Cloud over Belgian GP:
A dark cloud will hover over today’s Belgian Grand Prix after young French driver Anthoine Hubert was killed in a devastating 160mph Formula Two crash at Spa-Francorchamps.
Hubert, 22, raced for British team Arden – run by Garry Horner, the father of Red Bull boss Christian Horner – in the championship which acts as a feeder series to Formula One. Hubert lost control of his car on the exit of the notorious uphill Eau Rouge corner before slamming into a barrier.
The Frenchman flew off the tyre wall and slid helplessly across the circuit, before he was collected head on by the unsuspecting American Juan-Manuel Correa. The force of the impact tore Hubert’s car in two, and ripped off the front of Correa’s machine – the American was launched airborne before landing upside down. The severity of the incident was instantly obvious. Debris littered the tarmac. The official TV feed cut away from the scene. There were no replays of the accident. Emergency crews rushed to one of motorsport’s most recognisable corners, but one hour and 28 minutes after the second-lap accident, Hubert was pronounced dead at the on-track medical centre. He becomes the first driver since Ayrton Senna died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix to be killed while driving in an FIA-accredited race during a Formula One weekend.
Jules Bianchi, another young French driver, died in July 2015, nine months on from the brain injuries he sustained after he crashed into a crane at the rainhit race in Japan. Correa was airlifted to Liege Hospital, 40 miles north west of the circuit here in the Ardennes. It is understood that the American, 20, has broken his legs and was sedated at the scene. The sport’s governing body, the FIA, has launched an investigation.
The crash occurred less than an hour after Lewis Hamilton had participated in qualifying for today’s race. Hamilton, who crashed out of final practice at 140mph at the Fagnes chicane yester- day morning, is due to line up from third on the grid. In an emotional post to social media, the five-time world champion highlighted the dangers of the sport.
“This is devastating,” the 34-year-old wrote. “God rest your soul, Anthoine. My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family today. If a single one of you watching and enjoying this sport think for a second what we do is safe you are 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 is a hero as far as I’m concerned for taking the risk he did to chase his dreams.”
A moment’s silence is set to take place ahead of today’s race to honour a driver highly regarded in the motor racing world. Hubert was the reigning GP3 champion, and had already won twice in F2 this season. He was a member of the Renault driver academy.
Charles Leclerc, a former F2 champion, secured pole position for today’s grand prix. Sebastian Vettel starts from second in an all-Ferrari front row.