25/04/2008 12:58

Barcelona - Formula One's governing body, the FIA, launched a subdued anti-racism campaign on Thursday at the same track where Spanish fans taunted driver Lewis Hamilton.

FIA unveiled the "Everyrace" campaign in response to the racist abuse directed at the McLaren driver during winter testing at Barcelona on 2 February.

Widely publicised photographs showed a group of people in the Catalunya circuit stands wearing dark face-paint with T-shirts displaying the slogan: "Hamilton's Family."

The anti-racism campaign was launched after the FIA agreed with the Spanish Automobile Federation's assessment that the incident was "not at all representative of the thousands of people who enjoy a convivial atmosphere and the spectacle offered by motorsport."

Hamilton, who has a black father and a white mother, said he doesn't expect any problems this weekend.

"It's good to see all the other drivers supporting it as well," he said.

Skin colour

Spanish drivers Fernando Alonso and Pedro De La Rosa of McLaren were surprised by news of the campaign.

"I was not aware of this campaign," said Alonso, who has always maintained the fans were not taunting Hamilton over his skin colour. "This weekend, and always, it has always been OK and everyone will be able to see."

FIA president Max Mosley was not in Barcelona to endorse the plan. Mosley's future is in jeopardy after a British tabloid reported that the 68-year-old Briton engaged in sex acts with five prostitutes in London that involved Nazi role-playing.

"One thing that most attracted me to motorsport was that nobody cared about your background, race, gender or religion; all that mattered was how quick you were," Mosley said in a statement for the anti-racism programme.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said earlier this year that the Spanish incidents were blown out of proportion and that he wanted to meet the alleged racists this weekend.

"The sport is all about a driver's ability and this will never have anything to do with their race or the colour of their skin," Ecclestone said.

World champion Kimi Räikkönen and Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa of Brazil were among several F1 drivers and team leaders who joined in the anti-racism plan.