Feb.21 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has played down the racism scandal involving his former McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton and dismissed the FIA's response as "not needed".

"Spain is not a racist country," the 26-year-old former double world champion was quoted as saying by the Spanish news agency EFE.

Spaniard Alonso, who has returned to Renault for 2008 after falling out with Hamilton and the British team McLaren's leadership, this week finally broke his silence on the racist incidents as he returned to the Barcelona circuit for testing.

"This was an isolated case," he explained, referring to the group of his supporters who wore black makeup and wigs and sparked an international furore.

"The less we talk about it, the better. They got dressed up for Carnival and you can see what happened then.

"I am called a dog but nobody comes out to defend me.

"The anti-racism campaign that the FIA wants to organise for the grand prix here, I don't think is needed," Alonso said.