1 00:00:02,460 --> 00:00:06,359 Billy Monger: There's a big loop of corridors making that hospital into a track 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,720 Billy Monger: effectively. It's a huge itch that I've got to scratch. 3 00:00:09,869 --> 00:00:12,210 Billy Monger: There's no doubt about that. So, I'm trying to look humble. 4 00:00:12,210 --> 00:00:12,480 Billy Monger: All right? 5 00:00:14,310 --> 00:00:15,810 Alex Legouix: How many seconds would you win by? 6 00:00:15,870 --> 00:00:16,829 Billy Monger: Seconds or laps? 7 00:00:17,820 --> 00:00:24,960 Alex Legouix: Oh, oh, oh, all right. Today we are in leafy Surrey with 8 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:30,000 Alex Legouix: racing driver, Billy Monger, a truly special person with unbreakable 9 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,540 Alex Legouix: resilience. Billy was involved in a horrific car accident in 10 00:00:33,540 --> 00:00:38,250 Alex Legouix: 2017, which changed his life. But becoming a double amputee 11 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,930 Alex Legouix: didn't wipe away his positivity or determination. Within a year, 12 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:45,990 Alex Legouix: Billy Wiz, as he's known by to many, was back 13 00:00:45,990 --> 00:00:49,229 Alex Legouix: on the track racing again. His story is one of 14 00:00:49,229 --> 00:00:53,310 Alex Legouix: unbelievable triumph over tragedy. Billy's going to show us around 15 00:00:53,310 --> 00:00:56,520 Alex Legouix: this gorgeous part of Surrey, including where some of his 16 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,300 Alex Legouix: rehab took place. And while he does, we'll find out 17 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:04,590 Alex Legouix: how he overcame those terrible injuries to continue racing and 18 00:01:04,590 --> 00:01:09,300 Alex Legouix: become the lovable TV personality he is today. This is 19 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:12,240 Alex Legouix: Show on the Road, brought to you by Autotrader, the 20 00:01:12,270 --> 00:01:17,160 Alex Legouix: UK's largest automated platform. I'm Alex Legouix driving a Toyota 21 00:01:17,310 --> 00:01:22,170 Alex Legouix: CHR into the quaint little village of Charlwood where Billy lives. And 22 00:01:22,170 --> 00:01:25,350 Alex Legouix: there he is. Hello, sir. 23 00:01:25,350 --> 00:01:26,039 Billy Monger: How's it going? 24 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:26,250 Alex Legouix: Good. 25 00:01:27,750 --> 00:01:28,589 Billy Monger: Mind if I hop in? 26 00:01:28,590 --> 00:01:32,009 Alex Legouix: Please do. How are you? 27 00:01:32,130 --> 00:01:32,131 Billy Monger: Good. 28 00:01:32,130 --> 00:01:32,131 Alex Legouix: Good. 29 00:01:32,131 --> 00:01:32,401 Billy Monger: Yourself? 30 00:01:33,300 --> 00:01:36,601 Alex Legouix: Good, thank you. Ready for a little jaunt around the world of Billy? 31 00:01:36,601 --> 00:01:36,602 Billy Monger: Around my local area, yeah. Hopefully I remember it all. 32 00:01:36,602 --> 00:01:52,171 Alex Legouix: So Billy, Charlwood is a very quaint village, isn't it? 33 00:01:52,171 --> 00:01:54,330 Billy Monger: Yeah, I like it. I've grown up that way, so 34 00:01:54,330 --> 00:01:56,490 Billy Monger: probably, I don't know any different. But a lot of 35 00:01:56,490 --> 00:02:00,120 Billy Monger: my friends obviously go after uni a few years ago. 36 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:01,800 Billy Monger: And now they're obsessed with the idea of living in 37 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,040 Billy Monger: London. But I don't know if I'm too used to living 38 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:10,501 Billy Monger: out and having fresh air, peace, and quiet, but I wouldn't be able to embrace city life. 39 00:02:10,501 --> 00:02:11,730 Alex Legouix: Have you lived around here all your life? 40 00:02:12,060 --> 00:02:14,220 Billy Monger: Where I am now, my parents moved into there when 41 00:02:14,220 --> 00:02:15,750 Billy Monger: I was like six months old. 42 00:02:16,110 --> 00:02:18,870 Alex Legouix: So you grew up with one sibling, didn't you? 43 00:02:18,930 --> 00:02:19,110 Billy Monger: Yeah. 44 00:02:19,290 --> 00:02:19,739 Alex Legouix: Bonnie. 45 00:02:19,740 --> 00:02:20,399 Billy Monger: Yeah, I got my sister Bon. 46 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:21,930 Alex Legouix: And your dad, Rob? 47 00:02:22,139 --> 00:02:22,380 Billy Monger: Yeah. 48 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:24,840 Alex Legouix: Is that right? We'll get to both of them in 49 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:29,400 Alex Legouix: due course. But your mum, she's a make- up artist, right? 50 00:02:29,490 --> 00:02:29,491 Billy Monger: Yeah, she is indeed, 51 00:02:29,491 --> 00:02:29,492 Alex Legouix: In the film industry or TV? 52 00:02:29,492 --> 00:02:37,020 Billy Monger: Yeah, she's done a lot of film. So she did 53 00:02:37,020 --> 00:02:39,389 Billy Monger: all the Harry Potter films, so she was head make- 54 00:02:39,389 --> 00:02:40,799 Billy Monger: up artist on all of those. 55 00:02:41,250 --> 00:02:42,540 Alex Legouix: Wow, that's pretty cool. 56 00:02:42,930 --> 00:02:48,089 Billy Monger: And then she's done Fast and Furious films, James Bond. 57 00:02:48,570 --> 00:02:51,300 Billy Monger: At the minute she's currently doing House of the Dragon, which 58 00:02:51,300 --> 00:02:53,910 Billy Monger: is the Game of Thrones spin- off series. 59 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:56,281 Alex Legouix: Did you think that was cool when you were younger? 60 00:02:56,281 --> 00:02:57,810 Billy Monger: Yeah, I did think it was cool. We got the chance, me 61 00:02:57,810 --> 00:03:00,149 Billy Monger: and Bon, we always used to go to the set and stuff 62 00:03:00,150 --> 00:03:02,220 Billy Monger: when we were younger. We'd have a day off school 63 00:03:02,220 --> 00:03:04,380 Billy Monger: or a bank holiday, sometimes mum would take us into 64 00:03:04,380 --> 00:03:08,190 Billy Monger: work just hanging around the makeup stuff. And then Daniel 65 00:03:08,190 --> 00:03:10,590 Billy Monger: Radcliffe or someone like that would come in and she'd 66 00:03:10,590 --> 00:03:13,200 Billy Monger: have to make him up. And when we weren't hanging up 67 00:03:13,350 --> 00:03:15,240 Billy Monger: the actors, I used to always try and get down 68 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,990 Billy Monger: to the stunt department. And they'd put me in a 69 00:03:18,990 --> 00:03:21,660 Billy Monger: harness and do all the stunt stuff with me. And I used 70 00:03:21,660 --> 00:03:24,240 Billy Monger: to love that 'cause I was a bit of an adrenaline junkie, as 71 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:24,989 Billy Monger: you can imagine. 72 00:03:25,710 --> 00:03:27,840 Alex Legouix: And your dad, he was the person then that got 73 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,061 Alex Legouix: you into a go- kart at an early age, wasn't he? 74 00:03:30,061 --> 00:03:32,790 Billy Monger: Yeah, he actually bought me a go- kart when I was two 75 00:03:32,790 --> 00:03:35,640 Billy Monger: years old. And I couldn't drive that he bought me 76 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,280 Billy Monger: until I was six. So, I think he actually took 77 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,190 Billy Monger: me in my booster seat to go and pick the 78 00:03:41,190 --> 00:03:44,850 Billy Monger: car up. And obviously the guy who was selling it said, " 79 00:03:44,850 --> 00:03:46,650 Billy Monger: Oh, who's it for?" And he said, " Oh, it's for 80 00:03:46,650 --> 00:03:48,690 Billy Monger: my son. He's in the front of the car." And 81 00:03:48,690 --> 00:03:51,750 Billy Monger: then apparently the guy walked past the car as he 82 00:03:51,750 --> 00:03:53,190 Billy Monger: was helping my dad put it in the back, and 83 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:55,860 Billy Monger: did a double take and said, " He can't drive that. 84 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,730 Billy Monger: You've got to be six years old." My dad was like, " No, I'm just getting 85 00:03:59,730 --> 00:04:02,820 Billy Monger: them one a few years ahead of the game." And 86 00:04:02,820 --> 00:04:04,830 Billy Monger: I was so slow when I started. 87 00:04:05,190 --> 00:04:05,700 Alex Legouix: Oh, really? 88 00:04:05,700 --> 00:04:07,170 Billy Monger: So slow. Yeah. 89 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:08,521 Alex Legouix: Comparatively or just because you were only six? 90 00:04:08,521 --> 00:04:13,500 Billy Monger: I don't know. Yeah, because six is particularly young to start. But my 91 00:04:13,500 --> 00:04:16,140 Billy Monger: dad literally used to... The kart track that I started 92 00:04:16,140 --> 00:04:18,000 Billy Monger: at, he used to run around in front of me. 93 00:04:18,300 --> 00:04:20,909 Billy Monger: And he was not exactly like Mo Farah or anything, 94 00:04:20,910 --> 00:04:23,070 Billy Monger: do you know what I mean? So you'd do a couple laps, he'd 95 00:04:23,070 --> 00:04:25,920 Billy Monger: be absolutely puffing, and I'd just be sat behind him. 96 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:27,960 Billy Monger: And eventually it came to a stage where I think 97 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:29,849 Billy Monger: he was worried that I was going to run him over 98 00:04:29,850 --> 00:04:33,000 Billy Monger: or something and he is like, " Let him just go around by himself." 99 00:04:35,220 --> 00:04:38,010 Alex Legouix: I'm assuming the nickname Billy Wiz did not come from 100 00:04:38,010 --> 00:04:39,270 Alex Legouix: when you were six years old then? 101 00:04:39,420 --> 00:04:41,909 Billy Monger: No, it definitely didn't. No. If people would see me when I started, I 102 00:04:42,540 --> 00:04:45,180 Billy Monger: don't think that Wiz would've been appropriate for my name. 103 00:04:45,180 --> 00:04:48,029 Billy Monger: But funny enough, it links back to my mum. So 104 00:04:48,029 --> 00:04:51,270 Billy Monger: my mum was working, maybe when I was around 13 105 00:04:51,270 --> 00:04:53,970 Billy Monger: or 14 years old, I think, my mum was working on 106 00:04:53,970 --> 00:04:57,690 Billy Monger: Fast and Furious. She was doing the makeup for Sung 107 00:04:57,690 --> 00:05:01,440 Billy Monger: Kang, who's the South Korean actor. They were chatting and 108 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,349 Billy Monger: my mum was like, "Oh, I think..." At that time I was 109 00:05:04,350 --> 00:05:06,930 Billy Monger: at good level in go- karting like winning British championships. 110 00:05:06,930 --> 00:05:09,240 Billy Monger: But the next step was car racing where the money 111 00:05:09,420 --> 00:05:12,150 Billy Monger: that you need just goes up significantly. So my mum 112 00:05:12,150 --> 00:05:13,260 Billy Monger: was like, " We need to get him a bit of 113 00:05:13,260 --> 00:05:16,380 Billy Monger: a following and basically come up with a cool nickname." 114 00:05:16,380 --> 00:05:18,750 Billy Monger: So, they were having this conversation while she was doing 115 00:05:18,750 --> 00:05:21,570 Billy Monger: his makeup. And yet they just came up with, Sung, 116 00:05:21,570 --> 00:05:24,180 Billy Monger: basically suggested, " Why not that Billy Wiz or something like that?" 117 00:05:24,390 --> 00:05:27,330 Alex Legouix: That's cool. That's a good person to have been given a 118 00:05:27,330 --> 00:05:28,110 Alex Legouix: nickname from. 119 00:05:28,110 --> 00:05:32,040 Billy Monger: Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I saw him earlier this year when 120 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,050 Billy Monger: I was working on the formulary. We were out in 121 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,870 Billy Monger: Japan in Tokyo and he was a guest that came 122 00:05:36,870 --> 00:05:38,670 Billy Monger: to the race. We got to interview him on the 123 00:05:38,670 --> 00:05:41,100 Billy Monger: grid and it was just a weird conversation 'cause he 124 00:05:41,100 --> 00:05:42,690 Billy Monger: brought that back up. I was like, " Oh yeah, you 125 00:05:42,690 --> 00:05:45,089 Billy Monger: did come up with my Billy Wiz nickname that I'm 126 00:05:45,089 --> 00:05:46,710 Billy Monger: known for now." It's just like one of those moments. 127 00:05:46,710 --> 00:05:49,111 Alex Legouix: Wow. That's a weird full circle, isn't it? 128 00:05:49,111 --> 00:05:50,970 Billy Monger: It is a full circle moment, yeah. 129 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,130 Alex Legouix: Can you give me directions to the tennis court? 130 00:05:59,130 --> 00:06:01,440 Billy Monger: I can indeed. We're going to go right here. You are 131 00:06:02,310 --> 00:06:04,200 Billy Monger: testing me though, even though this is five minutes from my house, my sense of 132 00:06:04,290 --> 00:06:11,010 Billy Monger: direction's pretty awful. You want to go right into this car park here. 133 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,320 Alex Legouix: So you played quite a bit of tennis here, right? 134 00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:22,589 Billy Monger: Yeah, this is one of those places when I wasn't 135 00:06:22,620 --> 00:06:28,200 Billy Monger: racing and after school, especially in the summer, hanging out, 136 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,469 Billy Monger: playing tennis on the court here. Or I'd used to 137 00:06:31,470 --> 00:06:33,570 Billy Monger: cycle and meet all my mates and we'd go and 138 00:06:33,570 --> 00:06:34,440 Billy Monger: play football. 139 00:06:34,710 --> 00:06:39,240 Alex Legouix: So we're sitting outside Newdigate Sports and Social Club Ltd, 140 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,010 Alex Legouix: which looks like quite an old school. 141 00:06:41,070 --> 00:06:42,150 Billy Monger: It is very old school. 142 00:06:42,150 --> 00:06:44,880 Alex Legouix: Pebble dash local community center, isn't it? 143 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,430 Billy Monger: Yeah. They've got a couple of pool tables. I'd go 144 00:06:47,430 --> 00:06:50,220 Billy Monger: in there occasionally when my dad would come and pick 145 00:06:50,220 --> 00:06:53,279 Billy Monger: me up, say from playing football or tennis with my mates. 146 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:55,229 Billy Monger: And we'd have a game of pool or something before 147 00:06:55,230 --> 00:06:57,690 Billy Monger: we went home, if we had time to squeeze it in. 148 00:06:57,690 --> 00:06:57,839 Alex Legouix: Oh, nice. This holds quite a lot of memories. 149 00:06:57,840 --> 00:06:57,841 Billy Monger: Yeah. Yeah, it does actually. 150 00:06:57,841 --> 00:07:03,810 Alex Legouix: And we've got nice big field, tennis courts. 151 00:07:03,870 --> 00:07:07,469 Billy Monger: Little basketball court. The park bit has changed and then 152 00:07:07,470 --> 00:07:10,110 Billy Monger: in the top left of the field there's the cricket 153 00:07:10,110 --> 00:07:12,390 Billy Monger: club. Cricket never really grabbed me. I found it a 154 00:07:12,390 --> 00:07:14,489 Billy Monger: bit too boring, to be honest. Yeah, I'm more of 155 00:07:14,490 --> 00:07:18,330 Billy Monger: an adrenaline sports guy. Tennis, I was pretty good at, 156 00:07:18,330 --> 00:07:21,510 Billy Monger: so that used to bring out my competitive edge on 157 00:07:21,510 --> 00:07:24,300 Billy Monger: these courts. Yeah, there was a few moments where the 158 00:07:24,300 --> 00:07:27,120 Billy Monger: racket nearly got whacked on the ground and all sorts. 159 00:07:28,410 --> 00:07:29,640 Alex Legouix: What a nice little area. 160 00:07:29,700 --> 00:07:30,150 Billy Monger: Yeah. 161 00:07:31,470 --> 00:07:34,170 Alex Legouix: So, how old were you when you started racing competitively? 162 00:07:34,380 --> 00:07:39,720 Billy Monger: Local competitions, probably about eight. And then I had my first 163 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,060 Billy Monger: year of British Championships when I was nine. 164 00:07:42,060 --> 00:07:42,390 Alex Legouix: In? 165 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,510 Billy Monger: In Honda Cadets, so that was just races all around 166 00:07:45,510 --> 00:07:49,350 Billy Monger: the country. And then I won the British Championship in my second 167 00:07:49,350 --> 00:07:52,110 Billy Monger: year when I was 10. So, that was probably the point 168 00:07:52,110 --> 00:07:56,101 Billy Monger: where I thought, "Okay, I'm pretty good at this and this could be..." 169 00:07:56,101 --> 00:07:56,431 Alex Legouix: Yeah. And your dad started going, "Oh, no. Here we go." 170 00:07:58,620 --> 00:08:01,860 Billy Monger: Yeah. He started, yeah, realizing this was going to get 171 00:08:01,860 --> 00:08:03,270 Billy Monger: expensive real quick. 