A 32-YEAR-OLD with a rare genetic condition is preparing to take to the race track thanks to an all-disabled racing team.

Ben Warren, from Middleton Stoney, near Bicester, was born with Lumbosacral Agenesis, a rare condition which means he is missing parts of his spine.

He is fully paralysed from the waist down and has no sacrum, meaning he is short in stature and has urological problems.

Being a keen and competitive online ‘sim racer’ for the past eleven years, Mr Warren was approached by eTeam BRIT, the online racing arm of Team BRIT - a competitive racing team of disabled drivers.

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This Saturday Mr Warren, who has also starred in BBC children’s series ‘Desperados’, and now supports a local wheelchair basketball team, will join a Team BRIT Racing Academy track session at Silverstone where he will drive the team’s VW Academy Polo on the iconic track.

He said: “I’m still slightly in disbelief over the opportunity that has been created for me. I’ve been a keen sportsman for years, playing wheelchair basketball since I was 14 and playing with the Great Britain Under 22s training squad, and I’ve always been a fan of many sports including motorsport.

“I’ve watched Formula 1 for years, my Dad has always been a fan, but I’ve never thought that motor racing, outside of the online world, would be something I could take part in."

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Mr Warren said he was surprised at how well his initial seat fitting went and, despite his original disbelief, was coming around to the idea of actually driving on the track at Silverstone.

He added: "It’ll be the chance of a lifetime."

Team BRIT aims to be the first all-disabled team to race in the Le Mans 24 hour, and through its Racing Academy, it supports drivers with a range of physical and psychological challenges in accessing motorsport.

eTeam BRIT was launched last year to provide competitive opportunities for disabled online racers and Mr Warren began online racing in 2009, first using a computer keyboard, but soon progressed to competitive racing using a full racing rig with wheel, from his bedroom.

Principal and founder of Team BRIT, Dave Player met Mr Warren in person at Silverstone last year, and approached him about exploring the possibility of supporting him in driving a car on track.

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Within just two months, he was at the Team BRIT base in Dunsfold in Surrey, having a specially-made seat insert created to allow him to use the team’s top of the range racing simulator, fitted with its world-leading hand controls.

The seat can be transferred to a car, giving him the opportunity to drive on a race circuit for the first time – something he has never been able to do as his shape prevents him being able to sit in any standard car seats.

Mr Player said: “We’re really looking forward to giving Ben the opportunity of driving at Silverstone. This is one of Britain’s most iconic race circuits, so for a major motorsports fan like Ben, it really will be something special.

“This is something he never thought would be possible because of his disability, but we’re all about achieving the impossible. Hopefully this will be one of many visits to the track for Ben.”