Anthoine Hubert

Anthoine Hubert
Anthoine Hubert
Born	Anthoine Gérard Pol Hubert; September 22, 1996 (age 30); Lyon, France
Died	August 31, 2019 (aged 22); Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
Occupation	Racing driver
Years active	2004–2019
Known for	2018 GP3 Series champion; Renault Sport Academy driver

Anthoine Gérard Pol Hubert (22 September 1996 – 31 August 2019) was a professional racing driver from France. He claimed the championship title in the 2018 GP3 Series and was part of the Renault Sport Academy. Hubert tragically lost his life after an incident during the feature race at the 2019 Spa-Francorchamps Formula 2 round, held at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Karting

Hubert, who was born in Lyon, started his karting journey in 2004 when he was eight years old. In 2010, he achieved second place in the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy. Additionally, he secured third place in consecutive years at the CIK-FIA "U18" World Karting Championships in both 2011 and 2012.

Formula Renault

Making the transition to single-seater racing in 2013, Hubert competed in the French F4 Championship. Demonstrating remarkable skill, he won the championship on his debut season by claiming eleven victories along with two further podium finishes.

The following year, in 2014, Hubert advanced to the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 series with Tech 1 Racing. He completed the season fifteenth overall, scoring points in six races. During that same year, he also participated as a guest driver in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps championship.

For the 2015 campaign, Hubert remained with Tech 1 Racing in the Eurocup, improving to finish fifth overall. His achievements included victories at Silverstone and Le Mans, alongside five additional podium placements. Concurrently, he took part selectively in the Alps series, where he won four out of six events and secured second place twice.

FIA Formula 3 European Championship

Hubert made his debut in the European Formula 3 Championship in February 2016, driving for Van Amersfoort Racing. He earned his inaugural Formula 3 victory during race two at the Norisring. By season's end, Hubert ranked eighth in the championship standings, trailing teammate Callum Ilott but finishing well ahead of fellow teammates Harrison Newey and Pedro Piquet.

GP3 Series

In November 2016, Hubert underwent testing with ART Grand Prix, which led to his signing for their squad ahead of the 2017 season. He continued with ART into the 2018 season, where he secured the championship title. Despite recording only two wins—two fewer than teammate Nikita Mazepin—his consistent performance yielded podium finishes in eleven out of eighteen races. This strong showing garnered attention from Formula 1 teams such as Renault.

FIA Formula 2 Championship

In November 2018, Hubert participated in post-season testing with MP Motorsport at Abu Dhabi for the F2 series. By January 2019, he secured a full-time seat in Formula 2 with BWT Arden, teaming up with fellow GP3 alumnus Tatiana Calderón. Early in his rookie campaign, he achieved two victories—one at the Monte Carlo round and another at his home event in France. The triumph in Monaco was by a slim margin of 0.059 seconds over Louis Delétraz. His second win was earned from pole position on French soil, finishing ahead of Juan Manuel Correa. Beyond these wins, Hubert collected points in seven other races, standing seventh in the championship prior to the Spa-Francorchamps weekend and ultimately finishing tenth overall in the drivers’ standings.

Formula One

Hubert joined the Renault Sport Academy as an affiliated driver in May 2018. By the following year, he had gained full support from the Academy, which facilitated his advancement through Formula 2 and aligned him with Renault’s driver development program.

Death

On 31 August 2019, during the second lap of the feature race at the 2019 Spa-Francorchamps FIA Formula 2 round, Anthoine Hubert sustained life-threatening injuries following a severe accident. Trident’s Giuliano Alesi experienced a puncture at Raidillon, losing control and scattering debris across the track. In an effort to avoid this debris while closely trailing, Hubert made contact with teammate Ralph Boschung’s rear wheel, lost control, and collided with the tyre barrier. Subsequently, his car was struck by Charouz driver Juan Manuel Correa, who also lost control after hitting debris. The impact subjected Hubert’s vehicle to extreme forces and similarly devastated Correa’s car. Hubert succumbed to his injuries approximately an hour and a half after the crash.

Correa was airlifted to Liège for surgery addressing leg fractures and a minor spinal injury; although stable initially, he was placed into an induced coma one week later. Alesi escaped unharmed. Out of respect for the tragedy, the feature race was abandoned and the sprint race canceled.

