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Lewis Hamilton Is OK With Not Racing at the Miami GP Because of His Jewelry, Piercings

For many, creative expression of self through fashion and accessories is worth going to war for. Lewis Hamilton is among them, and he is more than OK with the idea of sitting out the 2022 Miami GP this weekend, over a planned jewelry ban.
Lewis Hamilton addresses planned F1 jewelry ban while wearing the most pieces of jewelry he could 8 photos
Photo: YouTube / Formula 1 Highlights
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The ban on jewelry in Formula One is not new, but the decision to be strict about enforcing it is. Article 5 of the third chapter of Appendix L of the International Sporting Code (ISC), dated 2005, clearly states that jewelry, including body piercing, is not allowed during the race for safety reasons. Jewelry can become snagged or lodged, or can increase heat transmission in case of a fire.

Even though drivers have worn visible jewelry before, including Lewis Hamilton, the regulation has never materialized in penalties. This is bound to change with the first-ever Miami GP, which kicked off this weekend. Race director Niels Wittich sent a letter to warn drivers against wearing jewelry during events, and FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem is reportedly “fixated” on seeing the ban enforced.

On Friday, Hamilton showed up at the press conference decked in jewelry. Literally. He wore three watches, a couple of bracelets, eight rings, two earrings, and at least four necklaces, knowing full well he’d be asked about the jewelry ban. His answer boiled down to this: jewelry is part of who he is and should not interfere with his work, so he’s willing to sit out the Miami GP if he’s asked to remove it.

He couldn’t even if he wanted to (which he doesn’t, to be clear): at least two piercings are non-removable, including one whose location he can’t even mention. Hamilton said he wanted to be “an ally” for the FIA President and that he’d tried to get him on the phone to talk the issue over. Focusing on non-essential stuff like jewelry on the drivers took the sports “a step backwards,” he believed. Especially when safety was really not an issue.

“It's platinum that I have, so it's not magnetic. It's never been a safety issue in the past,” he explained of one of his piercings. “So yeah, if they stop me then so be it. We've got a spare driver. So we're well prepped for the weekend. There's lots to do in the city anyway so it will be good either way.”

Below is the video of Hamilton's point, enforced by the man wearing as much jewelry as he could, and giving off strong Joey vibes.



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Editor's note: Photos in the gallery show Lewis Hamilton skydiving.

About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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