Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Lewis tribute to tragic Hubert
LEWIS HAMILTON led the tributes to racing prodigy Anthoine Hubert, who died after a horror crash in the feature Formula 2 race at the Belgian Grand Prix yesterday.
The devastating, high-speed crash took place as 22-year-old Hubert’s car collided with that of Juan Manuel Correa.
Both cars almost disintegrated in the shocking crash.
The race was abandoned after marshals attended the scene.
Hamilton (inset, below) said: “This is devastating. God rest your soul, Anthoine. My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family.
“If a single one of you watching and enjoying this sport thinks for a second what we do is safe, you’re hugely mistaken. All these drivers put their lives on the line when they hit the track and people need to appreciate that in a serious way because it is not appreciated enough. Not from the fans nor some of the people actually working in the sport.
“Anthoine (left) is a hero, for taking the risks he did to chase his dreams. I’m so sad that this has happened. Let’s lift him up and remember him. Rest in peace, brother.”
The crash was on the exit of Eau Rouge at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, as the French Renault development driver and Correa collided. Hubert’s car went into the barrier and span off into the path of Correa’s car, which was launched into the air by the impact. The EcuadorianAmerican, 20, is in a stable condition in hospital in Liege.
Meanwhile, in F1, Hamilton was left behind by Charles Leclerc as his Ferrari came good in qualifying to lock out the front row for today’s grand prix.
Leclerc is in pole, ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel.
Hamilton had to settle for third after his Mercedes needed repairs following a crash in practice. JO KONTA is revelling in a new-found maturity as she bids to go further than ever before at the US Open.
The British No.1 (above) faces third seed Karolina Pliskova today for a place in the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows.
Konta, the last Briton standing in the singles, has won through to the fourth round in New York for the third time in her career.
She has reached the semi-final of every other Grand Slam and if she makes the last four she’ll become the first British woman since Jo Durie in 1983 to achieve the feat.
The No.16 seed has defeated Czech Pliskova only once in seven previous meetings and lost out to the big server in the final of the Rome Masters in May.
However, Konta is adamant her game has improved significantly after swatting aside Zhang Shuai 6-2 6-2 in only 71 minutes to set up the Pliskova showdown.
The 29-year-old said: “I’ll be going into the match with good tolerance and I also like to think I’ve grown as a player since Rome.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how I can do better, maybe ask some better questions this time around. More than anything, it’s probably in my decisionmaking and also how or when I play certain shots.
“I’m enjoying the whole thing more and perhaps that’s the evolution of my career.
“I’d like to do better at Slams, but I’m pleased to have made it to the second week of my last three.”