AN aircraft steward who worked for McLaren racing boss Ron Dennis accused the multi-millionaire of being racist, a Southampton employment tribunal heard today.

Peter Boland, 27, who was sacked by Mr Dennis in May 2007, said the tycoon had said as he boarded his luxury executive jet in the Middle East that he must wash his hands because he had been ''shaking hands with Arabs all day''.

Mr Boland, from Stowmarket in Suffolk, is alleging discrimination and victimisation due to sexual orientation at the hearing in Southampton.

He has accused three companies controlled by Mr Dennis called McLaren Group Limited, Absolute Taste and Greyscape of the offences.

The companies and Mr Dennis deny the allegations.

Reading out his claims, Mr Boland, who is representing himself, said during the hearing that Mr Dennis had often been ''insensitive'' to Arab business associates by offering them drinks they had already declined.

But then he said: ''Ron's cultural insensitivity was further shown on another trip to the Middle East.

''He came onboard and was offered a drink. Ron said he did not want a drink. Ron said he wanted to go to the bathroom to wash his hands because he had been shaking hands with Arabs all day.''

Mr Boland, who earned £32,000 a year, said he was surprised at the comment but added: ''It was not for me to point out these gaffes at the time.''

Mr Boland said he had been a model employee in the five years he was in the employ of Greyscape, only taking a holiday for more than a week on two occasions and being ''on call 24/7, 365''.

He had even worked when he should have been at an important family reunion, the hearing was told.

The Hong Kong-born steward said it was his job to look after the Challenger 604 jet that he said was Mr Dennis' most precious possession.

Lifting the lid on the world of high-class international business travel, Mr Boland said that the aircraft had white silk carpet that forced passengers to remove their shoes, highly polished silver leaf work surfaces and high-quality food and drink.

The Imperial College engineering graduate said that he had discussed with Mr Dennis his future on several occasions with promises of a management position and it was ''an honour and a privilege'' to work for the businessman.

But during his evidence he said that he had been chastised by Mr Dennis in front of a business associate called Sheikh Mohammed in April 2007 when he nodded off on a flight.

He told the hearing that Mr Dennis said: ''If I'm not up to the job I should just quit. If I cannot make the standards I should resign and if I was unwell I should have requested a replacement.''

Mr Boland said he had been unwell with a cold and the medication had made him drowsy and he nodded off in a jumpseat. He said he had written to Mr Dennis explaining this and asking for meeting to find out how he could improve his work.

He said he worked long hours for the company and had been trusted to look after Mr Dennis' daughter Charlotte's 18th birthday party on a yacht in Cannes and other high-profile events that were extra to his job as a steward.

He also claimed that one staff member of Absolute Taste had spread a rumour he was gay in March 2005.

''I was propositioned by two Absolute Taste employees who said it was a common and widespread belief in Absolute Taste that I was gay,'' he told the hearing.

''They had been told by their line manger Katie Fryer. Having to explain I was not gay was extremely embarrassing for all concerned but it did explain other behaviour from staff.''

Mr Boland said that Mr Dennis had been pleased with his work and had bought him ski equipment for Christmas when he was in Colorado.

He said he had been personally asked for by the businessman who had seen his work while he was employed by an agency as a student.

But in May 2007 he was fired at the McLaren headquarters in Woking when Mr Dennis said he ''lacked passion''.

Mr Boland said he burst into tears at the news and wrote Mr Dennis a letter to seek another chance.

He claimed that Mr Dennis said he could take the easy ''compromise agreement'' or go to a tribunal where he would use his vast resources and Mr Boland would look bad.

At a preliminary hearing last year Mr Boland claimed he was sacked because fellow staff thought he was gay.

He said Mr Dennis treated him ''dramatically'' differently after word went round the company he was homosexual.

Mr Boland's then-lawyer Andrew Allen told the hearing that before the rumours spread he got on well with his boss.

Jane Mulcahy, representing the companies, told that hearing that Mr Boland was sacked after he fell asleep on the plane while on duty and was also rude.

The case was adjourned until tomorrow.