2023-07-02 02:12:44
Dutch driver Dilano Van t’Hoff, who was competing in the European Formula Regional Championship, passed away this Saturday (07.01.2023) at the age of eighteen in an accident on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, in Belgium
The accident occurred on the last lap of the race, around 10:00 in the morning (08:00 GMT), due to a chain collision on the Combes straight, while it was raining heavily.
This race was a preamble to the 24 Hours of Spa, scheduled at 4:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. GMT) after a minute of silence.
According to the Belgian newspaper La Derniere Heure/Les Sports, Van’t Hoff’s car suffered an impact at more than 200 km/h and was left across the track. A pilot who was following him could not avoid it and hit him.
Van’t Hoff had been Spanish F4 champion in 2020. He was competing with the MP Motorsport team.
The circumstances of the accident are reminiscent of those that surrounded the death of the Frenchman Anthoine Hubert, four years ago in F2, on the same circuit.
“It’s really dangerous”
The reactions to the death of the young Dutch pilot did not wait.
“It breaks my heart. I think the Eau Rouge de Spa should be looked at because we have lost two drivers there in four or five years,” said Canadian Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll. “It’s really dangerous. We say it every year and it’s not fair. That has to change,” insisted the Aston Martin man.
Reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands said he was “very sad”.
“We must examine this type of situation. It is easy to blame the track, but I also think that seeing how wet it was, there are surely elements that we must think about for the future,” he said, noting that he did not know his young compatriot personally.
FEW (EFE, AFP)
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