FIA FORMULA 2 INTRODUCES THE ANTHOINE HUBERT AWARD

MEDIA RELEASE/FIA Formula 2 Championship – Photo: supplied

FIA Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel has tonight announced the creation of the Anthoine Hubert Award. The accolade is a celebration of the Frenchman’s great achievements and was presented for the first time at this evening’s Prize Giving Ceremony, in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

The award’s logo was designed to best represent and remember Anthoine. It retains the star that was a predominant part of his helmet design, with the colours of the French flag, which was so important to him. Anthoine’s signature also forms an integral part of the star.

This unique award was presented by Anthoine’s brother, Victhor, to the Best Rookie of the 2019 season, Guanyu Zhou. Poignantly, the Chinese driver is a member of the Renault Driver Academy, like Anthoine was. Zhou achieved five podium places, one pole position, three front rows and two fastest laps in his maiden F2 campaign, scoring a total of 140 points to classify seventh in the Championship.

FIA Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel stated: “Anthoine will always be part of our family. He joined our paddock at the end of 2016, at the post season GP3 Series tests in Abu Dhabi and successfully raced in the category for two seasons.  He is our last GP3 Champion – a truly worthy one. On his F2 debut season, he famously took two race wins, one in Monaco and another one on home soil at Le Castellet. He will remain the only rookie in 2019 who has achieved this. He finished 10^th in the championship which speaks volume of his talent.

“We wanted to honour him and ensure that he is remembered fondly in every season to come. As such, we have decided to give this award named after Anthoine to the best rookie of the season, a title which I am convinced he could have fought for by this year’s end.”

Guanyu Zhou said: “It is a huge honour to be receiving this special Anthoine Hubert Award for the Rookie of the Year. I think that it is something that will be a great memory for me, and for this year. From a personal point of view, this has obviously been a great season, and we have achieved stuff that we never expected to be achieving so quickly.

“Obviously, there have been ups and downs this year, but I am so grateful and thankful to UNI-Virtuosi for all of their hard work and to Renault as well, for everything that they have done for me, to help me become a better driver.

“I am wishing Anthoine all of the best up there, I am trying to do him proud and I will continue trying to make him proud for the rest of my racing career.”

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