Lando Norris makes ‘beautiful gesture’ to family of Dilano van ‘t Hoff
McLaren's Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix. Red Bull Ring, June 2023.
Lando Norris has donated his helmet to the Van ‘t Hoff family just a few weeks after their son Dilano tragically passed away.
Formula 1 returns to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and does so in the wake of 18-year-old Van ‘t Hoff losing his life earlier this month during a FRECA race.
It is the second driver casualty at this circuit in five years with Anthoine Hubert losing his life during an F2 race in 2019.
As F1 makes its return, respects have been paid to the lives of both drivers with Hubert’s friend Pierre Gasly holding a run of the circuit on Thursday evening while McLaren driver Norris has made a gesture of his own.
With the Van ‘t Hoff family in attendance, Norris gifted his race helmet to them.
The visor was marked with Norris’ signature as well as a message reading “Always in our hearts” and a love heart.
Posting the image on Instagram, the family said “Thank you Lando Norris for this beautiful gesture. Means a lot.”
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During his lap of the circuit in which he invited members of the F1, F2 and F3 paddock to take part, Gasly paused for a moment at the spot where Hubert crashed and laid some flowers as he has done every year since his compatriot’s passing.
On his return to the track, Gasly told media including PLanetF1.com that the memory of that day has never left him.”
“I’m someone that is emotional,” he said. “I think I relate places with emotions and I’ve had the worst emotions of my life here.
“At the same time, it’s one of my favourite tracks. So it’s very contradictory. I love these tracks and I love racing these tracks but at the same time, I’ll never forget what I felt going down the stairs when my parents told me the news.
“It’s obviously tough but I accept the sport that we do and it’s things you have to live with.
“It’s life, as sad as it can be, but [there is] stuff that you need to accept and move on.”
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