http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/64959

More evidence that the sudden surge of popularity of F1 in Spain is fueled by morons who know nothing about the sport and have no respect for the teams or the drivers. I feel bad for the true fans in Spain, because people doing this sort of thing are giving them a bad name, and thats totally unfair.

It is good to see the track owners are doing something about it, and I hope the FIA are taking note of it too considering we have 2 Spanish tracks to go to. What happens if Hamilton is leading the championship with Alonso in 2nd when we go there? Will it get to the stage where drivers need bodygaurds at the circuit?!

They'll shut up when they realise that Alonso is MASSIVELY overrated, and even rookie Hamilton (who I don't rate that highly... yet) is quicker than him most of the time. It'll calm down soon when Alonso sometimes fails to get through Q2 Even better is Piquet outpaces him too

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/64959

More evidence that the sudden surge of popularity of F1 in Spain is fueled by morons who know nothing about the sport and have no respect for the teams or the drivers. I feel bad for the true fans in Spain, because people doing this sort of thing are giving them a bad name, and thats totally unfair.

It is good to see the track owners are doing something about it, and I hope the FIA are taking note of it too considering we have 2 Spanish tracks to go to. What happens if Hamilton is leading the championship with Alonso in 2nd when we go there? Will it get to the stage where drivers need bodygaurds at the circuit?!

IMO if there's trouble there then there shouldn't be a spanish GP. If the fans think its suitable to throw stuff at cars costing more than they'll ever earn in a lifetime and potentially put drivers at risk of death, then they shouldn't get the opportunity to.

Such a shame to, I love the spanish tracks.

Quote from mcintyrej :

[...]and potentially put drivers at risk of death,[...]

Erm, 80 km/h in an F1 car is far from dangerous... Could be costly though...

Quote from bbman :

Erm, 80 km/h in an F1 car is far from dangerous... Could be costly though...

If something was thrown and got lodged into a part on the car or broke some aerodynamics without the driver seeing, the car could have because unstable at high speed and ended up in a crash.

Quote from bbman :

Erm, 80 km/h in an F1 car is far from dangerous... Could be costly though...

There's risk it could do damage causing later failure or injure those in the pitlane. Regardless of whether it actually poses a danger or not that kind of behaviour is absolutely unacceptable under any circumstances where the insults and banners are simply annoying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvTrhCPVVLI

its a shame Hamilton hasn't got a Montoyaesque part to his character!

Would you insult a guy who used to box and has a black belt? I sure as hell wouldn't.

Breaking news: sports followers act emotionally at sports event! *gasp

Search for the links with "passionate" Ferrari fans at Monza and Damon Hill death threats at Hockenheim yourself. Until I see something more substantial like a picture of a thrown object lying in the track I'm calling overhyped BS on this story.

Quote :

This included shouting of profanity at Alonso's 2007 teammate Lewis Hamilton, hanging unflattering banners, and even throwing junk towards the McLaren cars as they left for the track.

That reminds me of every Talladega race where Jeff Gordon wins.

Idiots and disrespectful a**es will be prevalent no matter the venture i guess...but what can you do...

Quote from Intrepid :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvTrhCPVVLI

its a shame Hamilton hasn't got a Montoyaesque part to his character!

LAWL montoya

I'm sure it is a bit culture thing too. I mean, on some cultures it is acceptable to "disturb and hassle" your country's opponent on some sport match when in some countries it would be considered shameful or just plain stupid. I think the same thing could have happened if the positions between Olanso and Haemitlon were switched, or something. It is just a small group of idiots...

I wouldn't expect anything from FIA as if the FIA did something they might get less money... which would be totally contradictory to what they... oh damn!

Quote from Hyperactive :

Olanso and Haemitlon

LOL, just because nobody can spell Ryekonen or Kovalynern

Idiots really. Childish hooliganism can stay in and around the football stadiums as far as I'm concerned. Obsolete, pre-historic remains of pack-instinct. An interesting subject tough, hooliganism. Quite interesting to analyse how our ancestors may have acted when out competing with other groups for wildlife and land.

Quote from Jertje :

Childish hooliganism can stay in and around the football stadiums as far as I'm concerned.

