FIA warns for sanctions if racial abuse repeats

Formula One's governing body, the FIA, will not tolerate any racial abuse by the fans and declared that it will take sanctions of the matter is not dealt with. During the Barcelona test session this weekend, Lewis Hamilton was abused by the public and according to the Spanish newspaper 'Marca', the insults had a racial element.

The circuit officials of the Circuit de Catalunya tried their best to respond to the situation. They decided to put up fences around the McLaren area in the paddock and removed all abusive banners from the grandstands. During the weekend, extra security guards had to deal with the fans.

The FIA now wants to ban racial abuse from the grandstands. A spokesman declared to our colleagues at autosport.com: "The FIA is surprised and disappointed at the abuse directed at Lewis Hamilton. Abuse of this kind is a clear breach of the principles enshrined in the FIA statutes and any repetition will result in serious sanctions."

The FIA statutes the spokesperson was referring to state that: "The FIA shall refrain from manifesting racial, political or religious discrimination in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this respect."