Racing driver Lewis Hamilton suffers racial taunts in Barcelona and Spain’s two Grand Prix races could be at risk.
A spokesman for Spain’s Movement against Intolerance says the manifestations of racism seen in sectors of Spanish football and in the latest incidents directed at Hamilton are a reflection of worrying trends in Spanish society.
What is your opinion?
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15 comments so far
Things can only get worse, the Peaceful Invasion is a victim of its own success.
- Posted by William FowlerI was very shocked that Hamilton has been the subject of racial abuse at Spanish Gp testing.I have attended grand prixs for many years & have always said to people that despite a large number of different supporters at a GP,how nice it was to see that everyone gets on so well.You get the airhorns being sounded when the driver that you dont support goes past,but i have never heard the taunts that he was subject to.I hope that these people resposible will hang their heads in shame ,as they have blackened the good name of F1 supporters ,who do follow the sport with a passion.If they felt any remorse at all the least they could do would be to apologise via the press,& make a puublic apology to Hamilton.It was a very fraught relationship between the two drivers last year,but one of the best seasons for a long time.!You get rivalry between drivers,look at Senna & Prost ,but the fans never reacted in this way.
- Posted by Yvonne CraggI am sure i speak for many people when i say i hope the Spanish Gp goes ahead in April,as i am attending it,& fingers crossed the event will go smoothly ,with the only crowd reaction being cheers & airhorns sounding reagardless of who drives past.I am a Ferrari fan but have respect for Hamilton & all the drivers ,who do a fantastic job to entertain us on the track,lets enjoy that &leave the bad feeling behind.
Thankyou.
Yvonne Cragg - did you see what you did there? “blackened the good name of F1 supporters” links balckness with badness. It’s a slippery slope…
- Posted by Janey DevlinThe individuals that performed these taunts are immature. I’m angered by this display of stupidity. I’d expect this sort of thing from Americans (I am a US citizen).
- Posted by ashleighI am an ex-bike racer and to be honest I only ever watch F1 if it is the only motorsport on TV, even Murray Walker says that the bikes make a better spectator sport, as he should coming from a bike racing background. However last year Lewis Hamilton did a lot for F1, he got people like me watching it, yes I even recored it if it clashed with the bikes or I had to work. And it was nothing to do with the colour of his skin, something that I am sure even Lewis got fed up with hearing about. Here was a young man who arrived on the scene and upset the apple cart by being better than those who were already there, he brought F1 to life. In the case of Alsonso, he proved that he didn’t want to have to fight his team mate fairly but the name of the game is racing and if you aren’t good enough to beat your team mate then that is just tough! While Lewis Hamilton is a breath of fresh air to F1, it is just a shame that he was dragged into the dirty politics of such a big business and that it all ended the way it did. In my view Lewis Hamilton should have been the 2007 World Champion, and he would have been but for all the distractions going on. The day that James Toseland took his 2nd World Superbike title Lewis ended up in the gravel at the pit entrance (through no fault of his own) when he too should. have been taking a title. All this racist trouble shows that some of the Spanish spectators to be nothing but ignorant morons who just didn’t like the idea of Alsonso being beaten, but it was Alsonso who drag everything through the dirt. Whatever the rights or wrongs of the matter he was the one shown up in a bad light and it is his supporters who have disgraced themselves at Jerz. The trouble with people like them is they wouldn’t know how to apologise for their disgraceful behavior. Sadly some of the websites show that there are some really nasty people out there, Lewis gets a real slagging off by them, but he can hold his head up high because he has more dignity in his little finger than they have in their entire bodies! If the Spanish lose their two GPs they may start to learn that there is no place for racism in sport, something they seem to forget! Certainly Lewis Hamilton will be a World Champion, and most likely more than once and the world had better get used to the idea!
- Posted by BarryI am not surprised at all!
I am of mixed raced and used to live in Spain, the country is very zenophobic.
I suffered racial abuse and taunts then decided that enough was enough and left.
Racism is tolerated in Spain, remember Franco?!
Well in November, or is it October, Spain still celebrate Franco’s birthday with marches and rallies, the old Spanish flag and Nazi symbols.
I personally think that any sport involving anyone of colour should not take place in Spain.
Lewis Hamilton is a TOP sportsman that’s what should be acknowlegded not his skin colour but in Spain they look at skin colour first and talent last.
- Posted by Linda MeddaSad but true!
The definition of “racism” is rather vague. Surely only systematic hatred of all members of a race is racism. What happened in Spain is just crass stupidity.
