But F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone dismisses fans' behaviour as a 'joke'
Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone caused outrage after branding racist behaviour aimed at Lewis Hamilton as just a 'joke'.
Spanish spectators with blacked up faces and afro wigs taunted the world champion. Some fans even branded him a ‘half-breed’.
But Bernie, 78, dismissed it as unimportant. ‘That was probably meant in the beginning as a joke rather than anything abusive,’ he says. 'I think people look and read into things that are not there. I think all those things were a bit of a joke.
'In Spain, people were supporting Alonso and in Sao Paulo they were supporting Felipe. I don't think it's anything to do with racism.'
Lewis, 23, says it upset him but he's determined not to let the controversy detract from his victory.
'I didn't see it as a joke,’ he tells the Daily Mail. ‘But it is in the past. What's more important to me is that I had a lot of support, especially from UK fans.
'It makes me very proud.'
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