Nicolas Hamilton made history in 2015 by becoming the first disabled athlete to compete in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), one of the biggest touring car racing series in the world.
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child, the British racing driver uses a specially modified car and has been racing professionally since 2011 — at speeds often pushing 240 kilometres per hour.
Hamilton’s initial application for a racing licence was rejected by motorsport authorities. But he persevered and after spending months demonstrating his skills and showing he could meet the criteria with a modified vehicle, his licence was eventually granted.
Giving People with Disabilities an opportunity to succeed, or fail, on their own terms is key for inclusion, Hamilton said.
“I'm a true testament of able-bodied people believing in disabled people and disabled people thriving in an industry,” he said. “So, if I can thrive in an industry that is very, very physically demanding, then disabled people can thrive anywhere. And that's where true inclusion comes in.”
Hamilton, whose brother is Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, was speaking at a Scotiabank employee-wide event to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is recognized annually on Dec. 3 by the United Nations.
Scotiabank has made investments to advance inclusion and belonging for employees and the communities where we operate, including Persons with Disabilities, said Ahmad Dajani, Vice President and Head, Business Risk Management, in his opening remarks at the event. For example, through ScotiaRISE – Scotiabank’s 10-year, $500-million-dollar community investment initiative — the Bank supports the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and its Come to Work program, which connects job seekers with sight loss with employers. The Bank also provides assistive technology for employees in Canada who are hard of hearing and/or Deaf with a sign-language interpretation app.
“Scotiabank is committed to promoting inclusion and accessibility for all,” Dajani said.
As Shannon McGinnis, Chief Risk Officer and Executive Champion of the DiversAbility Employee Resource Group, explains, this work requires continuous effort and focus.
"Advancing inclusion is about making a conscious choice, every day, to build a better and more supportive organization," says McGinnis. "It's about building a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered to succeed.
Although Hamilton was eventually welcomed to the world of race car driving where he competes alongside able-bodied drivers, his journey has been far from easy.
At 18 months old, Hamilton’s parents were told that he would never walk. Doctors also said his eyesight was extremely poor and would continue to worsen as he got older.
“Throughout my whole life, I’ve just been trying to find my way… I was born in the ‘90s and I feel like I wasn’t valued as a disabled human being. I was bullied at school. I really struggled to try and find my place.”
My purpose is to be here in service of others and use my racing as a vessel to put disability on the map.
He used a wheelchair as a youngster, but after many years of physiotherapy and hard work, Hamilton was able to walk unaided by the time he was in his teens.
He always loved cars and wanted to race them, and at age 17, his parents agreed to his request to get behind the race car wheel. After finally securing his licence, in 2011, he began his racing career with the opportunity to participate in the Renault Clio Cup series.
“The Motorsport Association turned me down initially. But once they accepted me, the whole world of motorsport accepted me. Teams accepted me,” he said.
Hamilton uses a car that is modified with wider-than-average pedals for braking and accelerating, and a hydraulic hand-clutch system, which sits on the back of the steering wheel.
“Racing with my legs is the most difficult part, because my legs don’t really work as well as able-bodied racing drivers. So, we had to figure out modifications that we needed.”
Now, he is using his own success to open doors for others by raising awareness about disabilities and creating more job opportunities for People with Disabilities within motorsport.
For example, next year, he aims to film a documentary as he trains six individuals with neurodiversity or physical disabilities to become mechanics for his racing team. By the end of the 2026 season, he hopes to have his mechanics team be fully made up of individuals with disabilities.
“My purpose is to be here in service of others and use my racing as a vessel to put disability on the map.”
Hamilton is also an ambassador for U.K.-based charity Scope, whose mission is to achieve a society where all disabled people are treated equally and fairly.
“I'm just trying to do what I can, but to be accepted in the first instance is hard for most disabled people,” Hamilton said. “And the fact that I have been accepted means that everyone with a disability can be. That's amazing.”
