British Formula 4 racer Billy Monger has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support he received after a crash into a stationary car at Donington Park caused him to lose both legs. He’s spent the past three weeks including his 18th birthday recovering in the hospital, per ESPN. Now he vows to race again.
Monger appeared on BBC Breakfast, where he expressed his gratitude for the many notes of support (including those from Formula One world champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton) and the over $1 million he received from a crowdfunding campaign aimed at helping him cope with the injuries.
Formula One teams even added Monger’s fundraising hashtag #BillyWhizz (after Monger’s nickname) to their cars at the Russian Grand Prix, which Monger watched on from the hospital.
“All the support just makes me more determined to get back in the car and get racing again,” Monger told the Press Association, as quoted by ESPN. “That’s the goal.”
Steven Hunter, who heads up Monger’s JHR racing team, is even more confident that they can get Monger back in the car, telling ESPN:
The first part was the most traumatic thing any of us have been through, full stop.
With the help of everyone, he’s come on in leaps and bounds. It’s amazing to see the support he has had, not only in the hospital but also across the public, motorsport, mums and dads everywhere.
Motorsport works with both your hands and your head as well as your feet. You can always get away with losing some part of that.
He’s a very determined young man with a goal, and, at the end of the day, that goal is still there to be achieved and I’m sure it will be.
Fortunately, we’ve known of several amputees who’ve gone on to successful racing careers and even competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Monger was discharged from Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham Friday night, where he went to go have his first legal pint of beer at a nearby pub.