BUT FOR NOW LEAVE ME ALONE (2022)

My criteria: 

I looked into any driver who was listed on the Wikipedia page as having at least 1 race start. Anyone described as having a disability or a condition which affected their life at the time they were driving in Formula 1 was added to the list. I also looked at results from more severe crashes for mentions of long-term effects. Career-ending crashes resulting in disability were not included if they did not race in F1 following becoming disabled. 

Order: The profiles are listed in chronological order based on the driver’s first race. I have written about their racing career first, followed by an explanation of their disability because while this is a post about disability, I want to focus more on the achievements of the people with those disabilities. 

Note on “Disability”: The categorization of what is a disability can vary based on who is defining the term. I tried to be as inclusive as I could with the term and therefore some people included here may not fit within your personal definition. I encourage you to still read their stories, but if that is upsetting to you, you can skip their section. 

Note on “F1 Driver”: Due to the chaos known as F1 in the 50s, those who raced in the Indy 500 that decade are included in this list as the Indy 500 was an F1 championship event. 

Note on Language: The M-Slur is used here in reference only to the type of cars, which I couldn’t find an alternate name for, but are important parts of some of these peoples’ stories. It is used in the following biographies if you want to avoid it: Bill Schindler, Duke Nalon, and Cal Niday.

Leslie Johnson

[PT: Leslie Johnson]

[Image ID: 2 black and white photos. The first is a closeup of Leslie in a car wearing a white racesuit and balaclava. He has goggles pushed up to his forehead. The second is Leslie driving an old F1 car. End ID]

Leslie Johnson was a British racing driver who competed in one F1 event in 1950. He lived from 1912 to 1959 and died at the age of 47.

Racing: Despite never racing as a full time job, Johnson was a fierce competitor in many forms of motorsport, including as rally, endurance, and grand prix racing through the 40s and 50s. He competed in the 1950 British Grand Prix, starting on the 4th row, but had to retire after 2 laps when his car caught fire. Throughout his motorsport career, he suffered from near constant reliability issues. He retired from motorsport in 1954 after experiencing a heart attack in the 1954 Monte Carlo Rally.  

Disability: Johnson had childhood nephritis (an inflammatory kidney disease) and acromegaly (a disorder caused by excess growth hormone) which caused damage to his heart and kidneys. His retirement was due to his disabilities.

Luigi Fagioli

[PT: Luigi Fagioli]

[Image ID: 2 black and white photos. The first is a closeup of Luigi in an old race suit and goggles squinting in the sun. The second is a close up of Luigi sitting in an old F1 car. His goggles are on his forehead in both photos. End ID]

Luigi Fagioli was an Italian racing driver who competed in seven Formula 1 events from 1950 to 1951. He lived from 1898 to 1952 and died at the age of 54. 

Racing: Fagioli began competing in grand prix racing in 1926 and took multiple victories in pre-World War 2 racing. Despite only having 7 race entries to his name, Fagioli achieved 6 podiums in Formula 1, including 1 race win in the 1951 French Grand Prix, shared with Juan Manuel Fangio. He is to this day the oldest F1 winner at the age of 53. The next year, he crashed in practice for the 1952 Monaco Grand Prix. While his injuries were initially thought to be minor, they worsened and he died 3 weeks later.

Disability: Toward the end of 1936, Fagioli developed rheumatism (I couldn’t find what type) and used a cane to walk at points. He took a hiatus from racing because of this and returned to compete in the first year of the Formula 1 World Championship. 

Bill Schindler

[PT: Bill Schindler]

[Image ID: 2 black and white photos. The first is of Bill sitting in a car with a striped half-sleeve shirt and goggles around his neck. The second is of Bill getting into a race car. There are 2 underarm crutches leaning against the car. End ID]

Bill Schindler was an American racing driver who competed in three Formula 1 events from 1950 to 1952. He lived from 1909 to 1952 and died at the age of 43. 

Racing: Schindler began racing in 1931 in sprint cars. He then started racing midget cars, winning 6 championships in 8 years (while finishing second in the other 2). In the Indy 500, he had 2 retirements and a P14 finish. He fatally crashed in a Sprint car race in 1952.

