Formula 1 News - February, 2008
Massa, de la Rosa, play down racism scandal

Feb.12 (GMM) Felipe Massa has played down the racism scandal involving Lewis Hamilton as an overblown war between the British and Spanish press.

The Brazilian driver, who did not attend the Barcelona test because Ferrari was preparing to run for six days in Bahrain, told La Gazzetta dello Sport that the reported instances of racial abuse against Hamilton by spectators was "ugly".

"But I have not fully understood what went on," Massa said, "apart from the fact that it was a war between the Spanish newspapers and the British ones."

Massa, who is 26, says he did not believe everything that was reported by the media about the events at the Circuit de Catalunya.

"In my opinion formula one is different (from other sports); we have big fights, but always in the correct way, and this is also true of the fans," he added.

McLaren test driver and Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa, meanwhile, objects to the portrayal in the media of Spain as a racist nation.

"The Spanish fans are educated and peaceful people," he told the Spanish daily Diario AS.

"So much has been said about this issue. The important thing for me is that at the next test it can be demonstrated that all drivers are treated with respect, which has always been the case," de la Rosa added.

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