The Spa-Francorchamps circuit witnessed yet another tragedy earlier this month, when 18-year-old Dutch driver Dilano Van ‘t Hoff passed away after being involved in a multi-car collision while competing in the Formula Regional European Championship for Alpine. After losing him just 25 days before he was supposed to turn 19, Van ‘t Hoff’s family and friends decided to celebrate his birthday in a very special manner.
Friends and family of the Dutch driver took a beautiful initiative where they collected messages from Van ‘t Hoff’s well-wishers to celebrate what would have been his 19th birthday. They put up an Instagram post urging his followers to post a picture or a memory of the late driver, which would later be reposted from Van ‘t Hoff’s account.
Hundreds of messages started pouring in and soon the stories along with the feed the feed were filled with heartfelt messages. The stories included fan art, pictures of Van ‘t Hoff, and hordes of fans mourning his untimely death.
Special messages come in from people close to Dilano
People close to van’ T Hoff also chipped in with their messages. His sister, Luca posted a beautiful picture of them together and commented, “Happy birthday little brother. I wish I got to see you grow old and live your life to the fullest with me.”
Van ‘t Hoff’s girlfriend, Katrina Coronell also shared a heartfelt message for him. She said, “May God reunite us in the hereafter. You will always be one lap ahead of us. Rest well up there. I love you.”
Pepe Marti, an F3 racer for Campos and Van ‘t Hoff’s friend, also shared a picture of them and captioned it, “Fly high and guide us with your spirit. I will continue to do what you loved for the both of us.”
The huge impact of Van ‘t Hoff’s death
Van ‘t Hoff’s death has had a huge impact on the motorsport community. His tragic death has left a mark in the psyche of many other young racers. This is because they all put their lives at risk every time they step into their cars.
Oleksander Partyshev, a 17-year-old driver who used to participate in FRECA alongside Van ‘t Hoff recently announced his retirement. He indicated the death of his colleague played a very important part in his sudden decision.
The FIA has been actively trying to improve safety measures to prevent any such incidents from happening. However, the Eau Rouge – Raidillion complex has already seen two heartbreaking deaths in the last 5 years, leaving drivers unhappy. Despite the safety measures, it is evident that there is a long way to go before the sport becomes truly safe.
