Hamilton to join British Touring Car grid
Nicolas Hamilton, brother of F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, will race in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this season.
The 22-year-old, who was born with cerebral palsy, has previously raced in the Clio Cup in 2011 and 2012, and in the European Touring Car Cup. He'll make his BTCC debut driving an Audi A3 for Shaun Hollamby's AMD Tuning team.
Nick first announced his intention to become the BTCC's first disabled competitor on his website last summer, saying "Having raced in the Renault Clio Cup, which supports the BTCC at each round, I have always been impressed by the professionalism and competitive spirit of the series and the fantastic support shown by its fans.
"The thought of competing in the championship is really exciting and I would love the challenge of competing at this level."
"While I still feel I have a lot to learn in racing, I have always strived to push myself to achieve results and exceed my expectations, and I hope racing in the BTCC will prove just that," he added.
"My main ambition is not just to compete, but to inspire others to strive for their goals and to follow their dreams, regardless of their situation.
"Anyone can 'Exceed Expectations' in one way or another and I hope to prove that when I compete against, not just able-bodied drivers, but the best Touring Car drivers in the UK."
AMD Tuning, which is already running a Ford Focus for reigning Clio Cup champion Mike Bushell, acquired the Audi, and the second TBL entrants' licence, from Rotek Racing, which ran Robb Holland in the car last season.
Holland tweeted his support for Hamilton: