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ESPN staff
Billy Monger has claimed his first race victory since the accident which led to the amputation of both his legs two years ago.
Monger, 20, returned to single-seater racing last year in British Formula 3 in a specially adapted car. This weekend he was competing in the Pau Grand Prix, which this year is part of the Euroformula Open Championship.
The British driver won after a strategic gamble, switching to wet-weather tyres early on and dropping to last — only to see conditions worsen, allowing him to climb to third position. The pair dueling for the lead then collided, meaning Monger inherited a lead which he held on to until the finish.
After the win, he tweeted: “Can’t believe it, I didn’t think 2 years on I’d be winning races.”
PAU GP Championsss!!! 🏆🤪 Can’t believe it, I didn’t think 2 years on I’d be winning races! 🙌🏼 Huge shout out to the team @CarlinRacing for all their hard work. Over the moon 🔝🌍 #BillyWhizz pic.twitter.com/KAs1ove1a9
— billywhizz (@BillyMonger) May 19, 2019
Monger was seriously injured in a British Formula 4 race at Donington Park in April 2017 when he drove unsighted into a slow-moving car which had hit trouble ahead of him. After returning to racing, he claimed his maiden Formula 3 pole position on his first return to the Donington Park circuit in September last year. He sixth overall in that championship last year.
The youngster has been present at numerous Formula One races since his accident: he was a guest of Lewis Hamilton at the 2017 British Grand Prix, which the Mercedes driver. Hamilton has called Monger “an incredible human being” and tipped him to replicate the achievements of former CART champion and Williams driver Alex Zanardi, who has won multiple gold medals in the Paralympics
This year he has also been a pundit for U.K. TV station Channel 4.