What could go wrong?

I literally yelled outloud NO! Why did he stop! Why touch the brakes?

The wake may have been high enough to get in the intake, the engine could hydrolock sure, but he coulda made it through.

Then on the other side he coulda pulled the spark plugs, run the starter to get the water out and drove to the shop.

Or most importantly, he could've put the car in reverse and not gone through the most famous river fording in the UK. There are THREE signs warning of a flooded crossing for a kilometer BEFORE the fording. JFC what a moron.

Put it in a bag if rice

Ahem, no ego was damaged while filming this.

What was he looking for when he opened the hood?

Good riddance to the motor if water got into the air intake.

The oddest bit to me is that he seems to still be going at least somewhat when he decides to brake, in the middle of the flooding, to come to a halt.

Shoulda gotten a Lotus Espirit for that.

Yep a vantage car, not a avantage