172 00:08:05,670 --> 00:08:07,051 Alex Legouix: Do you still like karting now? 173 00:08:07,051 --> 00:08:11,940 Billy Monger: I do, yeah. I think karting is one of the most authentic 174 00:08:11,940 --> 00:08:15,690 Billy Monger: forms of motorsport. Like it's not down to equipment to 175 00:08:15,690 --> 00:08:19,410 Billy Monger: a certain level and it's a lot more relaxed, or 176 00:08:19,650 --> 00:08:22,380 Billy Monger: at least it was when I was doing it. Probably 177 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,020 Billy Monger: 80% of the people I was racing against, maybe even 178 00:08:25,020 --> 00:08:27,900 Billy Monger: more than that, would stay at the kart track. So, 179 00:08:28,140 --> 00:08:30,330 Billy Monger: we'd all be camper vans so all the kids would hang 180 00:08:30,330 --> 00:08:34,050 Billy Monger: out with each other in the evenings, barbecues. It was 181 00:08:34,050 --> 00:08:37,380 Billy Monger: more than just a kart race. Where now I think, 182 00:08:37,830 --> 00:08:41,100 Billy Monger: I've done a little bit of coaching for young go- 183 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:44,520 Billy Monger: karters just before my accident, when I was 16 years 184 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:48,030 Billy Monger: old, 17 as well. And hardly anyone stays at the 185 00:08:48,030 --> 00:08:51,570 Billy Monger: track anymore, and it just feels a little bit too 186 00:08:51,570 --> 00:08:56,459 Billy Monger: serious nowadays. People get into go- karting now literally to 187 00:08:56,460 --> 00:08:58,290 Billy Monger: become a Formula 1 world champion. 188 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:00,780 Alex Legouix: And so then you moved up to cars at what 189 00:09:00,780 --> 00:09:01,050 Alex Legouix: age then? 190 00:09:01,050 --> 00:09:04,740 Billy Monger: So I moved up into Ginetta Juniors, which was my 191 00:09:04,740 --> 00:09:09,990 Billy Monger: first dip into actual car racing when I was 14. 192 00:09:10,470 --> 00:09:15,600 Billy Monger: And then yeah, 16, 17 F4 car that does 130, 140 193 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:16,500 Billy Monger: mile an hour. 194 00:09:17,250 --> 00:09:19,170 Alex Legouix: Wow. That's so young, isn't it? 195 00:09:19,170 --> 00:09:23,160 Billy Monger: It is, yeah. At that point when I got into F4, I'd 196 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:27,690 Billy Monger: been racing 10 years, so it didn't really feel... You 197 00:09:27,690 --> 00:09:30,390 Billy Monger: build up that speed over time, it doesn't feel like 198 00:09:30,390 --> 00:09:31,500 Billy Monger: a huge jump. 199 00:09:31,590 --> 00:09:35,280 Alex Legouix: Yeah. You seem really laid back. What were you like on 200 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,400 Alex Legouix: a race weekend or on the grid ahead of a race? 201 00:09:39,059 --> 00:09:41,429 Billy Monger: Yeah, I think I've always been... When I was younger, 202 00:09:41,429 --> 00:09:43,860 Billy Monger: I was quite a shy kid, so when I first 203 00:09:43,860 --> 00:09:47,190 Billy Monger: started racing I was really shy. And then I think 204 00:09:47,790 --> 00:09:49,980 Billy Monger: finding stuff that I was good at and stuff that 205 00:09:49,980 --> 00:09:54,390 Billy Monger: I enjoyed doing, like racing for example, built my confidence 206 00:09:54,450 --> 00:09:57,360 Billy Monger: just as a person. I just think if you find 207 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,150 Billy Monger: something you're good at, it gives you that natural confidence 208 00:10:00,150 --> 00:10:02,849 Billy Monger: and that happened for me. So then by the time 209 00:10:02,850 --> 00:10:06,329 Billy Monger: I was 12, 13, I'd won a couple of British championships. 210 00:10:06,390 --> 00:10:08,550 Billy Monger: I'd done really well on the world championship scene as 211 00:10:08,550 --> 00:10:11,730 Billy Monger: well. And it just shaped me a little bit into just 212 00:10:11,730 --> 00:10:14,819 Billy Monger: becoming a more confident person. I was still very laid- 213 00:10:14,820 --> 00:10:17,880 Billy Monger: back, but when I'm off track, I'm almost a slightly 214 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,010 Billy Monger: different person, off track to on track. 215 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:25,770 Alex Legouix: Yeah. You said that you were competitive and goal- oriented. 216 00:10:26,070 --> 00:10:28,080 Alex Legouix: Where do you think that comes from? 217 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:32,670 Billy Monger: My dad's competitive, but not massively. He pushed me when 218 00:10:32,670 --> 00:10:35,460 Billy Monger: I was younger, but not one of the real pushy 219 00:10:35,460 --> 00:10:38,370 Billy Monger: parents. He would always say to me, " If you're not 220 00:10:38,370 --> 00:10:40,830 Billy Monger: enjoying this, we don't have to do it." He would 221 00:10:40,830 --> 00:10:43,559 Billy Monger: remind me of that every now and then. Mainly, he'd 222 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:47,760 Billy Monger: say that to me to be fair, if we weren't doing that well. So if all of a 223 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:49,770 Billy Monger: sudden if I wasn't getting the results or he felt 224 00:10:49,770 --> 00:10:53,040 Billy Monger: like I wasn't putting in the effort, he'd obviously dedicate 225 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,199 Billy Monger: a lot of his spare time when he wasn't working, 226 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,050 Billy Monger: to making sure it was all right. Yeah, he put 227 00:10:58,050 --> 00:11:00,210 Billy Monger: in a lot of effort that when you're younger you 228 00:11:00,210 --> 00:11:03,780 Billy Monger: maybe don't appreciate. So there was probably moments where he 229 00:11:03,780 --> 00:11:05,550 Billy Monger: was like, " Why am I going into all this effort if 230 00:11:05,940 --> 00:11:08,849 Billy Monger: Billy's more worried about going on a scooter after the 231 00:11:08,850 --> 00:11:11,730 Billy Monger: racing or having a kick around with his mates rather 232 00:11:11,730 --> 00:11:14,910 Billy Monger: than taking it seriously?" So there was a couple of those 233 00:11:14,910 --> 00:11:18,030 Billy Monger: moments where it was like, " Listen, you need to try. We're not 234 00:11:18,030 --> 00:11:20,280 Billy Monger: going to just keep doing this and spending the money 235 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,708 Billy Monger: to go racing if it's not what you want to 236 00:11:22,708 --> 00:11:26,190 Billy Monger: do." It wasn't necessarily about the winning, but I think 237 00:11:26,190 --> 00:11:28,230 Billy Monger: that's all he really wanted for me, was just me to 238 00:11:28,230 --> 00:11:30,990 Billy Monger: give my best. Actually the year I won my first 239 00:11:30,990 --> 00:11:34,709 Billy Monger: British championship when I was 10, I won the first round 240 00:11:34,710 --> 00:11:38,760 Billy Monger: of the championship and then I think the next race was in four weeks 241 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:40,740 Billy Monger: time. And on the Monday after, it was a bank 242 00:11:40,740 --> 00:11:43,380 Billy Monger: holiday, so he took me to the local pub. And 243 00:11:43,380 --> 00:11:47,040 Billy Monger: I was out basically on a swing set messing around, and then 244 00:11:47,250 --> 00:11:49,380 Billy Monger: I said, " Dad, watch this." And I went to jump 245 00:11:49,380 --> 00:11:51,450 Billy Monger: off the swing and I didn't let go of it 246 00:11:51,450 --> 00:11:56,070 Billy Monger: until I was upside down. I held on for too long and I landed on my arm 247 00:11:56,070 --> 00:11:59,219 Billy Monger: and broke my arm in a couple places. And my dad was like, " You 248 00:11:59,250 --> 00:12:01,110 Billy Monger: idiot, you've just won the first round of the British 249 00:12:01,110 --> 00:12:04,679 Billy Monger: Championships. The next race is in four weeks." I was 250 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,620 Billy Monger: meant to be in a cast for six weeks I 251 00:12:07,620 --> 00:12:11,910 Billy Monger: think, but I went and had laser repair surgery on 252 00:12:11,910 --> 00:12:15,809 Billy Monger: my bone. It helps to speed up the recovery process. 