Almost one year after losing both legs in a crash at Donington Park, Billy Monger will race in the BRDC British Formula 3 opening round at Oulton Park.

Excited to announce I’ll be lining up on the grid for the first race of @BRDCBritishF3 this weekend. One race at a time for now but hoping to confirm for the rest of the season soon. Thanks @CarlinRacing and @Bayhar for your continued support #BillyWhizz pic.twitter.com/YLA22G8G4f

— billywhizz (@BillyMonger) March 27, 2018

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The 18-year-old has been testing with Carlin in the offseason, finishing 12th fastest among the 24 participants in a test at Spa last week.

“It’s a pretty awesome feeling getting back on track,” he said in a February interview. “Just loving my time out there.

“We did a lot of work on the sim beforehand so the preparation we kind of put in before was good enough for us to go out there and show what we could do quite early on. And we went out there and didn’t have many problems and built up pace bit by bit, really.”

Monger made his on-track return in a Carlin car in February, testing at the same Oulton Park where he’ll race this weekend.

Monger underwent a double leg amputation after running into the back of a stationary car during a British F4 race at Donington last April, but his positivity has inspired the motorsport world to rally behind his ambitions to return to competition, with support ranging from fundraising campaigns, to the direct involvement of the British racing governing body the MSA, which helped him change an FIA rule that had prevented disabled drivers from competing in international single-seater competition.

In the video below, Monger details his efforts to get the FIA rule overturned. 

“When I found out there was this rule, when I spoke to the FIA and realized it was something that could be changed, I saw no reason why, why not do it? That’s what I’ve grown up wanting to do, to get into F1, so why not try and get back in a single seater again?”

Monger’s racing steering wheel is designed with up and down gears on the same side to help him operate the car. A paddle allows him to accelerate using his right hand. He brakes with his right leg, which has a shorter prosthetic.