Man with rare disease who was always told he couldn't drive fulfils his dream of driving round the Nürburgring using a joystick
Published on Feb 25, 2026 at 5:21 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Feb 25, 2026 at 5:21 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
A man with a rare disease got the opportunity to drive around the Nürburgring, despite being told that his condition meant he wouldn’t be able to drive.
Leo has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare disease that causes severe muscle loss.
He’d been told that he would only be able to drive with the Space Drive system, but that came at the price of $94,000.
Fortunately, a YouTuber was on hand to give him the driving experience he’d always dreamed of.
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This man was told he couldn’t drive because of his condition – but a YouTuber made it happen for him
YouTuber Misha Charoudin received a message from Leo back in August 2023.
“I have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare disease that causes severe muscle loss,” the message read.
“Despite all that, with my restrictions, I have a big dream as a car-guy: Driving a car with a driver’s license!
“The main struggles now are the high costs of €80,000 to convert the car with the Space Drive system so I can drive it… But it’s the only way I can drive!”
The Space Drive system allows people with low residual strength, those with minimal movement capabilities, and those without limbs to drive.
The system has been hailed as a ‘real breakthrough’, but it obviously comes at a cost.
So in the meantime, Charoudin decided to let him do a lap of Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife in a specially modified Volkswagen T6 van.
Rather than the usual pedal and steering wheel, Leo operated the vehicle using a sophisticated joystick system.
When it was pushed forward, the van would brake, and pulling it back would accelerate the vehicle.
To steer, the joystick was moved from side to side.
A secondary joystick controlled less crucial functions, like blinkers and lights.
In place of a driver’s seat, there was a docking station that secured Leo’s wheelchair to the floor.
Sounds like a great set-up, right? So how did Leo do?
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Taking on the Nürburgring Nordschleife
The lap took place in less-than-ideal conditions – it was wet and dark.
But that wasn’t what mattered here.
Leo showed impressive car control for his time on the lap, as he navigated famous sections like the Foxhole, the Carousel, and Brünnchen.
It was a dream come true for him.
In a comment on the video, Charoudin gave an update on Leo.
“Fast forward to today. Not only did Leo get his license and secure the €80,000 Paravan joystick system, but he just drove the hardest racetrack in the world.
“He refused to let anything stop his dream of being a true petrolhead,” he wrote.
There’s something special about the Nürburgring, as we’ve seen many times before.
All the big manufacturers are setting records there, whether it’s Ford or Xiaomi.
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Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
