Paralyzed Teen Becomes Racing Driver

Ally Chalmers, a 17-year-old from Glasgow, has made history by becoming Scotland's first wheelchair-using racing car driver. Three years ago, Ally was a successful skier, but a devastating accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Undeterred by his disability, Ally found a new passion in motorsports. His Mini Cooper S has been specially adapted with hand controls for acceleration and braking. Recently, Ally competed in the Scottish Mini Cooper Cup at Knockhill, a respected racing event, where he was named runner-up Driver of the Day.

To achieve this, Ally had to overcome numerous challenges. He passed the Association of Racing Drivers test, proving he could exit the car in 10 seconds in case of emergency. Ally and his mother also campaigned for rule changes to allow drivers using hand controls to compete.

Ally sees motorsport as a level playing field where disabled drivers can compete directly against able-bodied teams. He's already planning more races and hopes to pursue a professional career in motorsport.