Laureus World Sports Awards, Best Sporting Moment September nominees: Billy Monger's back at the wheel

Billy ‘The Whizz’ Monger was chatting with Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton MBE, at the World Championship Practice Day at Silverstone just months after a horrific accident, in which the teenage motorsport driver lost both his legs. The 18-year-old suffered life-changing injuries when he crashed into the rear of a stationary car, at a Formula 4 race at Donnington Park, on 16 April. Billy was stuck in his vehicle for 90 minutes until he could be airlifted to a hospital in Nottingham, but tragically medics could not save his legs. [caption id=“attachment_4004503” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Lewis Hamilton celebrates his win with Billy Monger. Reuters[/caption] Mercedes driver Hamilton tweeted about Monger after hearing of the driver’s injuries. Hamilton posted: “I have only just seen the news of this tragic incident. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, @BillyMonger”. The incident shook the motorsport community and led to a fundraising campaign for Billy’s rehabilitation and recovery that raised more than £800,000 – Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Felipe Massa were amongst the supporters. Despite the accident, Billy hasn’t let losing both legs scupper his motorsport ambitions. Eleven weeks after his accident, the Formula 4 driver was back behind the wheel with help from Team BRIT, which helps disabled drivers and ex-serving military to take part in motorsport. Monger drove a specially adapted car fitted with steering wheel mounted hand controls for the throttle, brakes and clutch. Speaking at the time, Billy said: “It just shows you when a tragic event like this happens how people pull together. I have still got a few years in me for sure so I want to prove how much you can do even with something like this.” Billy’s comeback behind the wheel is one of the nominees for September’s Laureus Best Sporting Moment. To vote for your favourite video, visit myLaureus.com. Laureus World Sports Awards have been in existence for the last 17 years, with the first Laureus Awards held in 2000. Other than the Laureus Best Sporting Moment, Laureus announces its awards in eight different categories, some of them being: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, Laureus World Team of the Year.