FIA had notified the teams and drivers this season about a regulation that was previously looked over by everyone. Before the Australian Grand Prix, the new FIA race director Niels Wittich had mentioned that the drivers will not be allowed to wear jewelry. Fans of Lewis Hamilton hinted the FIA was singularly pointing fingers at the 7-time world champion.
This has stirred a lot of controversy in the F1 paddock since then. But since the regulations are not that clear to the fans, the FIA has now come forward to clear all the doubts.
#MiamiGP 🇺🇸: Niels Wittich sent out a Scrutineering Declararion Form for this weekend’s GP reinforcing certain rules. 👀
Including the prohibition of wearing jewellery during races. pic.twitter.com/fd6HbnUgKp
— deni (@fiagirly) May 5, 2022
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So before the inaugural Miami Grand Prix this weekend, the race director once again enforced the rule. But this time he provided clarification as to what specifically will they would be looking out for.
F1 Race Director explains the jewelry ban amidst criticism revolving around Lewis Hamilton
Wittich, ahead of the Miami GP, issues a statement explaining the regulations. He revealed that wearing jewelry under the fireproof clothes that the drivers wear is dangerous. The race director also mentioned wearing jewelry reduces the protection that the fireproof clothes provide during races.
“In the case that medical imaging is required to inform diagnosis following an accident, the presence of jewelry on the body can cause significant complication and delay,” said Wittich.
“In the worst case, the presence of jewelry during imaging may cause further injury. Jewelry in and/or around the airway can pose specific additional risks should it become dislodged during an accident and either ingested or inhaled,” said the Race director.
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READ MORE: Why Do F1 Drivers Wear Balaclavas?
FIA will always have the safety of the drivers as the number one priority for them during any race weekend. So it is nice to see the race director coming forward to explain and give a clarification on the regulation.
The FIA is certainly not targeting drivers like Lewis Hamilton on the grid. But it is still unclear how they will enforce the regulation and what is the penalty for disobeying it. Hopefully, the exploration provided by the F1 race director clears all the doubt that the fans around the world might have had.
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However, this could still create issues in Hamilton’s participation in the upcoming races. It would be interesting to see how Lewis would now react to the statement.
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