Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

Amputee F3 racer Billy Monger: "You think nothing serious will happen to you"

·30 min·3 clips

At 17, racing driver Billy Monger lost both legs in a crash; a decade later, he broke the double-leg amputee Ironman world record.

This episode of Access All features an interview with Billy Monger, a double-leg amputee and former Formula 3 driver. Host Emma Tracey introduces Billy's story, highlighting his crash at 17 and subsequent achievements, including an Ironman world record. Billy describes the 2017 accident at Donington Park in detail, explaining the wet conditions and the moment he hit a stationary car. He recalls being conscious after the crash, hearing the other driver scream, and doctors putting him in an induced coma for extraction. Billy woke up three days later without his legs and discusses his family's reaction and his own mindset. He talks about his physical recovery, including blood transfusions and hospital stays, and how his family adapted their home for wheelchair access. Billy explains how returning to racing, inspired by role models like Alex Zanardi, became a pillar of his recovery. The interview delves into his use of prosthetics, including different types for daily life, gym work, and sports like cycling and running. Billy shares technical details about his microprocessor knee, which requires USB charging and once malfunctioned during an exam. He describes training for the Ironman in Hawaii, including heat acclimation in a chamber up to 42 degrees Celsius. Billy reveals how he used a BOA system on his prosthetic to manage sweat without stopping during the marathon. He broke the double-leg amputee Ironman world record by over two hours, finishing in 14 hours and 23 minutes. Billy discusses how lockdown during COVID led him to focus on training for mental health, sparking his endurance journey. He hints at potential future involvement in para-triathlon for the Paralympics. The episode promotes a documentary about his Ironman challenge, set to air around Red Nose Day.

As heard by us

Billy Munger's Ironman ambition lands with force because it is rooted in the reality of becoming a double amputee at 17.

Access All sets Billy Munger's Ironman ambition against the hospital reality that followed his Formula 4 crash, so the athletic goal feels tied to a larger story about disability, independence, and recovery.

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Why you'd press play

You want a clear-eyed conversation about life after a Formula 4 crash, with Kona and an Ironman world-record attempt at the far end.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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