In response to Hubert’s passing, numerous teams and drivers expressed their condolences. On 1 September, a minute of silence took place before both Formula 3 and Formula 1 races at Spa. Ferrari F1 driver and former competitor Charles Leclerc dedicated his maiden victory that day to Hubert. During lap 19—a tribute matching Hubert’s car number—a standing ovation was held. All Formula 1 cars displayed his number inside a star accompanied by the phrase "Racing for Anthoine," while safety vehicles conducted a tribute lap around Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Hubert’s funeral occurred on 10 September at Chartres Cathedral, located in Eure-et-Loir, with attendance from family, friends, and prominent motorsport figures such as FIA president Jean Todt, Renault F1 advisor Alain Prost, Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, and George Russell. His car number 19 was officially retired from Formula 2 competition; his successor Artem Markelov adopted #22 instead.

On the first anniversary of Hubert’s death, members of the Formula 1 community gathered at the Raidillon tyre barrier to pay their respects. The F2 feature race broadcast featured a commemorative graphic displaying Hubert’s initials and number (AH19). During the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly honored him by wearing a special tribute helmet, while all single-seater vehicles competing in Belgium bore AH19 decals throughout the weekend.

In 2024, prior to the Belgian Grand Prix, Gasly led drivers from F1, F2, and F3 paddocks in a respectful jog from the start-finish straight to the Raidillon tyre barrier—a location also marked by Dilano van 't Hoff’s multi-car crash in 2023.

Inquiry and suggestions

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) undertook a thorough inquiry into the incident, submitting their conclusions and proposed measures to the World Motor Sport Council in December 2019, with the investigation wrapping up by February 2020. The FIA established that Hubert’s fatality resulted from "non-survivable trauma". Although comprehensive medical information is gathered during events, it remains protected due to confidentiality concerns. Formula 2 vehicles comply with the same safety protocols as Formula 1 cars; nonetheless, Andy Green, technical director of Racing Point F1 Team, pointed out that current chassis constructions are not designed to endure impacts of such severity.

In May 2020, the FIA Safety Department released a set of safety proposals aimed at future single-seater vehicles competing in F1, F2, F3, F4, and Formula E categories:

Containment of debris – extending "tethering" systems beyond wheels to include front and rear wings as well as other sizable parts to prevent detachment during collisions.
Strengthening cockpit structure – enhancing frontal and lateral reinforcement of the safety cell.
Better compatibility between cars – redesigning side protection elements to avoid narrow nose sections from breaching another vehicle’s defense, addressing concerns raised by past serious injuries.
Front wing alterations – integrating “controlled failure” zones to limit complete wing loss in minor impacts, thereby reducing crash intensity and loss of control.
Headrest improvements – upgrading cockpit padding retention under severe impacts to provide superior head protection for drivers.
Accelerated Accident Notification System – employing existing vehicle lights for fast hazard signaling and investigating car-to-car communication methods for alerting stationary vehicles.
Implementation of Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems – tackling crash causes linked to undetected tyre punctures.

In October 2020, Spa-Francorchamps revealed plans for changes at the Raidillon corner, which included enlarging run-off zones and reinstating gravel traps. Although these enhancements were completed in early 2022, gravel at Raidillon de l'Eau Rouge was not part of this update.

Legacy

During the 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship awards ceremony in Monaco, the Anthoine Hubert Award was established in tribute to Hubert, who was the only rookie that year to achieve two victories. This accolade recognizes the highest-ranking driver without prior experience in Formula 2. The first winner of this award was Zhou Guanyu. Additionally, Hubert appears as a selectable character in the racing video game F1 2020.

