Bling it on: Hamilton defiant on ban

LEWIS Hamilton has made it clear that he has no plans to remove all of his piercings as resistance grows among the drivers to the clampdown on piercings and their choice of underwear.

On the latter point, Sebastian Vettel made his feelings about the underwear ruling clear when he walked around the Hard Rock Stadium paddock in Miami on Friday wearing his pants over his race suit.

The FIA, the sport’s governing body, has made it clear that it plans to enforce a longstanding rule that drivers are not allowed to wear jewellery while racing. Hamilton was given a two-race exemption for the piercings that he cannot remove without professional help – which means there will be a stand-off in three weeks’ time in Monaco.

The dispute started before the Australian Grand Prix last month when new race directors Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, decided to include a reminder that jewellery is banned in their pre-race notes.

There was also a note telling drivers that their underwear must comply with the rules and be fire-resistant.

It was clear that there would be a grace period as everyone tried to comply but that seems to have expired by the Miami Grand Prix.

Wittich, one of the two new race directors brought in to replace Australia’s Michael Masi, is known as a stickler for the smaller details. He has enforced the jewellery ban in the lower categories and now he is in charge of safety in F1, the same rules apply.

Even so, there is a growing feeling in the paddock that the ruling is unfairly targeting Hamilton, who is known to wear a lot of jewellery – keeping in his earrings and nose stud while behind the wheel.

The order to enforce the rule has come from Mohammed bin Sulayem, the new FIA president. On a recent call with team principals to discuss several issues, Bin Sulayem was understood to be “obsessed” with the jewellery ban.