Lewis Hamilton finally put an end to his brawl with the FIA on Friday. The Briton was seen without his nose stud during the practice session to avoid the possibility of a race ban at his home circuit. The FIA has strictly imposed the long-standing jewelry rule since the start of the 2022 season.
The jewelry regulation prohibits drivers from wearing any kind of jewelry item in the cockpit while racing. Hamilton defied the rule and was handed a fine in the first three races before rumors about a possible ban began to stir up. The seven-time world champ removed his earring during the Miami GP. He claimed that his nose stud was welded in and required a surgical procedure to be removed.
In response, the F1 governing body gave Hamilton a two-race exemption, which was extended until the end of June. However, Lewis continued to insist that the FIA had bigger fishes to fry. Moreover, he continued to disagree with the governing body’s orders. After his exemption ended on Thursday, Hamilton was seen with his nose stud during the pre-race media conference. However, the FIA confirmed to the PA agency that Lewis took out the nose stud for the opening act of the Silverstone weekend.
The Briton was required to meet with the stewards before the Friday practice. And if Lewis had failed to comply with the jewelry rule, he could have faced harsh consequences. The stewards could have handed him a reprimand, fine, docking of championship points, or a suspension for breaching the regulations. Fortunately, the Mercedes driver came to an understanding with the FIA. He got his nose stud removed to put an end to the controversy finally.
Hamilton Urges FIA To Focus On Bigger Issues
Hamilton has commented earlier that the FIA took a backward step by making a mole out of a petty issue. On Thursday, Hamilton said that the unnecessary spat was the people’s focus with all the things going on in the world. Lewis expressed his worries and commented that the FIA had bigger fish to fry and focus on more important areas. The British driver further assures that he had been working with the FIA and would race this weekend. He added, “The matter is not massively important. So, I will work with Mohammed and his team to progress forward.”
Speaking to the PA news agency on Thursday, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff claimed that his team’s main objective was to eliminate the controversy. The former Austrian racer said that Mercedes know it is a safety concern for drivers, and Lewis understands it. Wolff admitted that the FIA has compromised thus far. He hoped that the dialogue would continue and no further controversy would surface this weekend. Toto concluded, “That is going to go away. Then we discuss wedding bands, nose piercings, and the implications on drivers’ safety.”