Obviously you can't judge an entire group by the actions of a few of its members. Especially if those few act in a way that is blatantly ignorant, and hopefully against the ideals of the majority of the group. In any case, F1 fans can't be pleased with the way that some of their brethren treated Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona.
"Lewis Hamilton says he expected a backlash from Spanish Formula One fans following his falling-out with former team-mate Fernando Alonso, but he has been shocked by the level of abuse he received on Saturday.
The McLaren driver, 23, was subjected to racist comments and was faced with a group of spectators wearing wigs, dark make-up and t-shirts with the slogan 'Hamilton's Family' on the front during pre-season testing near Barcelona. And although the Briton insisted he still loves being in Spain, he admitted he was not prepared for what occured at the Circuit de Catalunya, in Montmelo."
Apparently, fans of Fernando Alonso believe that Hamilton cost him a shot at winning a third straight F1 world title last year. Instead of booing him, or crafting a witty sign displaying their dislike, they decided to dress up in full-on blackface and yell racist remarks. As if that would somehow cause Hamilton's driving skills to suffer, and make them look like genius superfans. It sure made them look like something, but I don't think "genius" is the right word.
And all this time I thought that NASCAR would be the racing league with fans most likely to overtly display some type of racism. Who knew that the open-wheel guys and gals would venture into that territory? Actually, the saddest part is that it looks like the parents have encouraged their child to participate, and that should draw the ire of more than just the F1 fans.
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