Anthoine Hubert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anthoine Hubert
Hubert in 2013
Nationality	French
Born	(1996-09-22)22 September 1996 Lyon, France
Died	31 August 2019(2019-08-31) (aged 22) Stavelot, Belgium
Debut season	2019
FIA Formula 2 Championship
Teams	BWT Arden
Car no.	19 (retired in honour)
Starts	16
Wins	2
Podiums	2
Poles	2
Fastest laps	0
Best finish	10th in 2019
Previous series
2017–18 2016 2014–15 2014–15 2013	GP3 Series FIA Formula 3 European Championship Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Formula Renault 2.0 Alps French F4 Championship
Championship titles
2018 2013	GP3 Series French F4 Championship

Anthoine Hubert (born September 22, 1996 – died August 31, 2019) was a talented French racing driver. He was the champion of the 2018 GP3 Series and part of the Renault Sport Academy, a program that helps young drivers reach Formula One. Sadly, he passed away after a serious accident during a race in the FIA Formula 2 Championship at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

Anthoine Hubert's Racing Journey

Starting in Karting

Anthoine Hubert was born in Lyon, France. He began his racing journey in karting when he was just eight years old in 2004. He quickly showed his skill, finishing second in a major karting competition in 2010. In 2011 and 2012, he placed third in the CIK-FIA "U18" World Karting Championships.

Moving to Single-Seater Cars

In 2013, Anthoine moved up to single-seater racing, which means cars with open wheels like Formula 1 cars. He joined the French F4 Championship and won the series in his very first try! He achieved an amazing eleven wins and two other top-three finishes that season.

The next year, 2014, he started competing in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. He finished 15th overall, scoring points in six races. He also raced in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps series as a guest driver.

In 2015, Anthoine continued in the Eurocup and had an even better year. He finished fifth in the championship, winning two races at Silverstone and Le Mans. He also earned five more podium finishes (top three spots). In the Alps series, he won four out of six races he started.

Racing in Formula 3

In 2016, Anthoine made his debut in the European Formula 3 Championship with Van Amersfoort Racing. He earned his first Formula 3 victory at the Norisring track. By the end of the season, he was eighth in the standings.

Becoming a GP3 Champion

Hubert racing at the Jerez Circuit in 2017.

In 2017, Anthoine joined ART Grand Prix to race in the GP3 Series. He continued with them for the 2018 season. Even though he only won two races that year, he was incredibly consistent. He finished on the podium in eleven out of 18 races, which helped him win the championship title! His strong performance caught the attention of Formula 1 teams like Renault.

Joining Formula 2

Hubert with BWT Arden at the 2019 Spielberg Formula 2 round.

In 2019, Anthoine moved up to the FIA Formula 2 Championship with BWT Arden. This was his first season in F2, and he quickly showed his talent. He won two races in the first half of the season. His first F2 win was in Monaco, where he won by a tiny margin of just 0.059 seconds! His second win was at his home race in France, where he started from pole position and finished first. Before the race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, he was in seventh place in the championship standings.

Part of the Formula One Family

In 2018, Anthoine became a driver connected with the Renault Sport Academy. By 2019, the Academy was fully supporting him, showing they believed in his potential to reach Formula One.

A Tragic Accident and Lasting Legacy

The Accident

On August 31, 2019, during a Formula 2 race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Anthoine was involved in a very serious accident. Another driver, Giuliano Alesi, lost control of his car due to a puncture and hit a wall, scattering parts on the track. As other cars tried to avoid the debris, Anthoine's car made contact with another car, causing him to crash into the barriers. His car then bounced back onto the track and was hit by Juan Manuel Correa's car.

Anthoine and Correa were taken to the medical center. Sadly, Anthoine Hubert passed away from his injuries about 90 minutes after the accident. Correa was seriously injured but survived.

Tributes and Remembrance

The special symbol used in memory of Anthoine Hubert.

After Anthoine's passing, many drivers and teams in the motorsport world shared their sadness and paid tribute to him. The next day, a minute of silence was held before the Formula 3 and Formula 1 races at Spa. Charles Leclerc, a Formula One driver and former rival of Anthoine, dedicated his first career F1 win that day to Hubert. During the F1 race, a standing ovation took place on the 19th lap, honoring Anthoine's car number, 19. All F1 cars had a special sticker with his car number inside a star and the words "Racing for Anthoine."

Anthoine's funeral was held on September 10, 2019, and many important people from the racing world attended to pay their respects. Later, his car number, 19, was officially retired from use in Formula 2 to honor him forever.

On the first anniversary of his death, many people, including his close friend Pierre Gasly, visited the crash site at Raidillon to remember him. Special graphics and stickers were used on race cars during the F1 weekend in Belgium to keep his memory alive.

Safety Improvements from the Investigation

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the governing body for motorsport, launched a full investigation into the accident. They wanted to understand what happened and how to make racing safer. The investigation finished in February 2020.

The FIA made several important safety recommendations for future racing cars, including those in Formula 1, F2, F3, and F4:

• Debris Containment: Using "tethers" to keep large car parts from flying off during a crash. This helps prevent other cars from hitting dangerous debris.
• Stronger Cockpits: Making the driver's safety cell (the part of the car where the driver sits) stronger from the front and sides.
• Better Car-to-Car Crash Design: Redesigning parts like the side protection to make cars safer when they hit each other. This is to prevent parts of one car from piercing another.
• Front Wing Redesign: Making front wings stronger so they don't break off completely in minor contacts. This helps drivers keep control of their cars.
• Headrest Redesign: Ensuring that the headrest stays in place during heavy crashes to protect the driver's head and neck.
• Faster Accident Notification: Developing quicker ways to tell drivers about dangers on the track, like flashing lights on the cars or direct car-to-car communication.
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring: Using systems to warn drivers if their tire pressure is low, as a puncture was a factor in the initial crash.

In October 2020, it was also announced that the Raidillon corner at Spa-Francorchamps would be changed to make it safer, including expanding the run-off area and adding gravel traps. These upgrades were finished in early 2022.

Anthoine Hubert Award

To honor Anthoine's memory and his achievements, the "Anthoine Hubert Award" was created in 2019 for the FIA Formula 2 Championship. This award is given to the best-performing rookie (first-year) driver in Formula 2. Anthoine was the only rookie in his season to win two races, making him a fitting person to name the award after. The first driver to receive this award was Guanyu Zhou. Anthoine is also remembered in the video game F1 2020, where players can choose him as a driver.

Karting record

Karting career summary

Racing record

Racing career summary

^† As Hubert was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

Images for kids

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  The insignia that appeared in memory of Hubert

See also

In Spanish: Anthoine Hubert para niños