Wolff is backing Hamilton in row over jewellery

MERCEDES team principal Toto Wolff has told Formula One officials Lewis Hamilton should be allowed to wear jewellery. Wolff’s intervention comes after race director Niels Wittich ordered drivers to remove watches, piercings and necklaces while competing, an instruction some construed as being aimed at Hamilton. The Brit is the most extravagant wearer on the grid, with piercings in his nose and ears. He says he cannot take out his earrings because they are ‘welded’ into his lobes. Wittich — in only his third race in charge after replacing the sacked Michael Masi — failed to follow through on his warning with any sanction during last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, in which Hamilton defied the directive. After seeing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc win to extend his world championship lead to 34 points, Wolff said: ‘Is this jewellery ban a battle he (Wittich) needs to have at this stage? How he has run the first few races has been respectful, solid and he hasn’t put a single foot wrong. ‘If his involvement on the issue of jewellery turns out to be his biggest unfortunate misstep, I would take it 1,000 times over.’ The debate is an early test of Wittich’s authority. If he backs down in Imola next week, he risks losing credibility. lRUSSIAN karting champion Artem Severiukhin has said sorry after appearing to make a Nazi salute on the podium. The 15-year-old had just won at the European Championship in Portugal on Sunday. He has been sacked by his team Ward Racing and the FIA are investigating. ‘I know it’s my fault, I know I’m stupid and I’m ready to be punished,’ he said. ‘But please understand I did not support Nazism or fascism with this.’