Richard Hammond In BMW M5 Touring Races Pro Golfer

Here’s a bizarre way to stage a race. Can Richard Hammond in a V10-powered BMW M5 wagon do two laps of the Aintree racing circuit quicker than a professional golfer can complete a hole in the course that’s part of the track’s infield? DriveTribe connects these very different things by putting Bridgestone tires on the M5 and using Bridgestone golf balls.

The V10-powered M5 wagon is special enough, but this one is even cooler because it has a six-speed manual gearbox rather than the seven-speed SMG. Hammond mentions this car has 518 horsepower (386 kW), but the stock output is 500 hp (373 kW). This suggests the vehicle might have some small powertrain tweaks, too.

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Golf is not usually a game that prioritizes speed, but Rick Shiels has to hurry to complete the hole as quickly as possible to beat Hammond. He starts off with a strong drive that goes around 270 yards. He sends the second shot to the left. The third hit lands on the green, and Shiels abandons all of his clubs except for the putter. Two more strokes are enough to put the ball in the hole.

Meanwhile, Hammond is lapping Aintree. The circuit has a long history, including hosting Formula One Grands Prix in 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961, and 1962. Today, there’s not much left of the course other than a wide stretch of tarmac. It looks like the BMW can carry quite a bit of speed around the course.

The ending is nearly a photo finish. Shiels manages to sink the putt just moments before Hammond comes to a stop.

This is a type of stunt that wouldn’t be out of place on an old episode of Top Gear with Hammond, May, and Clarkson as the hosts. In that version, the two co-hosts would probably be the ones golfing, though.