Charlwood racer Billy Monger inspires by winning first grand prix

On Sunday the speedster gained his first victory in a race since the fateful accident two years ago but winning the Pau Grand Prix.

The event was held in South West France and is part of the Euroformula Open Championship in which he races for Carlin.

He told BBC Radio: “I don’t like to use ‘I can’t’, I don’t look at my disability as a negative thing.

“I look at it as a challenge that I’ve got to overcome.”

“I lost my legs but not my daredevil spirit.”

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Nicknamed ‘Billy Whizz’ he became the first disabled driver to race a single-seater car and claimed his maiden British F3 pole position on his return to Donington Park in September 2018.

His courage in the face of adversity after his terrible accident at Donington Park in 2017 was recognised with the Helen Rollason Award for courage in the face of adversity at the BBC Sports Personality programme in December.

He said: “My accident was just over two years ago now and when I wasn’t racing I felt like I was missing out on so many other things that I enjoyed doing before,

“Getting back racing gave me the extra motivation in other areas to get back walking in my day to day life and just spurred me on.

“There are more challenges as an amputee than I had when I was racing with both my legs beforehand but it’s something I enjoy doing and something that is part of me.”

Monger competes at the next race in the championship in Hoffenheim, Germany, this weekend.