The FIA releases its report on the accident of Anthoine Hubert and Juan-Manuel Correa

The investigation included interviews with those involved, examination of material evidence, analysis of available video footage, as well as the study of data collected by the team’s Data Logger and by the Accident Data Recorder. This investigative work was submitted to the FIA Research Working Group, chaired by Professor Gérard Saillant. The conclusions were approved by the FIA Safety Commission, led by its chairman Sir Patrick Head, and presented to the World Motor Sport Council.

The investigation focused on the four cars involved in the accident: No. 19 driven by Anthoine Hubert, No. 12 by Juan Manuel Correa, No. 20 by the French Giuliano Alesi, and No. 21 by the Swiss Ralph Boschung.

During the first lap, an incident unrelated to the investigation and involving a car moving at slow speed led to the deployment of the yellow flag at Turns 12 and 13 (Fagnes). The race leader started lap 2 while sector 1 was under a green flag.

The accident sequence, lasting a total of 14.6 seconds, began on lap 2 when Giuliano Alesi lost control of his car exiting Turn 3 (Eau Rouge), spinning off the track on the left side before hitting the barrier with the rear 1.9 seconds after losing control, then returning to the track after Turn 4 (Raidillon). The investigation revealed a reasonable probability that an internal pressure loss in the right rear tire contributed to Giuliano Alesi losing control of his car.

Following the impact of Giuliano Alesi’s car with the barrier, debris was scattered on the track. To avoid Giuliano Alesi’s car and the debris, Ralph Boschung and then Anthoine Hubert moved to the right, leaving the track for the runoff area at Turn 4. Due to the proximity of the cars at the time of the incident, the maneuver by these two drivers to avoid Car No. 20 took place before the yellow flag was deployed. The latter was deployed by the track marshals at Post 5 (Turn 4) 1.8 seconds after Giuliano Alesi’s car struck the barrier.

During this maneuver, Ralph Boschung slowed down more abruptly than Anthoine Hubert, who tried to avoid the collision by moving further to the right. Despite this attempt, Anthoine Hubert hit the rear of Ralph Boschung’s car, losing his front wing and causing a puncture in Ralph Boschung’s right rear tire.

At 262 km/h and without his front wing, Anthoine Hubert lost control and went to hit the barrier on the right side of the runoff area at the exit of Turn 4, which he struck at an angle of approximately 40 degrees at a speed of 216 km/h, generating a maximum force equivalent to 33.7 g.

Following this impact and the absorption of energy by the barrier, the single-seater was ejected and continued its course in the direction of the race while spinning on itself, so that the left side of the chassis faced the cars arriving in the runoff area of Turn 4.

At the same time, Juan Manuel Correa was approaching the site of Giuliano Alesi’s accident. He was generally following the racing line, on the right side of the track at the exit of Turn 4, when he hit the debris scattered on the ground after Giuliano Alesi’s passage. The impact with this debris occurred about 1.5 seconds after the yellow flag was deployed, damaging the front right suspension and causing the loss of the front wing, causing Juan Manuel Correa to lose control of his car. It veered to the right, left the track to enter the run-off area of Turn 4 on a trajectory that led it to collide with Anthoine Hubert’s car 1.6 seconds later.

Juan Manuel Correa hit the left side of Anthoine Hubert’s car at an angle of approximately 86 degrees and a speed of 218 km/h, while Anthoine Hubert’s car was nearly stationary. Car No. 12 (Juan Manuel Correa) and Car No. 19 (Anthoine Hubert) experienced a maximum force equivalent to 65.1 g and 81.8 g, respectively. Following this collision, Anthoine Hubert’s car accelerated to 105.4 km/h and hit the barrier a second time before bouncing back onto the track.

The double yellow flag was deployed 2.5 seconds after the impact between the cars, followed by a red flag 2.7 seconds later as Car No. 19 (Anthoine Hubert) came to a stop on its left side on the track, and Car No. 12 (Juan Manuel Correa) stopped upside down on the track 2.6 seconds later.

The medical and rescue services intervened 12 seconds after the initial loss of control of Car No. 20 (Giuliano Alesi), immediately after the deployment of the double yellow flag and even before the immobilization of Car No. 12 (Juan Manuel Correa). The first on-site medical assessment of Anthoine Hubert took place 54 seconds after the red flag.

Sixteen seconds after the deployment of the red flag, a fire broke out under Car No. 12 (Juan Manuel Correa) due to a fuel leak. The fire was extinguished by a track marshal within 2 seconds. The first on-site assessment of Juan Manuel Correa’s health condition took place 69 seconds after the red flag.

The first extraction team arrived at the scene 2 minutes after the accident.

The summary of the investigation’s findings is as follows:

– Un enchaînement d’événements a généré une séquence d’accident longue et complexe impliquant quatre pilotes, séquence qui a conduit à un choc à haute vitesse de type “T-Bone” entre les voitures de Juan Manuel Correa et Anthoine Hubert.

– La dynamique de la collision entre les monoplaces en termes de vitesse et de trajectoire était telle qu’une quantité d’énergie extrêmement élevée a été transférée et dissipée, entraînant des blessures mortelles pour Anthoine Hubert et très graves pour Juan Manuel Correa.

– Après analyse approfondie des diverses phases de l’accident, il n’a pas été identifié de cause spécifique mais une multiplicité de facteurs ayant contribué à sa gravité.

– L’enquête n’a révélé aucun élément indiquant qu’un pilote avait réagi de manière inappropriée au signal du drapeau jaune ou aux circonstances survenues sur la piste.

– Le déploiement des drapeaux de signalisation et le déclenchement des services de secours par les commissaires de piste et la direction de course en réponse à l’accident ont été réalisés dans des délais courts et adéquats.

Improving safety is an ongoing process. Therefore, the conclusions drawn from this accident, as well as from other serious accidents that have occurred worldwide, will be taken into account in the ongoing work conducted by the FIA to enhance safety in motorsport. In 2019, the FIA’s Safety Department investigated 28 serious and fatal accidents related to circuit racing, with the assistance of the ASN (National Sporting Authority) of each country involved.