British teenage racer Billy Monger got back behind the wheel yesterday just two months and three weeks after sustaining serious injuries in a collision with a stationary car during a race in April.
Both of Monger's lower legs had to be amputated following the incident at Donington race track in Leicestershire on April 16th, 2017.
In an interview with the BBC, the youngster, who races with Derbyshire team JHR development, said, "It's been really good just to get back behind the wheel".
Yesterday Monger drove a specially adapted car thanks to the support from Team Brit, a racing team of physically impaired drivers, most of whom are current or ex-members of the military.
Though further challenges lie ahead, he is determined to return to competitive racing.
"There's a lot of work involved in what's going on with my own rehabilitation, but that's all going well, so hopefully we'll be back out on track soon," he says.
His determination drew praise from senior racers, with Mexican driver Sergio Perez and current Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg tweeting their support.
Great inspiration man! 👍 https://t.co/2dAaaad78e
— Sergio Pérez (@SChecoPerez) July 4, 2017
I'm deeply impressed by you Billy https://t.co/Wrmd5qmoYA
— Nico Rosberg (@nico_rosberg) July 4, 2017
Monger, however, is keen to thank those who have rallied around him in the past few months.
"People keep saying I'm the inspiration, but I think all these people coming together to support someone who has gone through an accident like this, they're the true inspiration," he says.
The now eighteen-year-old, who drives in Formula 4 (the grade for junior drivers), is a two-time British champion of the sport in a career spanning over a decade to date.
So far a crowdfunding page has raised £825,792 towards his rehabilitation, far surpassing its original goal of £260,000.
Accidents are not uncommon in motorsport and there have been a number of injuries including fatalities in during races in recent years. During the 2014 Grand Prix in Japan, French Formula 1 driver Jules Bianchi collided with another vehicle sustaining serious injuries, and died a few months later as a result.
Motorsport remains extremely popular, with Forbes estimating the Formula 1 series to be worth $8 billion.
