Tribute to be made to Hissette

Organisers of the 24-Hour Endurance Championship kart race at the Dubai Kartdrome are to hold a minute's silence before the start of the event to honour the memory of Christophe Hissette.

Organisers of today's Battery 24-Hour Endurance Championship kart race at the Dubai Kartdrome are to hold a minute's silence before the start of the event to honour the memory of Christophe Hissette.

The Belgian racing driver was killed during practice for the final round of the GulfSport Radical Cup at Dubai Autodrome on April 23, and this is the first opportunity for officials in Dubai to pay their respects.

Hissette, who was 29 when he died, was part of the Batelco Team that won the first round of the Endurance Championship in Dubai on April 9 and 10, and had won the event in the past as well, most notably making up a lap in the final hour in 2007 to triumph for the NFM Professional team he was representing.

Saeed Khalfan, the Dubai Autodrome chairman said: "This edition of the Kartdrome 24 Hours will be the first of many that will not feature Christophe Hissette doing what he did best - leading his team to victory.

"But his racing spirit will be forever at the Kartdrome where he had so many admirers and where he impressed so many people.

"We will pay tribute to him with one minute of silence before the start of the race."

The 24-Hour race is due to start at 2pm today, and will finish at 2pm tomorrow.

There will be also action at the Autodrome today with the latest UAE National Race Day.

The Cytech UAE GT series is the main attraction.

Karim al Azhari, the defending champion, suffered a blow yesterday when his Corvette caught fire on the track during a testing session.

Al Azhari told officials that he smelled fuel in the cockpit and pulled off to the side of the track just as the rear of the Corvette set on fire, and he will now sit out today's race.

Also on track will be the Total UAE Touring Cars and UAE Sportbikes.

* Agencies