‘I’m still his No.1 fan’ – Lewis Hamilton’s brother makes motorsport return
Lewis Hamilton is not the only member of his family to make motorsport headlines by joining a new team in 2025.
Nicolas, the brother of seven-time F1 world champion Lewis, has announced his racing return after 20 months away from the grid.
The 32-year-old, who shares dad Anthony with his half-sibling, has forged a different path to the Ferrari superstar behind the wheel.
Nicolas – known by Nic – has overcome the challenges of Cerebral Palsy to compete at the highest level of British touring cars, the BTCC.
The younger Hamilton has now confirmed a comeback for Un-Limited Motorsport in a bid to inspire others to break barriers.
He said: "There is a place in motorsport for disabled people to feel valued and accepted in multiple roles within the sport, and I want to open people’s eyes to that.
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"I want to continue to prove that motorsport is for everyone and that racing can be a platform for opportunity and inclusivity.
"Un-Limited Motorsport and my partners believe in what I stand for, my talent, and my purpose. If I can be accepted, then so can others with a disability."
Nic Hamilton, who joins teammates Dexter Patterson and Max Hall, is the only driver in the series' history to compete with a disability.
His mission to raise awareness and inclusion hits particularly close to home following the trolling he endured during his first BTCC stint.
In April last year, Nic secured his best finish to date - sixth place at Donington Park in 2023 before his 18th month racing absence.
His result helped silence critics who said he was only driving because of his famous brother, who ironically was watching on while incognito.
“There’s people who still don’t believe me when I say that, but that is literally the situation.
“I’ve had a lot of online trolling and bullying where everyone says I’m only in BTCC because of Lewis. A lot of the criticism is unjust – I don’t deserve it. But to finally shut the critics up on 23 April was the best thing I could ever wish for. It was a load of relief and a lot of weight off my shoulders.
“When you’re slogging at it for so long, you feel like it’s not going to come. Every time you do something negative, you feel like you’re proving people right. So it was a telling day.”
Nic was born two months prematurely and spent his first six weeks in intensive care as the first of many battles throughout his life.
He was diagnosed with spastic diplegia at 18 months old and doctors predicted he would never be able to walk or run.
Nic was in a wheelchair when Lewis first raced in F1, but a painstaking process of strength training and physio helped him walk.
It was his older half-brother who encouraged him to pursue racing after noticing his skills on a simulator, and he made his debut in the Clio Cup in a modified car at 19.
He added: “Ever since I’ve started racing, it’s been hard because people compare me to Lewis and say I’m only there because he’s a multi-millionaire.
“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.
“But it’s been really hard being related to Lewis and trying to carve my own career in motorsport.”
Un-Limited was a new team for 2024, with Hamilton’s arrival representing a tripling in its size.
“He [Hamilton] is hugely determined to get back on the BTCC grid, and I’m proud that we could make it happen,” said team principal Bob Sharpless.
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“Nic is not just an incredibly well-known driver – he’s an inspiration worldwide. The fact that he’s put his trust in our team speaks volumes about how far we’ve come in such a short time.
“We’re excited to support him on this journey and can’t wait to see what we achieve together.”