They say old habits die hard. In the case of James May and Richard Hammond, it seems those habits are physically impossible to kill – they just keep rising from the grave like automotive zombies, hungry for the taste of ridiculous car vs. something-else challenges. In a new video for DriveTribe, the YouTube channel that refuses to die despite every automotive media outlet around it collapsing, the two former Top Gear hosts have essentially created a Top Gear film – without the Top Gear name, without the BBC's money, and without the curly-haired one who can't seem to stop getting his farms into planning disputes. The premise is gloriously familiar: a race from point A to point B, with one host in a ludicrously powerful car and the other in an aircraft that should, in theory, be faster. This time, Hammond is behind the wheel of a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT – an electric hypersedan that can produce up to 1,092 horsepower for brief moments when using launch control – while May is playing passenger in a Pipistrel electric airplane.They're racing from Henstridge Airfield to the old Top Gear test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome, a journey that should take about two hours by road. It's classic Top Gear stuff – the kind of format that the show perfected over its golden years and that The Grand Tour continued with mixed results. The kind of thing that Hammond, May, and Clarkson could probably do in their sleep by now. The Taycan Turbo GT is a properly serious bit of kit – not only can it briefly punch out that headline 1,092 horsepower figure, but it also makes a regular 777 horsepower and a monumental 988 pound-feet of torque during normal operation. With the optional Weissach package, it can hit 190 miles per hour, though Hammond had precisely zero chance of reaching that on the UK's crowded B-roads, which are typically occupied by tractors, caravans, and elderly drivers who consider 40 mph to be the speed of sound. On paper, the Pipistrel airplane should wipe the floor with the Taycan. Aircraft typically travel at several hundred miles per hour, and they don't have to deal with traffic lights, roundabouts, or caravans being towed by retirees named Gerald. But there's a catch – because this is an electric airplane, its range is severely limited, requiring May to land and charge the battery during the journey. This mandatory pit stop was enough to give Hammond the advantage, allowing the Porsche to claim victory. May's excessive confidence during a lunch break might have also contributed to his defeat, but the result hardly matters. What matters is that watching these two engage in their familiar competitive banter feels like slipping on a comfortable old pair of shoes – the kind that should have been thrown out years ago but that you just can't bear to part with. What's striking about this video isn't the concept or even the execution, but the fact that Hammond and May are essentially recreating what made them famous in the first place, just without the massive BBC budget or the global platform. It's like watching your favorite band that split up years ago reunite for a small pub gig – they're playing all the hits, but in a more intimate, stripped-down setting. The chemistry between the two remains as genuine as ever. Hammond still has that eager puppy energy, like he's perpetually 12 years old and just discovered that cars go vroom. May still approaches everything with the meticulous precision of someone assembling a ship in a bottle while wearing oven mitts. Their dynamic hasn't changed a bit, and that's precisely what makes this content so watchable.There's something comforting about the fact that, even as the automotive world changes dramatically around them – with electric vehicles, autonomous driving technology, and the looming death of the internal combustion engine – these two are still doing exactly what they've always done: messing about with vehicles in increasingly silly ways. What's particularly notable is that they're embracing the electric future in this challenge. The Taycan represents the cutting edge of electric performance cars, while the Pipistrel is one of the few viable electric aircraft currently available. They could have easily stuck with traditional petrol-powered vehicles for this race, but instead, they're bringing their familiar format into the current automotive landscape. This adaptability has always been one of their strengths. Throughout their time on Top Gear and later on The Grand Tour, Hammond, May, and Clarkson managed to evolve their content while maintaining what made it special in the first place. They could make a film about testing the latest Ferrari, or they could drive three bangers across Botswana, and both would be equally entertaining. Without the restraints of the BBC or the pressures of Amazon Prime deadlines, Hammond and May seem to be enjoying a newfound freedom to simply do what they do best. The DriveTribe platform, which was founded by the trio along with producer Andy Wilman, allows them to create content on their own terms, free from network interference or scheduling demands. It's hard not to feel a twinge of nostalgia watching this video. For many viewers who grew up with Top Gear, Hammond, May, and Clarkson were the automotive equivalent of rock stars. They made cars cool in a way that no motoring show had managed before, turning automotive entertainment into a global phenomenon. Seeing two-thirds of that iconic trio still doing their thing, even on a smaller scale, is like catching up with old friends. So yes, James May and Richard Hammond are just doing Top Gear stuff now. And thank goodness for that. In a world where automotive media is increasingly dominated by clickbait headlines and sponsored content, there's something refreshingly honest about these two middle-aged men still finding new ways to race each other using different modes of transport. The fact that millions of people still want to watch it speaks volumes about the timeless appeal of their approach. It's not about the specifications or the lap times or even the vehicles themselves – it's about the joy of watching two friends compete in increasingly ridiculous challenges while taking the mick out of each other at every opportunity. Long may it continue. And if Clarkson wants to join them once he's done shouting at tractors, even better.
