Many, including the venerable Alan Henry, have called for Fernando Alonso to have some reaction, any reaction to the incident over two weeks ago regarding Lewis Hamilton and the racists remarks hurled at him at a testing event in Barcelona.
This prompted a stern warning (appropriately) from the FIA and a new initiative called Racing Against Racism (inappropriately).
Many have waited for Fernando to speak out against the racist issue and expected Fernando to scold his fellow countrymen for their actions. Fernando (wisely) has chosen to stay silent about Lewis and the event until now.
“I don’t think this is a racist country, and the fans aren’t either,” he told Spain’s AS newspaper.
“Anyone who says that there is racism in Spain is talking about isolated cases.
“The less we talk about what happened a fortnight ago the better, because it was a completely isolated case from someone who was celebrating [the] carnival.
“I haven’t seen any video or recording of the alleged insults.”
so is the Racing Against Racism initiative needed? “No. It was an isolated incident and if the FIA or anyone are saying that the Spanish fans are racist, it’s laughable.”
In my humble opinion, Fernando has said what needed to be said. The truth. Like Mr. E, he sees this as an overreaction to an isolated incident blow way out of proportion by a salivating media. Good for you Fernando. To think anyone would expect you to alienate yourself and scold your entire country over a few nut jobs is base. Just the same as putting Lewis in a negative relationship with the country of Spain. Nonsensical media stooges.
Mr. E agrees with you and so, I might add, does Mr. Codling at F1 Mag. his Editorial piece in this months issue of F1 Magazine is refreshingly insightful regarding the British press and their irresponsible approach to this story and others like it. I can’t help but think in the past, F1 Magazine would have had some pithy rebuke and pious lecture in the editorial section about racism and spoiled brat’s from Spain with a mighty “Eff Off” for good measure. Just to show how bad they really are over there at F1. Change in management is good so far.
