Letters of exemption, quarantines and family squabbles – toils of competing during Covid-19 worth it for proud Hongkonger Jonathan Hui
- Fresh GT World Challenge Europe winner Hui recalls feeling ‘torn’ over whether to compete this season
- Hui wants to use overseas success to ‘raise awareness for our sport’ in Hong Kong
History-making racing car driver Jonathan Hui is one of the only Hong Kong athletes to lift silverware during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – but competing under such hazardous circumstances has not been easy.
While his last outing was with team Sky Tempesta Racing in the shorter sprint series, Hui is a full-season endurance pro-am competitor. He competed in last weekend’s Road to Le Mans – a support event for the renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans – for the first time, securing a podium finish in race two. The commitment to fly between his family back home and Europe’s top tracks has meant even more form-filling, hotel-quarantining and good-intentioned quarrelling with his nine- and seven-year-olds.
“I’ve been back and forth, which has been difficult because I have two young children. I’m quite torn because it’s difficult to explain to them why I need to race in Europe, especially when the Covid situation is perhaps worsening,” he said.
“They say ‘dad, it’s getting a lot worse over there, please don’t go’. To them, I’m potentially putting my health at risk, so frankly they’re quite upset when I say I have to race. We have lots of debates because they’re aware of the situation around the world. In Hong Kong, we’re very careful and cognisant of health and safety. I try to explain to them that there’s a duty and commitment in any team sport. So for me, it’s about honouring that commitment more than saying ‘I love racing’.”
