Lewis Hamilton blasts FIA over body piercings crackdown

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. –

Seven-time Formulation One champion Lewis Hamilton protested the FIA’s crackdown on physique piercings Friday by displaying up on the Miami Grand Prix carrying each piece of knickknack he might match on his physique and suggesting he was prepared to take a seat out races over the problem.

Hamilton arrived within the paddock carrying an all-denim outfit with a number of open buttons on his long-sleeved shirt that confirmed no less than 4 stacked necklaces. Hamilton was later seen carrying no less than three watches and with 4 rings on every hand. He additionally has earrings and a nostril ring.

“I could not get any extra jewellery on at the moment,” he mentioned.

The FIA on Thursday tightened its ban on non-regulatory underwear and physique piercings when new race director Niels Wittich issued a bulletin that makes the rule a part of official scrutineering, that means such selections are topic to overview by race officers.

4-time champion Sebastian Vettel mentioned he thought FIA was being petty and questioned if the rule was geared toward Hamilton, the 37-year-old Mercedes driver from Britain. Vettel additionally appeared to take exception to the underwear policing and walked by way of the paddock with a pair of briefs on over his firesuit.

“I feel it’s a bit pointless to blow this matter up and possibly at this stage is extra of a private factor, I really feel a specific method focused to Lewis,” Vettel mentioned. “In a method, there is a concern for security, clearly you probably have stuff and the automotive does catch hearth. To some levels, there’s private freedom and we’re sufficiently old to make our personal selections.”

Hamilton mentioned when he’s within the automotive “I solely have my earrings and my nostril ring, which I can not take away.”

Hamilton mentioned he despatched new FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem a message earlier than arriving on the observe noting the jewellery combat appeared foolish and that “I do not need to combat with you guys, ever.” But additionally sounded ready to carry his floor.

“In the event that they cease me, then so be it,” Hamilton mentioned. “We have got spare drivers prepared and prepped for weekends. There’s plenty of issues happening within the metropolis, anyway, so I will be good both method.”

Not lengthy after that, Hamilton was seen in Mercedes’ hospitality space carrying just one watch and one ring on his arm. By the point he took to the observe for first follow, Mercedes had submitted the required doc to FIA that declared Hamilton had eliminated all the jewellery he might. He is been given a short lived exemption on his piercings.

The governing physique for Formulation One mentioned the first concern is security. It mentioned drivers could also be subjected to checks earlier than competitors as a result of “the carrying of knickknack beneath the required flameproof clothes can cut back the safety afforded by this tools.”

“Metallic objects, akin to jewellery in touch with the pores and skin can cut back warmth transmission safety and thus might improve the chance of burn accidents within the occasion of a hearth,” the FIA wrote. “The carrying of knickknack in the course of the competitors can hinder each medical interventions in addition to subsequent prognosis and remedy ought to or not it’s required following an accident.”

The FIA mentioned jewellery can snag throughout emergency removing from a automotive, and may also complicate or delay medical imaging.

“Within the worst case, the presence of knickknack throughout imaging might trigger additional harm,” the FIA wrote. “Jewellery in and/or across the airway can pose particular further dangers ought to it turn out to be dislodged throughout an accident and both ingested or inhaled.”

Hamilton has been pushing again because the FIA first introduced a possible clampdown and mentioned Friday he would signal a waiver assuming all accountability. He mentioned he has worn his bling whereas competing for 16 years in F1 with out a difficulty, and in addition undergone quite a few medical imaging periods additionally whereas carrying his jewellery.

“It is platinum that I’ve, so it isn’t magnetic. It is by no means been a security concern previously,” Hamilton mentioned. “In 16 years, I’ve had so many MRI scans and never needed to take out the platinum as a result of it isn’t been a straightforward.”