Disability: Schindler became an above-knee amputee in 1936 due to a crash at the Mineola Fairgrounds during a Champ car race. He raced using a prosthetic leg and walked using crutches. 

Duke Nalon

[PT: Duke Nalon]

[Image ID: 2 black and white photos. The first is Duke smiling while wearing a white helmet. The second is Duke sitting in a car wearing a helmet, with goggles pushed up to his forehead. End ID]

Duke Nalon was an American racing driver who competed in three Formula 1 events from 1951 to 1953. He lived from 1913 to 2001 and died at the age of 87. 

Racing: Nalon started his career in 1937 and raced in Sprint cars and midget cars. He competed in 10 Indy 500 races, 3 of which were part of the F1 World Championship. He began as a pit crew member and was given the chance to drive. He ended up winning the race. 

Disability: At the 1949 Indy 500, Nalon was involved in a crash in which his car caught fire. He got severe burns on his legs that affected him until his death.

Cal Niday

[PT: Cal Niday]

[Image ID: 2 black and white photos. They both show Cal sitting in race cars wearing a helmet and goggles around his neck. The first is a close up of Cal in the cockpit while the second is a full shot of him in his car. End ID]

Cal Niday was an American racing driver who competed in three Formula 1 events from 1953 to 1955. He lived from 1914 to 1988 and died at the age of 73. 

Racing: Niday started driving motorcycles before switching to midget cars. His highest finish in the Indy 500 was P10. In his last Indy 500, he had a near fatal crash which left him in the hospital for 4 months. Afterwards, he moved to Hawai’i, USA, where he built and raced cars. In 1988, he had a fatal crash during an exhibition race at Willow Springs track. He is known as the first driver to wear a modern style Bell Helmet at the Indy 500. 

Disability: Niday became an amputee after a motorcycle crash when he was 17. He raced using a prosthetic leg. He said he got into motorsport because he wanted to “prove that a wooden leg is no handicap.”

Archie Scott Brown

[PT: Archie Scott Brown]

[Image ID: 2 black and white photos. The first is a closeup of Archie. The second is of him sitting in an old car with his hands on the steering wheel. End ID]

Archie Scott Brown was a Scottish racing driver who competed in one Formula 1 event in 1956. He lived from 1927 to 1958 and died at the age of 31. 

Racing: Scott Brown started his career with wins and podiums before having his license revoked in 1954; the stewards declared him “unfit to drive” due to his disability, despite having just qualified P3. In 1955, he won 13 races and achieved 8 more podiums in races around the UK. In 1956, in addition to his other racing endeavors, he qualified P10 at the British Grand Prix, managing to get up to P7 before retiring due to car troubles on lap 10. Later, he tried to enter the Italian Grand Prix and again had his license rejected. Throughout his career, he won many driving tests as well. In 1958, he qualified on pole for a sports car race at Spa, but in the wet, he slid, crashing, and his car caught fire. He died the following afternoon.  

Disability: Scott Brown was born with limb differences due to his mother having rubella during her pregnancy with him. He was born with no shin bones, no right hand, and rotational differences in his feet. He drove using extended steering columns and pedals. 

Wolfgang von Trips

[PT: Wolfgang von Trips]

[Image ID: 2 photos. The first is in black and white and shows Wolfgang in a race car wearing a helmet and a polo shirt. The second is in color and is of Wolfgang smiling on a race track. End ID]

Wolfgang von Trips was a German racing driver who competed in 27 Formula 1 events from 1956 to 1961. He lived from 1928 to 1961 and died at the age of 33.

Racing: Von Trips began racing in 1950 on motorcycles under a pseudonym due to his family’s status. He then moved on to sports cars, bringing home strong results. In Formula 1, he primarily drove for Ferrari, keeping good form. In 1961, von Trips was leading the World Championship, only needing a P3 in Monza to take the title. He took pole position, but was involved in a crash on the second lap that killed him and 14 spectators. In his F1 career, he achieved 2 Grand Prix victories, and 6 podiums. 

