F1 fans split on whether Lewis Hamilton should be banned for refusing to obey FIA
LEWIS HAMILTON has butted heads with the FIA over their recent jewellery crackdown.
Lewis Hamilton shares epic skydiving footage from Dubai
Express Sport readers are split almost precisely down the middle on the issue of whether Lewis Hamilton should be banned for refusing to remove jewellery and piercings. The seven-time world champion has so far shown no willingness to play ball with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem or race director Niels Wittich, despite deadlines and consequences edging closer.
Related articles
Regulations have been in place banning body piercings or neck chains during competition for some time, but only recently have the FIA started to properly enforce them. Sebastian Vettel claimed that the new approach 'targeted' Hamilton, who complained that some of his piercings could not be immediately removed.
As such, the Brit was given a two-race grace period before which he would face action if not ready to play by the rules. Hamilton has made it clear he will not fall in line and said after the Miami GP he will 'get an exemption for the rest of the year' and will 'wear four watches next time' after wearing lots of bling to a press conference earlier this month in protest.
When Express Sport readers were asked whether Hamilton should be banned from racing because of his refusal to remove jewellery, the response was split perfectly down the middle as 50 per cent said yes and the other 50 said no.
DON'T MISS: Red Bull's Christian Horner aims subtle dig at Toto Wolff with comment on Ferrari boss
In fact, out of over 24,000 responses, the difference between the two categories stood at just over 50 votes as those who claimed he should not be banned just about held a majority.
A similar story unfolded when readers were asked whether the Mercedes star was right to challenge the FIA's jewellery policy. Once again the result was 50/50, and those who claimed Hamilton was right to challenge the policy held a majority of just over 100 votes.
Related articles
The split response highlights just how precarious and tricky the situation is that FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has on his hands. Race director Niels Wittich, who took over from Michael Masi this season alongside Eduardo Freitas in a shared role, has so far taken an authoritative approach to the rules, but Freitas is set to step in for his first race weekend of the season next time out in Catalonia.
Hamilton and Vettel have both drawn criticism for their opposition to the new rules, which include underwear regulations, as six-time Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher branded the pair 'childish' for their protests in Miami. Meanwhile, Grand Prix Drivers' Association chairman Alex Wurz backed the new regulations and spoke of the need to avoid public rifts.
"It is a rule for the right reasons," he told Reuters. "I would have probably liked a slightly different approach of how to deliver the message. I don’t want to end up in football where there are more hands in the air and verbal abuse.
"You have to work together. It’s a style I would have preferred in this case. At this moment I said I don’t want to live these consequences, only for taking my pants off and putting fireproof underpants on. The same with jewellery."
