Billy Edmund Albert Monger (born 5 May 1999) is a British former racing driver who raced in British F4 in 2016 and 2017. He now works as a commentator and pundit. He has been referred to by the nickname Billy Whizz, after the character in British comic anthology The Beano.
In April 2017, Monger was critically injured in a collision at Donington Park that caused both of his legs to be amputated, one below and the other above the knee. Up to that point, he had been heavily involved in kart racing all over the UK and the Channel Islands, as well as a successful Ginetta Junior racer before moving into single-seater categories.
After treatment and therapy, Monger returned to competition in November 2017. In 2018, he was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity. From 2019, he provided analysis for Channel 4 F1. He also competed in the Formula 3 based Euroformula Open championship for Carlin Motorsport, achieving his first single-seater race win at the 2019 Pau Grand Prix.
Racing career Monger first got behind the wheel of a vehicle at the age of six, when his father, a former kart racer, bought him his first go-kart.
In 2016, Monger joined the F4 British Championship with JHR Developments. There he took three podiums and finished 12th in the championship. He remained with the team for the 2017 season.
On 16 April 2017, Monger was severely injured during a race at Donington Park, when he crashed at high speed into the back of Finnish driver Patrik Pasma; as a result, both of his legs were amputated afterwards.Formula 4: British driver Billy Monger suffers leg injuries in crash - BBC Sport (16 April 2017)Formula 4: British driver Billy Monger has legs amputated - BBC News (19 April 2017) His left leg was amputated high above the knee, leaving him with a short stump of his thigh. His right leg is longer, being amputated below the knee, and the extra length and use of the joint enables him to drive modified cars. Monger was conscious after the car crash. Pasma was not seriously injured in the crash.
A JustGiving page was set up by Monger's team JHR Developments to raise money for him, raising over £500,000 in the first 24 hours. Donors included F1 drivers Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Jolyon Palmer and Nico Hülkenberg.Formula 4: Jenson Button pledges £15,000 to support British driver Billy Monger - BBC Sport (20 April 2017)
In June 2017, Monger announced that he would return to competition in November, sharing a Group CN Ligier JS53 Evo 2-Honda with quadruple amputee Frédéric Sausset in a round of the V de V Challenge Endurance Proto at the Autódromo do Estoril in Portugal, as part of a programme with the eventual aim of fielding a team of three disabled drivers at the 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours. In July 2017, Monger made his return to the track when he tested a Fun Cup race car adapted with additional hand controls by disabled motorsport specialists Team BRIT at Brands Hatch, where he regained his race licence.
In February 2018, Monger drove a single seater racing car for the first time since his crash when he tested a BRDC British Formula 3 car for the Carlin racing at Oulton Park. The following month, he announced that he would be racing for Carlin in the opening meeting of the 2018 BRDC Formula 3 series at the same venue. In order to compete in F3, he and his family had to appeal to the sport's international governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, to change their regulations, as they had restricted disabled drivers from racing single seaters on the grounds of safety. The FIA decided to lift the ban in December 2017, allowing disabled drivers to race modified single seaters as long as they could pass safety checks. He finished third at Oulton Park in a car adapted for him: the modifications included moving the brake pedal upwards so he could brake using one of his leg stumps, and replacing the throttle pedal with a lever mounted on the steering wheel.
In June 2018, Monger drove a Formula 1 racing car for the first time when he tested a Sauber C30 at the Rockingham Motor Speedway in Corby. The car had been specially converted to match the hand controls present in his Carlin BRDC British Formula 3 car. In March 2021, he completed "Billy's Big Challenge", covering a distance of by walking, kayaking and cycling, and raised over £3 million for Comic Relief.
Los Angeles 2028 Monger announced in March 2025 following his Ironman Challenge he would next target the 2028 Summer Paralympics. He said he was now in "early-stage conversations" about competing at the Los Angeles Paralympics in three years, having been inspired by his work on Channel 4's Paralympic coverage.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7vz9l27y64o
Broadcasting career From 2019, Monger provided analysis for Channel 4 F1. He also was the co-commentator for W Series. In addition, he has worked on Channel 4's Paralympic Games coverage and the Parasport presenting team, as commentator and reporter.
A documentary feature about Monger's first Formula 1 drive was shown as part of Sky F1's coverage of the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix. Another documentary about Monger's career, Driven: The Billy Monger Story, was produced by the BBC and released on BBC Three in November 2018. On 5 July 2021, it was announced that Monger would present Billy Monger: Changing Gear as part of coverage of the Paralympics.
Monger is signed up to be part of Channel 4's 2024 Summer Paralympics presenting team.
