Nicolas Hamilton has been breaking barriers since his early childhood when he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at just 18 months old. Cerebral palsy has affected his muscle movement and control in the lower part of his body.
That did not stop him from his big dreams, though, as he continues to strive and race through his pains to keep up with his dreams and successful career as a British race car driver.
After seeing his half-brother, Lewis Hamilton, have major success on the race track, Nicolas Hamilton knew he wanted to follow in his footsteps to motorsports. It took countless hours and tireless determination, but Hamilton went from being a wheelchair user to walking on his feet, unaided, by the age of 17.
Through this, he made his motorsports debut using a modified car in the competitive Renault Clio Cup in 2011 at the age of 19, with no previous motorsports experience.
Though finishing last in the race, his debut attracted much attention from the media due to his determination and heart-warming story. So much so that his first season of racing became the subject of a BBC documentary called Racing with the Hamiltons: Nic in the Driving Seat.
After his first race, Hamilton continued to prove himself within the sport and among his able-bodied competitors, moving up to the European Touring Car Cup for the 2013 season.
In 2015, he became the first disabled driver to compete in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) when he raced for Motorbase Performance.
His journey in motorsports certainly didn’t stop there. In 2019, he made a return to the BTCC series for the Motorbase Performance team.
Within the BTCC series, Hamilton has achieved great things and proved to the world that a person can push themselves further regardless of their situation.
In 2020, during round two of the championship, he scored his first ever point in the league, finishing 15th in the race. Then in 2023, Hamilton scored sixth out of 27, a career best finish that further raised the bar and sparked more inspiration.
“To come across the line with that result, after everything I’ve been through–best day of my life,” Hamilton said to The Times after his finish.
Hamilton continues to push himself to further achieve his goals within British motorsports and prove that his disability won’t prevent him from a successful motorsports career. He wants to inspire other disabled and able-bodied people everywhere to pursue and fight for their dreams no matter their situation.
As a part of his outreach to others, he frequently travels, using his voice as a motivational speaker, which he believes can be a powerful tool. He’s focused on spreading his story, his struggles and the challenges he overcame to the world.
“I cannot explain enough how much Nicolas and the story he shared inspired, moved, and touched everyone in the room,” Siteimprove commented on Hamilton’s online testimonial
Hamilton’s life has been filled with struggles, but his grit has brought him triumphs and fulfilled dreams. He is now working to speak to others on how they can get past their barriers and make their dreams a reality, too.