Disability: Von Trips had a number of disabilities. The one with the most coverage was his Type 1 diabetes, which he managed by keeping snacks in the car. According to some sources, he also had inner ear problems which affected his balance, had Bell’s Palsy after getting meningitis, and was also Deaf.  

Carroll Shelby

[PT: Carroll Shelby]

[Image ID: 2 black and white photos. The first is a signed photograph of Carroll driving an old F1 car. The second is Carroll squatting down in front of a road car, one hand on the grille of the car and the other holding his helmet. End ID]

Carroll Shelby was an American racing driver and automotive designer who competed in eight Formula 1 events from 1958 to 1959. He lived from 1923 to 2012 and died at the age of 89. 

Racing: Shelby first tried racing in 1952, and by 1954, he was winning sports car races. In Formula 1, he raced for Scuderia Centro Sud, a respected privateer team, as well as Aston Martin. While he was never at the front of the sport, he was known in F1 for getting good results from difficult cars, and that time shaped his viewpoints on cars, which led him to being a successful racing car designer. He eventually retired from the racing side of motorsport due to his disability. 

Disability: Shelby developed a heart valve leakage at the age of 7 and spent most of his time in bed until the age of 14, when he was considered to have “outgrown it.” However, he experienced heart issues throughout his life, and at times, he raced with nitroglycerin tablets under his tongue to control the pain from angina (lack of blood flow to the heart).

Note: Some of you may already know Shelby from his success as a car designer. He was a key designer in the Ford GT-40, a car which went on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1966 to 1969. It was the only American-built car to ever win. This story was depicted in the film, Ford v Ferrari, where Shelby is portrayed by Matt Damon. 

Alan Stacey 

[PT: Alan Stacey]

[Image ID: 2 black and white photos. The first is Alan sitting in a race car with a neutral expression. The second is Alan smiling. End ID]

Alan Stacey was a British racing driver who competed in seven Formula 1 events from 1958 to 1960. He lived from 1933 to 1960 and died at the age of 26. 

Racing: Stacey’s racing career began by racing cars he built from kits for Team Lotus, giving insightful feedback to the team due to his familiarity with the car. He achieved many good results in sports car racing with a number of wins and podium finishes. In 1958, he joined Formula 1 with Team Lotus and was even running in P3 before having to retire due to technical failure toward the end of the race. In the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, Stacey died in a crash after he was struck in the head by a bird.

Disability: Stacey became a below-knee amputee at 17 after a motorbike accident. He raced using a prosthetic leg and had a motorcycle throttle on his gear lever. 

Bruce McLaren

[PT: Bruce McLaren]

[Image ID: 2 photos. The first is in black and white and shows Bruce in a race suit, smiling. The second is in color and shows Bruce sitting on the front right wheel of an orange McLaren race car. End ID]

Bruce McLaren was a New Zealand racing driver who competed in 100 Formula 1 events from 1958 to 1970. He lived from 1937 to 1970 and died at the age of 32. 

Racing: McLaren started racing in hill climbs and club races in New Zealand before getting an F1 seat at 21 and becoming the youngest F1 Grand Prix winner at age 22, a record he held for 44 years before it was broken by Fernando Alonso. In 1963, he started his own racing team, Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd, taking the team’s first F1 victory in 1968. He planned on retiring from racing at the end of the 1970 season, but halfway through the year, he was killed in a crash while testing the team’s Can-Am car. His team has gone on to be one of the most successful in Formula 1 history. He achieved 4 Grand Prix wins and 27 podium finishes in his Formula 1 career. 

Disability: McLaren was diagnosed with Legg-Clavé-Perthes disease (a childhood hip disorder caused by a lack of blood flow) which caused him to have a limb length discrepancy and a limp throughout his life. 

Lance Reventlow

[PT: Lance Reventlow]

[Image ID: 2 black and white photos. The first is of Lance smiling while seated in a race car. The second is of Lance waving while driving an F1 car in a race. End ID]

Lance Reventlow was an American racing driver who competed in one Formula 1 event in 1960. He lived from 1936 to 1972 and died at the age of 36. 

