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F1 leader Hamilton subjected to racist abuse

  • Story Highlights
  • Spanish Web site directs racist comments and taunting images at Hamilton
  • Motorsport authorities have condemned the site and its thousands of postings
  • Hamilton suffered racist abuse during testing at Barcelona earlier in the year
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Neale Graham
For CNN
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Thousands of racist messages have been left on a Spanish Web site targeting Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton is preparing for his title showdown with Felipe Massa at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Other entries contained obscenities and called for Hamilton to die in his car.

It is the not first time Spanish fans have targeted the Englishman with racist taunts.

During a test at Barcelona earlier in the year some local fans, upset about Hamilton's relationship at McLaren with Spanish hero Fernando Alonso during the 2007 season, expressed their anger in ugly scenes.

The hate campaign against him has re-emerged on a voodoo-style Web site, with a title which translates as "burst Hamilton's tires."

Visitors are asked to place images of pins, nails and porcupines on the Interlagos circuit to prevent F1's first black competitor from finishing the race.

The Web site was launched during last year's supposed fall-out between Hamilton and Alonso, but new messages have been added in recent days as the 23-year-old looks to steal Alonso's record as F1's youngest champion.

Hamilton and Felipe Massa are battling to become this season's world champion at the final race in Brazil on Sunday.

The FIA, motorsport's governing body, had launched an anti-racism initiative on the back of the scenes in Barcelona in February.

An FIA spokesman said: "The FIA's position is very clear: discrimination and prejudice have no place in sport and society. Everybody in our sport will join us in condemning these abusive, hateful comments."

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