Danger Is Always Lurking
“Win for Antoine.” This is how Pierre Gasly motivated Charles Leclerc on the starting grid of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in 2019, a race held the day after the tragedy of Antoine Hubert, a French driver associated with Renault, who died in the F2 Feature Race due to a high-speed collision at the exit of Eau Rouge between his Dallara and that of Juan Correa. Correa’s car struck Hubert’s with such an angle that it left the Frenchman no chance of survival (Correa also had to undergo a long rehabilitation period following the fractures in his legs sustained in the accident).
Charles Leclerc did not disappoint Pierre Gasly, securing his first F1 victory and dedicating it to ‘Tonio.’ Sebastian Vettel finished the race in fourth place, playing an important role in slowing down Lewis Hamilton’s pursuit of Leclerc. The four-time world champion could not miss the occasion at Imola for the 30th anniversary of the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger (Sebastian Vettel will drive Senna’s 1993 McLaren on Sunday before the Grand Prix).
Sebastian Vettel recounted that he thought about quitting during the Spa weekend and thus not racing on that celebratory Sunday for Ferrari and Charles Leclerc: “I still remember the phone call with my wife after what happened to Hubert, questioning why I should get back in the car, but in the end, I decided to do it because it’s what I love to do,” Vettel explained as reported by motorsport-total.com. “All drivers still benefit from that 1994 weekend,” added Seabstian Vettel regarding the tragedies of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger. “It was a crucial moment for changing safety standards, and I am here because it should not be forgotten. The danger in racing is always lurking when driving at such high speeds. Safety is making great strides, but it will never be 100% guaranteed.” – the German concluded.
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