Lewis Hamilton backed down from a sensational threat to skip this weekend’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix over the FIA’s new ban on jewellery on Friday after motorsports’ governing body granted him a two-race exemption to remove certain items.
Hamilton, who has always worn jewellery while driving, insisted earlier in the day that he had at least two piercings which he “could not remove”. And he added that if the FIA insisted on a complete ban then his team had a reserve driver ready to stand in. “There’s lots to do in the city anyway so it will be good either way,” Hamilton said.
However, following crisis talks between the team and new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Hamilton agreed to remove all of the jewellery which he was able to. He still had his nose stud visible as he headed out to first practice but his earrings were gone.
The FIA in turn has granted Hamilton what amounts to a two-race exemption to remove those items which he says he cannot “remove”. It is understood that if he has not done so by Monaco then he could be subject to some form of penalty.
To the surprise of many in the sport, Ben Sulayem, who replaced the old FIA president Jean Todt last December, has made jewellery one of the major battlegrounds of his early tenure.
The FIA warned drivers in Australia earlier this month that they had to remove all jewellery and piercings – to which Hamilton responded that they would “have to cut his ear off” – and the sport’s governing body has now mandated it in Miami, saying checks would form part of pre-race scrutineering. Hamilton suggested that might prove awkward as one of his pieces of jewellery was in a sensitive place on his body.
“I really don’t know,” Hamilton admitted when asked how the issue might resolve itself. “As I said, I can’t remove at least two of them. One I can’t really explain where it is. But what I can say is it’s platinum that I have, so it’s not magnetic. It’s never been a safety issue in the past. I’ve worn [jewellery] for 16 years, had so many MRI scans and not had to take out the platinum, for example, because it’s not been an issue.
“If they stop me then so be it. We’ve got a spare driver. So we’re well prepped for the weekend. There’s lots to do in the city anyway so it will be good either way.”
Formula 1’s rule makers argue that metal jewellery is a hazard in the case of a fire. But Hamilton said that he would be prepared to sign a waiver absolving the FIA of any responsibility should an accident befall him.