An 18-year-old racing prospect has described the support he received from the sport’s biggest stars as “unbelievable”.
On Wednesday Will Macintyre shared on Instagram that his career was on hold while he underwent treatment at Milton Keynes Hospital for both brain and lung cancer.
The 2023 British F4 vice-champion and 2022 Ginetta Junior runner-up has since received support on social media from some of the biggest names in motorsport.
He said: “Even people I’ve never met before: Max Verstappen, Kimi Antonelli and Susie Wolff, all wishing me well.”
“It’s been unbelievable,” he said from his hospital bed. “Thanks everyone so, so much.”
He also thanked friends who had visited him, bringing a VR headset so he could play golf from his hospital room, along with sweets and snacks to offer a break from hospital food.
“I’ve got as much sorted to make this as homey and as fun as possible,” he said.
“I mean we just got to make the time go by quicker and whenever I’m talking to anyone time flies by.”
Born in Nash, Buckinghamshire, Mr Macintyre began go-karting at the age of eight, the same starting point as stars such as Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.
Since then he has driven at races around the world, securing multiple podium finishes.
Initially the teenager, who lived for a time in Norfolk, thought he had just been suffering with bad migraines that had caused him to throw up.
He suspected the symptoms may have begun months ago, but said he started feeling “more ropey” in recent weeks causing him to visit the doctor on Monday.
Within hours CT scans revealed he had brain swelling and he was soon diagnosed with lung and brain cancer.
Although he would normally be preparing for his next big race, he is now focused on treatment. But he insisted he was determined to return to the track “one way or another”.
He said: “When? Not a clue. If it’s going to be in two weeks’ time or four years’ time I don’t know.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back but I will be back… I love it too much.
“I’ll be back to winning at some stage, that’s for sure.”
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