Lewis Hamilton was subjected to racist abuse by spectators at the Montmeló circuit near Barcelona on Saturday, leading to the Spanish motor racing authority being warned by the FIA that any repeat would have serious consequences. At the same time, it has emerged that the British driver's reputation was tarnished unfairly last season when he was widely reported to have sworn at Ron Dennis, the McLaren principal, over the team radio.
Hamilton has been taking part in a three-day official Formula One test at the Spanish circuit, which finished yesterday. According to local media reports, he was booed and abused each time he walked from the McLaren team's motorhome to the garage on the pitlane on Saturday.
Eventually, circuit staff erected fences to protect him from view and removed offensive banners that had been put up opposite the team's base. Many of the spectators present were supporters of Fernando Alonso, the Spanish driver with whom Hamilton had a dramatic falling-out last year when they were team-mates at McLaren. Alonso has since returned to Renault.
ALonso shouldn't be too happy
If his supporters start doing this to Hamilton, the latters many more supporters won't be sitting back either
Spanish authorities are warned as Lewis Hamilton suffers racist abuse - Times Online
Now Hamilton Faces Racism
Re: Now Hamilton Faces Racism
