Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed the racist abuse suffered by Lewis Hamilton in Spain this month as “an isolated incident”.
And he said an anti-racism campaign launched by governing body the FIA was “not necessary”.
“All it does is give attention to people who want attention,” he said.
“I don’t think they’re fans, and I don’t think they were supporting (Fernando) Alonso in particular. They just like to abuse people.”
Why do we need a global campaign against racism in F1 when the only place there’s ever been a whiff of it is in Spain?
Ecclestone described the abuse, in which Hamilton was taunted at a test session at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona by spectators with blacked-up faces and wearing wigs, as “a one-off, nothing to worry about”.
He did add, however, that the FIA would have to consider sanctions against the circuit if there was another similar incident.
Ecclestone, who was talking to BBC 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme, said he was confident the controversy would not derail Hamilton’s preparations for the start of the season next month.
“I don’t think he would be affected by it. I think he is strong enough to know it is all nonsense,” Ecclestone said.
But Ecclestone did admit the 23-year-old might find his second season in F1 more difficult than his first, when he caused a sensation by coming close to winning the title.
“He was under no pressure at all last year, but this year he is going to be under pressure, and that’s the problem,” Ecclestone said.
“But I think he is up to it. I think he will cope. It won’t faze him. He knows what he can do and what he can’t do.”
Source: F1 boss dismisses Hamilton abuse