253 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:18,750 Billy Monger: Might've been in Birmingham or something. It was like three 254 00:12:18,750 --> 00:12:22,200 Billy Monger: hours away from home. We drove up there for four 255 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,200 Billy Monger: sessions of this laser repair. And four weeks later, I was 256 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,860 Billy Monger: driving again at the second round of the British Championships. That's 257 00:12:28,860 --> 00:12:32,670 Billy Monger: obviously a moment where if I didn't have parents that really 258 00:12:32,670 --> 00:12:35,520 Billy Monger: wanted me to do well, they would've probably been like, " Right. 259 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:37,559 Billy Monger: Well, actually you can't do the next race now." But they were like, " 260 00:12:37,620 --> 00:12:40,890 Billy Monger: Okay, what can we do to get you back out 261 00:12:40,890 --> 00:12:43,110 Billy Monger: there?" That was what was needed. 262 00:12:43,290 --> 00:12:53,160 Alex Legouix: That's amazing. Today, we're driving a brand new Toyota CHR 263 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,670 Alex Legouix: GR Sport in sterling silver bi- tone. And it's a 264 00:12:56,670 --> 00:12:59,970 Alex Legouix: hybrid. And Billy, you are getting this exact model, aren't you? 265 00:12:59,970 --> 00:13:00,750 Billy Monger: I am indeed. 266 00:13:01,020 --> 00:13:02,190 Alex Legouix: Have you driven a hybrid before? 267 00:13:02,370 --> 00:13:04,829 Billy Monger: This will be my first ever hybrid. I've had a 268 00:13:04,830 --> 00:13:08,610 Billy Monger: chance to drive all electric with Formula E, and the acceleration 269 00:13:08,610 --> 00:13:10,650 Billy Monger: and that was pretty good. And I thought, " You know what, the racing 270 00:13:10,650 --> 00:13:11,640 Billy Monger: driver in me might like that." 271 00:13:12,030 --> 00:13:15,990 Alex Legouix: Well, hybrids have actually increased massively in popularity over the 272 00:13:15,990 --> 00:13:20,819 Alex Legouix: last five years, with consumers viewing hybrid models on Autotrader 273 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:25,559 Alex Legouix: an average of 28,000 times per day so far this year. 274 00:13:25,710 --> 00:13:26,730 Billy Monger: That's pretty bonkers. 275 00:13:26,820 --> 00:13:31,380 Alex Legouix: That is an increase as well of 1, 051% over the last 276 00:13:31,380 --> 00:13:32,069 Alex Legouix: five years. 277 00:13:32,100 --> 00:13:33,540 Billy Monger: I guess that shows which way things are going. 278 00:13:33,540 --> 00:13:36,780 Alex Legouix: So right. I'm not sure about the color of this one though. 279 00:13:37,170 --> 00:13:39,630 Alex Legouix: I think I would go for bright blue or something 280 00:13:39,630 --> 00:13:41,670 Alex Legouix: that pops a little bit more. What would you go for? 281 00:13:41,790 --> 00:13:44,760 Billy Monger: My first car was bright red. I didn't like cleaning 282 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:48,270 Billy Monger: it that much, so I've kind of gone for gunmetal grays, that sort 283 00:13:48,270 --> 00:13:50,640 Billy Monger: of dark color. This is maybe a little bit too 284 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,050 Billy Monger: light from my liking. 285 00:13:52,110 --> 00:13:55,319 Alex Legouix: Well, you can find great deals on brand new Toyota 286 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:59,099 Alex Legouix: CHR's, just like this one, on Autotrader, where they're in 287 00:13:59,100 --> 00:14:02,070 Alex Legouix: stock and available to drive away today. Should we get 288 00:14:02,070 --> 00:14:02,221 Alex Legouix: on with the show? 289 00:14:02,221 --> 00:14:11,309 Billy Monger: Let's do it. I just clocked where we are. We're just getting to 290 00:14:11,309 --> 00:14:12,510 Billy Monger: Horsham Hospital. 291 00:14:12,510 --> 00:14:19,470 Alex Legouix: Yes. So, Horsham Community Hospital. So, how and why is 292 00:14:19,470 --> 00:14:21,330 Alex Legouix: this important to your story? 293 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:24,570 Billy Monger: Yeah, this is a place that I spent a lot 294 00:14:24,570 --> 00:14:28,860 Billy Monger: of my early days after I had my racing crash. 295 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:31,260 Billy Monger: I became a double amputee as a result of that 296 00:14:31,260 --> 00:14:35,970 Billy Monger: crash. And this is where I did probably about 60, 70% of 297 00:14:35,970 --> 00:14:39,660 Billy Monger: my rehab. Spent a lot of time here just coming 298 00:14:39,660 --> 00:14:43,440 Billy Monger: here and basically relearning how to walk. Inside the hospital, 299 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:46,830 Billy Monger: there's a big loop of corridors. Doing a lap of 300 00:14:46,830 --> 00:14:51,120 Billy Monger: that, making that hospital into a track effectively and doing 301 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,430 Billy Monger: a lap of that, that was one of my first 302 00:14:53,670 --> 00:14:57,600 Billy Monger: little boxes ticked for being on prosthetics. And then there's 303 00:14:57,600 --> 00:14:59,820 Billy Monger: a little bit of a hill out the back. 304 00:15:00,030 --> 00:15:02,940 Alex Legouix: What emotions do you feel being back here seeing it? 305 00:15:02,940 --> 00:15:07,229 Billy Monger: I don't know really. You'd kind of assume that it's like, 306 00:15:07,230 --> 00:15:10,320 Billy Monger: oh, it brings back traumatic memory sort of thing. But 307 00:15:10,890 --> 00:15:14,640 Billy Monger: most of my tougher days were done when I was 308 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:16,290 Billy Monger: actually, it was more just coming to terms with it 309 00:15:16,290 --> 00:15:17,910 Billy Monger: when I was in hospital. When I got here, it 310 00:15:17,910 --> 00:15:21,690 Billy Monger: was kind of like my approach to sport was how 311 00:15:21,690 --> 00:15:24,240 Billy Monger: I approach my rehab. It was like, " Okay, each day come 312 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:26,489 Billy Monger: here, do my best, try and get better than I 313 00:15:26,490 --> 00:15:30,870 Billy Monger: was, and then leave." And I was looking forward to 314 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,060 Billy Monger: my rehab sessions 'cause I knew that was going to 315 00:15:33,060 --> 00:15:33,780 Billy Monger: help me get better. 316 00:15:34,170 --> 00:15:38,700 Alex Legouix: I can hear your competitive spirit coming through and I imagine that 317 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:43,380 Alex Legouix: that was a huge fuel, and meant that you were 318 00:15:43,380 --> 00:15:46,830 Alex Legouix: able to rather than a defeatist attitude. It doesn't sound 319 00:15:46,830 --> 00:15:48,030 Alex Legouix: like you ever really had that. 320 00:15:48,300 --> 00:15:51,540 Billy Monger: No, I was quite fortunate. I wasn't just down to 321 00:15:51,540 --> 00:15:54,810 Billy Monger: me, I think I was down to my support network as well. My family 322 00:15:54,810 --> 00:15:57,210 Billy Monger: was so good and my doctors, when I was in 323 00:15:57,210 --> 00:16:00,510 Billy Monger: hospital in Nottingham at Queen's Medical Center. That was the 324 00:16:00,510 --> 00:16:03,870 Billy Monger: hospital that my surgeries were done after my accident 'cause my 325 00:16:03,870 --> 00:16:06,360 Billy Monger: accident was at a track called Donington Park, which is 326 00:16:06,630 --> 00:16:09,270 Billy Monger: up north a little bit. But my doctors were great. 327 00:16:09,270 --> 00:16:13,740 Billy Monger: They basically quite quickly, initially when I woke up, you 328 00:16:13,740 --> 00:16:16,020 Billy Monger: do have those moments where you're like, " God, why me? 329 00:16:16,020 --> 00:16:20,700 Billy Monger: Why me? Why has this happened?" And that's a completely 330 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:24,840 Billy Monger: normal thing to have, things to be thinking about. But 331 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,810 Billy Monger: they were good at turning my mind around to thinking " 332 00:16:27,810 --> 00:16:31,050 Billy Monger: Well, okay, if you work hard, if you approach you rehab the 333 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,900 Billy Monger: right way and really crack on and focus with things, 334 00:16:33,900 --> 00:16:37,950 Billy Monger: you can still walk, you can still be independent, and 335 00:16:38,550 --> 00:16:41,010 Billy Monger: do all these things." They're basically like rather than telling me 336 00:16:41,010 --> 00:16:43,140 Billy Monger: all the stuff that I maybe would struggle to do 337 00:16:43,140 --> 00:16:44,250 Billy Monger: and they told me all the things that if I 338 00:16:44,250 --> 00:16:45,900 Billy Monger: worked hard, I would be able to do. 339 00:16:45,900 --> 00:16:50,280 Alex Legouix: Wow. That just shows the power of having the right support network. 