Fiery crashes and costly karts do little to deter Hongkonger Han from chasing F1 dream
Twelve-year-old John Han won the Junior FIA Karting Arrive and Drive Asia-Pacific Championship in Macau. The competition uses identical vehicles to lower financial barriers and provide a level playing field for young talent.
Why it matters
This initiative highlights efforts to make professional motorsport more accessible to young drivers from diverse economic backgrounds.
An innate talent, coupled with a novel concept designed to lower motorsport’s financial barriers, could one day deliver the answer to the question of, where is the next Zhou Guanyu?
A reserve driver this season with newest Formula 1 team Cadillac, Zhou is the first, and so far only Chinese racer, to have had a full-time seat in the sport.
And while we are not quite at the “remember the name” stage for those hoping to follow in his footsteps, 12-year-old Hongkonger John Han showed flashes of talent in pulling off a thrilling last lap overtake on Macau’s tricky Coloane Karting Track on Sunday to win the 2026 Junior FIA Karting Arrive and Drive Asia-Pacific Championship.
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