.
‘It was honestly hilarious. Hammond’s Aston endlessly breaking down was very funny. Listen, when we do these things, it is a laugh from start to finish’ (L-R: Richard, James and Jeremy)
‘It was a big laugh’, Jeremy said
The Grand Tour: Sand Job launches globally on 16th February on Prime Video
In their latest adventure, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, the hosts of the popular show “The Grand Tour”, travelled to the West African country of Mauritania. Their journey was meant to replicate one of the most dangerous races in the world, the iconic Paris-Dakar. However, instead of racing in customized Dakar racers, the three took on the challenge using second-hand cars that they modified themselves.
The trip was not an easy one. The trio had to navigate treacherous ravines and face unpredictable sandstorms, all while ensuring their cars could cope with the harsh conditions. They were even tasked with building unusual and ingenious devices to help their vehicles withstand the challenging terrain.
As if that wasn’t enough, when it came to fuel, they had to carry their own bowser, which they had to protect from being blown up. This added to the already difficult journey as they travelled across the Sahara Desert on the way to the Senegalese border.
To make matters even more challenging, the extreme heat of the Sahara Desert meant that the trio had to carry their own fuel and contend with extreme heat. Despite drinking large amounts of water, Jeremy noticed that he hadn’t needed to use the toilet for days. Hammond had the same experience, and both realized that the extreme heat had dehydrated them to the point that their bodies were not absorbing the fluids they were consuming.
When it came to the cars, Jeremy opted for a Jaguar F Type V6, Richard chose an Aston Martin Volante V12, while James bet on Italy with a Maserati.
The three started their journey in the northern part of Mauritania, in the “perilous Foreign Office Red Zone”, where their cars were delivered on the world’s longest iron ore train. From there, they headed into the Sahara, south for Senegal, and the famous finish line on the beach of Dakar.
Clarkson was so impressed with his Jaguar F Type V6 Supercharged VS that he decided to buy one for himself when he got home. He said that he was surprised by the strength of the car, as Jaguar traditionally has a reputation for making flimsy cars that fall to pieces.
Hammond and May did not fare as well with their choices, with Hammond’s Aston Martin breaking down repeatedly and May’s Maserati proving to be less durable than Jeremy’s Jaguar.
Despite the difficulties they faced, the trio managed to complete their journey, but viewers will see them face their biggest challenge yet in the final episode of the special, “The Grand Tour: Sand Job”, which is set to launch globally on 16th February on Prime Video.
Priyam Gera