Billy Monger
“I don’t like to use ‘I can’t’. I don’t look at my disability as a negative thing.”
Who Am I?
Billy Monger is a racing driver and TV personality born in Surrey, England. He grew up in Charlwood with his little sister Bonny. At the age of 6, his parents gave him his first go-kart – his father having been a former kart racer. His passion for racing only grew and in 2016, Billy joined the F4 British Championship with team JHR Developments, where he took three podiums and finished twelfth.
What Am I Known For?
Billy earned the nickname ‘Billy Whizz’ from the comic The Beano and was doing extremely well in his racing career. However, sadly, just weeks before his eighteenth birthday, he was involved in a very serious accident that almost took his life. As a result, both of his legs had to be amputated. Much admired by his teammates and colleagues for his great spirit, many well-known racing drivers started a JustGiving page for Billy and raised more than GBP500k, which was used towards Billy’s recovery and care.
His optimism and positive outlook on life saw him overcome huge obstacles and return to racing in late 2017. He and his family were successful in appealing to the FIA to alter their regulations and allow disabled drivers to race in modified vehicles. He joined racing team Carlin and has adapted extremely well to his new situation, learning to drive with his prosthetics and using adapted controls.
In 2018, Billy was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for his incredible resilience in overcoming the adversities he was faced with. His enduring resilience sees him continually set himself new challenges. He has participated in ‘Billy’s Big Challenge’, which saw him cover 230km by walking, kayaking and cycling in 2021, raising over GBP3m for Comic Relief. He also participated in Celebrity Race Across The World in 2023, with his sister Bonny.
How About You?
Think of a time when you felt like giving up but had to push yourself beyond what you thought you were capable of. How did you do it?
Having a positive outlook on life is important. Write down the things you dream about doing and make a mind map of what you need to do to achieve your goals.
Other Amazing People (you can find on the website)
Abebe Bikila was a famous athlete and Olympic champion who was left paralysed following a car accident. He went on to adapt to his situation and took part in many sporting activities. You can read his inspiring story on our website.
Other Useful Resources (available on the website)
Our Amazing People with Disabilities resource features many amazing people who had to overcome difficult situations to achieve their goals. Subscribers can find this helpful resource by logging in and going to the Search page. If you are not a subscriber, you can access this resource, and many more, by starting a free trial.
Image courtesy of @billymongerracing via Instagram