Dutch teenager Dilano van ’t Hoff dies after a crash at race in Belgium

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Dutch teenage driver Dilano van ’t Hoff died after a crash at the Formula Regional European Championship in Belgium, organizers said Saturday.

The 18-year-old MP Motorsport driver was competing in a morning race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. It was held prior to the 24 Hours of Spa race later Saturday.

“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,” the race organizers said in a statement. “We express our deepest condolences to his family, friends and MP Motorsport.”

The FREC expressed its “ sincere condolences to the family, team and friends.”

A minute’s silence was held before the start of the main 24 Hours of Spa race.

https://www.facebook.com/Formula1/posts/pfbid0H9scsdLN6QaUD8ovYgMURAyp7WrAU1AZRCpZFv2gsecmLTgsejg9cRX5NnGtw6zal

Motorsport’s governing body FIA also expressed its sorrow.

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is where French driver Anthoine Hubert was killed following a multi-car crash during a Formula Two race at the Belgium Grand Prix in 2019.

Two-time F1 champion Max Verstappen, also a Dutchman, expressed his condolences and said the wet driving conditions should have been looked at beforehand.

“Incredibly sad. I didn’t know him personally. Of course he was a Dutch racing driver, up-and-coming racing driver as well, who had the same dreams we had,” said Verstappen, who was speaking at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday. “We have to look into these kinds of situations. It’s easy to blame the track, but I think also looking at how wet it was. … (There are) definitely things that we have to look at for the future, what we can do better to protect drivers.”

Two years ago, six drivers from the all-female W Series needed medical checks following a heavy crash during a qualifying session on the same track.