Teenager Dilano Van 'T Hoff killed at Spa

Motorsport today mourns the death of 18-year-old Dutch racing driver Dilano Van ‘T Hoff, killed during Race 2 of the Formula Regional European Championship weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.

The circuit has been a mainstay of the Formula 1 calendar since the fifties, with this year’s Belgian Grand Prix set for 30 July.

Royal Automobile Club of Belgium, released the following statement on Saturday: “Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine sadly announces the death of MP Motorsport driver Dilano Van ‘T Hoff. The incident happened during Spa-Francorchamps race 2.

“We want to express our sincere condolences to the family, team and friends. Royal Automobile Club of Belgium, the Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps and SRO Motorsports Group join Alpine and ACI in expressing their sincerest condolences to the driver’s family, team and friends.”

As the motorsport world digested the tragedy, fellow Dutchman and double F1 World Champion Max Verstappen tweeted: “Extremely sad to hear the news about Dilano today. I want to send my condolences to Dilano’s family and loved ones.”

pic.twitter.com/sdeYVZY355

— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) July 1, 2023

In a social media statement, organisers announced that all start-line entertainment plans have been cancelled ahead of the Spa 24 Hours race weekend happening at the venue this weekend. A minute’s silence will be held before the start of the race to honour Van’t Hoff’s memory.

It added: “Everyone associated with the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is devastated by the news that Formula Regional EU by Alpine driver Dilano van’t Hoff lost his life in an accident during this morning’s race. We express our deepest condolences to his family, friends and MP Motorsport.”

According to reports trackside at Spa, with visibility poor and conditions treacherous broadcast footage had honed in on Tim Tramnitz spinning out of second place at Raidillon while Van’t Hoff spun and was hit at full speed by Adam Fitzgerald at the very start of the Kemmel Straight.

By all accounts at this point, a very similar to the incident that claimed the life of Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert, during the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.

Today, both the Formula Regional and Spa-Francorchamps websites were offline in the wake of the news breaking today.

Dutch driver Van’t Hoff, was in his second full season racing in Formula Regional. Our team at GRANDPRIX247 joins the motorsport world in offering our sincerest condolences to the Van’t Hoff family, his friends, teammates and colleagues at this sad time when words fail us all.

Condolences for Dilano from the motorsport world flooded social media:

Team statementSpa-Francorchamps, 1 July 2023

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. pic.twitter.com/IWvS0fY1bs

— MP Motorsport (@OfficialMPteam) July 1, 2023

Extremely sad to hear the news about Dilano today.. I want to send my condolences to Dilano’s family and loved ones.

Rest in peace ???? pic.twitter.com/4XeowMZCsi

— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) July 1, 2023