Beckmann to sit out Sochi F3 weekend

ART Grand Prix’s David Beckmann will miss this weekend’s Sochi FIA Formula 3 finale due to a family emergency.

After switching from a race-winning seat at Trident to GP3 dominators ART, Beckmann was expected to challenge for the title, but is the lowest of the three ART drivers in the standings in 13th.

Ahead of the title decider, Beckmann revealed that his father was injured in a serious car accident and is currently in coma.

"At the moment it is hard for me to find any words," Beckmann wrote on Instagram. "I will not compete in the 8th round of the FIA F3 championship in Sochi because my father had an extremely serious car accident two days ago.

"He has serious head injuries and is in coma right now. I immediately flew back home and will stay near my father's bed.

"This situation at the moment takes my family and me to the very bottom, but I know my dad is a fighter and he will read this post when he wakes up. Thanks for all the messages."

ART has confirmed that the German will not be replaced at Sochi, with the team downsizing to two cars for Max Fewtrell and Christian Lundgaard.

Renault juniors run Hubert tribute helmets

Tribute Helmet worn by FIA Formula 2 drivers Jack Aitken, Campos Racing, Guanyu Zhou, UNI Virtuosi Racing, and FIA Formula 3 drivers Max Fewtrell, ART Grand Prix Ye Yifei, Hitech Grand Prix Christian Lundgaard, ART Grand Prix

Photo by: Carl Bingham / LAT Images

All of Renault’s Formula 1 juniors are wearing Anthoine Hubert’s helmet livery design in memory of the late French Formula 2 driver.

Arden driver Hubert passed away as a result of injuries suffered in the Spa F2 feature race on August 31, the first driver to die on an F1 weekend since Ayrton Senna in 1994.

Now all of the Renault Sport Academy are using Anthoine’s ‘star’ design, which had the red replaced for pink as he switched from his ART Grand Prix championship-winning season in GP3 to Arden, its cars carrying a pink livery.

Hubert used the design at all but the Paul Ricard race this year. where he ran a tribute to his hero Alain Prost.

Renault’s F2 frontrunners Jack Aitken and Guan Yu Zhou, FIA Formula 3 drivers Max Fewtrell, Christian Lundgaard and Ye Yifei and Formula Renault Eurocup drivers Caio Collet, Leonardo Lorandi and Victor Martins will all sport Anthoine’s design with their own names written on the side.

Lorandi – like Hubert last year – is an affiliate of the programme, Hubert’s 2018 GP3 programme was enough for Renault to give him full junior status.