Note, also, that he said between V1 and takeoff. If the plane in front has passed V1 it would take something pretty catastrophic for it not to take off. (On the other hand, there is that video, I think from a former Russian republic, where a pilot rejected a takeoff after V1. He deliberately crashed the plane and immediately punched out. It was the right choice--better to crash into the runway than the apartment building he would otherwise have hit.)