SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS: Daniel Ricciardo says he considered pulling out of the Belgian Grand Prix after the death on Saturday of Formula 2 racer Anthoine Hubert.

It was the first death at a Grand Prix weekend since Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger were killed at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Jules Bianchi died in July 2015 from injuries he sustained at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

Australian Ricciardo, who was a friend of Bianchi and raced on that day at Suzuka, admitted he had to ask himself if he really wanted to compete given what was going through his head.

“You question, is it really worth it?” said the Renault driver after finishing 14th on Sunday.

“At the end of the day, it is a simple question but a pretty honest one as well.

“It’s our job and it’s our profession and it’s our life, but also it’s still just racing cars around in circles.”

He added that the sight of Hubert’s family at the minute’s silence held at the circuit on Sunday morning had given him strength.

“I could not imagine being in their position, I felt they were a lot stronger than any of us.”

Belgian authorities opened a manslaughter inquiry on Monday into the circumstances around Hubert’s fatal accident as the sport’s ruling body said improved safety standards and research into better protection for drivers would never stop.