Nicolas Hamilton

Nic was told as a child that he would never walk due to his cerebral palsy and would spend his life reliant on a wheelchair. Not one to be told he cannot do things, with determination and gruelling training he not only walked unaided, but he started to realise his dream: to be a racing driver. Now a regular in the British Touring Car Championship the pinnacle of British motorsport) his story and ‘anything is possible’ attitude inspires anyone and everyone that hears it. Nic Hamilton is a rising star of the British motorsport scene. In a notoriously competitive and tough sport, he has established himself as a potential future champion, an achievement in any context, but even more so for someone who was told as a child that he would never walk.

Born with Spastic Diplegia a form of cerebral palsy, which affects the movement of his leg muscles, Nic was initially a wheelchair user. He endured years of gruelling, painful training so that by the age of 17 he could walk completely unaided. A huge achievement in itself, but this was just the first part of his unwavering determination to become a racing driver.

Not one to be told what he can and cannot do on the basis of his condition, Nic earned a seat in the highly competitive Renault Clio Cup, the entry level to touring car competition and the gateway to motorsport for many future successful drivers. After a high-profile first season (partly due to his disability, partly due to his brother being Lewis Hamilton) Nic moved to the European Touring Car Cup. Sponsorship and financial issues in this most money-dependent of sports enforced a season’s break on him, but he returned to the track within a couple of years becoming the first disabled driver to compete in the British Touring Car Championship.

After a return back to the Clio Cup in 2018, Nic is now set on continuing his motorsport career, having secured a seat back in the British Touring Car Championship for 2019 and defying expectations with his ‘anything is possible’ attitude.

As well as racing Nic is focused on sharing his inspirational story and his belief that your ambition is limited only by your attitude. Delivered in his genuine, down-to-earth, friendly manner, he recounts his personal story of motivation and facing down challenges, as well the lessons in teamwork that his sport has instilled.

Keynote topics

Nic talks candidly about the many challenges he has faced throughout his life, and the mindset and techniques he has used to overcome them; and tailors his awe inspiring keynotes to include relevant lessons.  Examples of the keynote topics Nic covers include:

• Breaking Down Barriers
  Obstacles come in many forms and every individual or organisation experience challenging periods, but it is how you tackle these obstacles that matter. Nic talks candidly about how setbacks and a willingness to succeed can be used to build strength and resilience, and result in you becoming grateful for any difficulties faced.
• Goal Setting
  Goals must be set realistically, but do not have to be achieved immediately; they may take several years and attempts to finally accomplish and complete. Nic considers how by setting goals, individuals and organisations can learn and understand themselves better and create and establish a purpose and grow.
• Overcoming adversity – learning from continual failure
  Failure is a vital part in everyone’s character building process, but to most failure seems like pain and unhappiness. Nic uncovers how he has welcomed failure, and shares the understanding gained and how he has used such experiences to re-evaluate and build his career as a professional racing driver.
• Creating Relationships
  Relationships go far beyond what most people perceive them to be. Nic reveals how learning to maximise relationships, both positive and negative, and remaining open to potential opportunities allows him to strive towards and achieve his ambition on a physical, professional and personal level.
• Mindset & Wellbeing
  For any racing driver, mindset and wellbeing plays an integral role in seeking success. Nic firmly believes that life is 90% mental and 10% physical, and that by looking after your wellbeing provides the first step to fully understand what you are capable of, and paves the way to realising your full potential.