How a young driver is using his illness to help others

BRDC Rising Star and Innes Ireland Trophy winner Will Macintyre has faced an unimaginably tough time since his race-winning GB3 campaign came to a shuddering halt when he received a cancer diagnosis last September. 

After months of worsening symptoms – headaches, vomiting, weight loss and personality shifts – being told you have a brain tumour and lung cancer is more than enough to knock anyone for six. That’s without even contemplating the painful tests and treatments that were to come as specialists struggled to confirm the diagnosis.

The 18-year-old passed through multiple hospitals, clocking up countless scans, operations, biopsies and six cycles of chemotherapy as the symptoms only worsened and led to seizures. Neurosurgeons in November said there was no tumour, only inflammation – vasculitis in the brain. Others disagreed.

Eventually, through his connection with GB3 founder and MotorSport Vision chief executive Jonathan Palmer, Macintyre was put in touch with Professor Peter Hutchinson, chief medical officer for the British Grand Prix. Prof Hutchinson, head of academic neurosurgery at the University of Cambridge, specialises in neuro-trauma at Addenbrooke’s Hospital – but he’s known to Macintyre as “my life saver”. 

After further biopsies and genetic testing, with Macintyre now unable to leave Addenbrooke’s, he was diagnosed with X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome. XLP is a very rare genetic condition, with only 15 people worldwide known to have the neuro XLP1 variant.

Treatment for stabilising his symptoms has restarted but, while he awaits the result of another brain biopsy, the next steps remain unclear. Stem cell or bone marrow transplants are thought to be the only potential cure.

But Macintyre now has renewed focus. He has become an ambassador for a project seeking to raise £6million to install an intra-operative MRI scanner at the Cambridge Clinical Research Centre.

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft spoke at the Silverstone launch event

Photo by: Willmac7

Macintyre himself was unable to attend a recent launch event organised by his mother Sian and hosted by the BRDC Motor Sport Charity at Silverstone. But he sent a video message from Addenbrooke’s in which his determination and humour shone through. “Yeah, believe it or not, I’ve got a brain,” he smiled, tapping his head.

Guest speakers included Sky Sports’ F1 commentator David Croft, who has become a close family friend, and Formula E frontrunner Taylor Barnard via video message.

Macintyre’s personal experience demonstrates the impact an IMRI scanner could have on cases like his, dramatically reducing diagnosis and treatment timelines and leading to more successful outcomes. Rather than the endless cycle of scans, operations and consultations he has endured, “with an IMRI, it would have been done like this”, he says, clicking his fingers.

Prof Hutchinson explains: “We are going to combine the technology of MRI, so a scan to diagnose brain conditions, with an operating theatre where you undertake surgery to actually treat these patients. This is particularly important for patients who have brain tumours. It is often very difficult when you’re operating on the brain to see where the tumour ends and the normal brain begins. That margin is often quite diffuse and difficult to define precisely. 

Rather than the endless cycle of scans, operations and consultations he has endured, “with an IMRI, it would have been done like this”, Macintyre says, clicking his fingers

“One way around that is actually to undertake the MRI scan in the middle of the operation. If we do that, we can help guide the surgery, and more importantly undertake an MRI scan at the end of the operation to check the whole tumour has been removed as a quality control scan.”

Paediatric surgeon Claudia Craven adds: “When you’re operating, removing, for example, a tumour, the brain is going to shift. And we’re working off the original MRI scan that we had. Removing normal brain tissue can be devastating, so often we’ll err on the side of caution.”

Post-operative scans, which typically might be several days later, reveal unintended residual tumour in 18% of cases. That risk, which can lead to the tumour regrowing and requiring further surgery, can be eliminated with an IMRI scanner. It has similar applications for pituitary and spinal surgery.

Macintyre continues to have a long road ahead on his own tough journey. But he is using his experience to help others. As his mother says, “Motorsport is built on courage, precision, and teamwork – and those same qualities drive progress and success in science and medicine.”

Visit Will’s website to find out more, donate directly or buy a fundraising sticker. You can also contribute to the Addenbrooke’s intra-operative MRI fund.

This article is one of many in the monthly Autosport magazine. For more premium content, take a look at the August 2026 issue and subscribe today.

Macintyre has faced an extraordinary struggle since his GB3 campaign was brought to a halt

Photo by: JEP