News Scan: Lewis Hamilton At The Centre Of Racist Row In Latest Formula 1 Controversy
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Oct 17, 2007
McLaren
The Spanish Motorsport Federation president managed to play the race card in a suitably crass fashion yesterday, just days before he will be the guest of the McLaren team at Interlagos, by telling Publico newspaper how ironic he found it that a racist country such as Britain was relying on a black driver, Lewis Hamilton, to win the world championship.
Carlos Gracia said: “It is perfectly normal for a British team and British fans wanting to succeed in formula one but it is ironic that the racists in England are having to rely on a coloured pilot. “
Gracia will be a guest of McLaren at the final race in Brazil as the team attempts to quell rumours that it is interfering with Fernando Alonso’s title campaign. Alan Henry, The Guardian
The race for the Formula One world championship took another controversial turn after the head of the Spanish motorsport federation was embroiled in a racism row.
However, Gracia said his comments had been misinterpreted.
“What I meant was England has been looking for a Formula One idol for years and no matter who he was they were going to give him all their support.
“There was no racist element to what I said. “ Patrick Nathanson, Telegraph.co
The British press has returned an accusation of racism to Spain as teammates Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso’s bitter championship rivalry reaches its climax in Brazil this weekend.
Amid increasingly hostile Formula One relations between Spain and Britain, the head of the Spanish motorsport federation on Tuesday was quoted by the newspaper El Publico as describing Hamilton’s British supporters as “racist”.
Dennis was reportedly in town to play a round of golf with Emilio Botin, the boss of his team’s biggest Spanish sponsor, Santander.
Gracia told the Spanish newspaper Marca that he had received “threats” from Alonso’s supporters who believe he has not done enough about the perceived inequality at McLaren in 2007. HomeofSport
