[Lissa]

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has played down the racism row surrounding Lewis Hamilton, insisting it has been blown out of proportion.

The newly-crowned world champion was abused during pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya, near Barcelona, in February.

Some spectators were pictured mocking Hamilton by wearing wigs, dark make-up and t-shirts with the slogan 'Hamilton's Family'.

And in the run up to last weekend's pivotal Brazilian Grand Prix, hundreds of abusive messages were posted on a website in Spain, many of them racist.

However, Ecclestone today moved to defuse the row.

"I think it's all nonsense," he told BBC Radio Five Live. "In Spain people were supporting (Fernando) Alonso and in Sao Paolo they were supporting Felipe (Massa).

"I don't think it was anything to do with racism.

"There were a few people in Spain and that was probably beginning as a joke rather than anything abusive.

"I think people look and read into things that are not there. All those things are all a bit of a joke and people are entitled to support who they want to support.

"I don't see why people should have been (insulted by it). These things are people expressing themselves."


So, what would he have considered racist then? Placards saying 'Hamilton is a nigger'? I have never wanted to give the tw*t a slap more than I do right now!

Apologies for the 'N' word, by the way. A word I hate, and have only used as an example of dreadful racism.