I don't like to use 'I can't'. I don't look at my disability as a negative thing.
Billy Monger
When I'm in the car, if you didn't know my story and just saw me driving, you wouldn't know the difference between me and any of the other drivers. I'm just out there competing.
I said it was my dream to drive in F1.
I just see myself as a driver. The disability plays a part but I don't see myself as disabled.
They saved my life but the accident was unavoidable so there was no point feeling sorry for myself. I just wanted to race again.
It's been my dream to race in F1 since I was eight. I don't see why that should change just because I've changed. It's a big challenge but I like to push myself. The accident has toughened me up and made me realise what's important. It's spurred me on to get to F1.
When I said I wanted to get back racing my dream was to be an F1 driver. I didn't know how realistic that was going to be until I'd driven again.
I think I've shown that all the promises I made that I was going to win races were real and not bull.
Dad bought me a go-kart when I was two, and I couldn't even drive it until I was six.
But braking is so difficult, especially in single-seaters. You're millimetres from locking up in the braking zones. Having to feel that through the hands? You don't get anything like the same feedback when you hit a pedal and feel it push back against you.
If I'm winning races, it means I'm doing a good job. I've put down a marker now, against drivers with a lot more experience of the car than me. This is not going to be a one-off.
Getting back racing gave me the extra motivation in other areas to get back walking in my day to day life and just spurred me on.
There are more challenges as an amputee than I had when I was racing with both my legs beforehand but it's something I enjoy doing and something that is part of me.
I don't feel like my career path has changed.
I'm happiest when I'm in the car. I don't have to worry about my A-Levels or my prosthetics or anything. I can just go out there and be me, doing what I've always wanted to do.
I don't have time for self-pity. I don't see the point in dwelling on the past.
I am a racing driver and I am not just some guy who has had an accident and gone back to racing because that is what he enjoys.
Before my accident I had to fund my racing through finding sponsors myself so I am use to it. Obviously at that point I was 15 or 16, knocking on business's doors going 'I am a racing driver, a British champion and I want to be in Formula 1, will you give me an amount so I represent your brand'.
It is weird because a lot of people don't realise, I would struggle for budget. There are moments with the people I work with sit there and think what have we got to do to make people realise that if Billy doesn't get sponsorship he won't be racing.
Motorsport is all about gaining as much of an advantage as you can and the FIA are there to make sure I don't gain an advantage over my competitors.
