I wrote a post a few days ago about my excitement about the F1 season resuming this weekend at the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. The weekend started well with good racing, some questions answered about driver line-ups for 2020 and with Charles Leclerc managing to put his Ferrari on pole. Seb Vettel placed second so it's a front row lockout for Ferrari. But the weekend took a turn for the worse.
In the post I wrote about the super-fast Eau Rouge/ Raidillon combination a part of the 7.004km track where drivers hold flat for over two kilometres and in an F1 car his speeds of around 315k/ph. It's not for the faint-hearted and it sorts out the brave from the braver. This weekend it claimed the life of a F2 pilot.
On the second lap of the F2 race, the lead-in category to F1, a crash occurred at the top of Eau Rouge (exit of Raidillon) where young 22 year old Frenchman Anthoine Hubert lost control of his race car and veered right crashing heavily into the wall. His car bounced back onto the track where it was struck on the side by Juan Manuel Correa who was travelling over 250k/ph. Hubert's Arden F2 car was torn completely in half with debris spread all over the race track and Correa's car ended upside down.
Anthoine Hubert was declared deceased at the medical centre a little later. Rest In Peace.
I've watched the sport of motor racing since the age of nine; Fourty years. I've seen many drivers lose their lives in their pursuit of victory and it never gets easier. I didn't know the driver...I didn't know any of them, however it's still shocking to see one lose his life in modern times where vehicle safety is so advanced.
The Belgium Grand Prix weekend is not tainted with sorrow, and it will be forever on. There will be tribute's and the young driver will be honoured and celebrated, but it won't bring him back. Neither will it prevent any of the F1 drivers from being strapped into their cars on Sunday to seek the glory of victory for themselves...And possibly pay the same price.
Anthoine Hubert gave his life for his sport, he died doing something he loved passionately and I think that's pretty special. It doesn't console his family, friends, partner, race team, supporters or the rest of the racing world who mourn his death though. The sport will go on and more drivers will risk, and probably lose their lives though and the Formula One race today will be run in his honour. It's they way.
Anthoine Hubert - RIP (22 September 1996 - 31 August 2019) 🇫🇷
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I have purposely not linked to footage of the crash on YouTube however if you are inclined there is multiple views of the crash available. I've seen it, a couple of times, but didn't feel I wanted to make this post about it specifically.