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[Martin]

Martin wrote : We dont want the football (European not U.S.) mentality to invade F1 do we?.
Well spotted Kiki

I'm glad to see I have done something right for once.

Just would like to note something about the media. It's just a little something I picked up that was interesting. If anyone has been to http://www.f1-live.com, you'll probally notice that you can pick several languages. Obviously the article I posted here was the English one. I also took a look at the Italian one and it very much said the same thing as the English one. Then I clicked on Spanish and guess what? No such article about the racism towards Hamilton in Spain existed! Well I couldn't find one anyway whereas in the Italian one I found it straight away. Ummm very interesting isn't it? My German isn't up to scratch yet but I wouldn't be surprised finding the article in the German section either. Seems that the Spaniards want to hide this?

You got everything right here Kiki, I completely agree with what you have said, and your point about the lack of a Spanish report is, I suppose, to be expected (I am sure that our media are just as biased) however, it is still a disgrace, maybe a message to F1-live.com to ask them to justify this. I'd be very interested in their reply.

[Martin]

Sorry triple post, but I just read this on autosport.com:

Racism row threatens Spanish races

By Jonathan Noble Monday, February 4th 2008, 11:09 GMT

Fans gesture at Lewis Hamilton during testing at BarcelonaSpain'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.

Spanish fans are aiming their abuse at McLaren and Hamilton because they feel that former world champion Fernando Alonso was treated unfairly when he drove for the Woking based team last year.

Recent tests have seen an upsurge in critical banners of Hamilton and McLaren, although the events at Barcelona were evidence of a new intensity to the fans' feelings.

Track organisers had to close access to grandstands and erect barriers in the paddock to try and quell the situation.

The racism row has become big news in Britain, with it making the front page of Britain's The Sun on Monday.

Its good that the FIA seem to be saying the right things, I just hope that they follow through the rhetoric.
Yes I saw newspaper pictures of these scumbag morons. They had blacked their faces and were carrying offensive banners and there were quite a few of them. The bar stewards should be boiled in oil.

Are there any Spanish forum members? What is your view?

[AKR]

Looks like F1-live (Spanish version) finally has stuff on the incident. A bit slower than all the rest but I guess you cannot deny something the whole world already knows. However I must remind you (And Hamilton and most people agree) It was just a minority few idiots. Most Spaniards are normal good people. Here is an article in Spanish from that site. Use translator if you not know Spanish.

Hamilton: “No ha sido nada agradableâ€

[Mr.Snuggles]

Quote :: http://www.itv.com/f1

Race row 'taken out of context'
Tuesday, 05, February, 2008, 12:21


The boss of the Circuit de Catalunya circuit where Lewis Hamilton was subjected to racist abuse claims coverage of the controversy has been “taken out of contextâ€

[Mr.Snuggles]

Source : http://www.itv.com/f1

The Legend Hill: FIA should axe Spain if abuse returns
Tuesday, 05, February, 2008, 10:45


BRDC president Damon Hill says the FIA should have no hesitation in dropping Spain from the F1 calendar if there is a repeat of the racist taunting that marred last weekend’s Barcelona test.

The images of sections of Spanish spectators abusing and jeering Lewis Hamilton has caused outrage in Britain, with officials in Spain now under pressure to ensure there is no repeat of the obscene scenes in future.

The Catalunya circuit and Spain’s motorsport authority say they are committed to rooting out the problems and have been ordered to submit a report to F1’s governing body detailing how it plans to stamp out such incidents in order to avoid heavy sanctions.

Hill says he was “sickenedâ€

[f1ea]

What a low episode at Barcelona. I would guess that with the background and experience gained from other sports, F1 would have avoided this kind of events by being more strict at the stadium.

