Lewis Hamilton is arguably the greatest driver in F1 with 103 wins and 7 championships. One must wonder whether his brother is also a racing legend. After all, it makes sense for the brothers to look up to each other and follow the same passion. And while Nicolas Hamilton might not have competed alongside his brother in Formula 1, he indeed is a racing driver. 

Nicolas Carl Hamilton is Lewis Hamilton’s half-brother from the paternal side. Lewis’ father Anthony Hamilton split with his then-wife Carmen Larbalestier when the 7x champ was just 2 years old. Anthony went on to get remarried to Linda, who then gave birth to Nicholas. He was born on the 28th of March, 1992 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England. Unfortunately, Nicolas Hamilton was born with Cerebral Palsy. 

Nonetheless, this didn’t stop Lewis Hamilton’s brother from making it onto the racing scene as he fought all the odds. Let’s have a look at how Nicolas Hamilton overcame this handicap and went racing.

Nicolas Hamilton’s disorder and overcoming it

Nicolas Hamilton was unfortunate to have been born with Cerebral Palsy. It is a disorder that leads to weak and/or stiff muscles, tremors, poor coordination, and problems with sensory organs. As a result of the disorder, the Brit had to stay in his wheelchair until the age of 17. However, that did not stop him from supporting his brother and cheering him on as he conquered the karting and lower Formula championships. 

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While being in a wheelchair was shattering for Nicolas Hamilton’s confidence, who always wanted to race, it became a possibility later on in life. After multiple operations and intense physiotherapy sessions, Lewis’ brother was able to get out of the wheelchair. Already seeing his brother succeed in motorsports, Nicolas took up karting and began his racing journey. However, racing wasn’t as simple and easy for Lewis Hamilton’s brother. 

Nicolas Hamilton’s racing career and special modifications to his racing car.

Most professional racing drivers usually begin karting at an early age. Nicolas Hamilton, in this case, had a disadvantage, as he was only able to start once he got out of the wheelchair. And that wasn’t the only challenge he had to face. Despite not being in the wheelchair anymore, the effects of Cerebral Palsy were still there as it affected his lower half, causing troubles with balance. As a result, Nicolas drives a specially modified car.

To help Nicolas with the handicap, a car with specially modified pedals was developed. The car has larger brake and accelerator pedals and is set up in a manner that the flexibility of the Brit’s legs and ankles is limited and not stretched beyond the limits. A special clutch was also optimized for Nicolas Hamilton. His car features a hand clutch on the steering wheel to help minimize the use of his legs during racing. All of this is equipped with a special seat developed as per the Brit’s needs.

Coming to Nicolas Hamilton’s procession racing career. It all began in 2011 when Lewis Hamilton’s brother was presented with the opportunity to race in the Renault Clio Cup with Total Control racing. He then moved to the European Touring Car Cup in 2013, followed by a move to the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in 2015. For 2017 and 2018, Nicolas moved to the Renault Clio Cup UK once again before coming back to the BTCC in 2019. He continues to race in the BTCC.

Regardless, the biggest moment in Nicolas Hamilton’s racing career came this year at Donington Park on the 23rd of April, when he scored his career-best P6 in tricky conditions. The Brit drove for Go-Fix with the Autoaid Breakdown team as his family, including Lewis Hamilton, watched him secure a huge haul of points. Despite only being his half-brother, Lewis Hamilton shares a very special bond with his brother. 

Lewis Hamilton shares a special bond with his brother Nicolas Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has never held back from praising his little brother. The 38-year-old has called his brother as one of his inspirations multiple times. Nicolas Hamilton has also never been shy to praise his brother, as he recently revealed how Lewis Hamilton was one of the biggest reasons why he was able to get out of his wheelchair. And it isn’t because Lewis has supported Nicolas’ racing career financially. In fact, Nicolas never asked Lewis Hamilton for a single penny to fund his racing career.

Speaking about how Lewis Hamilton didn’t fund his racing career yet is one of his biggest motivations, Nicolas Hamilton said, “He’s still a massive reason why I’m as strong as I am and why I’m out of my wheelchair. I’m still his No 1 fan. Lewis and my dad [Anthony], he has been the anchor for the whole family.”

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Lewis, on the other hand, went undercover to see his brother finish P6 at Donington. Speaking about his brother at Donington, Lewis Hamilton said, “My brother, who I’m incredibly proud of, continues to be such a great voice. Every year he raises his own money. He’s racing in a series where there is no access for those who are disabled. He stands for so much. He is fighting to make up for the disability he has with his legs. It’s a continuous fight. He got sixth in the race. I was standing in the crowd – just watching as a fan. I was so excited, nobody knew I was there. I was just trying to support him.”