The Heroes Proving that Disability is No Bar to Racing |
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Topics: British Motor Sports Association for the Disabled, Nicholas Hamilton, Aaron Morgan
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Will Hope
17 May 2017
Motor racing is often thought of as a sport for the able. It’s not that there is an intention to discriminate against those with a disability, but rather that it’s physically challenging and incredibly hard on even the fittest and most capable body.
This is a stance that those within the industry need to rethink, as some truly inspirational young men are now showing the world. From Aaron Morgan to Nicholas Hamilton, those who are currently claiming success behind the wheel should be a lesson to each of us.
And now, with the emergence of the British Motor Sports Association for the Disabled, it looks like we’re all about to learn what grit, determination, and a true passion for the sport can help motoring aficionadas to achieve…
The Role of the British Motor Sports Association for the Disabled
Let’s start by examining a truly incredible body: The British Motor Sports Association for the Disabled. Aimed at enabling drivers with disabilities to compete in all forms of motor racing, it’s opening the way for those who want to give the sport a go, and making sure that their true potential can be realised.
And what untapped potential there is! Here are just two of the inspirational drivers who are bringing their A game to the table.
Nicholas Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is quite possibly the most famous racing driver in the world right now. Winner of three World Championship titles and a truly phenomenal talent, it would be hard for any sibling of his to step out of his shadow and shine.
But Nicholas Hamilton has managed to do exactly that. The first ever disabled competitor to take part in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, he’s shown just what can be achieved within the sport by those who set their minds to it.
Finishing midfield during his first year in the Renault Clio Cup Series, he has now set his sights on the highly competitive Deutschen Tourenwagen Masters.
Aaron Morgan
Aaron Morgan is another inspiring figure. Left wheelchair-bound after breaking his spine aged 15, he is paralysed from the waist down, but that hasn’t stopped him from competing against the best of the best.
The youngest person ever to obtain a Motorsport Association National B Racing Licence, at the tender age of just 17, he has competed in a multitude of specially-adapted vehicles over the course of his career, with his overarching aim to inspire other young people with disabilities to push against the limits that society imposes on them.
An advocate for educating those who are struggling, he wants to spread awareness of the availability of specially-adapted vehicles from companies like Allied Mobility, to let them know that there are no bars to what they can do, whether it’s in their everyday lives or on a racing track.
With the example of these two inspirational young men to spur them on, let’s hope that the day soon comes when everyone within the motor racing sphere is able to compete on an equal footing.