Hong Kong driver Jonathan Hui beats best in world with historic double at GT World Challenge Europe
- Hui, alongside former Formula One star Giancarlo Fisichella, wins two dramatic races in sprint series debut in France
- The 42-year-old is forced to switch feet for breaking after being in ‘excruciating pain’ and unable to walk the day before the event
Racing driver Jonathan Hui revelled in a historic moment after becoming the first Hongkonger to win the GT World Challenge Europe – despite being on a walking stick the day before the event.
In what was his first appearance in the event’s pro-am sprint series in Magny-Cours, France, experienced endurance racer Hui bagged two wins alongside former Formula One driver Giancarlo Fisichella in their team Sky Tempesta Racing’s Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo last weekend.
“I’m incredibly proud to fly the Hong Kong flag overseas and raise awareness and bring success for racing drivers from Hong Kong. Opportunities like these are hard to come back so really it’s a dream result,” said the 42-year-old Hui, who had not driven in a sprint edition for more than eight years.
“To come back to sprint racing in probably the most challenging GT championships in the world is very special. You’re benchmarking yourself against the best GT drivers in the world; all the factory pros, the who’s who of GT racing are here, so it was quite an unexpected result.”
Sustaining an injury to his right foot at the previous weekend’s endurance race in Germany – to which Hui overcame purely from the physio’s patchwork and raw adrenaline – he said he “paid a very heavy price” in the days leading up to Magny-Cours.
