Bernie Ecclestone on Hamilton

kraftwerk · Nov 6, 2008

Bernie Ecclestone has played down the extent to which Lewis Hamilton was racially abused by fans in Spain, when they painted themselves black and wore wigs.

We spoke to the President and CEO of F1 on Breakfast this morning - and asked about Hamilton's amazing achievement in only his second season.

We also asked for his views on the stick Hamilton has taken from his fellow drivers and from the fans, especially the racial abuse he suffered in Spain.

Alas another about turn from Hecklestone. I smell a rat, one that may hurt his elephant sized wallet.

Listen or read more here .. from 5live http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/fivelivebreakfast/2008/11/bernie_ecclestone_on_hamilton.html

kraftwerk · Nov 6, 2008

Just as a matter of interest, does the link work, to the radio broadcast, outside the UK...?

greg328 · Nov 6, 2008

Yep, works fine here in Texas!

kraftwerk · Nov 6, 2008

greg328 said: ↑

Yep, works fine here in Texas!
Click to expand...

Thanks..

Anthony_Ferrari · Nov 7, 2008

I heard this live yesterday morning as I was driving to work and I was hitting the steering wheel in frustration. The man clearly does not live in the real world. Surely it would have been better for him to say that it was a minority of 'fans' and that F1 took swift action to stop it happening again. To say it wasn't a rascist attack and just a joke makes him look like such an idiot! It was being debated on the radio as I drove home from work and the subject of female F1 drivers came up. Luckily the people on the radio didn't know enough about Bernie so the quote from Bernie about women being kept in the kitchen with the other domestic appliances didn't come up!

kraftwerk · Nov 7, 2008

Anthony_Ferrari said: ↑

I heard this live yesterday morning as I was driving to work and I was hitting the steering wheel in frustration. The man clearly does not live in the real world. Surely it would have been better for him to say that it was a minority of 'fans' and that F1 took swift action to stop it happening again. To say it wasn't a rascist attack and just a joke makes him look like such an idiot! It was being debated on the radio as I drove home from work and the subject of female F1 drivers came up. Luckily the people on the radio didn't know enough about Bernie so the quote from Bernie about women being kept in the kitchen with the other domestic appliances didn't come up!
Click to expand...

+1 My thoughts exactly ...

Anthony_Ferrari · Nov 7, 2008

from http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=36536

Ecclestone finds himself at centre of racism row

07/11/2008

There are times when Bernie Ecclestone should bite his lip and say nothing or at least follow the (political) herd and use a spokesman to express himself.

In an age when drivers are forever shadowed by (team) PR people, armed with tape-recorders and instructed to ensure that their charge doesn't say anything remotely controversial and that he isn't misquoted, Bernie, like David Coulthard, can be a source of fresh air, with his off-the-cuff one-liners. However, the F1 Supremo is from a different era, an age when political correctness didn't leave one forever walking on eggshells, running scared of offending one section of society or another.

Much like the Duke of Edinburgh, Ecclestone has a knack of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, for example, his comments, following Alain Prost's (second) retirement from the sport about the "natural culling" of drivers. Then there was the furore - when asked about the possibility of a woman racing in F1 - when he responded; "women should be dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances."

Ecclestone has a quick wit, but these are different times, and he should know that the merest (perceived) slight can result in disaster, leaving politicians, senior policemen, actors, pop stars and broadcasters fighting for survival, and usually losing.

Ecclestone's comment that the episode in Barcelona this year, and the subsequent racist comments on a Spanish website, were a joke, has sparked the anticipated furore, with at least one organization calling for him to resign.

Former footballer Paul Elliot, an ambassador for Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE), was quick to hit out at Ecclestone, telling the British media: "The comments are shameful and disgraceful. Lewis Hamilton has made a colossal contribution to the country and the sport, and the sport has a duty of care to protect him and his family.

"Bernie Ecclestone is not fit to be in that environment and he should resign," he added. "There has to be zero tolerance. However successful Ecclestone is, it is clear he is out of touch with the 21st century. It is totally out of order, unacceptable and he should move over."

Ecclestone, sensing that the situation could well snowball, fuelled by a sensationalist media, politicized agitators with their own agendas, and a constant desire to look for the very worst in everyone and everything, was quick to react, telling The Times: "I was the one who pulled the Grand Prix out of South Africa in support of Nelson Mandela because of bloody apartheid before these people knew anything about racism."

Referring to the famous incident in Barcelona earlier this year, he added: "I said to the promoters in Barcelona, 'Let me go and get the people that blacked their faces up and bring them into the paddock and introduce them to Lewis and then see what they've got to say.' But the police said, 'Don't do it.' I personally was going to get them."

There is absolutely no doubt that Ecclestone was not condoning what happened, and he certainly wasn't saying it was funny, he was merely expressing his opinion, and that was that (in his opinion) the Barcelona incident, and the notorious website postings were not as sinister as some make out. Whether he is right or wrong is not important at this time, what is important is that he was not condoning what happened or making light of it.

Sadly, in this day and age one has to be ultra-careful of everything one says, certainly when it comes to the age-old taboo subjects of race, religion, politics and sex.

As we celebrate a wonderful end to the 2008 World Championship let's not allow anyone, inside or outside the sport, to spoil things, to put F1 back in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

There are quite a few reasons to knock Bernie, but this certainly isn't one of them. He made a (silly) comment, that some will probably misinterpret for their own agendas, but let's not twist it out of all proportion.

Article from Pitpass (http://www.pitpass.com):

Published: 07/11/2008
Copyright © Pitpass 2002 - 2008. All rights reserved.
Click to expand...

I very rarely disagree with anything on Pitpass. I think they are wrong here though. I don't think this should be a resigning issue, but I think that by downplaying the seriousness of the incident Bernie has caused offence.

SrfCity · Nov 7, 2008

The guy needs to let a proper PR firm handle the questions.

TheBigEasy · Nov 7, 2008

It's not Bernie's fault, that's a cultural issue in Spain.

Isn't it Spain that is notorious for fans making monkey sounds and throwing bananas at African members of even their own football (soccer) teams?

kraftwerk · Nov 7, 2008

So he won't mind fans dressing up as gnomes then!

I'd prefer a PornoMax theme myself....afterall it's just joking..

Conversations

Alerts

Bernie Ecclestone on Hamilton

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

greg328 F1 Rookie

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

Anthony_Ferrari Formula 3

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

Anthony_Ferrari Formula 3

SrfCity F1 World Champ

TheBigEasy F1 World Champ
Consultant

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

Share This Page

Bernie Ecclestone on Hamilton

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

greg328 F1 Rookie

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

Anthony_Ferrari Formula 3

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

Anthony_Ferrari Formula 3

SrfCity F1 World Champ

TheBigEasy F1 World Champ Consultant

kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

Share This Page

TheBigEasy F1 World Champ
Consultant