Anthoine scored many points and made a mark on everyone’s minds in Austria

Anthoine Hubert - Chammiponnat GP3 Series - 2017 - Barcelone

Anthoine applied the remedies made by ART Grand Prix the week before the second rendezvous of the GP3. On the Red Bull Ring track, Anthoine finished the long race at the 3rd place after a sumptuous fight in which he won five places and signed the best lap in the race. A 10 second penalty unfortunately retrograded the young Frenchman on the 4th rank. In the sprint race, Anthoine took the points of the 7th place after awarding again the points of the best lap in the race. He climbed at the 3rd place in the Championship.

Free trials
Weather : Sunshine
Temperature : 22°C

1.  Siebert1:19.703
2.  Ferrucci1:19.739
19.  Anthoine Hubert1:22.142

Forced to stop his single-seater at mid-session, Anthoine lost a precious time to finalize his adjustments and his driving for the purpose of the qualifications of the Austrian step of the GP3. “This technical problem was a penalizing factor, because I just did 3 laps with hard tyres whereas the softer ones were the good tyres for the Red Bull Ring”.

Qualifying trials
Weather : Cloudy
Temperature : 23°C

1.  Russell1:19.114
2.  Aitken1:19.186
8.  Anthoine Hubert1:19.440

Despite his lack of preparation, Anthoine has demonstrated a good competitive level of qualifications. He concluded the session at less than 3 tenths of the first line, but with a restrained set in only 8 tenths of seconds, to be in the outpost wasn’t a sinecure. “With this lack of reference, it was difficult to find the best passage speed in several sequences. Thus, the 8th place isn’t a so bad result, even if we had the potential to be on the 2nd line”.

Long race
Weather : Sunshine
Temperature : 24°C

1.  Russell
2.  Aitken+7.4
3.  Fukuzumi+5.6
4.  Anthoine Hubert+8.4

On the Red Bull Ring, Anthoine grasped the nettle at the opening of the long race. 8th at the start, he overran three opponents before to dive in the third turn and to attain the third place. During the manoeuvre, he slightly rubbed Schothorst who touched Pulcini. The race commissioners declared Anthoine guilty for having provoked a crash and gave him a 10 second penalty. Lap after lap, Anthoine dug the necessary gap to reduce the impact of his penalty. Finally, his third place transformed in a 4th one.

« The first lap was a bit crazy, but when we go from the 8th to the 3rd place, we can say it was efficient! Unfortunately, the commissioners estimated I was too aggressive on turn 3. But this race will stay as the reference race for now, with the best lap, a very good rhythm and a good tyre use. The icing on the cake is the quadruple for ART Grand Prix, which deserves it so much.”

Sprint race
Weather : Sunshine
Temperature : 20°C

1.  Hyman
2.  Alesi+0.9
3.  Fukuzumi+5.8
4.  Tveter+7.1
7.  Anthoine Hubert+9.1

5th at the start, Anthoine has been obstructed by Tveter who had difficulties to draw from the grid. At the first turn, he has been sent beyond the vibrator on which he rebounded heavily and found back the track at the 9th place. During 17 laps, Anthoine continued to harass Boccolacci, without success. But in the last lap, the flaw became huge when Boccolacci violently rammed Lorandi and let Anthoine climbing at the 7th rank. As an added bonus, Anthoine won the points of the very prestigious exercise of the fastest lap in the race.

« Starting at the 5th place I hoped for better, at least this podium which has ignored me since the beginning of the year. The performance was very good again, but it was difficult to overtake. I am the 3rd of the Championship after two meetings and I still haven’t given my full potential in qualifications, it’s quite a satisfaction!”

Championship

1.  Fukuzumi54
2.  Russell53
3.  Anthoine Hubert38