Monger miracle
TWELVE months ago, a 17-year-old Billy Monger had both legs amputated following a horror crash in a Formula 4 race at Donington.
On Saturday, Monger finished third at Oulton Park on his return to the track in a Formula 3 car adapted with a throttle on the steering wheel and a single brake pedal for one of his two prosthetic legs.
Naturally and quite rightly, the incredible achievement attracted plaudits from across the motorsport world. “Absolutely astonishing,” said 1996 Formula One world champions Damon Hill.
“Unbelievably proud of what this man has achieved. I was speechless this morning after qualifying and now a podium,” said former F1 and current Indycar driver Max Chilton. “Just incredible,” tweeted Lewis Hamilton’s F1 team Mercedes.
“It’s a bit surreal but an awesome feeling even to be back,” Monger said after the race. “If you told me I was going to be on the podium on my first race back, I would have said you were lying.”
Indeed. On April 16, 2017, two weeks before his 18th birthday, Monger crashed into the back of a rival’s car that had stopped.
He was airlifted to hospital after being trapped in his vehicle for more than 90 minutes. He was in a coma for three days before waking to find both legs had been amputated.
Speaking last month, Monger revealed vivid memories of the seconds after the horrific collision. “I knew it was a big crash but I was still awake in the car, at the time I didn’t feel any pain. I could hear the guy that I’d hit screaming in his car, so the first thing I said when the medics came was, ‘Go and look after him’.”
Saturday’s return is truly one of sport’s most inspiring stories. He qualified in fifth place and went even better to reach the podium when finishing third. There is undoubtedly more to come.
“I’m getting more comfortable in the car with the controls every time I go out,” he said. “So to be third so early on in the season and qualifying in the top five for the start of the year, that just really fills me with confidence that, come the middle of the season, or perhaps towards the end of the season, we should really be aiming for podiums every race.
“I would love to have a shot at the title and a full season is where me and the team want this to go.
“All I can do up until that point is just push myself as much as I can, learn as much as I can early on like I am now, and if that transpires me turning into a race winner soon then that’s great.”