Racing: Reventlow started racing sports cars in the 1950s. After a brief stint in Formula 2, he created his own racing operation, Reventlow Automobiles Inc. When they expanded into Formula 1, Reventlow entered 4 F1 races, but only managed to qualify for the 1960 US Grand Prix. He retired soon after due to a loss of interest in racing. 

Disability: Reventlow had asthma and “damage” to his lungs. He struggled often to breathe, especially at night. Not much information is readily available on the topic, but it was severe enough that he was excluded from the American military draft. 

Jochen Rindt

[PT: Jochen Rindt]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Jochen Rindt. The first is a closeup of him wearing a racing suit. The second is him driving a red F1 car on a race track. End ID]

Jochen Rindt was an Austrian racing driver who competed in 60 Formula 1 events from 1964 to 1970. He lived from 1842 to 1970 and died at the age of 28. 

Racing: Rindt started his career on 2 wheels, racing mopeds and later motocross bikes, either winning his races or crashing in his attempts. He then raced touring cars before buying an F2 car and racing that. He was known for his intense driving style and pushing his car beyond its limits. In 1969, he was signed to Team Lotus and started gathering wins. Rindt fatally crashed during practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix at Monaco. He was leading the World Championship at the time and became the first and only posthumous F1 champion. He achieved 6 race wins and 13 podium finishes in his F1 career, as well as 1 world title. 

Disability: Rindt broke his femoral neck (part of the femur leg bone) in a skiing accident as a teenager. He had a limb length discrepancy and walked with a limp. 

Jackie Stewart

[PT: Jackie Stewart]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Jackie Stewart. In the first, he is young and wearing a white race suit and a black cap, squinting into the sun. The second is more recent and shows him in his old age, in a white shirt and a green tartan cap. End ID]

Sir Jackie Stewart is a Scottish racing driver who competed in 99 Formula 1 events from 1965 to 1973. He was born in 1939 and is 87 years old. 

Racing: Stewart began racing sports cars before being signed to a British F3 team in 1963, where he dominated. He first joined Formula 1 in 1965 with BRM, quickly establishing himself within the sport. After moving to Matra International in 1968, he won his first championship in 1969. He then won 2 more with the Tyrell team. He retired in 1973 after winning the championship due to the death of his teammate, Francois Cevert. Throughout his career, he was an outspoken advocate for safety within racing. In his F1 career, he had 27 wins, 43 podium finishes, and 3 world titles. 

Disability: After the diagnosis of his son, Stewart was diagnosed with severe dyslexia at the age of 41. He struggled in school and dropped out at 15. He has reported dealing with feelings of inadequacy before his diagnosis. 

Jean-Pierre Beltoise

[PT: Jean-Pierre Beltoise]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Jean-Pierre Beltoise. The first is black and white and shows Jean-Pierre with a large wreath around his shoulders. The second is in color and shows him smiling while wearing an off-white race suit. End ID]

Jean-Pierre Beltoise was a French racing driver who competed in 86 Formula 1 events from 1967 to 1974. He lived from 1937 to 2015 and died at the age of 77. 

Racing: Beltoise began his career in motorcycle racing, winning multiple national titles before switching to 4 wheels. He spent most of his time with the Matra F1 team before moving to BRM at the end of his career. He claimed his only victory in the wet 1972 Monaco Grand Prix, finishing 30 seconds ahead of the rest of the pack. After leaving F1, he continued racing. In his F1 career, he achieved 1 race win and 8 podium finishes. 

[PT: Niki Lauda]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Niki Lauda. In the first, he’s sitting in a car wearing a red race suit and cap. In the second, he has a flowered wreath around his neck and is holding up a large gold trophy. He’s holding his cap in his other hand. End ID]

Niki Lauda was an Austrian racing driver who competed in 171 Formula 1 events from 1971 to 1985. He lived from 1949 to 2019 and died at the age of 70. 

