Lewis Hamilton has described his brother Nicolas as an inspiration

The Hamilton family could have another racing star in their midst after Lewis Hamilton's brother, Nicolas, announced he is to begin his own racing career.

Nicolas, the brother of Formula 1 star Lewis, will race in the Renault Clio Cup for Total Control Racing (TCR).

The 19-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, said: "I know this will not be an easy task, but I hope that my doing this will give inspiration to others.

"Watching my brother achieve so much has given me inspiration."

Nicolas has been a familiar face around the paddock on race weekends ever since his 26-year-old brother, Lewis, made his F1 debut in Australia in 2007.

Indeed, McLaren's Hamilton, who won the world championship in 2008, has often described his younger brother as his biggest fan and inspiration.

Nicholas has followed his brother's career from an early age and it was natural that he would want to get behind the wheel competitively himself Anthony Hamilton

Nicolas recently gained his National B race licence and has already tested a 2010-spec Clio Cup car.

He will soon start testing ahead of the start of the season at Brands Hatch on 2-3 April in a competition which is seen as a breeding ground for future British Touring Car Championship drivers.

The brothers' father, Anthony, who was Lewis's manager until March last year, brokered the deal and said it was a "natural" move for his son.

"Nicolas has followed his brother's career from an early age and it was natural that he would want to get behind the wheel competitively himself," he said.

"The Renault Clio Cup offers a tremendous platform for him, with great television coverage and exposure and I'm sure it will be highly enjoyable too."

Highlights - Australian GP first practice

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