Ecclestone angers Hamilton over race

The sheen from Lewis Hamilton's (pictured) victory in the Formula 1 Championships at the weekend has been sullied by a dramatic difference of opinion between the head of the sport, Bernie Ecclestone, and the 23-year-old driver. When asked on Thursday about the racist taunts Hamilton received from Spanish fans at the grand prix in Madrid - some of them blacked-up their faces and called Hamilton a "half-breed" - Ecclestone dismissed it as "a bit of a joke". He said: "That was probably meant in the beginning as a joke rather than anything abusive. I think people look and read into things that are not there. I think all those things were a bit of a joke. I don't think it's anything to do with racism."

That is definitely not how Hamilton saw it. Responding to Ecclestone's remarks, he said: "I didn't see it as a joke. I know Bernie and have a lot of respect from him. I can only assume he said [a lot of other] positive things."

But he didn't. Not really. Ecclestone, 78, added that he did not know why the majority of the public were uncomfortable with the Spanish crowd's behaviour, adding: "I don't see why they should have been. Do you remember the Ferrari guys all wore the red wigs somewhere when they won? This is people expressing themselves."

At the event, held in August, spectators had shouted "black shit" and "black whore" at the driver during testing in Barcelona. In addition to blackened faces, some fans turned up in Afro wigs and wore T-shirts with the slogan "Hamilton's family" written on them.