The former Top Gear presenter has become the majority owner of a classic automobile restoration business featured in a television programme, and details about his colleagues have now been made public.
Richard Hammond established The Smallest Cog, a workshop located in Hereford where vintage vehicles undergo complete renovation work.
The facility situated on the Retherwas industrial estate became the focus of a Discovery+ series titled Richard Hammond’s Workshop.
The broadcaster collaborated alongside Oxfordshire farmer Jeremy Clarkson and James May for BBC’s Top Gear before moving to Prime Video’s The Grand Tour, a partnership spanning 22 years that concluded in 2024.
An appearance at Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock has been scheduled, with the event commencing recently and continuing through Sunday, September 6, 2026.
In a previous statement, Hammond noted that Salon Privé ranks among his most anticipated occasions, citing the exceptional quality of vehicles on display, the unmatched backdrop of Blenheim Palace, and the genuine passion for automobiles shared by attendees.
Earlier this year, reports indicated that the workshop faced financial difficulties with liabilities amounting to approximately £700,000, according to The Sun newspaper.
It was reported that Hammond invested close to £600,000 of personal funds into the venture.
The team undertook chrome-plating work on Jeremy Clarkson’s vintage tractor, which now hangs in Clarkson’s Cotswolds establishment, The Farmer’s Dog, located in Asthall near Burford.
Filings submitted to Companies House have confirmed that Hammond, whose estimated total earnings are believed to reach £37m, holds a controlling interest in The Smallest Cog.
A submission titled New Nature of Control, linked to Hammond and submitted in December 2025, indicates that the individual possesses direct or indirect ownership of 75 percent or more of company shares, controls 75 percent or more of voting rights, and maintains the ability to appoint or dismiss a majority of the board of directors.
Hammond has now unveiled several key personnel working alongside him at The Smallest Cog.
The business presented Isaac Marriott under the designation Lanky Cog as the youngest team member.
According to the company, youth provides no immunity within the automotive industry.
His initial project involved refurbishing the family lawn mower engine at seven years old.
He subsequently secured an informal position at a local workshop where he observed mechanics and painters while discreetly using their equipment to restore his personal Ford Ka rally car.
Jamie Pockett holds the title Major Cog and serves as workshop manager for The Smallest Cog.
His background encompasses more than a quarter-century working within the motoring sector, with expertise spanning both economical and premium vehicles.
The company states that Pockett maintains rigorous standards with meticulous attention to quality, with objectives centred on guiding The Smallest Cog toward enhanced commercial performance.
Hammond adopts the moniker The Cog-Father and has disclosed that his enthusiasm for automobiles originated from his father, who was employed on the Jensen Interceptor assembly line in West Bromwich, situated in the Midlands region, during the 1970s.