FORMULA 2: Hubert takes popular home Sprint Race win at Paul Ricard

France enjoyed its first ever home FIA Formula 2 winner in the Sprint Race, as BWT Arden rookie Anthoine Hubert claimed his second win in three races, with a dominant lights-to-flag victory.

The Renault junior completed a rookie sweep of the podium, with Juan Manuel Correa in second and fellow Renault Junior Guanyu Zhou in third.

The defining moment came at the race start, when the Frenchman was forced to fight off an attack from Jack Aitken, having seen the British driver dive down the right of the four drivers behind him and into second. Backed by his countrymen in the stands, though, Hubert withstood the challenge and clung on to first place.

With Aitken concentrating on Hubert, Correa shocked the Brit with an unexpected overtake to claim second and allow the frontman the chance to stretch his lead. With the Campos driver clearly rattled, Zhou followed the American around Aitken and into third place.

Further back, Championship leader Nyck De Vries suffered contrasting fortunes from his Feature Race win and fell out of the points in the final five laps, succumbing to a trio of moves, as Louis Deletraz, Callum Ilott and Nobuharu Matsushita all thundered past him to leave him 10th by the flag.