Lewis Hamilton was at Brands Hatch yesterday to witness another remarkable chapter written into the family’s motor racing history as his brother Nic, who suffers from cerebral palsy, made his race debut.
Hamilton, the 2008 Formula One World Champion, made a 13,500 round-trip from Kuala Lumpur to Kent aware it was never going to be an easy afternoon for his kid brother.
Nic, 19, took the chequered flag 12th of the 13 finishers on his Renault Clio Cup bow having battled around the track at 130mph against drivers with vastly more experience.
“I know I have got a mountain to climb,” admitted Nic, given a little pep talk over lunch beforehand by his brother in a reversal of roles neither could have expected to happen.
“Lewis told me to just enjoy it. His main tip to me was that I should be a bit smoother, a bit calmer.
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“It is fantastic he has come back from Kuala Lumpur. He didn’t have to, but he did. I really appreciate everything he has done for me.
“To just drive into the pits to change my tryes and to see my brother there was a massive boost.
“When I was following Lewis around the F1 paddocks and watching him race I don’t think he or anybody in my family thought this would ever happen. But it has.
“It shows I can do it. I have my disability but I try my best not to see it as a disadvantage. I see it as an advantage instead. Without my disability I don’t think I would be the same person I am today.”
Lewis, 26, will watch Nic race again today before making the trip back to Malaysia for next Sunday’s grand prix, said: “It is a long way to come, but I had to be here to watch my kid brother’s debut.
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“This is a massive thing for him and the family. He has been such an inspiration to me the way he has just get on with things despite everything. It is fantastic that he is racing now.”
Nic only stepped into a race car for the first time last November and had driven the specially-adapted Total Control Racing car just six times before yesterday's debut.
The Herts-based driver finished the 23-lap race just over 26 seconds adrift of team-mate and race winner James Dixon, but is confident he can get quicker as the season progresses..
He added: “This is the absolute beginning of my career, but I hope to be racing for many years to come. This is a learning year, but I am getting faster every time I get into the car.”
Proud Dad Anthony, also at the track with Hamilton’s Mum, Linda, said: “It has been a lot of deep soul-searching on Nic’s behalf, on our behalf and it hasn’t just been a case of take money out of the bank and pay for it.
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“We pointed him in the right direction. but he had to get the sponsors. But this whole thing is not just about Nic. It is more about giving other people hope and inspiration.”