LEWIS Hamilton paid tribute to his brother Nicolas after the latter secured the first-ever piece of silverware in his motorsport career.
Both drivers celebrated podium finishes at the weekend with Lewis second for Ferrari in the Canadian Grand Prix – his best result since joining the Italian team last season.
Lewis’s brother Nicolas also stepped onto the podium in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) racing for Droitwich-based Team Vertu.
Nicolas won the Jack Sears Trophy at Snetterton with the prize awarded to drivers without a BTCC podium at the start of a new season.
Told he would never walk as a child after he was born with cerebral palsy, the Team Vertu driver races in a specially modified car.
He finished 16th in the qualifying race and then finished 17th, 16th and 16th with his haul of points enough to win the Jack Sears Trophy.
And seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis heaped praise on his brother for proving the doubters wrong and for overcoming barriers to competing in the sport.
Hamilton posted on Instagram: “I could not be more proud of my brother Nicolas.
“Seeing the passion and emotion on his face as he stood on his first podium was such a beautiful moment.
“For us both to be on podiums on the same day was a major. I called him the second the race ended.
“Motorsport is not built to be inclusive. There is little to no access for people with disabilities, and no support systems to level the playing field.
“This is something so many take for granted. Despite that, despite the barriers and the people who told him it wasn’t possible, he never stopped.
“He fought. He adapted. He proved them wrong.
“While he will always be my kid brother, I am profoundly proud of the leader, the athlete, and the man he has become.
“He inspires me just as much as he inspires everyone watching his journey. No matter how hard it has been he has never given up.
“What he’s achieved is massive and I’m so happy for him.
“Love you bro, keep going.”
