pathetic spanish "fans"

[Craig.]

And I hesitate to call them that to be honest.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64969

I know there have been instances in the past of serious dislike and poor actions on the part of some, mainly british fans towards Schumi, and German fans towards Hill.
But never has it got to the point as bad as it is in Spain. But I suppose considering that this is the country who seem proud of their racist ways in football we shouldn't be shocked.
I would be at all upset of barcelona was removed from the calender. Pleanty of other tracks to take its place, Indy for one.

The irony of it all is, the Spanish didn't even care about F1 up until 2 years ago. With the exception of a very small group, no-one in Spain has been watching the sport long enough to even call themself a fan.

[C]

Sadly this is probably a legacy of a state which may not have entirely escaped the nasty shackles of its past (pre-1976 when that Franco chap was around).

It would be nice to see the FIA take action (oh, wait a minute, Spain's got 2 GPs now!), rather than ponce about like FIFA have with racism and violence in football on mainland Europe - particularly in the mediterranean and east. English footie fans have been branded hooligans for years - yet how many murders do you hear of at English matches (ie, nil), compared to say Italy or Turkey?

[expat]

Just like the football authorities (unless it is punishing English fans) the FIA will do absolutely nothing (unless it is punishing English teams). They will release a couple of statements about F1 and the FIA not tolerating this sort of thing, but more than that you have a greater chance of Max stepping down this week, retiring to a Caribbean  island with a couple of playboy bunnies and snorting coke on a beach for the rest of his natural.
There is too much money to be made in Spain with 2 GP's on the calender.

Matt

[ozzy72]

Alas prejudice exists everywhere and the growing tide of nationalism as a protest against conformism and the EU seems to be on the rise.
It rarely has anything to do with the sport concerned and everything to do with morons using something as an excuse to behave in a manner that makes neanderthal man look like the epitome of sophistication.

[The Ruptured Duck]

They're getting a bit too proud over there.

I like how international news sources will quote obcene comments directly, instead of saying "the f-word."  Putting "the f-word" in a US newspaper would end badly.

[expat]

They're getting a bit too proud over there.

I like how international news sources will quote obcene comments directly, instead of saying "the f-word."  Putting "the f-word" in a US newspaper would end badly.

Yes, the morel minority would go to town on that one.............however, how much more tax would you pay if it was not for the IRS raking in the porn dollar  ;D Some things are OK when not spoken about, others are a big no no even when describing actual events/wording.

Matt

[ozzy72]

We British are no better. I remember on the RAC Rally some years back and British fans pushed a tree stump onto the track to slow down Carlos Sainz so Colin McRae would win easily
What about US fans pelting the F1 track with cans?
Basically as long as we have uneducated idiots we'll have prejudice...

[The Ruptured Duck]

We British are no better. I remember on the RAC Rally some years back and British fans pushed a tree stump onto the track to slow down Carlos Sainz so Colin McRae would win easily
What about US fans pelting the F1 track with cans?
Basically as long as we have uneducated idiots we'll have prejudice...

HEY!  Give us a break , we got hosed because of stupid Michilin.  At least we didn't call schumi a nazi or something, or coultard a lobsterback.  I have no doubt that the Britains, Germans, or Italians would do the same thing if they were in the same position

But yes, there are alot of dedicated idiots out there

[TSC.]

Have to agree with Oz on this, we Brits are no better - I remember Shumacher's fan club motorhome getting a good pasting at Silverstone, coincidentally the year after Schumi won his first world title by driving into Damon Hill.

I suggest Lewis shrugs it off & then goes & looks at his newly signed

[expat]

[quote]Have to agree with Oz on this, we Brits are no better - I remember Shumacher's fan club motorhome getting a good pasting at Silverstone, coincidentally the year after Schumi won his first world title by driving into Damon Hill.

I suggest Lewis shrugs it off & then goes & looks at his newly signed

[TSC.]

There seems to be no correlation to background or position in society as to whether you act like a retard at a sporting event.

Couldn't agree more, I'm a perfectly reasonable person, but I get headbutted in the chest once by Zin

[C]

Have to agree with Oz on this, we Brits are no better - I remember Shumacher's fan club motorhome getting a good pasting at Silverstone, coincidentally the year after Schumi won his first world title by driving into Damon Hill.

He did something to deserve it though...

[ozzy72]

Alas with all the money in sport there is very little time for sportsmanship.
I think this could well be what offends English sensibility.
As for The German... no comment. The wife was a fan but I viewed his tactics as no better than Prost or Senna. That wasn't racing just thuggery in cars for people with egos the size of continental plates ::)
As for the education issue, academic qualifications mean nowt. I was talking about things like dragging them around Auschwitz and the like to show them just what petty prejudice does I well remember my visit to Belsen whilst based in W.Germany as a young hooligan in uniform and it changed me in ways I could never have imagined.
People like this either need this sort of education or to be subjected to the same sort of prejudices they inflict on others till they learn just how wrong this sort of thing is.