Racing: Lauda funded his early career with bank loans, including his life insurance, which he struggled to pay back due to a lack of results in his early career. He managed to join the BRM team in 1973 before getting signed to Ferrari for the 1974 season. From then on, he won many races and the 1975 championship before a near fatal crash in 1976, due to which he pulled himself out of the championship. He then won another title the next year with Ferrari before moving to Brabham and then retiring due to boredom in the sport. He came out of retirement and signed for McLaren in 1982, winning his third title before finally retiring for good. He went on to advise many teams in the sport up until his death. In Formula 1, Lauda achieved 25 race wins, 54 podiums, and 3 world titles. 

Disability: Lauda experienced a fiery crash in the 1976 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. He got third degree burns on his head and wrists and had scorched lungs from inhaling toxic fumes. He wasn’t expected to survive. He had skin grafts on his head and when he got back in the car 6 weeks after the accident, he used a special helmet to minimize pain from the fresh grafts. However, when he removed it after the race, the skin grafts were ripped off. Lauda was known for wearing a cap at all times, but he has shared that he did this because people refused to look him in the eyes when they talked to him. 

Martin Brundle

[PT: Martin Brundle]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Martin Brundle. The first is him in a yellow race suit. The second is a more recent photo of him holding a Sky Sports microphone. End ID]

Martin Brundle is a British racing driver who competed in 158 Formula 1 events from 1984 to 1996. He was born in 1959 and is 67 years old. 

Racing: Brundle is best known for his title fight against Ayrton Senna in British F3, but he is an accomplished F1 driver as well. He joined F1 in 1984 when he signed with the Tyrell team. However, a crash forced him to sit out the end of the season. Brundle then spent the next few years alternating between uncompetitive F1 teams and sports car racing. He then bounced between F1 teams for 5 seasons, partnering drivers such as Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen. Unable to find an F1 seat for the 1997 season, he switched to sports car racing and eventually started commentating for Sky Sports F1. In his Formula 1 career, Brundle achieved 9 podium finishes. 

Disability: In the 1994 Dallas Grand Prix, Brundle had a crash in practice which ripped his car in half, breaking his ankles and feet. Doctors contemplated amputating his left foot, but ultimately didn’t. He is unable to run or brake with his left foot. However, information on any accommodations made to his driving because of this could not be readily found. 

Johnny Herbert

[PT: Johnny Herbert]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Johnny Herbert. The first is him sitting in a green and yellow F1 car. The second is more recent and shows him with white hair, in a light blue shirt and sunglasses. End ID]

Johnny Herbert is a British racing driver who competed in 160 Formula 1 events from 1989 to 2000. He was born in 1964 and is 62 years old.

Racing: Herbert made his Formula 1 debut in 1989 with Benetton before moving to the less competitive Lotus team in 1990. In his time there, he participated in other motorsport events including Le Mans, which he won in 1991. He moved back to Benetton in 1995 then to Sauber the next year, where he was able to score points and even podiums. In 1999, he claimed his only F1 victory in the European Grand Prix with the Stewart team. At the end of the 2000 season, he moved onto other motorsport before joining the Sky Sports F1 broadcasting team. In his time in Formula 1, he achieved 3 race wins and 7 podiums.

Disability: Herbert was involved in a major accident at Brands Hatch in 1988 during his time in Formula 3000. His legs were severely fractured as a result. Due to a limited sideways range of motion, he was unable to use the standard driving techniques at the time for the throttle and brakes. The pedals were moved in his car to make it easier for him to reach. His disability also affects his ability to run. 

Mika Häkkinen

[PT: Mika Häkkinen]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Mika Häkkinen. The first is of him wearing a white race suit with a slight smile. The second is more recent and shows him in a gray shirt and glasses, with an amused smile on his face. End ID]

Mika Häkkinen is a Finnish racing driver who competed in 161 Formula 1 events from 1991 to 2001. He was born in 1968 and is 57 years old. 

