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Spain not a racist country, Alonso says

Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso sits in his car while engineers work on it in the pits during a training session at the Catalonia race track in Montmelo near Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

Fernando Alonso rejected claims that Formula One fans in Spain are racist after former teammate Lewis Hamilton was subjected to racist taunts.

Hamilton, F1's first black driver, was abused by spectators shouting racist slurs and wearing dark makeup, black wigs and T-shirts saying "Hamilton's Family" at the Montmelo circuit on Feb. 2.

"This is not a racist country," Alonso said on Wednesday. "This was an isolated thing -- and the less it is talked about, the better. There were people enjoying Carnival and look what happened. They call me a dog and no one comes out in my defense."

Governing body FIA is investigating the incident and will launch an anti-racism campaign.

"I don't think we need an anti-racist campaign like FIA want to organize for the Grand Prix at Barcelona," Alonso said.

Although Hamilton was saddened by the abuse, the McLaren driver said on Monday he had "moved on" from the incident.

Following a second day of Formula One testing at Montmelo cut short by rain on Wednesday, Alonso was frank about his Renault team's expectations for this year's championship.

"We're well behind. We're not in any condition to do anything with McLaren, Ferrari or BMW Sauber. We're on the same level as Williams and Red Bull," Alonso said at his first news conference since he returned to Renault in November. "But all can change very quickly. Ferrari is favorite, but is not out of this world."

The two-time world champion said this is what he expected when he left McLaren to sign with the French team, with which he won back-to-back drivers' championships in 2005 and 2006.

He stopped short of ruling himself out of the championship race.

"Michael Schumacher won world titles with Benetton and then went five seasons without winning anything with Ferrari," Alonso said. "That is what F1 holds."
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