Hamilton Suffers Racist Abuse in Spain

by The Watcher

It was bound to happen when the F1 circuit rolled around to Spain but Lewis Hamilton can hardly have been expecting such a type of abuse from fervent Fernando Alonso supporters when he was in Spain this past weekend (2/2/2008).

Alonso fans have many axes to grind with Hamilton: that he seemingly didn't not know his place in the F1/Maclaren hierarchy; that he didn't worship the ground that Alonso burned his Bridgestone Potenza tyres on, and that he was arrogant and rude towards the Mclaren team principle Ron Dennis. Hamilton, 23, was subjected to racist comments and was faced with a group of spectators wearing wigs, dark make-up and t-shirts with the slogan "Hamilton's Family" on the front during pre-season testing near Barcelona. His Tiger Woods-esque diplomacy that he still loves going to and being in Spain was poignant. The events are a further mark against sporting fans of Spain, coming so soon after the abuse suffered by Black english footballers in recent seasons.

These unseemly events come at a time when Hamilton is gearing up for the new season, one in which the sptlight will be on him and his team for a number of reasons including the spy-scandal, the Hamilton-Alonso rivalry (which resulted in Alonso leaving for his old team Renault) as well as the scrutiny that will be levelled at Hamilton on hi second season.

Of the weekend events, an FIA spokesman said: "FIA are surprised and disappointed at the abuse directed at Lewis Hamilton. An act of this kind is a clear breach of the principles enshrined in the FIA statutes, and any repetition will result in sanctions." Such principles as we we have seen of late? Roll on the first Grand Prix.