Lewis Hamilton refuses to budge in jewellery row

Lewis Hamilton insists he will not be backing down in his row with the FIA over jewellery, vowing to continue wearing his nose stud this season.

The seven-time world champion, speaking after qualifying sixth for Sunday’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix, also joked that he would “wear four watches” to Monaco later this month after Formula 1’s governing body added timepieces to their list of banned items.

Hamilton’s actions could see him fined hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The Mercedes driver is clearly in no mood to back down, though.

Hamilton appeared at Friday's official FIA drivers press conference wearing rings on all his fingers, necklaces and three watches in a clear show of defiance after the FIA warned it would begin to enforce its longstanding ban on jewellery and non-regulation underwear.

After talks with the FIA on Friday, Hamilton eventually removed all of his jewellery bar his nose stud and another item about his person, which was in a location he was unwilling to disclose.

The FIA in return granted Hamilton a two-race exemption to get rid of those last items. But Hamilton now says he has no intention of complying with that demand, pointing out what he sees as obvious double standards, with the FIA now agreeing that wedding rings can be worn.

"This whole safety thing, man," said Hamilton after qualifying sixth for Sunday's race at the Miami International Autodrome. "When they [the FIA] told me about the jewellery, they said safety is everything. And I said, 'Well, what's happened over the last 16 years? I've had jewellery for the last 16 years, so was safety not an issue back then?"

Asked whether he was satisfied with the resolution regarding the wearing of jewellery, Hamilton replied: "No."

As to taking the nose ring out permanently, he again said "no", to which he was asked 'You're not going to do it?'. He again said "no".

He then added: "I got an exemption here, I'll get an exemption for the rest of the year. Wedding rings are allowed."

As to what will happen come Monaco, he said: "I'll wear four watches next time."

Hamilton clearly feels he is being unfairly targeted by the sport’s rulers, as by far the biggest wearer of jewellery on the grid. The fact that the FIA has allowed wedding rings does seem inconsistent when set against one of their safety concerns, which is that the metal could prove hazardous in a fire.

It is a point he no doubt made to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem when they spoke to each other on Friday. The FIA, though, insists it is merely acting out of concern for safety and is not targeting Hamilton.

It is understood drivers could be fined £42,000 for wearing jewellery in defiance of the ban, with repeat offences potentially rising up to £215,000.

Hamilton says he would be prepared to sign a waiver absolving the FIA of any responsibility in the case that his jewellery does cause him an injury.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said earlier on Saturday that he was sure the situation would resolve itself before Monaco.

“It is clear that regulations are here to protect the drivers,” Wolff said. “[But] on the other side, we need to keep the possibility on diversity and the means of expression and expressing yourself. And we know that this is important for Lewis. So yesterday, without going into detail where the piercing stayed, and we're not… yeah, I'm sure they [the FIA and Hamilton] will come to a good resolution.”