Comments on: F1 news review: racism row

By: Number 38

Number 38 — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:17:36 +0000

THANK YOU Michael K.
This was a non-story, a couple small UN-necessary snipets by Hammy, a few idiots at the circuit, promptly handled by the cops ……. WE the F1 fans have blown it all out of proportion.
You reap what you sow.

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:15:38 +0000

It is time everyone calmed down. So the two drivers don’t like each other big deal. They are big boys let them sort it out for themselves. The history of the sport is littered with team mates who didn’t like each other. Senna/Prost, Villeneuve/Pironi, Mansell/Piquet spring instantly to mind. Neither Lewis nor Fernando needs a mob of fans to sort the arguement. Equally no-one gains by people at a circuit abusing either of them.

People going to a track should be encouraged to understand the sport’s technicalities and this would reduce the partisan aspect. The problem is the sport is far too complicated and there is no need for it to be.

It is next to impossible for people to understand what a driver is doing and for people to understand the difference between drivers. I am sure most of the people who go to a track just to shout abuse could not tell you the difference in Hamilton and Alonso’s driving style and understand from that why one of them could suddenly be quicker at a particular circuit.

Equally because of pit stops and strategy it is far too difficult for people to understand what is happening in a race. I have always believe that a grand prix should be 20odd drivers leaving a grid and racing unaided to the chequered flag. If two drivers are running together fighting for the same piece of tarmac a five year old can understand what is going on. On the other hand if one driver is on one strategy and another driver is on a different strategy no-oe knows what is going on.

The more transparent the action on the track the less opportunity for the press to stir up baseless resentment..

By: Michael K

Michael K — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:09:26 +0000

“Its really not the drivers faults, its the fault of others”, oh please! So you are trying to say that they are not responsible for what they tell the media? Of course they are, and of course Lewis has knowingly taken cheap shots at Alonso, the same way Alonso has done it, even though to a much lesser extend as of late.
I agree with Number 38 that the hostile reception for Lewis is partly due to his own actions, by not just shutting up about Alonso. It would be easy for him to just say that he won’t talk about it anymore. Of course we shouldn’t forget that he is still just a kid.
Racist behaviour is completely unacceptable, but it comes out easier if the mob is wild already anyway…

By: Brar Soler

Brar Soler — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:15:43 +0000

It´s a good time, to Alonso say something against racism.

Here in Brasil racism is crime.

By: steven mann

steven mann — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:26:26 +0000

its time to stop this racists incident. just let,s get on with what we all love raceing f1 . This has gone on to long now this is what thay wanted and we playing wright in to there hands

By: oliver

oliver — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:01:11 +0000

Drivers will respond to questions they are asked. Hamilton didn’t just pick up a microphone and started talking about Alonso. And the same thing of Alonso, he gets hounded by the questioning before he blurts out something. Its really not the drivers faults, its the fault of others. And people should stop assuming that they even know what went on inside the team and use that as a bases for their actions.

By: Santiago

Santiago — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:42:24 +0000

I think this has gone too far. Also politicians are now involved, trying to make a diplomatic issue between countries from it. It´s not amuzing?

There is a lot of biass above this matter. The famous picture shown in the newspapers is just rubbish. It was a major day during the Barna Carnival and also those people were interviewed on TV, the were wearing a fancy dresses (quite poor have to say under my point of view) trying to be LH´s family saying we are sorry Lewis, we love you but… (on the back of the T-shirts there was a legend) FA Nº1. I particularly did not find it funny, but neither insulting in that context. What it was bad was the insults to hamilton and McLaren by other not easy to identify people in front of the box, that obliged the authorities to withdraw them from there.

What I find hard is that the British press taking the tolerance´s flag (?) has made with the issue, putting the entire Spanish Society as racists saying like The Times, The Sun…. that Spanish people used to “enjoy” emigration to Southamerica up to 30 years ago and now find difficult to welcome latinos from Southamerica. Also fights between latin-bands against spanish-bands, not counting and isolated incident provoqued by a drunk-troublemaker in an underground wagon who had plenty of publicity on TV, and so on.

As I said. This has gone too far, and is giving ammunition to those stupid racists for going on, they now will be on the screen all over the world and that is important for those brainless.

By: Samuel

Samuel — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:52:08 +0000

Just for the record, I condemn the racist insults, which I consider shameful, disgusting and unacceptable, and some kind of punishment to Montmelo staff and/or a severe warning could be appropiate (but don’t understand why it should be extended Valencia, since nothing happened there).

I think the whole FAvsLH issue has gone out of control, and media(Spanish and British) should stop throwing gasoline to the fire. I also think that Lewis should stop referring Fernando in any way, as Fernando is doing with him. It would also help a public intervention of Fernando condemning the incidents.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:46:46 +0000

Samuel, they may be easy to find but they’re not so easy to read if you don’t speak Spanish. Can you perhaps give us an idea what they say? I find internet translation tools very unreliable…

Thomas, I don’t understand your comment. Who’s crying? And why should Hamilton go to NASCAR?

By: Thomas Moore

Thomas Moore — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:39:51 +0000

Oh Please!
Has anyone thought that maybe Hamilton’s behavior, attitude, and ghastly treatment ot Alonso may have brought about such a reaction. However it is interesting that one never saw Schumy crying when non-fans depicted him in a Nazi uniform. Then again, Michael was a true champion; not someone who is going around crying everytime someone says something that hurts his feelings.
Hey Hamilton, if you want to make a political statement, go to the states and follow Montoya’s lead in NASCAR racing-