Just read this on Autosport: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64973 Here's part of the story - Spain's motorsport chiefs have been asked to submit a full report to the FIA on what action they plan to take to prevent a repeat of the racism that marred last weekend's Barcelona Formula One test, with the future of the country's two Grands Prix now hanging in the balance. The FIA has reacted in the strictest possible way to the events of the test, where fans hurled racial abuse at Lewis Hamilton. It has demanded a full explanation from Spain's national motorsport association about what happened - and especially what will be done to prevent it occurring again. The Real Federacion Espanola de Automovilismo (RFEA) must now prepare its response to show that it too is taking the matter seriously. Although it is not thought that the RFEA has been told what action will be taken if its answers are not satisfactory, it is understood that the situation is being treated gravely by the FIA. Sources close to the FIA have told autosport.com that this year's Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona and the European Grand Prix at Valencia are now under threat because of what has happened, so keen are the FIA to ensure that racism is not tolerated in motorsport. * * * * As I said in a prior thread, to pull the plug on the races would be the thing to do. I really don't see how the Spanish Motorsport Association can prevent it from occurring again . . .the demonstrators don't have to be F1 followers/fans - they can be just a bunch of folks that want to cause trouble. I don't think I'd be taking the train to the race from Sants to Montmelo and walking to the track to the race wearing McLaren/Lewis team gear . . . that type of situation would really suck if it actually came to fruition. The FIA had best get a good grip on this situation. Carol
I really think the FIA are going to have to stamp hard on this. If there are any similar incidents they should pull the race. Look at the picture on http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=33858 I cannot believe that they managed to get away with that. I don't understand why nobody challenged them or at least moved away so they were isolated and perhaps they'd then realise that their actions were not condoned by the rest of the crowd. The Spanish authorities must know that pictures like this will not help ticket sales at all.
IMO, they should either ban the spanish races this season, or bar all fans for entering the track. will be a good punishment.
Absolutely disgusting. They should pull the races - right now. There is no need to wait and see what they do to try and prevent it in the future - the fact is they should have stopped it as it was happening. The fact that they didn't shows they approve.
Next thing you know English fans will be fighting in the stands in Barcelona like its a football match. This is not good.
I thought this whole sport was built on divisiveness. Don't we always hear about "the Indian driver" or the "Spanish driver" or .... So they don't like the "English" driver and they're vocal about it. That's what F1 has been promoting for decades, why is it a problem now that the "English" driver is black? I guarantee that those fans would attack anyone who had acted as Hamilton/Dennis had over the past year.
It's not a problem that they don't like him. Did you look at those pictures? Did you read what the people are yelling? Not "I hate Hamilton". They are saying "fcking black" and "black sh*t". I think there is a difference here.
My first instinct is to say 'f-em... pull the plug on the races' but that would be punishing hundreds of thousands of people for the actions of a very few. Why not just hire a lot of security, and if anyone puts up a racist sign, throws something, does some racially charged chant or anything else like that, they get *very* forcibly removed from the track. Zero tolerance. It would be a real d*ckk move for them to cancel the whole event just because of a few a-holes. Weren't we complaining about just that for the Dakar a few weeks back?
Exactly. Schumacher used to be booed at Silverstone by some people when he was racing against Hill. I see no problem with that. I have shouted at Hakkinen and I was amongst the loudest to cheer when he crashed at the the 1st chicane at Monza in '99 and ended up crying in the bushes. It's all part of the game and part of sport. Rascism should not be tolerated though. I like the idea of running the race with no spectators. That's a measure that was used in the UK back in the days when there were problems with football violence and it has been used more recently in other countries that still have a problem.
The Spanish Motorsport Federation have issued a statement http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=33866 I wonder if Alonso will say anything?
Alonso, no matter what he says can not possibly cover the institution of racism that is so pervasive to the orangutan mentality of these few morons. The squeaky wheel got the grease and this may cause two of the more prolific F1 events to suffer an ignominious demise. I think that sanctions against this type of behavior should be severe enough, to send the most surreal message to everyone everywhere. This type of conduct toward any driver, or team member, can not be tolerated. F1 fans are supposed to be the most sophisticated sporting audience on the planet. This bigotry has an effect on us all....
Alonso needs to say something quickly to appeal to those retards if he has any sense. The ironic thing is LH has a said he likes testing in Spain and likes Spanish people. I hope the few don't change his mind. Catalunya circuit guess what I'am giving it a miss, Spa-Francorchamps from now.
Well, as they will find out you can't legislate against stupidity. But you can certainly ram it in the teeth with a good set of boots or a baton. Make it perfectly clear to the fans planning to attend that there will be a zero-tolerance policy in effect with severe repercussions for anyone hoping to show up and get themselves on television. The last thing most fans want is to have their race weekend disrupted by hooligans.
Brian, I think you have just described much of the world's population. Even your comment was racist. We all want to believe we are open minded, but consider how a westerner gets today when they see someone that is obviously Muslim. It's automatic that they must be a terrorist. I see the reaction of numerous whites when they see a mixed couple, even on the genderless streets of South Beach. There is a definite negative feeling against those of the Jewish persuation by much of the Latin community. Late at night, walking alone, a white comes up to a black. The initial reaction of most whites is to assume that the black is going to pull out a gun or a knife and rob him. Racism is based on fear. I consider it to be similar to homophobia. You are homophobic because of your own fears about being gay, I think the same applies to racisim. You have your own self doubts so someone has to be worse than you, lower on the food chain. I do not think what we read about in Barcelona is the vocal majority. I would not punish all the fans because of the action of a few. And Alonso needs to say something soon. I was brought up in a separatist environment, all white until I was 18. Then in college one of my best friends was black, two were Iranian, one was as gay as they come. All I knew was we all loved to listen to "Black Magic Woman" by Santana. I still absolutely hate rap and bebop and all of the performers. I guess that makes me racist? But I facinate about Halle Berry, dear God I wish it was me that got her pregnant. I guess that makes me a confused racist.
These idiots and their friends/family should be truly ashamed. This crap is happening in 2008? I know that there are soccer "fans" who still throw bananas and make monkey noises but I thought F1 would attract a better class of people. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Posting that photo was so very cruel of you. Now the rest of the day will be in a cloud and my pants won't fit properly.
I have been trying to make this point for years to those that criticize NASCAR fans. F1 has their element of white trash, trailer trash if you will, as much as any other form of racing, sport for that matter.
F1 will see pulling the races as a last resort. However, if they have bad experience at the two Spanish races this year, they will probably be pulled. Hope it does not come to this as it would not be good PR for the sport.
Since when have "the Spanish" been a race? And "racism" is the inherent belief that one race is superior to another based purely on race. We are confusing racist and prejudiced quite a lot these days, to the point that if someone says "hey whats the guys name on that TV show - you know the black guy?" that's suddenly a "racist" comment when it obviously is not. We are waaaay to PC these days. A lot of people in Europe are pretty prejudiced and many of them are racist too. Spanish people are no exception and have quite a rep for being a pretty racist populace. But to point that out is in no way a "racist" comment.
Mike, when you are fillilng out a form, even for government business, there is usually something to distinguish between White/Caucasion, and Spanish/Latino. My only explantion is that in many Spanish speaking countries, some of the population is of mixed heritage, not always caucasion. You are correct pointing out a difference between being racist and being prejudiced, because prejudice theorhetically does not take race into account, but the two have many overlapping similarities. You have to be prejudiced to be racist, and I would think that if you are racist you are prejudiced. Question, Pele was loved in South America, how was he viewed in Europe, specifically Spain?