340 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:54,600 Alex Legouix: That's incredible, isn't it? The circumstances of your accident are 341 00:16:54,630 --> 00:16:58,410 Alex Legouix: really well documented. You were 17 at the time, weren't you? 342 00:16:58,620 --> 00:16:58,800 Billy Monger: Yeah. 343 00:16:58,980 --> 00:17:01,200 Alex Legouix: And we all change as we get older anyway, but 344 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:05,010 Alex Legouix: what do you feel like has been the biggest change 345 00:17:05,010 --> 00:17:06,510 Alex Legouix: in you since the accident? 346 00:17:07,050 --> 00:17:11,369 Billy Monger: I think the childhood I had was amazing, and I 347 00:17:11,369 --> 00:17:14,580 Billy Monger: loved every minute of it. But I was obviously saying 348 00:17:14,580 --> 00:17:17,129 Billy Monger: it slightly earlier about how my dad sometimes had to 349 00:17:17,130 --> 00:17:19,230 Billy Monger: remind me, " Don't take this for granted. You got to 350 00:17:19,230 --> 00:17:21,960 Billy Monger: give it your a hundred percent effort." And I think 351 00:17:22,260 --> 00:17:25,920 Billy Monger: probably my accident made me realize how short life can 352 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:30,660 Billy Monger: be, and it made me not take things for granted 353 00:17:30,660 --> 00:17:33,540 Billy Monger: so much. Now I try to be, as much as 354 00:17:33,540 --> 00:17:37,650 Billy Monger: possible, appreciative of everything that I've got to be grateful 355 00:17:37,650 --> 00:17:40,260 Billy Monger: for in my life. And there's so much, thankfully, I'm 356 00:17:40,260 --> 00:17:43,919 Billy Monger: in a good space with all the stuff that I've got going on. 357 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,820 Billy Monger: So yeah, just more I'd say it helps keep me in the right 358 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:52,350 Billy Monger: frame of mind. Yeah, I think I'm a pretty positive person now. 359 00:17:52,410 --> 00:17:54,750 Billy Monger: But I think that's probably down to my accident and 360 00:17:54,750 --> 00:17:58,500 Billy Monger: knowing that life could have been done and dusted there. 361 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:03,990 Alex Legouix: At the time of recording, we recently saw an MP, 362 00:18:04,050 --> 00:18:08,280 Alex Legouix: Craig McKinley, stand up in the Commons after his hands 363 00:18:08,369 --> 00:18:13,830 Alex Legouix: and feet were amputated because of sepsis, calling for provision 364 00:18:13,830 --> 00:18:18,450 Alex Legouix: of appropriate prosthetics for amputees. Have you struggled to get 365 00:18:18,450 --> 00:18:20,790 Alex Legouix: the right prosthetics for you? 366 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,640 Billy Monger: It's taken a bit of time. Half the battle with 367 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:27,359 Billy Monger: prosthetics is getting the sockets right and getting them fitted 368 00:18:27,420 --> 00:18:30,570 Billy Monger: to you and your body, especially in the early stages 369 00:18:30,570 --> 00:18:33,900 Billy Monger: after becoming an amputee, your body changes so much. And 370 00:18:33,900 --> 00:18:35,879 Billy Monger: for a long period of time, I remember probably the 371 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,060 Billy Monger: first couple of years after I had my crash, I'd 372 00:18:39,060 --> 00:18:42,030 Billy Monger: be getting a new set of sockets, my prosthetics every 373 00:18:42,300 --> 00:18:43,740 Billy Monger: three to six months. 374 00:18:44,820 --> 00:18:44,821 Alex Legouix: Oh, wow. 375 00:18:44,821 --> 00:18:47,129 Billy Monger: And it's like wearing shoes that don't fit but on 376 00:18:47,130 --> 00:18:50,429 Billy Monger: a bigger scale. And you get sores and rubs and you 377 00:18:50,609 --> 00:18:56,010 Billy Monger: can't basically utilize the prosthetics to their maximum. It was 378 00:18:56,010 --> 00:18:56,639 Billy Monger: a challenge. 379 00:18:57,270 --> 00:19:00,480 Alex Legouix: As a result of your accident, you appealed didn't you? You 380 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,460 Alex Legouix: changed the rules in motorsport. 381 00:19:03,090 --> 00:19:06,570 Billy Monger: When I had those rules changed so that I could race 382 00:19:06,570 --> 00:19:11,310 Billy Monger: myself, people say that, " Oh, other people can race too." 383 00:19:11,310 --> 00:19:13,740 Billy Monger: It kind of insinuates like I was doing it for 384 00:19:13,740 --> 00:19:16,109 Billy Monger: other people. And I'm not going to lie, I was 385 00:19:16,109 --> 00:19:19,350 Billy Monger: doing it for myself. I needed to change the rules 386 00:19:19,350 --> 00:19:21,720 Billy Monger: so I could race, so I went out there and changed 387 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:27,690 Billy Monger: the rules. Thankfully, the FIA were supportive and I passed 388 00:19:27,690 --> 00:19:30,300 Billy Monger: the tests and the things that they'd put in place 389 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:32,940 Billy Monger: for safety to make sure that I'd be able to compete 390 00:19:32,940 --> 00:19:37,020 Billy Monger: properly. And I did that. And obviously, that has opened 391 00:19:37,020 --> 00:19:38,940 Billy Monger: up the opportunity for others. It's something that I look 392 00:19:38,940 --> 00:19:41,670 Billy Monger: back on now and think, " Okay, that's a nice thing." 393 00:19:41,670 --> 00:19:44,580 Billy Monger: And I would love to see other people with disabilities 394 00:19:44,580 --> 00:19:47,730 Billy Monger: drive single- seaters and compete. But I can't sit here 395 00:19:47,730 --> 00:19:50,040 Billy Monger: and say, " Oh yeah, I was thinking about other people while I was doing it." No, 396 00:19:51,450 --> 00:19:54,930 Billy Monger: it was just me being competitive, wanting to go and drive 397 00:19:54,930 --> 00:19:56,940 Billy Monger: myself. And it was just something that had to get 398 00:19:56,940 --> 00:19:58,020 Billy Monger: done so I could do that. 399 00:19:58,260 --> 00:19:58,859 Alex Legouix: Fair play. 400 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:01,199 Billy Monger: But I'm not one to be vocal for the sake 401 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,449 Billy Monger: of being vocal. At the minute, I feel like a 402 00:20:03,450 --> 00:20:06,359 Billy Monger: lot of barriers, particularly in motorsport, which is the world 403 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:09,150 Billy Monger: I'm from, are getting broken down. Obviously, there's a lot of 404 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,810 Billy Monger: all female championships that are being brought to the forefront, 405 00:20:12,810 --> 00:20:15,330 Billy Monger: so that's great to see. That's the one thing I 406 00:20:15,330 --> 00:20:18,060 Billy Monger: would like to continue to try and push and have 407 00:20:18,060 --> 00:20:20,430 Billy Monger: an influence on, if I could in any way, is 408 00:20:20,820 --> 00:20:25,109 Billy Monger: giving people from all different backgrounds, of any minority the 409 00:20:25,380 --> 00:20:29,760 Billy Monger: opportunity to show what they can do. If that's behind the 410 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:31,980 Billy Monger: wheel of a race car or whether that's just them 411 00:20:31,980 --> 00:20:36,480 Billy Monger: getting involved in motorsport. In order to do that, I'm 412 00:20:36,510 --> 00:20:38,700 Billy Monger: trying to forge my own opportunities in the world of 413 00:20:38,700 --> 00:20:42,210 Billy Monger: motorsport, because I feel like having a role model. If 414 00:20:42,450 --> 00:20:45,270 Billy Monger: you were another amputee out there and you saw me 415 00:20:45,270 --> 00:20:48,359 Billy Monger: driving a racing car and being successful and doing well, 416 00:20:48,900 --> 00:20:50,879 Billy Monger: I'm now at a stage where I've realized that can 417 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:54,450 Billy Monger: be quite powerful. And if I can do anything to 418 00:20:55,410 --> 00:20:59,040 Billy Monger: have a positive influence on other people whilst doing the 419 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:02,190 Billy Monger: things that I love, that's just an added bonus for me. 420 00:21:03,690 --> 00:21:07,470 Alex Legouix: Normally what would be next is snacks. But you are 421 00:21:07,470 --> 00:21:11,010 Alex Legouix: our only guest that hasn't requested car snacks. 