Karting career overview

Season	Series	Team	Position
2005	Championnat de France Regional Ile de France — Mini Kart		2nd
2005	Coupe de France — Mini Kart		1st
2006	Championnat de France — Minime		13th
2007	Championnat de France — Minime		10th
2008	Bridgestone Cup — Cadet		?
2008	Championnat de France — Cadet		2nd
2009	Trophée de France — Cadet		1st
	Bridgestone Cup — Cadet		6th
	Championnat de France — KF3		11th
	Grand Prix Open Karting — KF3		11th
	WSK International Series — KF3		134th
2010	South Garda Winter Cup — KF3	Tony Kart	9th
	WSK Euro Series — KF3		13th
	CIK-FIA Karting European Championship — KF3		28th
	CIK-FIA World Cup — KF3		16th
	Karting Academy Trophy		2nd
	Junior Monaco Kart Cup — KF3		6th
	Grand Prix Open Karting — KF3		3rd
2011	Rotax Euro Challenge — Rotax Senior		67th
	WSK Euro Series — KF1	Sodi Racing Team	21st
	Championnat de France — KF2	Braun Racing	6th
	Karting World Championship — KF1	Sodikart	14th
	Grand Prix Open Karting — KF2		6th
	Karting World Championship — U18	De Cola, Nicolas	style="background:#FFDF9F;" \|3rd
	2012	South Garda Winter Cup — KF2	Formula K	10th
WSK Super Master Series — KF2		Formula K	32nd
Karting World Championship — KF1		Formula K	18th
WSK Euro Series — KF2		Formula K	18th
CIK-FIA Karting European Championship — KF2		Formula K	13th
Karting World Championship — KF2		Formula K	15th
Grand Prix Open Karting — KF2		Formula K	14th
Karting World Championship — U18		Hubert, Francois	style="background:#FFDF9F;" \|3rd

Overview of racing career

Season	Series	Team	Races	Victories	Pole positions	F/Laps	Podium finishes	Points scored	Final standing
2013	French F4 Championship	Auto Sport Academy	21	11	10	8	13	365	1st
2014	Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0	Tech 1 Racing	14	0	0	0	0	30	15th
2014	Formula Renault 2.0 Alps	Tech 1 Racing	6	0	0	0	0	N/A	NC†
2015	Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0	Tech 1 Racing	17	2	2	2	7	172	5th
2015	Formula Renault 2.0 Alps	Tech 1 Racing	6	4	4	3	6	N/A	NC†
2016	FIA Formula 3 European Championship	Van Amersfoort Racing	30	1	1	1	3	160	8th
	Masters of Formula 3		1	0	0	0	0	N/A	7th
	Macau Grand Prix		1	0	0	0	0	N/A	13th
2017	2017 GP3 Series	ART Grand Prix	15	0	0	4	4	123	4th
2018	2018 GP3 Series	ART Grand Prix	18	2	2	4	11	214	1st
2019	2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship	"BWT Arden"	16	2	0	0	2	77	10th

^† Being a guest entrant, Hubert was not eligible to accumulate championship points.

Full French F4 Championship results

((key)) (Races highlighted in bold denote pole position; races in italics signify fastest lap)

2013 French F4 Championship	Auto Sport Academy	"LMS 1" (1)	"LMS 2" (5)	"LMS 3" (1)	"PAU 1" (1)	"PAU 2" (5)	"PAU 3" (1)	"SPA 1" (1)	"SPA 2" (1)	"SPA 3" (1)	"VDV 1" (1)	"VDV 2" (Ret)	"VDV 3" (1)	"MAG 1" (4)	"MAG 2" (11)	"MAG 3" (2)	"LÉD 1" (11)	"LÉD 2" (4)	"LÉD 3" (3)	"LEC 1" (1)	"LEC 2" (Ret)	"LEC 3" (1)	1st	365

Complete Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Results

(Key) (Races shown in bold denote pole position) (Races in italics signify fastest lap)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Final Position	Points
2014	Tech 1 Racing	ALC 1 18	ALC 2 7	SPA 1 9	SPA 2 6	SIL 1 10	SIL 2 13	NÜR 1 19	NÜR 2 15	HUN 1 14	HUN 2 16	LEC 1 12	LEC 2 9	JER 1 6	JER 2 16				15th	30
2015	Tech 1 Racing	ALC 1 3	ALC 2 6	ALC 3 2	SPA 1 3	SPA 2 6	HUN 1 Ret	HUN 2 6	SIL 1 14	SIL 2 9	SIL 3 1	NÜR 1 11	NÜR 2 3	LMS 1 6	LMS 2 1	JER 1 7	JER 2 Ret	JER 3 2	5th	172

Full Formula Renault 2.0 Alps Series Performance

(legend) (Events shown in bold signify pole position; events in italics denote fastest lap)