It can stay outside of everything as far as I'm concerned.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/64959

More evidence that the sudden surge of popularity of F1 in Spain is fueled by morons who know nothing about the sport and have no respect for the teams or the drivers. I feel bad for the true fans in Spain, because people doing this sort of thing are giving them a bad name, and thats totally unfair.

It is good to see the track owners are doing something about it, and I hope the FIA are taking note of it too considering we have 2 Spanish tracks to go to. What happens if Hamilton is leading the championship with Alonso in 2nd when we go there? Will it get to the stage where drivers need bodygaurds at the circuit?!

Breaking news, brithead fans trying to give lessons on how to act maturely at a sports event...

And if Alonso is overrated, what the hell is Hamilton, which has won nothing yet? Apart from a cocky idiot, I mean.

I was yesterday in Montmelo (Circuit de Catalunya) and it was a small sector of public. Don't worry, the track direction solved the problem closing the "terraces" in front of Mclaren team, (?) where were this people.

The plot thickens.
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/br ... story/0,,-7278442,00.html

Behaving like idiots is one thing. Racism is quite another.

feel sorry for hamilton. I hope he wont give up on such stupid people and still race at his best.

Quote from BurnOut69 :

Breaking news, brithead fans trying to give lessons on how to act maturely at a sports event...

And if Alonso is overrated, what the hell is Hamilton, which has won nothing yet? Apart from a cocky idiot, I mean.

You have it wrong, its the english football fans that are total dicks, not british.

Pretty appalling the way hamilton is being treated though, many people may not like him but theres absolutely no need for the racism.

F1 is turning into football, multi million pound salaries, excessive advertising and 'fans' who dont give a damn about the race and only want a good fight. F1 has got too popular and now it attracts the same kind of thickies that turn up and spoil football matches for everyone, they know nothing about racing itself, its just a good excuse to be abusive and start a war between fans. To be honest its all gone too far, hooliganism is where the line should be drawn.

This kind of thing would never happen in the past when fans and racing drivers alike knew that racing was dangerous and that people could die, and there were races where drivers would battle for lap upon lap. Now the sport is a diluted version of its former self, and in a similar fashion to football, most of the results are now decided off the track/pitch, giving 'so-called 'fans' an excuse to join in by being abusive, how long until we get full scale riots taking place at F1 events and 'firms' like we have (or used to) in English football!

Quote from DeKo :

You have it wrong, its the english football fans that are total dicks, not british.

Pretty appalling the way hamilton is being treated though, many people may not like him but theres absolutely no need for the racism.

I love the way English football fans are seen as public enemy number one these days. They actually locked up most of the hooligans, there isnt a problem anymore. The most recent events I saw involved fans almost being crushed, and when they tried to safe their lifes by climbing the fences they got beaten in the head by riot police. Infact the only racist incident I saw involving English football was when Spanish fans made monkey sounds at the black english players. Compare that to Italy, where people were killed and football was banned for a couple of weeks because of the violence.

Don't get me wrong, I would be just as annoyed if it was British fans being abusive towards Alonso. If they knew the history of F1 and how many people have died racing, they would have more respect for the drivers and wouldn't put them in danger by throwing objects at their cars. I don't think you should stop people shouting stuff like 'Hamilton you arrogant git, watch out for that gravel trap" but throwing objects and being racist should get them banned from the circuit or arrested.

Quote from J.B. :

Breaking news: sports followers act emotionally at sports event! *gasp

Search for the links with "passionate" Ferrari fans at Monza and Damon Hill death threats at Hockenheim yourself. Until I see something more substantial like a picture of a thrown object lying in the track I'm calling overhyped BS on this story.

Agree, I also feel ashamed of those individual people but it's stupid to make a country connection, that headline only seeks to catch attention.

There's two kind of fans: sport fans and popularity fans, and that doesn't come with the country or sport. So talking about Spain or Alonso is just pointless.

Quote from zeugnimod :

It can stay outside of everything as far as I'm concerned.

In a sensible world, yes. However you and I both know that it's not going to happen anytime soon, so it might as well be limited.

Isn't de la Rosa still a Mclaren test driver? So they're a practically aimed against their driver's team.

Quote from tonix :

Isn't de la Rosa still a Mclaren test driver? So they're a practically aimed against their driver's team.

Oh come on! Don't spoil their little world with logic!