Nic Hamilton, born with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, made history as the first disabled driver in the British Touring Car Championship. Inspired by his brother Lewis Hamilton's racing career, he has partnered with Monster Energy for over a decade.
Key points
Nic Hamilton has spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.
He is the first disabled driver in the British Touring Car Championship.
Nic is the brother of seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton.
He has partnered with Monster Energy for over a decade.
Mentioned in this story
Nic HamiltonLewis HamiltonMonster Energy
British Touring Car Championship
Nic Hamilton.Credit: Monster Energy
Nic Hamilton.
Credit: Monster Energy
NEED TO KNOW
Nic Hamilton grew up watching his older brother, Lewis Hamilton, develop the racing skills that would eventually earn him seven Formula One championship titles
At birth, Nic was diagnosed with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, which causes extreme tightness around and below his pelvis, though he did not let his disability keep him from a career in motorsports
In 2015, he became the first disabled driver to compete in the British Touring Car Championship, and he's maintained a partnership with Monster Energy for over 10 years
Before Nic Hamilton knew much about the world, he knew about racing.
He was only a few months old when his older half-brother, Lewis Hamilton, got into motorsports around the age of 8. Their family traveled around the United Kingdom watching Lewis, now 41, develop a skillset that would one day earn him seven Formula One championship titles.
Nic may be seven years younger, but he never questioned his sibling's passion for the sport. He recognized the same thrill of the race, and he knew he wanted to follow in Lewis' tracks. For a while, the only thing Nic struggled to comprehend was the part of him that stood out most from other drivers: he was born with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.
Nic Hamilton.Credit: Monster Energy
Nic Hamilton.
Credit: Monster Energy
"My parents tried to do their best to bring me up where I was pushed to overcome the disability as much as I could. So I was just trying to understand, as a young kid, where my position in the world is," Nic, now 34, tells PEOPLE.
Q&A
What disability does Nic Hamilton have?
Nic Hamilton has spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, which causes extreme tightness around and below his pelvis.
When did Nic Hamilton compete in the British Touring Car Championship?
Nic Hamilton became the first disabled driver to compete in the British Touring Car Championship in 2015.
How is Nic Hamilton related to Lewis Hamilton?
Nic Hamilton is the younger brother of Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time Formula One champion.
What sponsorship has Nic Hamilton maintained for over 10 years?
Nic Hamilton has maintained a partnership with Monster Energy for over 10 years.
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Today, he's come quite a long way from the rocky start. The English driver has established his own place on the race track as a consistent competitor in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), one of the world's most prestigious and competitive series. He placed in the top six in 2023, his most successful season thus far, and he's maintained a partnership with Monster Energy for over 10 years.
His 2015 debut in the BTCC made motorsports history; he's the first disabled driver to race in the series, and throughout his first year competing, he realized the extent of that milestone's impact. However, he admits he didn't necessarily set out to become a beacon of representation in sports.
"Obviously, I can't get away from my disability. I can't shut it away. It's become part of my identity. It's not who I am, but it is for sure part of my identity," he reflects. "When you see Nic Hamilton, you see the disability — it's hard not to. So I never went into motorsport thinking, I just want to be another driver. I went into motorsport thinking, I want to drive cars."
Nic's spastic diplegia causes an extreme tightness in his muscles. The majority of his disability manifests from his pelvis downwards, making certain leg movements difficult. He isn't able to flex his ankles, and his knee joints are only partially functional. He struggles with balance and walking on uneven surfaces, since he's not able to pick up his feet easily enough to avoid tripping.
No matter how much his disability impacted his daily routine, Nic notes that his parents never coddled him. They never worried for his safety, at least no more than they worried for Lewis' as well. Nic attended a secondary school where he was the only disabled kid. He became accustomed to making his own way through an able-bodied world.
Nic Hamilton.Credit: Monster Energy
Nic Hamilton.
Credit: Monster Energy
Today, he's extremely grateful for his parents' refusal to treat him differently, especially now that Nic is a professional motorsports competitor. There's no disabled racing championship, and even if there was, he says he wouldn't choose to be a part of it.
"Not because I see it as a negative," he tells PEOPLE. "I know nothing else other than my disability, but all I know is dealing with it in the best way that I can. If there was an easier path and an easier route, I would never take it, because I always feel that the best way of self-growth is by putting yourself out of your comfort zone."
Nic does appreciate his professional accomplishments even more in light of the fact that he's racing against able-bodied drivers.
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"I always [classify] that I'm a Paralympian in the Olympics almost," says Nic. "I realized over time [that] I stand for a lot more than just a single result in a race. It's taken me a while to realize that. I champion so many different people, so many different purposes and beliefs within the sport."
He continues, "I feel like every day I get in the car is an achievement, but I don't want to just be there to make up the numbers. I also want to be someone that has achieved to beat able-bodied people at their own game, and I've done it, but I've still got more to do."
