Nicolas Hamilton, the brother of Ferrari F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, has admitted that his 2025 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season hangs in the balance following a frightening incident at Silverstone. The 33-year-old’s SEAT Cupra Leon burst into flames during last weekend’s penultimate round of the championship, leaving his participation in the season finale at Brands Hatch in serious doubt.

Hamilton was competing in the opening race at Silverstone when smoke began to seep from underneath his car. Despite his lifelong battle with cerebral palsy, he managed to stay calm under pressure. He guided the car to a halt along the Wellington Straight before swiftly exiting the cockpit, moments before flames and thick smoke engulfed the vehicle. Spectators watched in shock as marshals rushed to contain the blaze.

The incident, which unfolded during the high-stakes run-up to the season’s conclusion, has left Hamilton uncertain about whether he will line up on the grid for the finale at Brands Hatch on October 4–5. Taking to social media after the scare, he opened up about the dramatic episode and the emotional weight it carried.

“What an amazing picture of a very disappointing and scary moment for me, my family, and friends to start my Sunday at Silverstone,” Hamilton wrote. “I was surprisingly very calm throughout the whole situation, trying to save the car from any further damage whilst keeping myself safe, and I am so proud of myself for how I handled it.”

Hamilton admitted that the damage to his car raises significant doubts about his ability to finish the season. “After the fire, there is a question mark on whether I will be driving for the last round of the season at Brands Hatch next weekend. But if I don’t get the opportunity to finish the season off, I want to thank absolutely everyone for getting behind me this year.”

He went on to express heartfelt gratitude to his support network: “Friends, family, and sponsors for the continued love and support in helping me follow my dream and continue my journey. I personally feel I have been driving the best I ever have in the BTCC to date, and I am so proud of my progress this year.”

While Nicolas Hamilton faces this uncertainty, his older brother Lewis was thousands of miles away in Baku, competing in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for Ferrari. The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion has not yet commented publicly on his brother’s close call at Silverstone. However, Lewis has often shown his unwavering support for Nicolas’s racing career. In April 2023, he memorably went undercover to watch his brother compete at Donington Park, cheering from the sidelines without attracting attention.

For Nicolas, this season marked a return to the BTCC after sitting out the 2024 campaign. Although he is still chasing his first point of the year, he insists that 2025 has been his strongest performance yet, a personal triumph that transcends the scoreboard. His determination to race, despite the challenges of cerebral palsy, has long made him an inspirational figure in motorsport.

As the championship edges toward its climax at Brands Hatch, the younger Hamilton’s future remains unclear. Fans are left wondering whether they will see him back on the grid or whether Silverstone’s fiery scare will mark an abrupt end to his season. Regardless of the outcome, Nicolas Hamilton’s resilience, optimism, and gratitude shine through, leaving a powerful reminder of why he continues to capture the admiration of motorsport enthusiasts around the world.