422 00:21:11,010 --> 00:21:16,470 Billy Monger: I'm the only guest? Wow. 423 00:21:18,030 --> 00:21:18,240 Alex Legouix: Yes. 424 00:21:18,390 --> 00:21:18,391 Billy Monger: Again, why have I got to be different? 425 00:21:18,391 --> 00:21:18,392 Alex Legouix: What's that all about? 426 00:21:18,392 --> 00:21:21,060 Billy Monger: I just feel like, again, there's nothing that really jumps out to me like 427 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:25,320 Billy Monger: a specific snack. I'm quite in- the- moment person. I'll 428 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,960 Billy Monger: pull up to a service station, get some fuel, go 429 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:30,119 Billy Monger: into the garage, and something will catch my eye. It might 430 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:34,680 Billy Monger: be a pack of crisps, a chocolate bar, a sandwich, whatever. But it's not 431 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:36,899 Billy Monger: like I'm not the sort of person that has the 432 00:21:36,900 --> 00:21:37,590 Billy Monger: same meal deal- 433 00:21:37,590 --> 00:21:38,131 Alex Legouix: No reliable go-to. 434 00:21:38,131 --> 00:21:43,770 Billy Monger: ... every time. No, I like different things in different moments. 435 00:21:43,890 --> 00:21:49,260 Alex Legouix: But crisps, chocolate, sandwiches, none of those make an Ironman, 436 00:21:49,260 --> 00:21:50,879 Alex Legouix: which is what you're training for right now? 437 00:21:50,970 --> 00:21:55,320 Billy Monger: It is indeed. Yeah. It's a lot. It's around 15 438 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,290 Billy Monger: hours a week, so yeah, just over a couple of 439 00:21:58,290 --> 00:21:58,561 Billy Monger: hours a day. 440 00:21:58,561 --> 00:22:02,040 Alex Legouix: And what does the actual competition consist of? 441 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:08,760 Billy Monger: So an Ironman is a 3. 8 kilometer swim, which 442 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:09,149 Billy Monger: is going to be in the ocean. 443 00:22:09,150 --> 00:22:09,990 Alex Legouix: In open water? 444 00:22:10,619 --> 00:22:15,810 Billy Monger: Yeah. 180 kilometer bike ride and then a marathon, all back 445 00:22:15,810 --> 00:22:16,410 Billy Monger: to back. 446 00:22:17,670 --> 00:22:19,140 Alex Legouix: That sounds horrendous. 447 00:22:19,140 --> 00:22:23,041 Billy Monger: Yeah, thanks for that. 448 00:22:23,041 --> 00:22:23,640 Alex Legouix: Good luck with that. And where are you doing it? 449 00:22:23,820 --> 00:22:23,821 Billy Monger: Hawaii. 450 00:22:23,821 --> 00:22:27,359 Alex Legouix: Oh, okay. So at least it should, touch wood, be quite warm. 451 00:22:27,570 --> 00:22:30,359 Billy Monger: Yeah, you say that. It will probably be too warm for 452 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:30,810 Billy Monger: my liking. 453 00:22:30,810 --> 00:22:30,931 Alex Legouix: That's true. 454 00:22:30,931 --> 00:22:34,530 Billy Monger: It's really going to be close to 30 degrees and seventy- 455 00:22:34,530 --> 00:22:38,100 Billy Monger: something percent humidity. So, it's going to be brutal. 456 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:40,649 Alex Legouix: What a challenge for you to be taking on. 457 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:44,910 Billy Monger: Yeah, this event in particular, there's only been one double 458 00:22:44,910 --> 00:22:49,680 Billy Monger: amputee that's ever finished it before. And the time capped 459 00:22:49,830 --> 00:22:53,640 Billy Monger: to complete the whole event is 17 hours. And the 460 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,070 Billy Monger: only double amputee that finished finished in 16 and a 461 00:22:56,070 --> 00:22:57,030 Billy Monger: half hours. 462 00:22:57,869 --> 00:23:00,060 Alex Legouix: And your competitive spirit is going, "Oh, yeah." 463 00:23:00,390 --> 00:23:04,350 Billy Monger: So, that's the world records that is attached. As much 464 00:23:04,350 --> 00:23:06,840 Billy Monger: as finishing it would be a huge achievement, that is 465 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:11,190 Billy Monger: my underlining goal, is to be the fastest double amputee 466 00:23:11,190 --> 00:23:14,160 Billy Monger: in the world to do the Ironman in Hawaii. 467 00:23:24,150 --> 00:23:27,210 Alex Legouix: So, we've just pulled up to what looks like a very 468 00:23:27,210 --> 00:23:33,270 Alex Legouix: cool karting center. I'm guessing that's upstairs, downstairs, indoor style? 469 00:23:33,330 --> 00:23:37,200 Billy Monger: Yeah, indoor style. Two floors. It's quite a cool circuit 470 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,260 Billy Monger: for an indoor karting place. So, I used to enjoy 471 00:23:40,260 --> 00:23:42,629 Billy Monger: it when my mates would come and invite me for 472 00:23:42,630 --> 00:23:46,020 Billy Monger: birthdays here. These were the days where I'd rock up. 473 00:23:46,350 --> 00:23:48,600 Billy Monger: I was a lot better than all my mates. I'd 474 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,199 Billy Monger: be lapping them, but there was always an adjustment period when I'd 475 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:54,330 Billy Monger: go and do these go- karting birthdays. Because I'm used 476 00:23:54,330 --> 00:23:58,619 Billy Monger: to really quick go- karts, proper tarmac, the go- kart 477 00:23:58,619 --> 00:24:01,320 Billy Monger: being fine- tuned. And then you'd get in into a 478 00:24:01,350 --> 00:24:04,020 Billy Monger: place like this and it would feel like, " Oh, my God, this thing has 479 00:24:04,020 --> 00:24:05,790 Billy Monger: got no grip, no power." 480 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:07,619 Alex Legouix: Yeah, yeah. That's such racing driver talk. 481 00:24:08,001 --> 00:24:11,669 Billy Monger: I'd still win, but just saying it would take me a couple laps. I'm 482 00:24:11,670 --> 00:24:12,780 Billy Monger: trying to look humble, all right? 483 00:24:15,060 --> 00:24:16,619 Alex Legouix: How many seconds would you win by? 484 00:24:17,550 --> 00:24:18,899 Billy Monger: Seconds or laps? 485 00:24:18,900 --> 00:24:18,901 Alex Legouix: Oh! Oh, oh, oh. 486 00:24:18,901 --> 00:24:24,991 Billy Monger: Oh, I went there, I went there. 487 00:24:24,991 --> 00:24:24,992 Alex Legouix: Oh, all right. How many laps? 488 00:24:24,992 --> 00:24:24,993 Billy Monger: No, I'm joking. 489 00:24:24,993 --> 00:24:24,994 Alex Legouix: Brilliant. 490 00:24:24,994 --> 00:24:30,389 Billy Monger: All my mates are going to go, "That's a lie. That's a lie. You didn't lap us." No, I don't know. It'd be comfortable. A lot of the 491 00:24:30,390 --> 00:24:33,060 Billy Monger: time I'd get bored out front, so I'd try and 492 00:24:33,060 --> 00:24:37,140 Billy Monger: make it interesting sometimes and I'd back off and practice 493 00:24:37,170 --> 00:24:40,590 Billy Monger: defending from my mate. And quite enjoyed watching them try 494 00:24:40,590 --> 00:24:42,570 Billy Monger: to get past me. And they'd have all the helmets 495 00:24:42,570 --> 00:24:44,730 Billy Monger: with their clear visors so you could see the frustration. 496 00:24:44,730 --> 00:24:46,530 Billy Monger: They're like, " I can't get past him, I can't find 497 00:24:46,530 --> 00:24:49,080 Billy Monger: a way past him." And then I'd just be like, well once I'd 498 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,210 Billy Monger: finished messing around, I'd clear off. 499 00:24:53,070 --> 00:24:53,580 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 500 00:24:54,660 --> 00:24:56,460 Billy Monger: I've seen three girls walk in there already. 501 00:24:56,970 --> 00:25:01,950 Alex Legouix: Oh, yeah. Nice. That's good. See, that's how times are changing. 502 00:25:02,130 --> 00:25:05,640 Billy Monger: Yeah, it's a good sign actually, 'cause I don't think you would've 503 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:06,060 Billy Monger: seen that when I was growing up. 504 00:25:06,150 --> 00:25:17,460 Alex Legouix: So last section of our trip then, back to Charldwood. Oh, we're 505 00:25:17,460 --> 00:25:18,420 Alex Legouix: right beside Gatwick. 