Barcelona Testing (February 1-3)

Kimi going fast in Bahrain ,already under Felipe's last year pole time(1:32.652) :

1. Räikkönen – Ferrari – 1:32.453 (31 tours)

2. Badoer – Ferrari – 1:33.328 (49 tours)

3. Glock – Toyota – 1:33.903 (38 tours)

4. Kobayashi – Toyota – 1:36.205 (25 tours)

marcl Wrote:
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> If that had been there last year alonso would have
> probably taken the lead.

I don't think so, but maybe he would have kept the second place. That part will not be clean so the grip is will not be as good as in the track.

Thats better for kimi as he was not so good there last year.

Its a high grip tarmac and as he have seen in the past drivers find time on them, but he probably would have got a pentaly for it anyway.

Spain's motorsport chiefs have been asked to submit a full report to the FIA on what action they plan to take to prevent a repeat of the racism that marred last weekend's Barcelona Formula One test, with the future of the country's two Grands Prix now hanging in the balance.

The FIA has reacted in the strictest possible way to the events of the test, where fans hurled racial abuse at Lewis Hamilton.

It has demanded a full explanation from Spain's national motorsport association about what happened - and especially what will be done to prevent it occurring again.

The Real Federacion Espanola de Automovilismo (RFEA) must now prepare its response to show that it too is taking the matter seriously.

Although it is not thought that the RFEA has been told what action will be taken if its answers are not satisfactory, it is understood that the situation is being treated gravely by the FIA.

Sources close to the FIA have told autosport.com that this year's Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona and the European Grand Prix at Valencia are now under threat because of what has happened, so keen are the FIA to ensure that racism is not tolerated in motorsport.

Spanish fans are aiming their abuse at McLaren and Hamilton because they feel that former world champion Fernando Alonso was treated unfairly when he drove for the Woking based team last year.

Recent tests have seen an upsurge in critical banners of Hamilton and McLaren, although the events at Barcelona were evidence of a new intensity to the fans' feelings.

Track organisers had to close access to grandstands and erect barriers in the paddock to try and quell the situation.

The racism row has become big news in Britain, with it making the front page of Britain's The Sun on Monday.

Man, that behavior is so disappointing. It's fair enough to attack the drivers and the teams for their actions and performances, but to bring a drivers race into the equation is ridiculous and unacceptable.

I hope they get it sorted.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2008 08:15AM by Razorsedge.

i'd cancel the races. Racism isn't acceptable and the spanish are guilty in the past reguarding sports stars the spanish football coach called theiry henry the n word and refused to apologize. When england played a football friendly over there ashley cole had to face monkey chants, i know its an ignorant minority but if the races are taken away it makes a huge point, to that ignorant minority that the year is 2008 and this isn't acceptable at all.

If they loose the race they will just blame lewis even more.

If those d*cks have to behave like that and be racistic only because Hamilton had better season than their "god", then it would be right to ban all them from other GPs or dropping their own GP off from calendar.

Lol. Im really starting to have racistic opinion about these people and first of all their local media..

Kimi, so, Massa Fernando Sebastian is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?

If they loose the race they will just blame lewis even more.

theres been a huge surge of rasist comments aimed at him during testing what would it be like with a 150,000 strong crowd? if they allow them to have the races they'll have idiots like that turning up if they suspend the races for a year it sends a huge message, and stops it straight away.

Or makes it worse, it did not work in football.

The people will just go to other races.

It should not happen in the 1st place and tbh i am shocked alonso has not said anything. I wonder what reaction alonso will get in britain thats what worries me now.

IWE Wrote:
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> If those d*cks have to behave like that and be
> racistic only because Hamilton had better season
> than their "god"

I'm spanish and i think the same as you.
@Vesuvius: can you tell me where i can find the live information about Ferrari's testing? Thanks

It is worrying and sad that Lewis is getting that kind of abuse from certain Spanish fans, i'm certain that the FIA will put an end to any racist banners and throw out the trouble makers at the two Spanish GPs this season.

I would also like Fernando to speak out against what has been seen in the grandstands during testing but at the same time it is not really his responsiblility to do so but i'm sure he would be highly critical of those "fans" when the press interview him.

According to pitpass some of them are not even F1 or FA supporters

Pitpass.com, which ran the astonishing images, said: “These people are not fans of F1, they are not even fans of Fernando Alonso, for they do neither their hero or their country any good.”

However IMO they shouldnt cancel the spanish races, im really looking forward to the valencia race in particular. I think LH should just ignore them, its not like he can hear them or probably see them whilst racing in his car anyway

Not much can be done to erradicate racism, just temporary measures such as chucking the fans out etc... Racism has been in football for years (unfortunately), but thankfully it has died down. But, there are still minorities in every country and it'll be a very long time before it dissappears, if at all.

All Hamilton has to do is keep a brave face and not react to it, which by the looks of his recent interviews, he has. Good on him too, I say. Can't imagine how hard it must be to keep it cool.

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I'd use this racism as the perfect tool to get rid of the GP at Barcelona and move to Jerez, racism is better there.

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As lewis said himself he enjoys racing in Spain and I don't see why so many people's enjoyment and so much money should be wasted for the actions of an extremely ignorant minority. I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of Spanish people do not agree with the racist behaviour and so security should simply be increased to stop the minority from offending anyone.
The FIA has acted well however in this situation by threatening such severe action immediately and i hope that the threats will be enough to 'drive rascism out of F1'

brunoboi Wrote:
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> 'drive rascism out of F1'

You gave a yourself a pat on your back for that one didn't you Tom

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stupid really. If your gonna voice your opinions, do it with manners. Don't insult the dude. I mean yeah Alonso wasn't treated that great, but it wasn't Hamilton's fault.

I would try my best to ignore it if i were Hamilton. And hopefully he did. I don't think it was best that the fans vented their anger at the wrong person. Its like getting mad at someone and punching a complete bystander in the face.

Good luck F1!
-teh_$L!cerer

The funny thing is that they think they getting to Hamilton. He's gonna get in the car and get the job done. Racism isn't something new with Hamilton. All these guys are doing is making their country look bad.