Alpine F1 team to pay tribute to racing star after fatal crash

Pierre Gasly lays flowers for Anthoine Hubert at Spa — Photo: © IMAGO

Belgian Grand Prix

Alpine F1 team to pay tribute to racing star after fatal crash

Pierre Gasly is leading a tribute run for Anthoine Hubert and Dilano van 't Hoff at Spa

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Wednesday 15 July 2026 22:30 Updated: 08:04

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Alpine F1 team and driver Pierre Gasly have confirmed plans to commemorate Anthoine Hubert and Dilano van 't Hoff at Spa this week in an annual tribute to the drivers who lost their lives in separate fatal crashes in 2019 and 2023.

The Enstone-based F1 team have announced they will once again do the ‘Run for Anthoine' ahead of this weekend's proceedings at Spa-Francorchamps, in an effort to pay tribute to both Hubert and van 't Hoff.

Though F1 and its support series categories have progressed massively where driver safety is concerned across the last decade, motorsport and particularly the Spa-Francorchamps circuit can still be incredibly dangerous.

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Tragically, racing fans saw just how dangerous in 2019 when Hubert, a 22-year-old F2 driver, sadly lost his life after being involved in a serious multi-car crash which also left fellow competitor Juan Manuel Correa with life-changing injuries to his legs.

After getting caught up in the aftermath of an incident involving Giuliano Alesi and Ralph Boschung at the Raidillon curve, Hubert crashed into the tyre barrier and was left parked on the track almost stationary in the path of Correa, who struck the left side of Hubert's car, resulting in a devastating impact.

Having been injured on the second lap of the F2 feature race at the Belgian GP, both Hubert and Correa were transported to the Spa medical centre, where Hubert was sadly pronounced dead around 90 minutes after the accident.

Following the fatal crash, Hubert's driver number, 19, was announced to have been permanently retired from use in F2.

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Alpine and Gasly confirm 2026 ‘Run for Anthoine' at Belgian GP

Since that tragic day, Hubert's close friend and countryman Gasly has paid his respects by placing flowers at the side of the track and in 2023, began leading an annual run around the circuit.

A statement from Alpine released ahead of the 2026 Belgian GP read: "The team will once again pay tribute to Anthoine Hubert upon their return to Spa.

"Anthoine, a member of the Renault Sport Academy, tragically lost his life during an FIA Formula 2 race in 2019 and on the evening of Thursday 16th July, the annual 'Run for Anthoine' will commemorate him and Dilano van 't Hoff who sadly lost his life in 2023.

"All members of the F1, F2 and F3 paddocks are invited to run or walk the circuit in honour of Anthoine and Dilano. The run begins at 18:00 on the Start-Finish straight making a stop at Eau Rouge to remember Anthoine and on the Kemmel Straight in honour of Dilano."

Ahead of the annual tradition, Pierre Gasly said: "There is also the more emotional side of returning to Spa year-on-year as I, amongst many others, remember Anthoine.

"I am organising the Run For Anthoine again on Thursday evening, the fourth time this special gathering has been held as we reflect fondly on all the memories with him."

Unfortunately, Hubert isn't the only driver that Gasly and those joining him on the tribute run will be keeping in their thoughts this weekend.

Four years after losing Hubert, the world of motorsport mourned the loss of another young life in the shape of 18-year-old Spanish F4 champion, Dilano van 't Hoff.

When competing in a Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) race at Spa-Francorchamps under heavy rain conditions on July 1, 2023, van 't Hoff was involved in a multi-car accident at the exit of Raidillon, the same corner where Hubert had crashed years before.

van 't Hoff lost control of his vehicle at the Kemmel straight and was struck in the side shortly after by a car driven by Adam Fitzgerald, tragically killing the teenage MP Motorsport driver.

F1 Alpine Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps Anthoine Hubert