506 00:25:18,750 --> 00:25:21,060 Billy Monger: We are indeed. Yeah. Getting close to home now. 507 00:25:24,450 --> 00:25:25,889 Alex Legouix: When was the last time you raced? 508 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:30,719 Billy Monger: The last time I actually competed was 2019, so it's 509 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:34,230 Billy Monger: been about four years now since I was on track. 510 00:25:34,290 --> 00:25:39,119 Billy Monger: Basically my on track racing career kind of took a 511 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:43,230 Billy Monger: back seat when COVID came about. So early 2020, I 512 00:25:43,230 --> 00:25:44,909 Billy Monger: had it all sort of set that I was going 513 00:25:44,910 --> 00:25:49,290 Billy Monger: to be racing in FIA Formula 3. And then they 514 00:25:49,290 --> 00:25:52,530 Billy Monger: all went into lockdown. All the junior series and racing 515 00:25:52,530 --> 00:25:54,629 Billy Monger: were kind of put on the back burner. I remember 516 00:25:54,630 --> 00:25:58,230 Billy Monger: all my sponsors, because of businesses just being in trouble, 517 00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:01,139 Billy Monger: pulled out of funding my career. And next thing you 518 00:26:01,140 --> 00:26:05,580 Billy Monger: know I was having had close to a million euros 519 00:26:05,580 --> 00:26:08,340 Billy Monger: of sponsorship, which is what roughly is the cost of 520 00:26:08,340 --> 00:26:11,340 Billy Monger: a season in Formula 3, ready to go. I had 521 00:26:11,550 --> 00:26:16,740 Billy Monger: nothing. And since COVID, haven't really been able to manage 522 00:26:16,740 --> 00:26:18,629 Billy Monger: to get that kind of funding together. 523 00:26:18,630 --> 00:26:21,840 Alex Legouix: No. So if you were able to, you'd be back 524 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:22,350 Alex Legouix: on track. 525 00:26:22,380 --> 00:26:25,859 Billy Monger: Yeah. Yeah, I still have a passion for racing. I've 526 00:26:25,950 --> 00:26:27,780 Billy Monger: done it since I was a kid. And I know 527 00:26:27,780 --> 00:26:31,021 Billy Monger: that I'm capable of beating and competing with the best. 528 00:26:31,021 --> 00:26:35,700 Alex Legouix: Well, you came back and raced at Pau. That was insane, wasn't it? 529 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,030 Billy Monger: Yeah, that was definitely one of the highlights, winning that 530 00:26:39,030 --> 00:26:42,840 Billy Monger: race. Obviously, it's historic race in the world of Motorsport, the 531 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,750 Billy Monger: Pau Grand Prix. A lot of people that I looked up 532 00:26:45,750 --> 00:26:49,859 Billy Monger: to have won that race. Fangio, Lewis Hamilton, heroes of 533 00:26:49,859 --> 00:26:52,080 Billy Monger: mine. My name's on the same trophy as theirs, so 534 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:55,260 Billy Monger: that's a positive thing. I was hoping that I'd have 535 00:26:55,260 --> 00:26:57,480 Billy Monger: a few more years to win a few more trophies 536 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:00,869 Billy Monger: and give myself a shot at Formula 1. It's not 537 00:27:00,869 --> 00:27:04,800 Billy Monger: necessarily over, that dream, but it's getting tougher, the more 538 00:27:04,830 --> 00:27:06,600 Billy Monger: time I spend out the seat. So, I'm just keen 539 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,389 Billy Monger: to get back where I can and get the opportunity 540 00:27:09,390 --> 00:27:12,419 Billy Monger: to prove myself, 'cause I know I'm still quite capable. 541 00:27:13,140 --> 00:27:16,500 Alex Legouix: Do you feel like the likes of Ironman have filled 542 00:27:16,530 --> 00:27:18,570 Alex Legouix: the void to an extent? 543 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:20,970 Billy Monger: I think that's part of the reason why I'm so 544 00:27:20,970 --> 00:27:24,990 Billy Monger: keen to challenge myself. And probably why I've dipped into 545 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:30,750 Billy Monger: the Ironman and triathlon space is because with racing, fundamentally, 546 00:27:30,750 --> 00:27:33,570 Billy Monger: you are quite reliant on raising money. And reliant on 547 00:27:33,570 --> 00:27:36,660 Billy Monger: other people supporting me to be able to do what 548 00:27:36,660 --> 00:27:40,650 Billy Monger: I do. Anyone can go swim, ride a bike, and 549 00:27:40,650 --> 00:27:43,500 Billy Monger: run. And I'm not reliant on anyone else. So, my 550 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:47,520 Billy Monger: dedication and my hard work in that sport will be 551 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:50,460 Billy Monger: shown on the day I compete. And I won't be 552 00:27:50,460 --> 00:27:54,060 Billy Monger: sat there thinking, " Oh, well if I'd had more sponsorship 553 00:27:54,060 --> 00:27:57,000 Billy Monger: then I would've been able to do this." Or for 554 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:00,750 Billy Monger: me, it kind of puts the onus back on me 555 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,230 Billy Monger: where I'm like, " Okay, no excuses." I've put in the 556 00:28:04,230 --> 00:28:08,609 Billy Monger: hard work and I can show people what I'm capable 557 00:28:08,609 --> 00:28:10,290 Billy Monger: of without having to rely on anyone else. 558 00:28:10,350 --> 00:28:13,888 Alex Legouix: Yeah. So, are you desperate to get back in the seat? Is 559 00:28:13,888 --> 00:28:14,071 Alex Legouix: that still- 560 00:28:14,071 --> 00:28:15,119 Billy Monger: It's definitely. 561 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:16,710 Alex Legouix: Is the passion there as much as it was when you were 562 00:28:16,710 --> 00:28:17,310 Alex Legouix: a child? 563 00:28:17,369 --> 00:28:19,950 Billy Monger: It's a huge itch that I've got to scratch. There's 564 00:28:19,950 --> 00:28:23,280 Billy Monger: no doubt about that. And my job now, if you can 565 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:25,260 Billy Monger: call it a job of traveling the world, going to F- 566 00:28:25,260 --> 00:28:29,130 Billy Monger: 1 races, Formula E races, commentating, presenting, doing all that 567 00:28:29,130 --> 00:28:31,530 Billy Monger: kind of stuff, it is as close as I can 568 00:28:31,530 --> 00:28:35,100 Billy Monger: possibly beat the action without driving, which I love. But 569 00:28:35,100 --> 00:28:37,109 Billy Monger: at the same time, it's really hard because- 570 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:38,641 Alex Legouix: It's really hard. 571 00:28:38,641 --> 00:28:40,680 Billy Monger: It's really hard 'cause I look at people doing what I want to 572 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,230 Billy Monger: do and I'm thinking, " I know if I got the 573 00:28:43,230 --> 00:28:45,780 Billy Monger: opportunity, I could win. I could beat you, I know." 574 00:28:45,780 --> 00:28:49,380 Billy Monger: And that's just me being competitive. But yeah, that makes 575 00:28:49,380 --> 00:28:50,310 Billy Monger: me want it even more. 576 00:28:50,340 --> 00:28:54,960 Alex Legouix: Yeah, I bet. You've been that very busy doing TV stuff. 577 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:58,770 Alex Legouix: Not only doing Channel 4's F1 coverage, but Formula E, but 578 00:28:58,770 --> 00:29:02,550 Alex Legouix: also racing across the world. How cool was that? 579 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:07,710 Billy Monger: That was really cool. So, the opportunity came about because 580 00:29:08,370 --> 00:29:10,830 Billy Monger: they had basically asked, " Do I want to do a show?" And 581 00:29:10,830 --> 00:29:12,900 Billy Monger: me and my sister had spoken about for a few 582 00:29:12,900 --> 00:29:16,230 Billy Monger: years, about going and doing some traveling together. So I 583 00:29:16,230 --> 00:29:18,510 Billy Monger: watched a couple of episodes, and then I said to my sister, " 584 00:29:18,510 --> 00:29:20,520 Billy Monger: Listen..." I didn't think you'd be up for it, to 585 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:23,100 Billy Monger: be honest. So I said to her, " Listen, I've been 586 00:29:23,100 --> 00:29:26,340 Billy Monger: approached to do this show." And she watched 20 minutes 587 00:29:26,340 --> 00:29:27,840 Billy Monger: of one episode and she was like, " Yeah, I'm up 588 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,240 Billy Monger: for it." And I was like, " Really? You're up for 589 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,870 Billy Monger: it?" It was a bit of a shock, but we were away for a month. 