The 36-year-old is in a serious but stable condition at Leeds General Infirmary, where friends and family are keeping a bedside vigil following Wednesday’s accident at Elvington airfield near York.

Hammond was airlifted to hospital after the record-breaking Vampire dragster veered off the runway, flipped over several times and crashed on to grass. Doctors said Hammond’s injury gave them "cause for concern" but added that they were "reasonably optimistic" he would make a good recovery.

Hammond’s brother, speaking to reporters at the hospital in Leeds, was also upbeat about the father-of-two’s progress. He said: "He’s making a bit of good progress. Both his brothers are here and his wife. The doctors are very pleased."

The update on Hammond’s condition came as a source working on Top Gear claimed crew members had general health and safety concerns about the show. Broadcastnow, a website for the television and radio industry, reported the source as suggesting the worries were due to be raised at a production meeting.

"People working on the show have been really concerned about health and safety and having to work from dawn until dusk," the source told Broadcastnow.

But a BBC spokesman said: "All BBC programmes, including Top Gear, take health and safety extremely seriously. This meeting was not called for health and safety reasons and Broadcastnow is not saying that it was. If people were going to raise health and safety issues at this meeting it is the first we have heard of it."

Meanwhile, Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson paid tribute to Hammond as he visited him in Leeds with co-presenter James May, saying: "Obviously at this time both he and his family are the most important concerns we have. It must be devastating for his wife Mindy and his two utterly adorable children.

"I would just like to say how heartened Richard will be when I tell him just how many motorists and truck drivers on my way here wound down their windows to say they were rooting for him. Both James and I are looking forward to getting our ’Hamster’ back."

Police and safety experts have launched an investigation into the crash, which happened after Hammond had been driving at speeds close to 300mph as part of filming. May was originally due to drive the Vampire for the programme, but switched places with his colleague ahead of the event.

Hammond stable after dragster crash - Sept 21, 2020
Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond is stable in hospital after he was involved in a high-speed car crash while filming for the programme. Hammond, 36, was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary after the "rocket-powered dragster" he was in crashed at Elvington airfield, near York.

A former firefighter who was one of the first on the scene following the crash said Hammond had been travelling at speeds close to 300mph before the accident.

Dave Ogden, who runs private firm Event Fire Services, said the crash had happened on the last "run" of the day.

Mr Ogden was helping to provide emergency cover at the airfield in case of an accident when he saw the crash.

He said he felt for a pulse and heard Hammond, who was unconscious, breathing before the emergency crews worked together to turn the car the right way up.

A hospital spokesman said Hammond, who is being treated in a neurological unit, was now in a "stable" condition.

Hammond, who often drives high-performance cars as part of presenting Top Gear, was born in Birmingham but lives just outside Cheltenham with his wife Amanda and two children.

Former Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson said one of Hammond’s best qualities was that he had "no fear".