Timmy Hansen dedicates Loheac RX win to Anthoine Hubert.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media.

Timmy Hansen has dedicated his World RX of France victory to Anthoine Hubert, who lost his life in a crash during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Franchorchamps.

Hubert succumbed to injuries he sustained in a serious crash during the opening Formula 2 race on Saturday.

Hansen won the World RX of France from the second row of the grid to claim his third win of the season. Speaking in a post-race interview, the Swede said: "Its the second time winning here and its an amazing feeling. This is in memory of Anthoine [Hubert] who passed away yesterday, as a racing driver you feel it, and its a big loss for the whole sport."

It was not the easiest weekend for the Team Hansen MJP driver made a sensational turnaround in Q4 on Sunday afternoon leading the way thanks to the fastest race time and fastest single lap of the weekend on his way to being Top Qualifier. 

The Swede was beaten to the first corner in the semi-final and lined up in third place in the final, but after a first corner melee between Niclas Gronholm and Andreas Bakkerud. Hansen with a tighter line claimed the lead and never looked back. 

"I was all in for the final: I was going to push very hard and then Bakkerud and Grönholm opened the door for me, so I sneaked by. Those were six brilliant laps," he said.

"On the last lap, I remembered that back in 2015, my dad told me to enjoy this lap, and I saw I had a big gap, so again, I took in the atmosphere, looked up at the grandstands, and I felt the feeling of leading the last lap in Lohéac. To cross the finish line first is such an amazing feeling."

TEXT - Junaid Samodien