Hamilton on protest against jewellery ban: "I was just f*****g with it"

A much-discussed conflict in the first half of the season was the wearing of jewellery in the Formula 1 car. Apparently there has been a rule since 2005 that prohibits drivers from wearing jewellery in their cars for safety reasons. However, it is only since this season that this has been more strictly controlled. Lewis Hamilton admits he was messing around in protest.

Especially Hamilton was mostly affected by the stricter controls, because the Briton is the most outspoken driver on the grid and therefore wears a lot of jewellery. In conversation with Vanity Fair, the seven-time world champion was asked if he felt the rule was aimed mainly at him. “I mean, yeah. Because I’m the only one that has jewelry on, really.”

During the press conference for the Miami Grand Prix, Hamilton wore a ring, multiple necklaces and three watches in protest. He also said he had two piercings that he could not simply remove, leading fans to speculate about the location of his jewellery.

According to Hamilton, he simply wanted to challenge the FIA with this comment. “I was just f*****g with it. I don’t have any other piercings anywhere. But I love that there’s this thinking: S**t, has he got his balls pierced?” Hamilton says he doesn't like rules. The Brit does not like people telling him what to do. However, lately Hamilton has removed his earrings as well as his nose ring during F1 sessions.