Hamilton cleared over wearing nose stud, Mercedes fined · RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton has been cleared for wearing an item of jewellery while driving, in contravention of the FIA’s rules.

However the stewards have fined his Mercedes team €25,000 (£21,980) for submitted a self-scrutineering form in which they affirmed Hamilton would not wear any jewellery this weekend.

Hamilton clashed with the FIA several times earlier this year after they began a clampdown on drivers wearing jewellery in their car. The FIA stuck to its guns over the safety push and Hamilton eventually removed a stud which had been fixed into his nose.

However, after experiencing problems with his skin in his nose healing, Hamilton began wearing a stud again this weekend and produced a doctor’s note indicating he had been advised medically to leave it in. This exemption was accepted by the FIA.

“Broadcast footage showed Hamilton wearing an item of jewellery in the form of a body piercing (nose stud) during the session,” the stewards noted. “Hamilton admitted this fact but explained that he had been advised by his doctors not to remove it for the time being.

“In response to a request by the stewards, the team produced reports from a medical practitioner which confirmed Hamilton’s explanation. The stewards then consulted the FIA Deputy Medical Delegate, Dr Ian Roberts, who viewed the medical report and concurred with the opinion therein.

“In light of the extenuating circumstances, we have determined to take no further action.”

However, as Hamilton’s nose stud was not detailed in the self-scrutineering form submitted by Mercedes, the team was found in breach of the regulations.

“Prior to [first practice] the team submitted a self-scrutiny form for car 44 [Hamilton] by which they declared that the driver complied with the requirement not to wear jewellery in the form of body piercing,” the stewards noted. “That declaration was incorrect in the case of Hamilton who had a nose piercing which he had not removed.

“The team manager explained that the team was unaware that Hamilton had a piercing. In recent events Hamilton had removed the piercing prior to the competition. The team assumed, without enquiring of Hamilton, that he had followed or would follow the same procedure for this event.”

Although the team accepted Mercedes were unaware of Hamilton’s nose stud, they fined them for supplying incorrect information. “The stewards accept that the error in the declaration in this case was not intentional or deliberate,” they noted,…