Racing: Häkkinen was a 5 time karting champion before moving onto the single-seater junior categories. He continued to deliver amazing results before he was signed by Lotus in 1991 before moving to McLaren in 1993 in a testing role. However, when Michael Andretti left the sport mid-season, Häkkinen got his seat, outqualifying teammate Ayrton Senna on debut. He scored 7 podiums in 1995 before a severe crash. He returned for the next season, putting in strong performances, including his first victory at the end of 1997 followed by 2 world titles. He raced for 2 more years before announcing a sabbatical. He ended up not returning. In his career, Häkkinen achieved 20 race wins, 51 podiums, and 2 world championships. 

Disability: In qualifying for the 1995 Australian Grand Prix at Adelaide, Häkkinen had an intense crash in which he temporarily died. Without modern head support, his head collided with his steering wheel and cracked his skull. His airway was blocked and he was given an emergency trachectomy. Half of his face was paralyzed as a result of the accident. The accident also broke bones in his ears affecting his hearing. In his first years driving following the accident, he also experienced intense headaches and brain fog. 

Ukyo Katayama

[PT: Ukyo Katayama]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Ukyo Katayama. In the first, he’s wearing a white, yellow, and black race suit and navy cap, and is holding a race helmet. The second is more recent and he’s standing with his hands on his hips in a multicolor race suit. End ID]

Ukyo Katayama was a Japanese racing driver who competed in 95 Formula 1 events from 1992 to 1997. He was born in 1963 and is 63 years old. 

Racing: Through the junior categories, Katayama built a name for himself with strong performances, especially in Japanese Formula 3000. He joined F1 in 1992 with Larousse and quickly became known for pushing his car to its limits. He moved to Tyrell in 1993 and was a common contender for points, though his car had reliability issues and he had 12 retirements that year. He was in talks with Benetton for the 1995 season, but the deal never went through and he stayed with Tyrell for a few more years before moving to Minardi, struggling with uncompetitive cars, before retiring in 1997 and moving on to other racing series. In his career, he scored 5 points. 

Disability: After he retired from F1, Katayama shared that he had been diagnosed with back cancer in 1994, which caused him significant pain during the latter half of his career. He shared that he kept his diagnosis private so people wouldn’t try to excuse any poor performances because of it. He also shared that it was the reason he chose not to sign with Benetton for 1995. 

Justin Wilson

[PT: Justin Wilson]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Justin Wilson. In the first, he’s sitting on a dark green car wearing a matching green race suit. In the second, he’s wearing a black race suit and red cap and is kissing a silver trophy. End ID]

Justin Wilson was a British racing driver who competed in 16 Formula 1 events in 2003. He lived from 1978 to 2015 and died at the age of 37. 

Racing: Wilson’s F1 seat was funded by a combination of a mortgage on his family’s house and public investment in his career. He signed full-time with Minardi for the 2003 season after being unable to go in for a mid-season swap the year before due to his height. Although he didn’t score any points, his driving caught the eye of other teams and he signed with Jaguar for the final 5 races of the season. He struggled to adapt to the new car and only managed to score 1 point. He was let go from the team for 2004 in favor of a driver with more financial backing. He went on to race in Indycar and Champ cars until his death at the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway in 2015.

Disability: Wilson was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 13. He dealt with social ostracization in school because of it. He decided to share about his disability to help others with dyslexia. He also wanted to make sure children with dyslexia get the support they need to succeed. 

Scott Speed

[PT: Scott Speed]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Scott Speed. The first is of him getting out of an F1 car wearing a black and red race suit and sunglasses. The second is a more recent photo of him standing against a stone wall wearing sunglasses and a Nascar lanyard. End ID]

Scott Speed is an American racing driver who competed in 28 Formula 1 events from 2006 to 2007. He was born in 1983 and is 43 years old. 

Racing: Speed started karting at the age of 10 in the US before moving to Europe to race in British F3 in 2003. He made his Formula 1 debut in 2006 with Toro Rosso. He stayed with the team his whole time in F1 before he was replaced mid-season by Sebastian Vettel in 2007. He turned to stock car racing and then to rallycross, winning 4 titles across 2 different series. While he didn’t score points in Formula 1, he did come close on a few occasions. 

