The 2022 F1 championship has been surrounded by a series of controversies which has made the racing body question the FIA’s credibility. One such major issue that has centered around Lewis Hamilton is the jewelry rule. The FIA has imposed the age-old jewelry rule, which prohibits the drivers from driving in the race with any kind of jewelry. Meanwhile, Hamilton has donned his signature earrings and nose pin while racing throughout his career. Hence, the Briton openly criticized the FIA’s imposition and suggested the governing body focus on bigger issues. However, the issue became a major talking point during the Miami Grand Prix as Hamilton and FIA reached an agreement that he would remove his earrings.
The FIA gave the seven-time world champ a two-race exemption to get his nose stud surgically removed. However, Lewis did not comply with the FIA’s instructions. His exemption was further extended until the end of June. The exemption will finally end on Thursday. Hence, there is a possibility that Hamilton might be prohibited from racing in Silverstone. If Hamilton chooses not to remove his nose stud during the FP1 on Friday, the Briton could get banned.
Meanwhile, the FIA stewards would have a number of options to respond to Hamilton’s lack of cooperation, including reprimands, fines, and bans. The Briton has spoken openly about the issue, and fans have responded with equal levels of criticism for the FIA. Lewis Hamilton is an F1 legend, and fans feel that the governing body is targeting him after refusing to attend president Mohammed ben Sulayem‘s gala.
Will Hamilton Miss Out British GP?
Lewis Hamilton is not the only driver who wears jewelry during races. Moreover, the jewelry rule was introduced almost 20 years ago. However, none of the FIA management ever took it seriously until the new management pushed for the implementation of the rule keeping safety concerns in mind. Talking after the Miami GP, Hamilton told that FIA’s stance feels like a backward step. The 37-year-old pointed out that the governing body needs to focus on bigger and more important issues. He added, “I think we’ve made such great strides as a sport. But this is such a small thing.”
Although, it seems to be highly unlikely that Hamilton would be banned from participating in his home race. A big crowd will show up this weekend to watch the local hero win once again last year. Thus, if the FIA decides to ban Lewis from Silverstone, they will face widespread anger from the fans. And if the FIA needs to avoid another chaos, they will have to stick to fining the Mercedes driver.