A racing driver from Stevenage has won a national award after becoming the first disabled driver ever to race in Britain’s premier motorsport series.
Last night, Nicolas Hamilton was one of 10 winners of the Variety Club Disability Sports Awards 2023 - the UK's only annual sports awards for people with disabilities.
Hosted by Variety, the Children's Charity, the inaugural awards recognised and celebrated the outstanding achievements of UK athletes with disabilities, as well as clubs who have helped to make the sporting world a more diverse and inclusive place.
Nicolas won the Sports Icon Award, having been nominated by Motorsport UK.
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The 31-year-old, who is the half brother of Formula 1's Lewis Hamilton, lives with cerebral palsy and pushes himself to the limits in the British Touring Car Championship.
When Nicolas made his graduation to the championship in 2015, he made history as the first disabled driver ever to race in Britain’s premier motorsport series.
He said: "To win the award for sports icon tonight is pretty surreal, if I’m honest. To be here amongst so many amazing disabled people, and to be recognised for my achievements, is a dream come true.
"I’m trying to showcase my purpose through motorsport by inspiring as many people as I can, so I’m really grateful to be here and to be walking away with an award."
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Variety, the Children’s Charity provides practical support to disabled and disadvantaged children.
Tushar Prabhu, the charity's trustee and awards organiser, said: "It was a joy to celebrate so many accomplished athletes with disabilities, and to see the efforts that clubs and centres across the country are making when it comes to improving inclusivity.
"We should feel very proud of the achievements that have been made in recent years to make UK sports more diverse and inclusive, but more work still needs to be done, and so we hope the awards inspire and encourage others to make strides in this area.
"A huge congratulations to all our amazing nominees and winners. You are truly exceptional, and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you."