Disability: In early 2003, Speed was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (a chronic stomach condition) which kept getting more severe. He opted for an experimental treatment over surgery, which improved his condition, allowing him to continue racing. 

Robert Kubica

[PT: Robert Kubica]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Robert Kubica. The first is him in a red and white race suit and a white cap holding his helmet under his arm. The second is him in a yellow and red race suit with a wreath around his neck waving to the crowd on the Le Mans podium. End ID]

Robert Kubica is a Polish racing driver who competed in 99 Formula 1 events from 2006 to 2021. He was born in 1984 and is 41 years old. 

Racing: Kubica debuted in F1 at the 2006 at the Hungarian Grand Prix to replace an injured Jacques Villeneuve, and outqualified his teammate. He finished the season with the team, stepping on the podium in his third race. In 2008, he won his first, and ultimately only, F1 race in Canada, taking the lead of the championship. He spent the next few years in uncompetitive teams and was set to join Ferrari for the 2012 season, but a severe crash in the Ronde di Andora rally in early 2011 stopped those plans. In 2013, Kubica returned to rally racing, then sports cars before being signed as a reserve driver for Williams and getting a full time seat a year later in 2019. Unfortunately, the team was uncompetitive and he left at the end of the season. He moved on to endurance racing, winning the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans with Ferrari. In his F1 career, he achieved 1 race win and 12 podiums. 

Disability: In the 2011 Ronde di Andora rally, Kubica experienced a severe crash which partially amputated his right forearm. He said that he drives 70% with his left arm and sometimes drives one-handed on straights to give his left arm a break. He races with an adapted steering wheel to give him better grip and access to important buttons on the wheel. In F1, he had most of the buttons moved to the left side of the wheel and he was able to do all gear shifts on the left side. He also had a special grip on the right side of the wheel to make it easier for him to hold on. 

Lewis Hamilton

[PT: Lewis Hamilton]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Lewis Hamilton. The first is him in a white and orange McLaren race suit and matching cap with his yellow helmet under his arm. The second is him in a black Mercedes race suit and Pirelli cap. He’s standing on a confetti-covered podium holding a large trophy and smiling up at the camera. End ID]

Sir Lewis Hamilton is a British racing driver currently driving in F1. His first season was in 2007 and he has competed in 389 Formula 1 events at the time of writing this. He was born in 1985 and is 41 years old. 

Racing: Hamilton marked his F1 debut in 2007 with McLaren with his first podium in the sport followed by his first victory 6 races later. He finished third in the championship, 1 point behind winner Kimi Räikkönen before going on to win his first world title the next year. He spent 4 more years with the team before making a shock move to the midfield Mercedes team. He was proven to have made the right choice in his move, winning 2 more titles in 2014 and 2015. He lost the title to his teammate in 2016 before winning 4 more from 2017 to 2020, equaling Michael Schumacher’s record of 7 world titles. In a controversial result, he lost the 2021 season to Max Verstappen before regulation changes ended Mercedes’ long held dominance. In yet another shock move, Hamilton joined Ferrari for the 2025 season. Despite a rocky first year, he is still going strong, having just taken his first win with Ferrari. In his time in the sport, he has achieved 106 race wins, 207 podium finishes, and 7 world titles. 

Disability: Hamilton is diagnosed with both ADHD and dyslexia. He’s spoken about his academic struggles due to undiagnosed dyslexia and his “weirdisms” that are caused by his ADHD. 

Lando Norris

[PT: Lando Norris]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Lando Norris. In the first he is wearing a black and orange McLaren jacket and smiling. In the second, he’s wearing an orange McLaren race suit and a black Pirelli cap holding up a celebratory fist. End ID]

Lando Norris is a British racing driver currently driving in F1. His first season was in 2019 and he has competed in 160 Formula 1 events at the time of writing this. He was born in 1999 and is 26 years old. 

Racing: Norris had a stand-out karting career which propelled him up through the junior formulas, finishing first in F3 and second in F2. He signed with McLaren in 2019 for his rookie season in Formula 1, achieving his maiden podium in 2020. He continued collecting podium finishes until his first win in the 2024 Miami Grand Prix after McLaren’s car got a spike in performance. He was runner up in the 2024 season before winning his first world title in 2025. In his career so far, Norris has achieved 11 wins, 46 podiums, and 1 world title. 

