French driver Anthoine Hubert has been killed in a crash in the Formula 2 race at the Belgian Grand Prix, motorsport governing body FIA said yesterday.
The accident shortly after the start of the race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit involved the BWT Arden of 22-year-old Hubert, Sauber Junior Team’s Juan Manuel Correa and the Trident of Giuliano Alesi.
“As a result of the incident, the FIA regrets to inform that the driver of car #19, Anthoine Hubert (FRA), succumbed to his injuries, and passed away at 18:35,” a FIA statement said.
Ecuador-born US driver Correa, 20, is in a stable condition in hospital in Liege.
Alesi, the son of former F1 racer Jean Alesi, underwent a medical check and was declared fit, the statement added.
Germany’s Mick Schumacher, the son of record Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, was taking part in the race — the junior second tier to Formula One — but was not involved in the accident.
FIA said it was “providing support to the event organisers and the relevant authorities, and has commenced an investigation into the incident.”
The crash happened at the high-speed Raidillon turn when Hubert, who is part of the Renault junior programme and in his debut F2 season,
crashed into a wall and his car catapulted back onto the track.
Correa struck Hubert’s car at a high speed and turned over while Hubert’s car broke into several parts.
Emergency teams attended the scene and the other cars returned to the paddock, with organisers cancelling the race.
Hubert was lying eighth in the championship and had scored two wins this season, in Monaco and France.
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team said in a statement: “The entire Mercedes family sends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Anthoine Hubert, and his Arden and Renault teams on this tragic day.”
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