Belgian Grand Prix – Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton has responded on social media to the tragic death of Formula 2 racer Anthoine Hubert.
Lewis Hamilton has said that fans and people working within F1 don’t appreciate the sizeable risks that drivers take every time they go racing.
Taking to his Instagram feed following the FIA’s announcement that Formula 2 racer Anthoine Hubert has passed away following a crash during the Formula 2 feature race at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton was critical of the attitude shown by some fans towards the drivers.
This was particularly relevant for Hamilton on Saturday evening, following fans in the grandstands being shown cheering after he crashed his Mercedes into the tyre barriers during FP3 on Saturday morning. While he was uninjured, fans were cheering before he had clambered free of the car.
Hamilton said: “If a single one of you watching and enjoying this sport think for a second that what we do is safe, you’re hugely mistaken.”
“All these drivers put their life on the line when they hit the track and people need to appreciate that in a serious way because it is not appreciated enough.”
“Not from the fans nor some of the people working within the sport. Anthoine is a hero as far as I’m concerned, for taking the risk he did to chase his dreams. I’m so sad that this has happened.”
“Let’s lift him up and remember him. Rest in peace brother.”