The world of motorsport is still reeling after the death of Anthoine Hubert in a horrifying collision at the feature race of the Formula 2 Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Hubert had gone off on the Eau Rouge exit, spun back into the run-off area and collided with Sauber driver Juan Manuel Correa at over 170mph.

Correa himself had been swerving to avoid the spinning Trident driver Giuliano Alesi, who had been hit by Hubert’s car.

Correa is described as being in a ‘stable’ condition in intensive care, but tragically, Hubert died shortly after arriving at hospital.

Hubert had been a member of Renault’s young driver programme and raced for BMT Arden in F2. The Frenchman was also a reigning F3 champion, and considered by many to be a rising star in the profession.

The world of motorsport is familiar with tragedy brought by fatal accidents, and despite the renewed safety precautions brought by the deaths of stars such as Ayrton Senna, have been rocked by losing the likes of Jules Bianchi and David Ferrer in recent years.

To act to the shocking nature of the incident, the crash occurred during the immediate aftermath of qualifying for the F1 race, with a number of drivers watching the collision live on screens around Spa-Francorchamps.

Many halted their media events as soon as the crash occurred, with Lewis Hamilton halting an interview midway through after catching the incident in the corner of his eye.

Hamilton exclaimed: "Oh wow. Hope that kid's good. Wow. That's terrifying."

The five-time F1 champion then exited the interview instantly, with Mercedes cancelling all press events for the next evening after news of Hubert’s death.

Hamilton later posted an emotionally-charged tribute to Hubert on Instagram, remarking that "all drivers put their life on the line."

The decision was taken by the FIA to cancel the F2 sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps today, although the Grand Prix has gone ahead in sombre circumstances.

A minute’s silence was held for Hubert ahead of today’s race, with fans applauding during lap 19, Hubert’s racing number.

Thoughts are with Hubert’s family at this incredibly difficult time.