Billy Monger

[godzilla84]

This is staggering how well the motorsport community looks after their own. I really hope he gets to race again.

[godzilla84]

moffspeed said:

So sorry for the lad, one of those freak accidents that you can't legislate against. "Motor Racing is Dangerous" was printed on entry tickets half a century ago when I was Billy's age and every little nipper accepts this when they climb aboard their Cadet Kart.

Apart from Billy and his family spare a thought for the marshals/paramedics/medics who were first on scene. Believe me, despite this being "their job", these kind of accidents are not the sort that are forgotten by Monday morning...

Definitely agree with this especially the second paragraph. Both my GF and I have been looking into marshalling (she's an orthopaedic nurse by trade) and she deals with nasty stuff day in day out but she said things like Billy's accident would stay with you for a long time. Hats off to all the people that were on the scene and most likely saved his life. Also feel bad for Patrick Pasma too, can't imagine how he feels right now.

[anonymous-user]

Given my bit to the appeal.

As someone who straps drivers in to racing cars for a living, its always in your thoughts that you do the best you can to send them out in the safest car possible, but always with the knowledge that what happens on track is out of your hands.

Fortunately we live in times when serious injury or worse isn't as common as it used to be, but its something you are constantly aware of as you build and run the cars.

Best of luck to Billy on his recovery.

[Vocal Minority]

godzilla84 said:

This is staggering how well the motorsport community looks after their own. I really hope he gets to race again.

I think as this has demonstrated - from Jenson Button and Max Verstappen, to some bloke who hill climbs a knackered RX8 in the Midlands (Hi) - we are a very big family.

[Speed Badger]

Billy has inadvertently brought out the best in people , apparently he is already trying to figure out how to use a hand clutch. Respect!

[ChemicalChaos]

Speed Badger said:

Billy has inadvertently brought out the best in people , apparently he is already trying to figure out how to use a hand clutch. Respect!

We run a hand clutch on our Formula Student car - its pretty easy once you've got the hang of it, so he'll be hopefully adapt to it in no time!

Does anyone know if racers with prosthetics need a hand throttle and brake too, or is it just the clutch where feeling the bite is essential?

[skeggysteve]

jsf said:

...
As someone who straps drivers in to racing cars for a living...

Like you I did the same and I get where you coming from - I lost a friend who went to another team.


CC, I'd be interested to learn more about your hand clutch.

Until a couple of mouths ago I worked for a company that designed and made brake and throttle hand controls. I have emailed the boss about getting Billy some. Finger crossed.

[ChemicalChaos]

skeggysteve said:

jsf said:

...
As someone who straps drivers in to racing cars for a living...

Like you I did the same and I get where you coming from - I lost a friend who went to another team.


CC, I'd be interested to learn more about your hand clutch.

Until a couple of mouths ago I worked for a company that designed and made brake and throttle hand controls. I have emailed the boss about getting Billy some. Finger crossed.

The only picture I have to hand is from our 2013 car, but the concept hasn't changed at all since. Its a milled alloy hand lever, mounted on a U-bracket that is part of the steering column top support. The driver pulls it towards them to "press" the clutch, it has about 6 or 7cm travel at the furthest point from the pivot, and it pulls on a cable running to the gearbox. Ours is mounted on the right because the motorcycle gearbox we use gears down into first, so needs the left paddle unobstructed when the lever is pulled in. If using it for a conventional car 'box then I guess you'd have it on the left.
It is very weird at first and you'll either slip it like a granny or stall the car, but after 2 or 3 goes you begin to really feel the bit point and and after 10 or so goes you can nail a really good standing start and make it as clean as you like, or induce just the right amount of wheelspin

[anonymous-user]

ChemicalChaos said:

We run a hand clutch on our Formula Student car - its pretty easy once you've got the hang of it, so he'll be hopefully adapt to it in no time!

Does anyone know if racers with prosthetics need a hand throttle and brake too, or is it just the clutch where feeling the bite is essential?

I know one very successful racing driver that most people aren't even aware has a prosthetic right leg. He uses his right leg for throttle and brake still, but has a hand blipper for heal and toe downshifts, as he cant cover the brake and throttle.

I also know another driver who is paralysed with a spinal cord injury who had his 1970 CanAm car converted to full hand controls, with an electronic shifter system fitted to a Hewland LG600 gearbox.

You can do pretty much anything you want with a car if you have the will.

[Vocal Minority]

I understand that Alex Zanardi used a pressure pad in the seat for the throttle and had a 'normal' pedal brake he operated with a prosthetic?

