Gasly announces Hubert memorial event on conflicted Spa return

Pierre Gasly has conceded to harbouring "contradictory" feelings when racing at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Frenchman lost friend Anthione Hubert to a fatal crash at the venue in a 2019 F2 race and has organised a special 'Run for Anthoine' event on Thursday evening.

All F1, F2 and F3 paddock personnel are invited to the event, with a moment also dedicated to Dilano van 't Hoff - the 18-year-old FRECA driver who died in a crash on the Kemmel Straight earlier this month.

Safety concerns have arisen since that incident and speaking on his return to Spa-Francorchamps, Gasly told media including RacingNews365: "I'm someone that is emotional.

"I think I link places with emotions, and I've had the worst emotions of my life here. But at the same time, it's one of my favourite tracks, so it's very contradictory.

"I love this track, and I love racing this track, but at the same time, I'll never forget what I felt going down these stairs [in the paddock] when my parents told me the news.

"It's obviously tough, but I accept the sport that we do, and it's things you have got to live with. It's also life, as sad as it can be."

More meaningful

On why he organised the track run, Gasly explained: "It might be small things for people, but it's a lot bigger for me, and a lot more meaningful.

"It was a conversation which started early in the season. Everybody knows how close I was with Anthoine and I think they all know also how close he was with the team.

"This was organised well before the tragic incident which happened a couple of weeks ago, but I just think it's great that we all as a community when these things happen, everyone that is a part of Formula 1, whether it's F2 or F3, the racing family comes together."