Racing Without Limits: Callum Smith Pursues His Motorsport Dream
Callum Smith is turning a lifelong passion for motorsport into an inspiring racing career—steering entirely with his feet.
Born without arms, the 23-year-old British driver has already exceeded 110 mph on the track. He recently signed his first driver contract with Team BRIT, a competitive racing team composed entirely of disabled drivers. His ultimate ambition is to compete in the celebrated 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Smith has spent his life developing remarkable independence and coordination.
“My feet are like my hands—I write with my right foot, I play Xbox with my feet like FIFA and Call of Duty,” said Smith. “I play guitar with my feet, and I eat by myself use a normal knife and fork.”
His enthusiasm for racing began when he was just 2 years old. After watching motorcycle races with his grandfather, Michael, Smith became captivated by the excitement of motorsport. Years later, he took an important step toward realizing his dream by contacting Team BRIT.
“The racing started off with an email to Team BRIT expressing my interest in racing and I said if they were interested in making my dreams come true, I’d be forever grateful,” Smith remembered. “They got back to me and I passed some tests with instructors and did a skid test—it went from there.”
Smith completed his first track day at Donington Park in July 2025, reaching 90 mph. He later drove his own Audi A3 at 100 mph on the Silverstone Formula One circuit.
Now working toward his racing license, Smith is training at Donington Park in Team BRIT’s specially adapted BMW 1 Series. The car features a flat steering plate that he controls with his left foot, while his right foot manages both the accelerator and brake.
“On top of the accelerator I have an indicator switch which gives me buttons for the horn, [headlights], window wipers etc,” he said.
Learning to operate a racing car this way demands tremendous concentration and precise coordination. Smith welcomes that challenge with determination and genuine joy.
“It’s hard, there’s a lot of eye to foot coordination. The biggest surprise to me is how heavy the steering feels in a race car, everything is stiffer,” he said. “But I love it and I’m quite keen to get it sorted, I’m motivated to get it done.”
With the support of Team BRIT and an unwavering belief in what is possible, Smith is moving confidently toward a historic motorsport achievement.
“I’m going to be the first person to be racing without any arms, the first one ever.”
