FIA warns Spain after Hamilton abuse
The McLaren MP4-23 with Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen
Feb.4 (GMM) F1's governing body on Sunday night said it will not tolerate a repeat of the racial abuse directed at Lewis Hamilton by Spanish spectators at the recent Barcelona test.
A spokesman for the Paris based FIA told publications that it had noted the events of the three-day session at Circuit de Catalunya, during which supporters of Fernando Alonso threw rubbish at McLaren personnel and screamed abuse at Hamilton.
Hamilton, whose grandfather is from the Caribbean island of Grenada, was taunted with cries and banners ranging from 'Stop talking shit', to 'hijo de puta' (son of a whore) and 'negro de mierda' (black shit).
"The FIA is surprised and disappointed at the abuse directed at Lewis Hamilton," the FIA spokesman said.
"An act of this kind is a clear breach of the principles enshrined in the FIA statutes and any repetition will result in sanctions," he added.
The Spanish sports daily Marca also reveals that Alonso, despite clashing with his former teammate Hamilton at McLaren last year, does not condone the behaviour of his countrymen.
A source close to the 26-year-old double world champion told the newspaper: "Some of these people are animals."