Dubai: The first time I met Christophe Hissette was at the karting track near the Jebel Ali Hotel and Spa Resort. I was out to cover the final round of the UAE Karting Championship that the young Swiss-Belgian driver ultimately went on to win.
After the race ended, I approached Hissette with the intention of getting a few quotes from the new champion for my story. Among the first things I asked him was what it meant for him to win a championship.
But rather than answering my question, Hissette told me how happy he was to have a reporter come and cover a motorsport event.
The announcer called for the winners to step on the podium and Hissette hurried off telling me that he would be back with me after the presentation.
After receiving the champion's trophy from Khalid Al Malek, the then President of the Emirates Motor Sport Federation (EMSF), Hissette rejoined me to talk at length on his passion for motorsport and what he wanted to achieve while choosing racing as a career. Over the years, we met on and off, most often for post-race quotes after winning. He did call up occasionally to tell me how he was planning to take his career to a different level by entering the racing scene in Europe. The stumbling block, he told me then, was that there were no sponsors who were willing to back his dreams.
Hissette did briefly try to break into the big league by participating in the 2004 Formula X Sport Series racing at the famed Monza, Nurburgring and Spa-Francorchamps circuits in Europe. However, he competed in just two rounds to accumulate 18 points and end in tied 14th along with Roy van Weijden.
Earlier this month, Hissette had scored a win in the Gulfsport Radical Cup to take his tally to 286 points to stay in second overall and within striking distance of leader James Grogor who had 325 points. And yesterday's final round would have decided if Hissette could get the necessary points to finish as the Gulfsport Radical Cup champion.
However, that was not to be.
Rest in peace, Christophe.
