Dennis: Hamilton will not be distracted

McLaren boss Ron Dennis is adamant nothing will distract his team and Lewis Hamilton from their goal this weekend.

Hamilton was yesterday targeted by racists in Spain who created a voodoo-style website designed to wreck his world title hopes.

Hundreds of racist comments were posted on the site – which in Spanish translated as ’Burst Hamilton’s Tyre’ – that has since been removed, but not before it had received nearly 45,000 hits.

The FIA, the sport’s world governing body, condemned those who had posted messages, insisting that “discrimination and prejudice can have no place in sport or in society.”

And voicing his own criticism, Dennis said: “Throughout your lifetime you experience all sorts of pressure groups across the world who, through freedom of speech, are allowed to express their views.

“You just have to rise above it, and if it was created to disrupt the team or Lewis, it’s not going to do it.

“But it’s not for us to take action against these people, it’s for government and organisations designed to specifically address these issues in this world.

“It’s certainly not for a grand prix team, certainly not McLaren, and we refuse to be drawn into something which is widespread through this world in different ways.

“But it is certainly not going to distract us from our objective, and it is certainly not going to distract Lewis.”

The website was created in the wake of Hamilton’s feud last season with Spanish hero Fernando Alonso.

However, Alonso has joined Dennis in denouncing those responsible and said: “In these days, in 2008, we cannot have these kind of people in our world.

“It’s not only Formula One, not only sport, it’s normal life as well. This is not possible in our days.”