The racing world pays tribute to Hizzy

Friends and colleagues have been paying tribute to British Superbike champion Steve Hislop, who was killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday July 30.

The death of the Scot, just miles from his hometown of Hawick on the Scottish boarders, has shocked the entire motorcycling community.

Here’s what some of the biggest names in racing have had to say:

Rob McElnea: ” Hearing the news of Steve’s death really took my breath away. Living in the world of racing you almost become used to things like this happening on the track – but not like this.

” I have such a big file of Hizzy memories but to sum him up you just had to listen to him talking about a perfect lap – it was mesmerising. He could literally pick out every ripple, bump and pebble of a lap and still remember that 10 years later. Hizzy was a special man who will never be forgotten. ”

Carl Fogarty: ” Steve was a guy I regarded as one of the best riders in the world – especially when it came to racing on the roads. Watching Steve ride a bike when he was on top form was just amazing. His riding style was just so perfect it was just beautiful to stand there and stare.

” Steve will be missed by everyone – not because they were his best mates – but because he gave so much to motorcycling as a whole and he was such a huge talent. I admired him so much. ”

Niall MacKenzie: ” I think I knew Steve as well as anyone but the racing side of things pales into insignificance next to the fact that a man and father has lost his life. One of the biggest enjoyments I have had since giving up racing has been having the time to go out on track and watch Steve ride a bike. When everything was going well he was just flawless, the most immaculate bike rider I have ever seen. ”

Terry Rymer: ” If you want to get an idea of the sort of incredible rider Steve was you only have to know that when he raced at the Bol d’Or in 1992 with me and Carl Fogarty he just blew our minds. We gave him the nickname ” The Bat ” because the bloke actually went faster at night than he did during the day! Can you believe that? ”

Jamie Whitham: ” Steve was a very intense sort of bloke and his intelligence meant he was very hard work to spend a lot of time around. It was impossible to hate him because he had no malicious intent in anything he ever did – but that didn’t get over the fact that he was very hard work to get on with.

” Steve was a highly motivated, highly intelligent sort of person who will be sadly missed. ”

Chris Walker: ” I heard this morning on TV; I’m absolutely gutted. He was a complete star and on his day was the fastest man in the world and he proved that on several occasions. He was an awesome rider and a lot of fun off the track. ”

Gary Mason: ” I can’t believe it and he was such a nice bloke. I shared a room with him at the Valencia test at the start of the year, we had a few beers and I really got to know him, he was a good laugh and it was amazing having the British Champion as my team-mate.

” He was a true racer and wanted to come back to prove a point. It was important for him to know that he could still win. ”

Stuart Easton: ” Hizzy really took me under his wing for the last two or three years and I learnt so much but still had so much more to learn. One of the main things he taught me was to relax on the bike, enjoy my riding and not to get too wound up before a race. I was learning without even realising I was learning. ”

Paul Bird: ” It’s a grim day. Without Hizzy, Paul Bird Motorsport wouldn’t be where it is now. He gave us our first BSB title and nearly won it twice for the team. ”

Roger Burnett: ” I have made few friends from racing over the years, but I could definitely count on Steve as one of them. I also had the benefit of working with him in a professional capacity and he was undoubtedly one of the best ambassadors for motorcycle racing in recent times. ”

Maurizio Flammini: ” Most of the staff at the Superbike World Championship offices in Rome had come into contact with Steve in one way or another over the past years. He rode several times as a wildcard in the series and was undoubtedly an outstanding and very popular champion of the British Superbike series. Steve had many memorable battles during his tremendous TT career and his name will go down in history as a modern day motorcycling hero. ”

Neil Hellings, Chief Executive of the ACU: ” This is a tragedy, Steve was a true British Racing Champion who achieved many things to be proud of throughout his career. It is a sad loss for British motorsport and I am sure he will be sorely missed throughout the paddock. Our thoughts are with his friends and family. ”

To add you tributes to Steve Hislop click the link on the right to go to our BSB discussion board or e-mail them to the MCN letters page at mcn.online@emap.com