It was announced in September 2023 that Monger, along with his sister, Bonny, would be contestants on the first series of Celebrity Race Across the World. A family emergency caused them to leave the Race before its finish. In October 2024, Monger participated in 2024 VinFast Ironman World Championship triathlon in Kona to raise money for Comic Relief, setting a new world record time for a double amputee of 14 hours, 23 minutes and 56 seconds; beating the previous record by more than two hours. He also became the youngest double amputee to complete an Ironman event.
For the 2026 Paralympics, it was announced Monger would present his own slot Breakfast with Billy as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.https://www.channel4.com/press/news/milano-cortina-2026-paralympic-winter-games-dame-sarah-storey-britains-most-decorated
Education and personal life
Monger attended Sandcross Primary School in Reigate and The Priory School, Dorking.
Monger is a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
In October 2024, Monger was banned from driving for 49 days after he lost control of his car and crashed into three parked vehicles and a wall in Limpsfield in January of that year.
Karting record Karting career summary SeasonSeriesTeamPosition2008British Open Championship - Honda Cadet19th2009Super 1 National Championship — Honda Cadet5th2010Super 1 National Championship — Honda Cadet1stWSK Nations Cup — 60 Mini19th2011Trent Valley Kart Club — Comer Cadet36thKartmasters British Grand Prix — Comer Cadet6thWSK Master Series — 60 MiniPrima RacingNCWSK Final Cup — 60 Mini4th2012Super 1 National Championship — KF38thWSK Master Series — KF3Forza Racing36thCIK-FIA European Championship — KF331st2013WSK Master Series — KFJForza Racing65thWSK Euro Series — KFJ45th
Racing record Racing career summary Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position 2014 Ginetta Junior Championship Privateer 14 0 0 0 0 146 15th Tolbar Racing 2 0 0 0 0 Total Control Racing 4 0 0 0 0 2015 Ginetta Junior Championship JHR Developments 20 2 1 1 7 325 5th 2016 F4 British Championship JHR Developments 27 0 1 0 1 78 12th 2017 F4 British Championship JHR Developments 6 0 0 0 2 44 12th Ford F4 Challenge Cup 6 4 0 1 4 100 6th 2018 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship Carlin 23 0 2 3 4 301 6th 2019 Euroformula Open Championship Carlin Motorsport 18 1 1 0 2 89 9th Euroformula Open Winter Series 2 0 0 0 0 5 10th
Complete Ginetta Junior Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points 2014 Privateer BHI1 BHI2 DON1 DON2 OUL1 OUL2 CRO1 CRO2 SNE1 SNE2 KNO1 KNO2 ROC1 ROC2 15th 146 Tollbar Racing THR1 THR2 Total Control Racing SIL1 SIL2 BHGP1 BHGP2 2015 JHR Developments BHI1 BHI2 DON1 DON2 THR1 THR2 OUL1 OUL2 CRO1 CRO2 SNE1 SNE2 KNO1 KNO2 ROC1 ROC2 SIL1 SIL2 BHGP1 BHGP2 5th 325
Complete F4 British Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 DC Points 2016 JHR Developments BHI1 BHI2 BHI3 DON1 DON2 DON3 THR1 THR2 THR3 OUL1 OUL2 OUL3 CRO1 CRO2 CRO3 SNE1 SNE2 SNE3 KNO1 KNO2 KNO3 ROC1 ROC2 ROC3 SIL1 SIL2 SIL3 BHGP1 BHGP2 BHGP3 12th 78 2017 JHR Developments BRI1 BRI2 BRI3 DON1 DON2 DON3 THR1 THR2 THR3 OUL1 OUL2 OUL3 CRO1 CRO2 CRO3 SNE1 SNE2 SNE3 KNO1 KNO2 KNO3 ROC1 ROC2 ROC3 SIL1 SIL2 SIL3 BHGP1 BHGP2 BHGP3 12th 44
Complete BRDC British Formula 3 Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 DC Points 2018 Carlin OUL1 OUL2 OUL3 ROC1 ROC2 ROC3 SNE1 SNE2 SNE3 SIL11 SIL12 SIL13 SPA1 SPA2 SPA3 BHI1 BHI2 BHI3 DON1 DON2 DON3 SIL21 SIL22 SIL23 6th 301
Complete Euroformula Open Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Points 2019 Carlin Motorsport LEC1 LEC2 PAU1 PAU2 HOC1 HOC2 SPA1 SPA2 HUN1 HUN2 RBR1 RBR2 SIL1 SIL2 CAT1 CAT2 MNZ1 MNZ2 9th 89
See also Alex Zanardi, another open-cockpit open-wheel racing driver who lost both legs in a racing crash
References
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