The FIA has threatened ’sanctions’ if the racist abuse directed at McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton at Barcelona this weekend is repeated at other Spanish tests.

An FIA spokesman told autosport.com: “The FIA is surprised and disappointed at the abuse directed at Lewis Hamilton.

“Abuse of this kind is a clear breach of the principles enshrined in the FIA statutes and any repetition will result in serious sanctions.”

Sometimes the FIA do pleasantly surprise me - and here is one case where they acted swiftly and appropriately.