In Formula One jewellery debate, fellow drivers get behind Lewis Hamilton and plead for personal responsibility when it comes to safety
Driving has almost taken a back seat for Lewis Hamilton at the Formula One weekend in Miami, as he finds himself in an open dispute with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) over the issue of jewellery in the cockpit.
He is anything but happy with the FIA’s move to ban jewellery in the cockpit, which is why he is even threatening to boycott Formula 1. As he says he wears non-removable piercings, the FIA has given him a release from the jewellery ban until Monaco, but he also wants to drive on the Côte d’Azur with his nose piercing and continue to protest against the issue.
Alongside the Briton, Sebastian Vettel also took a stand against the FIA’s control offensive with his “pants protest” in Miami on Friday. But he is also on Hamilton’s side on the issue of jewellery: “I think we are now at the point where it is a personal issue, which is mainly aimed at Lewis. “
Vettel makes it clear: “We are old enough!
“We’ve already talked about underwear, but is that really the most exciting thing we can talk about? Of course there are concerns about safety, but on the other hand it is personal freedom and if we are old enough to make decisions outside the car, then we should be old enough to decide in the cockpit,” Vettel criticises the FIA.
But other driver colleagues also jump to Hamilton’s side, such as Pierre Gasly: “I can fully understand him, because there are really bigger problems. But I appreciate that the FIA is concerned about our safety, because that’s our priority too. “
“I always have a religious object with me myself while driving, which means a lot to me, and I would feel uncomfortable if I didn’t have it in the car,” said the Frenchman, who, like Vettel, stresses that it is a personal matter for the drivers and they should therefore be free to decide for themselves.
F1 drivers call for compromise solution with FIA
“Ultimately, we have the responsibility to put our lives on the line. So it should be a personal decision, but I respect the FIA and their will to keep improving safety.”
Gasly therefore urges the FIA to find a compromise with the drivers instead of “making such strict decisions”. Alexander Albon also agrees with the AlphaTauri driver in this regard.
“I think Pierre got to the heart of it. When you’re older, if you make a decision like that, you have to live with the consequences in case of doubt. You take responsibility for yourself,” said the Williams driver.
“I totally agree with Pierre and Alex,” said Red Bull driver Sergio Perez. “From the FIA’s point of view, it’s good to look after our safety because at the end of the day it’s about us. I still think it would be good to find a solution and work with them.”
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll also chimes in when asked about it in the press conference, “I understand the big picture, but I think there are other things to focus on. There are definitely bigger fish to fry. “