LEWIS HAMILTON's brother, Nicolas, has made a stunning return to motorsport after almost two years out.
Hamilton has been announced as a driver in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) for Un-Limited Motorsport in a Cupra Leon as the team expands to a third car for the season.
The younger half-brother of the seven-time Formula One champion had been without a seat for a season-and-a-half, a 20-month period.
He previously raced for Team Hard from 2021 to 2023 before the team collapsed in July 2023.
However, in an unexpected twist, he will now join fellow BTCC returnee Dexter Patterson and 2024 Mini Challenge runner-up Max Hall behind the wheel this season under team principal Bob Sharpless.
Hamilton, who has cerebral palsy, told Autosport: “To be brutally honest, I wasn’t planning to race this year.
“We didn’t even know that I’d ever get back on the BTCC grid, but Bob and his team got in touch at the end of December, which is very late to be able to go and get sponsors and everything that you need.
“He gave me a real good deal that I thought would be possible to get in terms of the funding, and I said to him, ‘Yeah, why not? I’ll give it a go.’
“I get all my funding and budget myself, so it was just one of those situations of ‘let’s see how I get on over the next couple of weeks, and if I get the budget together then I’d love to join.’
“Fortunately through blood, sweat, tears and some late nights, and thanks to my partners that believe in me, I got the budget together and I’m back on the grid!”;
BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK
Hamilton made his debut in the sport in 2015 with AmD Tuning but did not start actively racing in the series until 2019.
His best result was a sixth-placed finish at Donnington Park with Team HARD.
Hamilton, who turned 33 today, revealed he celebrated the occasion by testing his new BTCC car at Brands Hatch circuit and by tucking into some of his favourite cake, red velvet.
The season does not start until April 26-27 at Donnington, with official testing starting at Croft next week.
Like his older brother Lewis, Hamilton is socially conscious, with the pair sharing a close bond.
But while the F1 star is driven towards empowering young people under his Mission44 foundation, Nicolas wants to ensure there is a place in motorsport for disabled people.
He added: “I want to make the world realise that motorsport is inclusive, that disabled people should be proud, and that motorsport can accept them.
“You don’t necessarily have to be a racing driver to be a part of the industry. A lot of people just take pictures next to their car and say that they’re back racing.
“This year I really wanted to use my platform to help inspire the industry to bring more disabled people into the sport.”
On the move, Sharpless said: “He [Hamilton] is hugely determined to get back on the BTCC grid, and I’m proud that we could make it happen.
“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.”;
It has not been an easy ride for Hamilton over the years, having previously opened up on his gambling addiction and mental health struggles.
