F1 to launch anti-racism campaign

Maybe they should launch an ‘interesting racing’ campaign? Maybe this is a PR stunt, to drive interest in their “racing”.

The FIA is launching an anti-racism campaign due to Lewis Hamilton who is a high-profile driver received a few taunts.

The scheme will start at the Circuit de Catalunya, the venue for the Spanish GP, where Hamilton was targeted.

“The FIA was appalled by the scenes of racist abuse targeted at Lewis Hamilton,” said an FIA spokesman.

What were those “scenes of racist abuse” ?

“There were a few guys who were absolutely out of order, and that’s what the whole thing has been hung on,” said Webber, who was at the Circuit de Catalunya testing for Red Bull when the incidents occurred last weekend.

In other words a few jackasses showed up at the race, and the FIA caught some flack from self-obsessed self-important do-gooders. The FIA instead of giving the issue the attention it deserved — none — went off half-cocked and did the usual PR nonsense.

Funny how there is no racism present at the current race track, which is in Spain. The teams — many — are testing for the next season.

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The only person with a clue speaks.

Australian driver Mark Webber told the BBC that it would be wrong for Spain to be punished because of the actions of a few bigots.

Then again, they were more like juvenile taunts and not really bigotry. Overkill by people who spend too much time listening to the PR people, and not to the fans.

Webber said he believes that some of the worst behaviour regarding the racism controversy was conducted by the media.

“The over-reaction of the media … take it back a bit,” he urged. “It’s totally controllable and we can get on top of it.”

Amen. This of course followed by the ridiculous response by FIA. So how does the FIA respond? Not with any sanity that is for sure. FIA threatens to cancel Spain Races.

Some of you may be wondering why the Spaniards are ticked off at Hamilton.

Hamilton became a figure of hate within the country after former team-mate and national hero Fernando Alonso complained publicly last season that he was receiving inferior treatment at McLaren. The fall-out was such that the Spaniard left the Woking-based outfit at the end of the campaign, two years before his three-year contract was due for renewal and having come within a single point of claiming a third consecutive drivers’ world crown.

In other words; Hamilton was getting special treatment and the Spaniards took it personally. Take a look at the list of “awards” for Hamilton, and you might get a sense of why Alonso was upset. It seems pretty clear that Hamilton was getting special treatment due to the PC attitude of the Brits.

Could also be the Hamilton had an attitude to start with.

“The Spanish people have always been very warm to me, and even though I thought something like this might happen, it wasn’t pleasant.”

So you assumed the Spanish were racists. Gee I wonder if that might have colored — no pun intended — your relationship with Fernando Alonso.

“I never tried to harm Fernando deliberately, but the battle was very tough, and my image in Spain has been badly damaged.”

Well duh. Notice how the only thing he cares about is his image. Hamilton sounds like a “golden child” who is not getting his way.

That whole freedom of speech thing is overblown, I suppose. Then again, maybe the FIA should stick to racing, and not worry about fans. I am amazed at how people in Britain think they can control people of other countries with threats and intimidation. It’s surreal.

Maybe Hamilton should try NASCAR

Tags: f1, formula one, formula 1, auto racing, ferrari, porsche, honda, mark webber, lewis hamilton, fia