(Reuters) – Dutch teenager Dilano van’t Hoff died in an accident during a wet Formula Regional European Championship race at Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps circuit on Saturday, his team said.
The 18-year-old, who won the 2021 Spanish F4 championship, was racing for the Dutch MP Motorsport outfit at the Belgian Grand Prix circuit.
“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,” they said.
The race, in wet conditions with heavy spray, was on the support programme for the 24 Hours of Spa endurance race.
Formula Two teams and drivers competing at the Austrian Grand Prix held a minute’s silence.
“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,” said Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali.
French racer Anthoine Hubert died four years ago in an F2 race at Spa-Francorchamps.
Media reports said van’t Hoff was caught up in a multi-car collision during a late restart.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
