Racing driver determined Crohn's will not stop him

A budding racing driver from Derbyshire wants to show that having Crohn's disease is not going to stop him from achieving his goals.

George Foxlow from Bradbourne, near Ashbourne, had major surgery to have a stoma at the age of 13.

He was initially worried he was going to be the "odd one out" after the procedure but has since gone on to find a new normal with a passion for motor racing.

"At the time you think it is going to be the end of the world but now it has turned out better," George said.

George, now 18, said he often felt "really lethargic" and "lazy" while in school, before he knew he had Crohn's.

After nearly two years going in and out of the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, were he was "really poorly", doctors decided that it was best for him to have surgery.

"I think a lot of people when they have Crohn's disease or any disease – they sort of think it is all the end and they sort of become either lazy or just not want to try," George said.

"I'd find that very boring, so I enjoy that I am doing stuff and carrying on."

He played a lot of rugby when he was younger but was unable to carry on with the sport after his surgery.

George started racing when he was 14 in Fiesta juniors. In 2025, he went into senior racing, competing in the Airtec Motorsport Fiesta ST240 Championship and the Vinyl Detail ST150.

His dad, Tim, also started racing in his teens, having success in hot rod racing.

"He has been around the racing all the time, so it was going to be a natural thing at some point," Tim said.

George said the adrenaline was the "biggest thing" that he enjoyed about racing.

He has to be careful of the placement of his race belts because of his stoma, but is not affected beyond that.

He told BBC Radio Derby in the past few weeks he had made a concerted effort to raise awareness of Crohn's and when racing he often walks around the paddock proudly showing his stoma bag.

George said people were often intrigued about it and wanted to ask questions. He wanted society to see it as a "more common sight".

Asked what his message would be to others with Crohn's disease and Colitis, he said: "It may look bad now, I thought it was really bad at the time, you have to go with every day and when you have some good days take that as a win.

"Eventually it will all come together and you will be able to live life normally again."

In his latest challenge, George is taking part in the 24-hour C1 Eurocup race in Portugal this weekend.

Eventually his goal is to race in the British Touring Car Championship.

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