Breaking: Lewis Hamilton Changes Facial Appearance Ahead Of British Grand Prix(Photos)

Lewis Hamilton has removed his nose stud for first practice at the British Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion effectively backed down in his stand-off with the FIA to avoid a fine or suspension ahead of his home race at Silverstone.

An FIA spokesman said: ‘The stud has gone.’

The FIA are keen to impose their existing rule banning jewellery, which has not previously been enforced.

This relaxed approach changed under new president Mohammed ben Sulayem. He granted extra time for Hamilton to take out his stud, which the seven-time world driver said required surgical removal.

The exemption expired on June 30 – whipping up the prospect of controversy surrounding the issue in front of 140,000 fans this weekend. Hamilton has now take the heat out of it with his climbdown.

The FIA are keen to impose their existing rule banning jewellery, which has not previously been enforced.

This relaxed approach changed under new president Mohammed ben Sulayem. He granted extra time for Hamilton to take out his stud, which the seven-time world driver said required surgical removal.

The exemption expired on June 30 – whipping up the prospect of controversy surrounding the issue in front of 140,000 fans this weekend. Hamilton has now take the heat out of it with his climbdown.

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Lewis Hamilton has removed his nose stud (left) after being threatened with British GP ban – with the Mercedes star backing down by the time of first practice (right)

The Brit arrived into the paddock on Friday morning still wearing his nose stud despite threats that he could be banned from taking part in the British Grand Prix if he continued to wear it.

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Sportsmail understand talks between Hamilton and Ben Sulayem are pencilled in for next week as the two look to smooth over the issue.

Though the grace period regarding jewellery expired today, Hamilton retained his contentious nose stud as he arrived into the paddock on Friday morning.

The FIA are not backing down, as Ben Sulayem is keen to stick to his insistence that the previously unenforced jewellery rule is an important safety issue.

If Ben Sulayem was not talked into a compromise position, Hamilton could either be have been fined or, in extremis, prevented from racing.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has maintained a strict view of jewellery in the cockpit
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FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has maintained a strict view of jewellery in the cockpit

Hamilton until now had been defiant in his stance not to remove jewellery despite threats
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Hamilton until now had been defiant in his stance not to remove jewellery despite threats

When asked about the threat of being banned going into the weekend, Hamilton said he had ‘bigger fish to fry’.

He said during Thursday’s press-conference: ‘It’s worrying – we’ve got bigger fish to fry. We’ve really got to start focusing on more important areas.

‘I will be racing this weekend. I’m working with the FIA. The matter is not massively important, I’ll work with Mohammed and his team to take the next steps forward.’

While the prohibition of body piercings has been in place since 2004, F1’s new race director Niels Wittich brought the rule to the fore in his pre-race notes before the Australian Grand Prix.

He then addressed the subject directly with Hamilton and his peers in a two-hours drivers’ briefing.

Wittich says the law is there to protect the driver by not hindering a speedy escape from their car.

In a show of defiance, Hamilton has continued racing with a nose stud, and at the Monaco Grand Prix, he was given permission to wear it until this weekend’s race.

Hamilton was given permission to wear jewellery during the Monaco Grand Prix until this weekend’s race in Silverstone, where the Mercedes driver has been forced remove his stud
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Hamilton was given permission to wear jewellery during the Monaco Grand Prix until this weekend’s race in Silverstone, where the Mercedes driver has been forced remove his stud

Back in May, the 37-year-old said regarding the issue: ‘When they [the FIA] told me about the jewellery, they were saying safety is everything,’ the seven-time world champion said earlier this month.

‘I said, ‘Well, what’s happened for the last 16 years? I’ve had jewellery on for 16 years. So was safety not an issue back then?’

‘I feel like it’s almost like a step backwards, if you think about the steps we are taking as a sport, and the more important causes that we need to be focused on.’

Despite taking a lenient view of jewellery in racing in the past, the FIA has enforced its International Sporting Code more strictly so far this season, clamping down on the wearing of piercings and chains.

The rule prohibiting the wearing of jewellery is Article 5 of the third chapter of Appendix L of the governing body’s International Sporting Code (ISC).

The FIA clause 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.’

It has been an unusual hot topic during the 2022 season due to the FIA’s strict approach and Hamilton’s refusal to cave in.

The topic of jewellery has been a hot point of discussion throughout the 2022 season and it even led to Hamilton joking with bitter title rival of last year Verstappen regarding the subject
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The topic of jewellery has been a hot point of discussion throughout the 2022 season and it even led to Hamilton joking with bitter title rival of last year Verstappen regarding the subject

When it first cropped up in Melbourne, Hamilton was in a press conference with last year’s title rival Max Verstappen.

When asked in the press conference how it would affect him, he said: ‘Well, I’ve got certain piercings that I really just can’t take out that not many people know of. No. I’m kidding, I’m kidding.

‘OK, I mean, it’s been the rule forever. Since I’ve been here, it’s been the rule, so there’s nothing new. I’m just going to come up with more jewellery next week.’

When reigning world champion Verstappen was asked for his thoughts on the subject, he replied: ‘Me? I will be too heavy if I wear jewellery. So it’s not possible.

‘I know you have a nipple-piercing man. Come on!’ quipped Lewis.

Verstappen made light of Hamilton’s comment as he asked: ‘You want to see it again?’

Fans will be happy to see Hamilton behind the wheel at his home race as he and Mercedes continue to look and close the gap to leading teams Red Bull and Ferrari this season
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Fans will be happy to see Hamilton behind the wheel at his home race as he and Mercedes continue to look and close the gap to leading teams Red Bull and Ferrari this season

There has been uncertainty about which items are deemed safe and unsafe in cars, including wedding rings.

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen said on the weekend of the Monaco GP: ‘I’ll take a little bit of extra burn on my finger to race in my wedding ring. And if something was going to happen, something bad, I would want to wear my wedding ring. It kind of feels bad to take it off.

‘With something like that, like your wedding ring, let us take that responsibility. There must be somehow to remove liability.’

Fans will be happy to see Hamilton behind the wheel at his home race and hope he will be able to mount a challenge against Red Bull and Ferrari.

He arrives into the weekend 98 points behind Max Verstappen and appears to be out of the title fight.

Though there is hope Mercedes could threaten the two leading teams and give Hamilton and his team-mate George Russell a shot of glory at Silverstone.

Credit: DailyMail,CN,Getty Images