Motorsport tragedy: driver killed in rain crash

Shock gripped motorsport on Saturday when Dilano van’t Hoff, an 18-year-old Dutch driver, lost his life in a Formula Regional European Championship race after being hit by another speeding driver in a race hampered by rain. On the final lap of the eighth round of the 2023 series, held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium, the weather conditions – which already presented a grim scenario – began to intensify. Under the rain and fog that obscured the vision of the pilots on the Kemmel straight, still without specifying the exact reasons, the car of the Dutch driver was braked perpendicular to the track – occupying almost the entire width – and was rammed by another driver, which caused multiple crashes in which Adam Fitzgerald also suffered, Joshua Dufek and Enzo Scionti -out of danger-. After the chained crash, Dilano was removed from the vehicle without consciousness and immediately taken to the hospital, where they tried to revive him without effectiveness and confirmed the death later. We are devastated by the loss of one of our brightest Dutch talents, who brought so much energy to our team during the years he raced with us. Dilano has been part of our racing family since his motorsport debut with MP in 2021. We offer our sincerest condolences to Dilano’s family and loved ones, and we fully support them and our team members who have lost not only a driver but also a friend,” MP Motorsport wrote on social media. Likewise, Stefano Domenicali – president of Formula 1 – expressed his condolences for the death of the 18-year-old, who was Formula 4 champion in Spain in 2021. “We are very sad to learn of the passing of Dilano van ‘t Hoff today at Spa-Francorchamps. Dilano died chasing his dream of reaching the pinnacle of motorsport. Together with the entire motorsport community, our thoughts are with his family and loved ones,” said Domenicali.

Original source in Spanish