- Posted by LambfootRacism in sport should never exist. Full stop. Thing is though, I have looked at many many reports of this incident and I cant find one place that actually reports on what abuse was chanted. I only say this because in a world where the slightest thing now is seen as ‘racist’, I would actually like to know what was said and make up my own mind and not be told that It was racist. After all, I am not going to back somone up that something was racist when I dont know that it was. As for the make up etc..on its own thats not racist. What was actually said??
- Posted by Rob Ellisonits a disgrace on Europe and the Spanish people they should be ashamed
- Posted by wayne toddHi,Janey Devlin,well spotted but can i say it was of course a genuine mistake & i meant no offence to anyone.It is suprising the number of people in work who made the same mistake!,when discussing it.
- Posted by Yvonne CraggHow do i rephrase it?They have brought down the name of the good people who support F1.
Im sure Hamilton will bounce back from all the distraction in testing but please can we not let it overspill into the season,which hasnt started yet.Lets not have another season dedicated to Hamilton ,remember there are other drivers as well.Please ,lets have the remaining test sessions in Spain ,held in a pleasant atmosphere.Its always nice to see the different supporters in their teams colours,& the banners that people hang around the circuit,the majority in good faith.We are a big united family ,all sharing the same passion for F1 ,lets enjoy the forthcoming season without any thing negative to disrupt it ,& heres to a cracking Spanish Gp in April.Im sure despite the frosty relationship between Alonso & Hamilton,even Alonso must be perplexed by the recent events last week.,& he will surely plead with his supporters to stay calm ,& leave Hamilton alone .Im sure that when the Spanish supporters visit Silverstone ,as im sure they will,they will not see any hostility towards Alonso from the British Public.Airhorns being sounded from one group of supporters to another,but all in good faith,the way it should be. Thankyou.
I’m spanish , and this isn’t true
I think it is outrageous that insults a pilot F1 .. Although the trickery of Hamilton and his team have done that many do not have precisely sympathy to Hamilton .. What he expected, queued to sign autographs? Although I think more outrageous is that they confuse the terms … Insults are one thing and another racism .. Tell someone son of bitch is not racism,and by a person who insults you put us all Spanish people as some racist
- Posted by joaquinYvonne Cragg what do you mean “lets not have another season dedicated to Hamilton”
- Posted by bambooLast year was Lewis Hamilton’s first season and no driver in the history of F1 as achieved what Lewis Hamilton has achieved in their first season.
So Cragg do you think the world of motor sport should have ignored and played down Lewis’s achievements.
I think it illogical to even suggest that last season was dedicated to Lewis. The simple reality is that the whole world -bar the imbeciles- have recognised just what Lewis has achieved and what he as done -for the sport that is F1- in his first season.
AND NO ONE CAN TAKE IT AWAY FROM HIM NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY OR DO
ps Lewis would have been the F1 champion of 2007 if his team had not let him down. He drove the best out of all the drivers but was let down by machanical problems and ultimately by his team.
So stop trying to belittle his achievements Cragg.
Esse gurii é muito liindooo!
é um moorenoo muito gostoosoo
quem me dera ter um desses pra mim!
e racismo é pra quem não tem mente evoluída,isso sim!:x
te amoo [ i love you Lewis]
by:girlfriend Renata s2
- Posted by renata-a morena brasileiraIn response to the ill mannered person who referred to me by no christian name ,i mean exactly what i say.Lets not have another season devoted to one driver.You must be the only person who thinks that we should watch just one driver.Yes he did well,do i deny it,no.
- Posted by Yvonne CraggEVERY TIME YOU WATCHED THE RACE IT WAS A BUILD UP DEVOTED TO HAMILTON!!We expect it at the British race,but there are other drivers,who may not be doingas well as him,but we should cheer them on as well..The season will be remembered this year for the racism controversy before it starts,.Presumably the sender of the email thinks thinks you are an imbecile if you dont recognise what hes done for the sport!Yes ,we are all aware ,& yes hes been groomed for it,so id expect him to do pretty well after all htis time.AS FOR YOUR PARTING COMMENT ABOUT TRYING TO BELITTLE HIM,i suggest you take a leaf out of your own book & stop doing it yourself to me as it wont work.I voiced my comments like anyone else,i did not try to belittle anyone who has passed an opinion on this subject,such as you have ,it failed .Oh ,& if you are going to the Spanish Gp i do hope to see you there.I will be in the Mclaren garage ,&i will remember you to Lewis.!!
Es muy mal, muy muy mal…
- Posted by asknwunderen