Anyway... this was just the ignorant and disrespectful view of some stupid fans who think that by bashing Lewis and his colour they are helping their case. So let's just hope it doesn't become a Racial-gate, talking about cancelling GPs, boycotts and so on..... after all, the real reason for cancelling a GP is money. Not racial stuff

[Mr.Snuggles]

exacly, sports isn't about colur, its about equal opprotunites
but the problem has been sorted
as if you read my last post

[f1ea]

but the problem has been sorted

How?
by taking the race(s) away form Spain??
By England and the FIA starting a case vs. Spain??

Sorry, but I don't think so.

[Mr.Snuggles]

No
look at the posts
it was took out of context.
it was said and they have been sorted.
nothing more we can do, so why worry about somthing that won't happen
like the ressesion :S
we was mean't to have a ressesion wasn't we?
and britain got scared, but nothing has been said anymore except bush is gonig to pay out 3 trillion dollas

[texasmr2]

DD,
Watchout you forgot to state or imply IMO or 'I think' into your post ! Wow is it just me or do you also get tired of being either 'misquoted' or 'misunderstood'? Maybe a "Dude I'm so not feeling you" should be substituted instead?

Youre still on this tirade? FFS

Darwin made a claim, asked a question and i answered it

bud,
Easy mate am I not allowed to have alittle fun Take it for what it was intended to be which is just sarcasm ?

[Mr.Snuggles]

People need to chill
As texasmr2 kindly put it

weathers getting the brits down matey
constant rain and missery
can't blame us, we never win anything haha!

[texasmr2]

People need to chill
As texasmr2 kindly put it

weathers getting the brits down matey
constant rain and missery
can't blame us, we never win anything haha!

It's all good mate but thank's. bud's reference was toward's something else, we actually get along very well.

[McLaren Fan]

Catalunya circuit and Spain’s motorsport authority can play events down all they want, but the fact it is questions remain to be answered. As Gerry Sutcliffe said, you have to wonder why the people with the black face paint on were even allowed into the circuit? It's also worth mentioning that Spain has a racism problem in general. I think the manager of their national football team was done for being racist and a few years ago Spanish football supporters made monkey noises at some players on the England football team when they had the ball. I think this stands as a warning to Spanish sport in general. Should there be a repeat of this, either racist or simply hurling insults and missiles at McLaren (or any other team), their Grands Prix should be canceled.

[mooker]

No
look at the posts
it was took out of context.
it was said and they have been sorted.
nothing more we can do, so why worry about somthing that won't happen
like the ressesion :S
we was mean't to have a ressesion wasn't we?
and britain got scared, but nothing has been said anymore except bush is gonig to pay out 3 trillion dollas

???? WTF?

I wouldn't say it had been sorted or taken out of context in the slightest. Is there any other context you can put "N*gger Sh!t" into? It was the circuit that let those guys in, and nothing was done until Mclaren complained about the general level of abuse and missiles that something was done.

As MF says, Spain has an overall issue with racism. There was a 3000 euro fine for the national football coach , Luis Aragones , for comments he made about Theiry Henry, and the spanish FA was fined 60,000 euros for racism at a football match against England in 2004.

[Martin]

Catalunya circuit and Spain’s motorsport authority can play events down all they want, but the fact it is questions remain to be answered. As Gerry Sutcliffe said, you have to wonder why the people with the black face paint on were even allowed into the circuit? It's also worth mentioning that Spain has a racism problem in general. I think the manager of their national football team was done for being racist and a few years ago Spanish football supporters made monkey noises at some players on the England football team when they had the ball. I think this stands as a warning to Spanish sport in general. Should there be a repeat of this, either racist or simply hurling insults and missiles at McLaren (or any other team), their Grands Prix should be canceled.

Yes maybe there is a particular problem in Spain I am not sure but, as you say MF there was a problem with the national football manager. I think that it is more to do with football than Spain.
Football seems to attract the dregs of society in so many ways.
I know that some of you 'forumers' are also football fans but, come on guys, you must see the difference in the quality of the people involved. I am not saying that all football fans / players are bad, but soo many are. I dont think that the black faces were F1 fans either - more like football fans on a day off!