a coma for two weeks and with brain injuries after crashing a jet-powered car at Elvington airfield near York.

He is set to return alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May in the third series of The Grand Tour.

He added: "I've never been gung-ho. Honestly, never have been.

“I'm naturally quite cautious. I'm a risk-taker and therefore I am cautious, if that makes sense?

“I fly helicopters, I've ridden motorcycles for 33 years, so I am naturally cautious. I'll look at a risk and think if it is worth taking.

“Are the odds reasonable and what can I mitigate against it going wrong? Then sometimes it does go wrong - either by your own mistake or beyond your own control.

"There are some circumstances, for a little bit after the brain injury crash where I rolled that car at 320mph, there was a while when I didn't like sitting at the edge of a runway or a straight drag race.”

The third series of The Grand Tour airs on Amazon Prime Video on January 18.