Nathalie McGloin makes history as first disabled sportsperson to present trophy at Formula 1 British Grand Prix
9 July 2018
Nathalie McGloin made history at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone yesterday, as she became the first sportsperson with a disability to present a podium prize. Nathalie awarded the third place trophy to Kimi Räikkönen, after a thrilling race in 30 degree heat.
Nathalie McGloin is the only female tetraplegic racing driver in the world to be competing at professional level. She handed over the trophy in place of David Richards CBE, Chairman of the Motor Sports Association (MSA), who personally invited Nathalie to make the presentation.
Nathalie commented, “I am honoured to have been given this opportunity to raise awareness of the accessibility of motorsport and demonstrate that ‘anything is possible’. This is a sport for everyone, whatever their background or gender, and whether able-bodied or disabled – and the UK is leading the way in this respect. I’d like to thank David Richards for his generous support and dedication to this cause.”
Nathalie, 35, was involved in a road traffic accident aged 16 and has since then been confined to a wheelchair. She first got on track in 2015 with Mission Motorsport, and now competes in the Porsche Club Championship. McGloin helps other people with disabilities get behind the wheel through Spinal Track, a charity she founded with her partner, Andrew Bayliss. She is also President of the FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission and an ambassador for the charity Dare To Be Different.
About Nathalie McGloin
Born in 1983, Nathalie McGloin was injured in a car crash at the age of 16, where she broke her neck at level C6/7, leaving her completely paralysed from the chest down. Undeterred by this major injury, Nathalie graduated in 2007 from Nottingham University with a degree in English Studies. She then moved to London to pursue a career in Wheelchair Rugby, and in 2008, gained a place on the national GB Wheelchair Rugby squad. In 2013, Nathalie began her journey to become the first woman with a spinal cord injury to be granted a UK racing licence. A year later, in her Porsche 911 Turbo road car fitted with hand controls, Nathalie participated in a number of sprint and hillclimb events. She won her class in her first event and became the first woman with a spinal cord injury to gain a class win at an MSA sanctioned event.
In May 2015, Nathalie was the first female with a spinal cord injury to be awarded a race licence in the UK, and, a few days later, became the only female tetraplegic in the world to complete a race. She is currently still the only female tetraplegic to be competing in the world. Nathalie races a Porsche Cayman S PDK in the Porsche Club Championship, competing against able-bodied drivers.
In January 2016, Nathalie and her partner, Andrew Bayliss, created the charity ‘Spinal Track’, which gives disabled track novices their first track driving experience in a specially adapted Golf GTI. By the end of the first year, the waiting list for people to participate in a Spinal Track Day was a 12 months.
In 2017, Nathalie and Spinal Track caught the attention of global brand, Stanley Black & Decker, who came on board as the first major commercial sponsor for both Nathalie McGloin Racing and Spinal Track. In January 2018, The Richard Burns Foundation donated two Toyota GT86 cars to add a rally experience to Spinal Track’s driving day event experiences.
In October 2017, Nathalie was asked by Jean Todt to take on the role of President of the newly formed FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission. Not only is Nathalie the youngest FIA Commission President, but she also makes up one of only two female FIA Commission Presidents – the other being Michèle Mouton, FIA Women In Motorsport Commission President.
In May 2018, Nathalie entered the CSCC Championship in her Porsche Cayman S and finished her first ever race in the series with a third in class.
More about Nathalie McGloin Racing: http://nathaliemcgloinracing.com/
More about Spinal Track: http://www.spinaltrack.org/