A Moment for 18-Year-Old Dutch FRECA Racer
Dutch driver Dilano van ’t Hoff, 18, died Saturday as the result of a crash during the second Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) race at Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium, according to a statement from his team MP Motorsport.
Dilano was caught in a multiple car accident during a restart in wet conditions. In very poor visibility due to spray it appears he spun and was hit at high speed by at the start of the Kemmel straight by the RP Motorsport car driven by Adam Fitzgerald. (Fitzgerald is in stable condition and expected to make a full physical recovery)
Video of the crash that killed Dilano van't Hoff an 18 year old at the Formula Regional race at Spa-Francorchamps today. pic.twitter.com/sJDf2ogv0j
— Levandov (@blabla112345) July 1, 2023
(a more detailed version of this crash can be viewed here -- Warning: it is tough to watch)
“We are devastated at the loss of one of our brightest Dutch talents, who brought so much energy to our team during the years he raced with us,” a team statement read.
Van’t Hoff’s first contact with motorsport was a bit different from what we normally hear from racing drivers.
“I was watching a karting race of my step-brother, and one of the guys that was there was [the son] of like a friend of my dad’s and he was crying at the race start,” van’t Hoff told Formula Scout ahead of last weekend’s Spanish F4 round at Jerez.
“He didn’t want to start and he got out of the kart. Then I looked to my dad saying ‘oh, please, let me have a go’. I got into the kart and I drove the race.
“Since then I just really started to like it and I’ve just been doing it ever since.”
This by-chance first race would be followed by many, many more in karting during a six-year spell which began in 2015. Van ’t Hoff made his debut for MP Motorsport in 2021, winning the Spanish Formula 4 championship with ease.
MP Motorsport is deeply saddened to confirm that our driver, Dilano van ’t Hoff has passed away as a result of a crash during the second race of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine at Spa Francorchamps.
Statement from Spa-Francorchamps: 18-year-old Dutch driver Dilano van ‘t Hoff has died following an accident in the FRECA race today. pic.twitter.com/EmNsHDyeCT
— Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1) July 1, 2023
“We are so sad to learn of the passing of Dilano van 't Hoff today at Spa-Francorchamps.
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 1, 2023
Dilano died in pursuit of his dream to reach the pinnacle of motorsport.
Along with the entire motorsport community, our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
Stefano Domenicali pic.twitter.com/Kn0gklf9RN
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