Disability: Norris has opened up about his experiences with mental health, including depression and anxiety. He has shared his experiences with learning to manage his depression and anxiety better as he moves forward in the sport. 

Arvid Lindblad

[PT: Arvid Lindblad]

[Image ID: 2 photos of Arvid Lindblad. In the first, he wears a navy Red Bull F2 race suit and is smiling. In the second, he’s walking while wearing a blue and white VCARB shirt and cap. End ID]

Arvid Lindblad is a British Racing driver currently driving in F1. His first season is 2026 and he has competed in 8 Formula 1 events at the time of writing this. He was born in 2007 and is 18 years old. 

Racing: Lindblad started racing on 2 wheels before switching to karts. He then rose quickly through the junior series, starting in F4 in 2022 and making his Formula 1 debut in 2026. An exception was made for him to get his Super License at 17, allowing him to participate in Free Practice with Red Bull. He races on Red Bull’s junior F1 team, Racing Bulls, and has claimed 20 points so far this season. 

Disability: Lindblad has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder which causes a reaction to gluten. He experienced fatigue during his early racing career and now follows a gluten free diet to manage his disability. He has also shared that he is dyslexic and had testing accommodations in school. He said he prefers math and science because of his dyslexia. 

Conclusion: 

Disabled drivers have been integral to the history of Formula 1 across its history, from the man who was denied entry to compete on the basis of his disability to the one who continues breaking barriers in the sport. In many discussions of disability in motorsport, Formula 1 drivers are missing from the narrative, and it’s not because they aren’t there. They always have been, and they deserve to be celebrated in these discussions. Six of them are world champions; that’s no small accomplishment!

While we still need to keep pushing for disabled peoples’ inclusion in motorsport today, it’s also important to recognize those who have made it. There is still a long way to go, but these people have competed in and excelled in a sport where disability is rarely seen or acknowledged. 

While disability pride month started a bit ago, it is still July. I urge you to choose one (or multiple) drivers whose stories stood out to you and take a bit of time to celebrate them and/or their achievements. Draw a picture, write something, watch a race, edit some photos, scroll through their tag on tumblr and reblog something. Let others know that disabled people are, and always have been at the heart of this sport and that they’re not leaving any time soon. 

Extra thanks to @barbiehelmet for reading this over. Much appreciated.

Sources (In addition to each driver’s Wikipedia page): (Each given source includes a link to it for easy access)

Leslie Johnson: F1 History , F1 Forgotten Drivers  

Luigi Fagioli: F1 History , This Day in Motorsport History

Bill Schindler: New England Auto Racers ,  Historic Racing 

Duke Nalon: Motorsports Hall of Fame of America   

Cal Niday: LA Times ,  F1 History

Archie Scott Brown: F1 Forgotten Drivers 

Wolfgang von Trips: Jaap Grolleman ,  Hooniverse , F1 History

Carroll Shelby: Shelby American Automobile Club ,  F1 History

Alan Stacey: F1 Forgotten Drivers ,  F1 History

Bruce McLaren: McLaren , F1 History 

Lance Reventlow: F1 History , Google News 

Jochen Rindt: Formula 1 , F1 Archive 

Jackie Stewart: Formula 1 ,  F1 History , Dyslexia Help 

Jean-Pierre Beltoise: Cars Rave   

Niki Lauda: Formula 1 ,  BBC

Martin Brundle: F1 History ,  Autosport 

Johnny Herbert: F1 History ,  The Judge 13

Mika Häkkinen: Formula 1 ,  Planet F1

Ukyo Katayama: F1 History  

Justin Wilson: F1 History ,  Indycar

Scott Speed: F1 History ,  Formula 1

Robert Kubica: Formula 1 , Planet F1 , Motorsport Technology

Lewis Hamilton: F1 History ,  F1 History (2.0) 

Lando Norris: Motorsport ,  Pit Pass , F1 History