Lewis Hamilton’s half-brother, Nicolas, is also a racing driver. Doctors told him that his cerebral palsy meant he would never walk – but now he uses a specially-modified car to compete against against drivers who aren’t disabled:
Nicolas Hamilton grew up around the racetrack. But unlike his older half-brother Lewis, who is a six-time Formula One world champion, Nicolas never thought he'd get the chance to race competitively.
The younger Hamilton has cerebral palsy -- a disorder which affects around one in every 400 children in the UK and is the most common childhood motor disability, globally. "I didn't think I would have the opportunity to race," explains Hamilton, who is now 28, seven years younger than Lewis.The condition affects Hamilton's legs and balance, preventing him from being able to flex his ankles and use conventional foot pedals when driving.
How Nicolas Hamilton, brother of Lewis, overcame his disability to become a racing driver 03:29Made of carbon fiber, the hand clutch operates like a regular foot pedal, says Hamilton."When you release the clutch and you feel the bite point ... I just have that through my hands." To make the accelerator and brake pedals easier to use, they are extra-wide and positioned so that Hamilton does not need to fully extend his legs.
Read: Wearable tech helps this blind runner compete in ultramarathonsHe is currently the only disabled driver in the championship, racing against 30 able-bodied athletes at speeds of up to 130 miles per hour. This season, Hamilton came 15th in a race, scoring him one point."I'm the first disabled athlete to have done that," he says."Getting closer to the front of the grid, I want to get to the top 10, top five.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Lindsey Vonn Considered F1 Driving Career, Wouldn't Agree to Pregnancy RestrictionsLindsey Vonn says she seriously considered switching sports from downhill ski racing to Formula 1 racing ... but claims a policy about pregnancy prevented it from happening.
Read more »
What is disability insurance? Short vs long-term, cost, and who needs it - Business InsiderBusiness Insider is a fast-growing business site with deep financial, media, tech, and other industry verticals. Launched in 2007, the site is now the largest business news site on the web.
Read more »
Hillary Clinton's top aide says gender bias has improved slightly since 2016Jennifer Palmieri, Hillary Clinton's top campaign adviser, said today that she believes women continue to face double standards and gender bias when running for public office, but that things have gotten better since the candidate's 2016 run
Read more »
Lewis Capaldi shrugs off joining X-rated Only Fans because he has 'a wee c***'Lewis Capaldi has responded to suggestions that he could make £2million a month from posting content on the x-rated website. The singer had a hilarious comeback to the proposal
Read more »
Justice Department Sues Yale Claiming Admissions Discrimination Against Whites And Asian-AmericansYale relies on “damaging race-based stereotypes,” the lawsuit says.
Read more »
'RHONY' Hires Eboni K. Williams As First Black HousewifeEboni K. Williams will become the first Black 'Housewife' ever in New York.
Read more »