Formula 1’s new race director, Niels Wittich , reminded drivers ahead of the Australian Grand Prix last April that the FIA’s International Sporting Code prohibits wearing jewelry while driving.
The pre-event meeting in Melbourne also stressed that underwear, gloves, socks and balaclavas must be approved by the international federation to meet safety requirements.
These issues are back on the agenda ahead of this weekend’s inaugural Miami GP, after an updated document was released that includes controls on jewelry and undergarments.
This reinforcement is due to the improvement of safety, since Wittich explained that wearing jewelery under fire-retardant clothing “can reduce protection”, because “metallic objects, such as jewellery, in contact with the skin can reduce the protection of heat transmission and therefore may increase the risk of burn injuries in the event of a fire”.
However, Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, who joked that he could not remove the jewels, said that this decision was “a step backwards” and could cause an “unnecessary dispute”.
“It’s almost like a step backwards,” said the Briton. “If you think about the strides we’re making as a sport, the bigger issues and causes that we need to focus on, I think we’ve made such huge strides as a sport that this is a very small thing.”
Hamilton admitted that she is wearing two pieces of jewelry that she cannot remove, but explained that they were platinum and had not been shown to be a problem in previous MRIs.
The Mercedes driver said he is unlikely to give up his seat this weekend if there is a showdown between the drivers and the FIA. However, Hamilton had the support of his peers, with AlphaTauri’s Frenchman Pierre Gasly saying “there are more important things to focus on”, and that wearing jewelery should be a personal choice.
Although he assured that “he appreciated that the FIA watches over our safety”, the Frenchman added that he has a “religious element” and that “I do not feel comfortable without wearing it when driving the car”.
“I feel like it’s a bit personal. We should have the freedom to do what we feel is right,” explained Pierre Gasly.
The seven-time champion, for his part, concluded by saying that he would be willing to sign a waiver that would allow him to continue wearing jewelery in the car and thus alleviate the safety responsibility felt by the FIA.
He also confirmed that he had contacted the new FIA president, Mohammed bin Sulayem , to address the issue, although he wished to remain “an ally”.
“It’s about individuality and being who you are. I sent [bin Sulayem] a message to assure him that I want to be an ally, I don’t want to fight you guys over this. This is very, very silly,” Hamilton said.
However, as part of his report following each team’s scrutiny statement completed ahead of Free Practice 1, FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer wrote that Mercedes “has not confirmed for its driver Lewis Hamilton on the car sheet. -presented scrutiny, which complies with the requirement of not wearing any jewelry, in the form of body piercing or metal neck chains or watches”.
