Hamilton would have to ‘chop ear off’ to comply with piercing rules

Lewis Hamilton wasn’t entirely being defiant as he pulled his fireproofs over his head in Melbourne, his earrings on display, it’s also a case of he’ll have to lose his ear to remove them.

Formula 1’s new race director Niels Wittich reminded the drivers ahead of the Australian Grand Prix weekend about the regulation governing jewellery.

The regulation states that “the wearing of jewellery in the form of body piercing or metal neck-chains is prohibited during the competition and may therefore be checked before the start”.

Wittich reminded the drivers of this in his pre-race notes.

However, two days later, as the drivers stood on the grid doing their last minute preparations for the grand prix, Hamilton was seen pulling his fireproofs over his head with his ears still sporting a bunch of earrings.

That’s because quite simply he can’t just remove them, they are welded in.

lewis hamilton’s piercings are a work of art. pic.twitter.com/ZtFZsEwpXS

— s (@leclercscherie) April 7, 2022

The Mirror quotes him as having said: “There is stuff that I can’t move. I literally can’t take these ones out (pointing to his right ear).

“These ones on my right ear are literally welded in so I’d have to get them chopped off or something like that! So they will be staying.”

However, it would seem there is a bit of defiance in the mix from the seven-time World Champion.

“I don’t have any plans on removing,” he said. “I feel there are personal things and you should be able to be who you are. And I will continue to do that.”

While the drivers were given a few weeks grace period, it remains to be seen what the potentially consequences could be if Hamilton refused to remove his piercings.

Earlier in the week that Briton had joked around with Max