Billy Monger Is Doing Simulator Runs Less Than Two Months After Losing His Legs In Accident
The young racer who lost his legs as a result of a racing accident in April is already doing simulator runs.
After Billy Monger lost his legs in a racing accident, he vowed to get back in the car and race again. While he still has a long way to go before he's ready to race again, his progress and attitude so far have been nothing short of amazing.
It must be noted that to date, the crowdfunding effort to raise money for Monger's rehab and future medical expenses has surpassed $1 million. The outpouring of support from the racing community and fans has surely been inspiring to Monger.
Last week, Carlin Racing made their race simulator available to Monger. They added adapted hand controls for the gas and brake pedals. According to some tweets from those who were there, Monger did exceptionally well behind the wheel.
While the simulator can't replicate the entire racing experience, it will get young Billy comfortable with the hand controls before he hops into a real car outfitted with them. And you can be sure he'll be in a car on track as soon as it's possible to do so. If he races again in F4 or any other series is something that might be more complicated to work out, though not impossible.
There may be some work to do with the FIA to ensure that the hand controls comply with the regulations of a particular series. The FIA might also have concerns about Monger exiting the car in case of an emergency. It's not that Monger wouldn't be able to do it, but rather exactly how it would be done. The FIA would have to make sure that the method of exit is both fast and safe.
Hopefully, Monger, the FIA, and any other involved party can work together to make sure all of the little but important details get addressed and worked out. It would be a shame to see his return to the track delayed because of some rule or technical regulation that could have been fixed earlier.
If you missed it, just a month after the accident, Monger technically drove on track again, though in a much slower vehicle. He led the track walk at Oulton Park before a British Touring Car race.
Keep up the hard work, Billy. The Drive is pulling for you and hopes to see you back in the car soon.
