Bernie Ecclestone on Hamilton
Bernie Ecclestone has played down the extent to which Lewis Hamilton was racially abused by fans in Spain, when they painted themselves black and wore wigs.
We spoke to the President and CEO of F1 on Breakfast this morning - and asked about Hamilton's amazing achievement in only his second season.
We also asked for his views on the stick Hamilton has taken from his fellow drivers and from the fans, especially the racial abuse he suffered in Spain.
Listen again to the Bernie Ecclestone interview below.
---------------------UPDATE---------------------
Statement from FIA
An FIA spokesman said "discrimination and prejudice can have no place in sport or society, and everyone in our sport will join us in condemning these abusive and hateful comments (i.e. the ones on the Spanish website). We have condemned the actions in Spain and the comments on that website - we have even launched a campaign for equality in sport - everyrace.net."
Hamilton response
Lewis Hamilton responded "I didn't see it as a joke. It's something that happened but it is in the past," he said.
"What's more important to me is that I had a lot of support, especially from
UK fans.
"As long as I have my country behind me it makes me very proud. It makes me
very proud to see my fellow countrymen holding up the flag.
"All the other stuff I need to put behind me. I don't generally keep up with
what's being said and I haven't read what Bernie said.
"But I know Bernie and have a huge amount of respect for him."
Read more of Hamilton's response here.
Don't forget you can download the Chequered Flag podcast for all the reaction to Lewis Hamilton's World Championship victory.
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Comments
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I think Bernie Ecclestone is attempting to distance himself from his own problems. Lewis Hamilton was abused in Spain and by other groups all season.
Time for Formula 1 to accept this and deal with the issue in an adult manner. They are too concerned with the financial loss if they were to penalise the Spanish and move the race to another location, or take a lump out of the gate receipts.
Take responsibility Bernie!!
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Why does Bernie Ecclestone think that he can just brush off comments that have been directed at Lewis Hamilton for the past 2 seasons - basically saying that Lewis shouldn't worry about being discriminated against, as it's not really a big deal?
How often does this happen in sports? Thierry Henry was called a 'black shit' by the Spanish coach, and nothing happened there either. Nonsense.
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Bernie really has lost the plot on this. When he condones overt racism as 'people just expressing themselves' does he fully realise the impact this sort of comment has on others and, in particular, on the sport he has been responsible for for so many years. He is living in the past, and, given his age, is probably incapable of assimilating the effect his outmoded and outdated comments have on other, more enlightened, observers.
A similar attitude adopted by FIA president Mosley towards the criticism of his interest in certain 'private' practices must surely convince the majority that he, too, is unsuitable for the high office he enjoys.
These are both men long past their primes and if they are not considering the prospect of immediate retirement they should perhaps do so.
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As the BBC has made such a huge financial committment to F1,perhaps Nicky Campbell was told to tone down his questioning of Bernie Ecclestone in case he took offence and withdrew F1's contract. It was a poor interview.
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I was driving while I heard the interview and it's only now that I've been able to respond.
In my view Mr Ecclestone is wrong and to equate the treatment of Hamilton with the Ferrari team wearing red wigs is just pure ignorance. Since when have members of the Ferrari team been discriminated against?
But what disapointed me most was Nicky's response "Well, that's a view" is all he could manage. Sad.
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I was surprised by Bernie Ecclestone's comments, and very disappointed by Nicky Campbell's response. He went straight on to nattering with Mr Ecclestone about Crystal Palace, rather than press him about the distance between his comment and what F1 had said about Spain possibly losing the grand prix.
To be fair to 5 Live, I texted a protest (which I seldom do!) and was called by a producer inviting me to contribute to a discussion they were about to broadcast (could not do so due to work, but lets hope it was an effective discussion).
I used to like 5 live breakfast programme as a relief from the aggression and gloom of the today programme, but the current 2 presenters are just too concerned to get across their personality. Richard Bacon and Simon Mayo show that you can be serious and entertaining: retrain these two or replace them would be my view.
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Bernie Ecclestone's rather feeble (and frankly offensive) attempts to dismiss the blatantly racist abuse created by Spanish fans who blacked their faces and donned wigs merely serves to illustrate the lengths he will go to meet his own selfish needs. Yes, the spanish fans are entitled to support their man and yes, they should be able to dress in whatever crazy outfit they think might more succinctly express that support. However standing by the enclosure with blacked faces, which is clearly designed to cruelly imitate the opposition solely on the basis of that person's skin colour can only be described as racist abuse and Mr Ecclestone is naive at best and sinister at worst if he describes the issue as "nonsense". He appears to have taken the old adage, no person is greater than the organisation to new and uncharted waters. The organisation needs to look at the person carefully for without understanding of how that person helps the organisation grow, it will inevitable self-destruct and fail.
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Bernie Ecclestone- what is he on?!
How could he possibly compare a bunch of idiots blacking themselves up and chanting racist abuse to a bunch of Ferrari personnel wearing red wigs?!?
Now that he's come out with such crass comments, people will think it's ok to target Hamilton and his family with this kind of vicious abuse.
Also, I was very surprised by Nicky Campbell- he didn't tacke him about his comments, almost like he was afraid to do so.
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Nicky,
I have just heard excerpts on Drive of your interview with Bernie Ecclestone and am NOT sorry I missed the whole thing.
Can I just say Nicholas Robinson was reporting this morning of a possible scrum to be amongst the first to talk to a mixed race man just elected into office across the Atlantic.
A scrum by various countries political representatives. Though that for a start seems unseemly - this sort of dismissal by the likes of Mr Ecclestone of inappropriate behaviour to our own citizens (and believe me it is not ALL selfish) can hardly help our representatives being favourably considered. I note the grace Mr Hamilton dealt with the lack of criticism from one who I think should know better to those lout in Spain.
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The British hated Michael Schumacher. They hated his confidence, his alleged arrogance and his joy of winning. Then along came our British version of Schumacher, and the British made a 100% U-turn and the same attributes that were abhorred in a German are adored in Hamilton.
The British media and public were openly racist and it seems somewhat bizarre to suddenly adopt the moral high ground, when one or our own is on the receiving end.
Racism is not just about colour a white person has the same rights to respect as a Black person, no more no less.
It was the British that cheered as Michael hit the tyre barriers at just under 200 kph in 1999 and it was the media who sat in amongst the Columbian fans at Indianapolis in 2003 and encouraged, the otherwise respectful Montoya fans to stand with their thumbs down and boo every time 'The German' passed by. Just two instances of 16 years of racist abuse. Not to mention the headlines in the papers and the internet web pages.
Unfortunately, the media projected Schumacher as a figure to hate and unlike Spain and Brazil we weren't looking at a minority of people being racist but included many professional people too. The history between the British and Germans seemed to justify their relentless abuse, and for many made it all the more amusing.
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Bernie Ecclestone is completely out of touch or in denial. I remember seeing a photo of this in the papers at the time. These individuals at the Barcelona racetrack were blacked up and were holding a placard saying "Hamilton's familly" (wrong spelling). Surely this can't be interpreted as a jovial impersonation of Lewis himself, or dressing up like him for a bit of misguided fun - it was aimed at his family and was therefore clearly racist in tone. Ecclestone should have known this so his comments yesterday were indefensible.
Sean, Southampton.
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Bernie Ecclestone YOU ARE A MUPPET
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