Season	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Final Position	Total Points
2014	Tech 1 Racing	IMO 1 10	IMO 2 10	PAU 1	PAU 2	RBR 1	RBR 2	SPA 1	SPA 2	MNZ 1	MNZ 2	MUG 1 6	MUG 2 9	JER 1 11	JER 2 Ret	colspan=2 \|	NC†	0
2015	Tech 1 Racing	IMO 1 1	IMO 2 2	PAU 1 1	PAU 2 1													style="background:#cfcfff;" \| JER 1 1	style="background:#cfcfff;" \| JER 2 2	NC†	0

† Points were not awarded as Hubert competed as a guest driver

Complete FIA Formula 3 European Championship Record

(legend) (Pole positions are shown in bold; fastest laps are indicated in italics)

Year	Team	Engine Manufacturer	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	Championship Standing (DC)	Points Accumulated
2016	Van Amersfoort Racing	Mercedes	LEC 1 17	LEC 2 8	LEC 3 6	HUN 1 Ret	HUN 2 13	HUN 3 14	PAU 1 12	PAU 2 7	PAU < br >3 < br >12	RBR < br >1 < br >16	RBR < br >2 < br >10	RBR < br >3 < br >16	NOR < br >1 < br >8	NOR < br >2 < br >1	NOR < br >3 < br >2	ZAN < br >1 < br >9	ZAN < br >2 < br >4	ZAN < br >3 < br >10	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps – SPA – SPA – SPA – SPA – SPA – SPA – SPA Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps(SPA) (SPA)< br >Template:Small - Ret	' style= " background : # DFFF DF ; " ]]Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps(SPA) (SPA)< br >Template:Small - Ret	' style= " background : # DFFF DF ;" ]]Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps(SPA) (SPA)< br >Template:Small - Ret	' style= " background : # DFFF DF ;" ]]Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps(SPA) (SPA)< br >Template:Small - Ret	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps(SPA) (SPA)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps(SPA) (SPA)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps(SPA) (SPA)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps(SPA) (SPA)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Nürburgring(NÜR) (NÜR)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Nürburgring(NÜR) (NÜR)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Nürburgring(NÜR) (NÜR)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari(IMO) (IMO)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari(IMO) (IMO)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari(IMO) (IMO)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Hockenheimring(HOC) (HOC)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Hockenheimring(HOC) (HOC)< br />{{{1}}}	' style = ' background: #DFFFDF;' ]]Hockenheimring(HOC) (HOC)< br />{{{1}}}	8th	160

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Full Macau Grand Prix Results

Year	Team	Vehicle	Qualifying Position	Qualifying Race	Main Race Result
2016	Template:Country data NED Template:Namespace detect showall Van Amersfoort Racing	Dallara F312	14th	Did Not Finish	13th

Detailed GP3 Series Results

(key) (Bold font denotes pole position) (Italic font indicates fastest lap)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Final Position	Points Scored
2017	ART Grand Prix	CAT FEA 5	CAT SPR 4	RBR FEA 4	RBR SPR 7	SIL FEA 2	SIL SPR 8	HUN FEA 3	HUN SPR 5	SPA FEA Ret	SPA SPR 7	MNZ FEA 3	MNZ SPR C	JER FEA 5	JER SPR 3	YMC FEA 11	YMC SPR 5		4th	123

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Final Position	Points Total

2018	ART Grand Prix	CAT FEA 2	CAT SPR 2	LEC FEA 1	LEC SPR 7	RBR FEA 17	RBR SPR 9	SIL FEA 1	SIL SPR 4	HUN FEA get	get SPR get	get FEA get	get SPR get	get FEA get	get SPR get	get FEA get	get SPR get	get FEA get	get SPR get	1st	214

Complete FIA Formula 2 Championship results

(key) (Events in bold denote pole position) (Events in italics represent points awarded for the fastest lap among the top ten finishers)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	Final Position	Points Scored
Template:F2	BWT Arden	BHR FEA 4th	BHR SPR 9th	BAK FEA 10th	BAK SPR 11th	CAT FEA 6th	CAT SPR 5th	MON FEA 8th	MON SPR 1st	LEC FEA 8th	LEC SPR 1st	RBR FEA 4th	RBR SPR 17th	SIL FEA 18th	SIL SPR 11th	HUN FEA 11th	HUN SPR 11th	SPA FEA 'C'	SPA SPR 'C'										10th	77