About Nathalie McGloin
Nathalie McGloin is the only female tetraplegic in the world to be racing cars. A self confessed speed freak and adrenaline junkie, she also plays wheelchair rugby (sometimes known as ‘murderball’).
FIA
In 2017 Nathalie was appointed the inaugural President of the new FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission by Jean Todt. In her new role Nathalie aims to promote the inclusive nature of Motorsport as The Commission works to continue to ensure the global safe participation of disabled competitors in Motorsport.
Ambassador
Nathalie is an ambassador for . Founded by Susie Wolff and funded by the Motor Sports Association (MSA), this initiative aims to inspire, connect, showcase and develop female talent in male-dominated environments such as motorsport.
International Public Speaker
Nathalie is an established International Speaker and has spoken at some important events in Europe including the FIA Annual Sports Conference in Geneva. Nathalie very much enjoys this part of her wide ranging career and relishes the experience of talking to groups of people, large or small, about her journey from breaking her neck to racing cars.
Charity
Nathalie is a friend of the spinal injuries charity Wings for Life and speaks at events as their representative.
She co-founded the charity Spinal Track, enabling disabled drivers to enjoy track day experiences at Silverstone in a hand-controlled Golf GTI. Participants don’t have to pay a penny because the entire cost is covered by charitable donations. The charity is supported by Williams F1, and Claire Williams OBE attended the launch.
Nathalie’s car
Nathalie drives an adapted Porsche 987 Cayman S.
The vehicle is fitted with radial hand controls that she pushes forward to brake, and down to accelerate. This system allows her to mix the accelerator and throttle for greater car control. The hand controls are mounted to the right of the steering column, leaving her left hand free to steer.
Because Nathalie has no sensation or movement in her lower body, she can’t feel the car through the base of the seat like able-bodied drivers do. To compensate for this, her car has a Cobra seat with an moulded insert that is shaped to the contours of her ribcage. This gives Nathalie added stability and also allows her to feel what the car is doing underneath her. She drives the car in automatic mode, allowing the PDK system to change gears.
