The Spanish media has united in its condemnation of the racist insults aimed at Britain's Lewis Hamilton by spectators in Barcelona.
Newspapers compare abuse to soccer hooliganism
The Spanish media has united in its condemnation of the racist insults aimed at Lewis Hamilton by spectators during a pre-season test in Barcelona.
A columnist for Madrid-based sports newspaper Marca suggested the incidents on Saturday had the hallmarks of football hooliganism.
Hamilton enjoyed a fractious relationship with Spanish favourite Fernando Alonso at McLaren last season, with Alonso heading for his former team Renault at the end of tyhe season.
The article pointed out: "It has never happened in motorsport, not in golf, not in tennis, not in any other sport, it is something that only happens in football and that says a lot about how they are starting to understand Formula One in Spain.
"Hamilton was booed in an almost fanatical manner every time that he came in or went out of the McLaren pit. The fans situated opposite the headquarters of the British team shouted and howled insults with a racist edge."
Hooligans
El Mundo newspaper also took the hooligan line with their report of the incident, under the headline: "Hamilton, public enemy."
The article read: "The phenomenon of the 'hooligans' has always been a territory almost exclusively for football.
"The Circuit de Catalunya was this weekend the scene of an embarrassing spectacle.
"Far from the glamour of Monte Carlo, some fans of Fernando Alonso took advantage of the opportunity to settle some scores against the McLaren team and especially against the British driver, who they consider is to blame along with (team principal) Ron Dennis for the Asturian (Alonso) not winning his third successive title."
A columnist in sports newspaper AS disagreed with any suggestion that all Spanish Formula One fans were hooligans, pointing out the actions of a minority should not result in everybody being tarred with the same brush.
"Generalisation is a dangerous habit, which often leads to wrong conclusions and is almost always unfair," the columnist wrote.
"Especially because an uncontrolled individual can cause tremendous prejudice against a whole group, as we are used to seeing at many sporting events.
"I feel proud that the Spanish fans, a young crowd when it comes to watching grand prix but an educated one, come out en masse at the training sessions, with the only intention being to have fun, enjoy the show and support their idol, who for many there is just one - Fernando Alonso.
"It's inevitable that, among thousands of people, we find hot-headed and undesirable fans, it is a simple statistic which has no solution whatsoever."
Zero tolerance
Catalonia-based newspaper La Vanguardia called for a "zero tolerance" attitude towards racism and violence at sporting events.
"No to the racism in Montmelo," said the editorial.
"We need to be expedient with racism and remove those who do not know how to maintain their composure or who confuse sporting rivalries with violence.
"With these lunatics, zero tolerance."
