FIA puts Hamilton in a tight spot: strict controls on piercings and jewelry

New F1 Race Direction

With Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas as new race directors, you can always expect a new direction. People are pleased with the work of Michael Masi's replacements, but the eye for small things already caught Lewis Hamilton's eye. He doesn't understand why F1 is bothered about small things like jewellery and already joked with Max Verstappen about his nipple piercing.

What is at stake is an existing rule. Drivers have not been allowed to wear jewellery in the car for years, but the previous race directors never really bothered about it. There was no control over it. Wittich let it be known in the Events Notes prior to the Australian Grand Prix that more attention would be paid to this.

No more jewellery for Hamilton

Hamilton subsequently let it be known that he would just keep his piercings in and has kept that promise. According to him, he has piercings that he simply cannot remove. The question is what will happen now because the FIA has included in an amendment to the Scrutineering Declaration Form that jewellery is now part of the standard check at a team.

In the document of the FIA, the race director points especially to safety. In addition to jewellery, there would also be an emphasis on fireproof undergarments, which must also be worn. If jewellery is under this, it would reduce the effect of fireproof clothing. After the incident with Romain Grosjean, the FIA is more apprehensive about this and Wittich and Freitas put it through in the regulations.