The gent at Le Mans had something similar, a steering wheel knob and automatic transmission

(It's possible I'm getting them mixed up)

Either way, anything is possible really. There are so many different solutions out there I am sure Billy, the engineers and MSA can find one that works from a comfort, usefulness and safety point of view

[airbusA346]

Vocal Minority said:

I understand that Alex Zanardi used a pressure pad in the seat for the throttle and had a 'normal' pedal brake he operated with a prosthetic?

The gent at Le Mans had something similar, a steering wheel knob and automatic transmission

(It's possible I'm getting them mixed up)

Either way, anything is possible really. There are so many different solutions out there I am sure Billy, the engineers and MSA can find one that works from a comfort, usefulness and safety point of view

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/06/23/bmw-motorsport-unveils-innovative-tech-features-for-z4-gt3-for-zanardi-glock-and-spengler.html

This article explains what modifications BMW made to a Z4 GT3 so Zanardi could race in the Spa 24 Hours.

And this is Frédéric Sausset's modifications.

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/the-fascinating-way-...

Edited by airbusA346 on Friday 21st April 07:36

[VladD]

All F1 drivers use a hand clutch don't they? In fact I think they have two levers.

[anonymous-user]

VladD said:

All F1 drivers use a hand clutch don't they? In fact I think they have two levers.

They used to have 2 clutch levers, one to set bite point and one to manage release. The interface between clutch paddle and clutch was software mapped to allow the engineers to fine tune the launch. They are now only allowed one clutch lever and no mapable software interface, to bring control back to the driver on the starts.

With a racing dog box you don't need the clutch once you are moving, modern kit synchronises the shift off the paddles and does any clutch interaction required. Old kit you just shift manually using a bit of preload on the lever so as soon as you come off the throttle it shifts into the next gear with no clutch on upshifts, downshifts you match the revs and snick it into the lower gear at the appropriate speed with no clutch use.

[Dinoboy]

What an incredible response to this, hope to see him up and about soon.

[redback911]

Donated this afternoon.

Really hope to see/hear that Billy makes a speedy recovery and returns to racing.

[Munter]

I'm going to put this here because Paul O'Neil retweeted it (along with all Pauls #billywhizz tweets)

https://twitter.com/DanBlakeRacing/status/85542709...

Billy was unfortunately not the only person seriously injured taking part in UK Motorsport last weekend.

[Tim M DB7V]

Billywhizz stickers available here: http://www.tshirtuk.com/index.php?route=product/ca...
Profits go to the charity.

[Poynter87]

Munter said:

I'm going to put this here because Paul O'Neil retweeted it (along with all Pauls #billywhizz tweets)

https://twitter.com/DanBlakeRacing/status/85542709...

Billy was unfortunately not the only person seriously injured taking part in UK Motorsport last weekend.

I was at Castle combe when this happened and knew it was serious by the amount of emergency vehicles on the scene, let's hope the motorsport community can pull together for Craig as they have for Billy.

[SpudLink]

drainbrain said:

I lost both legs above the knee aged 63 in an auto incident in Nov. '15. The NHS in Glasgow are superb. The prosthetics they've supplied me are Otto Bock Genium X3's which are the absolute state of the art bad boys. The NHS physios are an amazing crew as well and my rehab's run in consultation with Headley Court who are the country's most experienced amputee rehab crew, but strictly for military personnel only. The NHS get your rehab started as soon as possible after your amputation. And if Billy goes NHS his prosthetics will be upkept and upgraded for the rest of his life.

Hopefully Billy's are below-the-knee amputations which are a lot easier and quicker to rehab from than above the knee. But at his age, given as a racer he's probably got a big set of balls, he'll be starting to 'walk' again in only a few weeks, and within a year he'll be back in competitive sport again if he wants to be. He'll have all kinds of mentors including 'wounded warriors' not much older than himself. They'll soon have him showing what he can do - and inspiring him to do what he can't too!!

He's probably already watching youtube videos of Cameron Clapp and Heath Calhoun (if he's double above). DAK amps aren't allowed to drive manual cars on the road in UK, but there are plenty of vids of Staff Sgt. Calhoun driving various machines e.g.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUJbub1hG04

They and others are rehab'd by Kevin Carroll at the Hanger Clinic in Oklahoma. But don't underestimate the NHS, and the networking available for amputees in the UK. Put it this way, I'm just back from a half-mile walk along the promenade at Port de Soller in my 'training legs' and I'm flipping' 65!!

Billy'll be back in no time.

Thanks for sharing that. It's good to hear you're making such good progress.
Although I didn't know Billy, it was heartbreaking to hear of his double amputation. Hopefully he'll be able to get back to his racing career before too long.

[hkp57]

Here is a guy I know from the kit car world, wheelchair bound but drives his car very quickly with all hand controls

Right had has a twist throttle and a clutch from a motorcycle. pushes the whole assembly forward for brakes.

paddle on the wheel for gear change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afmScGleQBU