Ecclestone plays down F1 'racism' row
Thursday, 06 Nov 2008 13:44
Bernie Ecclestone plays down F1 'racism' row, calling it "nonsense"
Formula one supremo Bernie Ecclestone has rejected media rumours that a 'racism' row involving Lewis Hamilton is emerging in the sport.
Ecclestone branded the speculation that Hamilton is being increasingly targetted by racist elements of the fanbases of the Briton's title rivals as "nonsense".
The 23-year-old won his maiden F1 drivers' title last weekend at the Brazilian grand prix, but was roundly booed by a vociferous home crowd supporting Sao Paulo native Felipe Massa.
There were also ugly scenes surrounding the Spanish grand prix earlier in the season when a group of Fernando Alonso fans dressed up and painted their faces black while wearing signs saying "Hamilton's family".
However, Ecclestone, who is keen to avoid any more negative publicity for the sport after the Max Mosley "Nazi orgy" scandal earlier this year, has downplayed the incidents.
"I think it's all nonsense," he told the BBC.
"In Spain people were supporting Alonso and in Sao Paolo they were supporting Felipe. I don't think it was anything to do with racism."
Ecclestone continued: "There were a few people in Spain and that was probably beginning as a joke rather than anything abusive.
"I think people look and read into things that are not there. All those things are all a bit of a joke and people are entitled to support who they want to support.
"I don't see why people should have been [insulted by it]. These things are people expressing themselves."
In the immediate aftermath of Hamilton's title victory, the driver's father Anthony criticised the Brazilian public for their unsporting gesture towards his son.
"It's a shame that the crowd is booing," he told ITV.
"They should be fair sportspeople."