Lewis Hamilton has insisted that he will be taking part in this weekend’s British Grand Prix despite initial fears that he could be prevented from racing due to the FIA’s firm stance on drivers wearing jewellery when behind the wheel. The 37-year-old has been embroiled in a row over the topic since this year’s Miami Grand Prix, when motorsport’s governing body decided to start enforcing the rule despite it already having been in place for almost 20 years.
The FIA gave Hamilton a deadline to remove his nose stud which is set to expire at Silverstone, sparking rumours that he could be prevented from taking part in his home race if he fails to comply with the organisation’s demands. It seems as though Hamilton is finally set to play ball, though, after confirming his participation in this year’s British Grand Prix by dismissing the idea of a potential ban.
“I will be racing this weekend,” Hamilton is quoted as saying by Reuters. The Mercedes driver went on to question whether his view on wearing jewellery should be the main talking point at Silverstone ahead of other important topics before reaffirming his desire to liaise with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in order to find a solution that suits all parties.
“It’s kind of crazy to think that with everything that’s going on in the world that is the focus of people,” he said. “We’ve got so much bigger fish to fry.
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“I’m vegan so I don’t fry fish, but you know. We’ve really got to start focusing on other more important areas.
“I will be working with the FIA. I would say the matter is not particularly massively important, I will work with Mohammed and his team so we can progress forwards.”
Hamilton is not the only driver on the F1 grid to wear jewellery on a regular basis but is certainly the most high-profile and it has been suggested by many onlookers that he is being specifically targeted by the FIA’s hardline view on the subject this season. His former team-mate Jenson Button has already sided with the governing body, though, by pointing out the safety concerns posed by wearing earrings and nose studs in the cockpit.
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“It is not just what happens at the circuit, it is when they take the crash helmet off, is it going to pull on the ear and then the marshal feels bad that he’s hurt you,” Button told Sky Sports at the Miami Grand Prix back in May.
“Or, it could be if you are taken to the hospital and they have to do an x-ray or an MRI, you can’t have metal in your face either. It is a tricky one and it is weird we are talking about it.
“There are so many things to talk about in motorsport and F1 at the moment and we are talking about that.”
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