590 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:37,980 Billy Monger: No phones, just a map. And the budget you get 591 00:29:37,980 --> 00:29:40,680 Billy Monger: is the cost of the plane ticket from the start 592 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:42,330 Billy Monger: of the whole thing to the end of the whole 593 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:48,600 Billy Monger: thing. And you can't fly. So it's buses, trains, taxis, 594 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,360 Billy Monger: all stuff like that. And you've got to make your 595 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:52,740 Billy Monger: way from place to place. 596 00:29:52,830 --> 00:29:56,400 Alex Legouix: Oh, I absolutely love it. But you're being followed by, 597 00:29:56,460 --> 00:29:58,321 Alex Legouix: you must have a couple of cameramen, right? 598 00:29:58,321 --> 00:29:58,800 Billy Monger: Yeah, yeah. 599 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:00,330 Alex Legouix: But they're not allowed to help you at all. 600 00:30:00,450 --> 00:30:04,290 Billy Monger: No. So, there was five of us. And then behind 601 00:30:04,530 --> 00:30:08,430 Billy Monger: us there'd be a support vehicle which had two drivers 602 00:30:08,430 --> 00:30:10,620 Billy Monger: in, one that could drive for six hours, then they'd 603 00:30:10,620 --> 00:30:13,140 Billy Monger: swap, do another six hours. And they were basically following 604 00:30:13,140 --> 00:30:15,121 Billy Monger: us around the world and they had- 605 00:30:15,121 --> 00:30:16,440 Alex Legouix: And that's for every team. 606 00:30:16,470 --> 00:30:17,400 Billy Monger: Yeah. They had spare- 607 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:17,401 Alex Legouix: Amazing. 608 00:30:17,401 --> 00:30:22,650 Billy Monger: ... batteries, camera lenses, everything. So, they basically tried to 609 00:30:22,650 --> 00:30:25,020 Billy Monger: stay as close to us as possible so they could 610 00:30:25,020 --> 00:30:28,710 Billy Monger: help support our crew if they needed support. We were 611 00:30:28,710 --> 00:30:32,640 Billy Monger: doing 15 hour overnight buses for fun on this trip. 612 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:35,730 Billy Monger: That was a regular thing we did. They'd be sleeping 613 00:30:35,790 --> 00:30:38,640 Billy Monger: on the bus with us, and then having to get up and 614 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,510 Billy Monger: film us. And we think we had it hard. That's probably the 615 00:30:42,510 --> 00:30:44,010 Billy Monger: hardest job in television, I'd say. 616 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:49,140 Alex Legouix: Wow. How interesting. Do you ever look back on everything 617 00:30:49,140 --> 00:30:51,750 Alex Legouix: that's happened to you and, well, maybe this isn't a 618 00:30:51,750 --> 00:30:55,560 Alex Legouix: question or an observation, but you probably wouldn't have ever 619 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:57,540 Alex Legouix: had the opportunities to do these things, right? 620 00:30:57,540 --> 00:31:01,440 Billy Monger: Oh, a hundred percent. My life, if I hadn't had the accident, I 621 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:04,770 Billy Monger: can imagine would've looked very different. There's no point in 622 00:31:04,770 --> 00:31:08,130 Billy Monger: trying to guess whether it would've been better or worse 623 00:31:08,190 --> 00:31:10,920 Billy Monger: 'cause it is what it is. And my life has taken the 624 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:15,000 Billy Monger: route it's taken. But yeah, I get opportunities as a result 625 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,000 Billy Monger: of my accident and becoming a more well- known figure 626 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:21,270 Billy Monger: through that. Where yeah, I'm not sure I would've had 627 00:31:21,270 --> 00:31:25,170 Billy Monger: the same opportunities otherwise. So, there's always a silver lining 628 00:31:25,170 --> 00:31:29,460 Billy Monger: to everything. There's always a positive to every negative. And 629 00:31:29,970 --> 00:31:32,760 Billy Monger: some of the opportunities I get are stuff where you think, " 630 00:31:32,790 --> 00:31:35,340 Billy Monger: Wow, this is super cool and I'm glad I get 631 00:31:35,340 --> 00:31:35,820 Billy Monger: to do this." 632 00:31:36,570 --> 00:31:39,990 Alex Legouix: That's awesome. That feels like a good place to stop. 633 00:31:41,100 --> 00:31:42,570 Billy Monger: And we're like a minute from my house. 634 00:31:42,570 --> 00:31:50,461 Alex Legouix: I know. Home sweet home. 635 00:31:50,461 --> 00:31:51,660 Billy Monger: Home sweet home. Yeah. 636 00:31:51,900 --> 00:31:53,341 Alex Legouix: Thank you so much. I love that. That was good fun. 637 00:31:53,341 --> 00:31:54,390 Billy Monger: Yeah, it was really good fun. 638 00:31:55,410 --> 00:31:58,020 Alex Legouix: I will inevitably see you in a pit lane, somewhere, sometime. 639 00:31:58,020 --> 00:31:59,520 Billy Monger: I'm sure we'll cross paths again. 640 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:01,470 Alex Legouix: Thank you, Billy. Take care. 641 00:32:01,470 --> 00:32:05,131 Billy Monger: Cheers. Thank you for that. All, good. All right, to training I go. 642 00:32:05,131 --> 00:32:05,132 Alex Legouix: Yeah, good luck. See you. 643 00:32:05,132 --> 00:32:05,462 Billy Monger: See you. 644 00:32:14,700 --> 00:32:19,260 Alex Legouix: Well, there goes another extraordinary passenger in this Show On 645 00:32:19,260 --> 00:32:24,000 Alex Legouix: The Road series. Billy's overcome the most unimaginable tragedy with 646 00:32:24,180 --> 00:32:28,590 Alex Legouix: such humility and modesty. And it was an absolute pleasure 647 00:32:28,710 --> 00:32:31,680 Alex Legouix: to be in his company. Show On The Road is 648 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:34,590 Alex Legouix: a fresh air production for Auto Trader. If you enjoyed 649 00:32:34,590 --> 00:32:37,560 Alex Legouix: it and you think others will as well, please spread 650 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:40,860 Alex Legouix: the word. Leave a quick in your podcast app and 651 00:32:40,860 --> 00:32:43,709 Alex Legouix: a nice little comment. You can also subscribe to our 652 00:32:43,710 --> 00:32:47,430 Alex Legouix: YouTube channel where there's exclusive footage of this and all 653 00:32:47,430 --> 00:32:50,520 Alex Legouix: the other drives we've done in this series. And choosing 654 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,010 Alex Legouix: the vehicle you are going to start your next story in 655 00:32:53,220 --> 00:32:57,209 Alex Legouix: could not be easier on Autotrader. Thousands of vehicles to 656 00:32:57,210 --> 00:33:01,020 Alex Legouix: choose from with expert reviews and videos to help you pick. 657 00:33:01,350 --> 00:33:04,710 Alex Legouix: And loads of options to buy used, new, or lease 658 00:33:04,860 --> 00:33:08,190 Alex Legouix: so you get the best for you each time. Find your 659 00:33:08,190 --> 00:33:10,980 Alex Legouix: next car and start your next story on the Autotrader 660 00:33:11,010 --> 00:33:16,320 Alex Legouix: app or at autotrader.co.uk. In our next episode, one very 661 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:19,140 Alex Legouix: famous singer will be showing us around the streets, which 662 00:33:19,140 --> 00:33:23,220 Alex Legouix: have helped shaped his life. Sharing stories about many things 663 00:33:23,460 --> 00:33:26,580 Alex Legouix: including X Factor, football, and fatherhood. 664 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:30,780 Speaker 3: I love how we're driving around in my local town in a Bentley. And they're all like, " 665 00:33:30,900 --> 00:33:33,780 Speaker 3: State of this guy, thinks he's big time Charlie. This 666 00:33:33,780 --> 00:33:35,010 Speaker 3: is what I try not to do when I drive around here." 667 00:33:36,030 --> 00:33:38,700 Alex Legouix: Until then, I'm Alex Legouix, see ya.