Lewis Hamilton just went to war with the FIA, and won!

Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time F1 world champion. So when he digs his heels in, he gets what he wants. This was proven in the latest development of the Hamilton-FIA jewelry saga, as the motorsport governing body had to take a step back against the Briton.

Amidst the FIA's takeover by the new regime and the appointment of two new Race Directors, one of the directives was to strictly apply the regulations that have been in place since the early 2000s. The regulations made it mandatory for F1 drivers to wear FIA-homologated underwear, gloves, and balaclavas while racing. It also made it mandatory for drivers to not wear any jewelry while racing.

Lewis Hamilton was quick to object to the directive, as he is one of the drivers who wears jewelry, has multiple piercings, and will require professional help in removing his nose ring.

Consequently, he received an exemption of three weeks that was to end at the 2022 Monaco GP. Hamilton, however, claimed that he was going to continue wearing the nose ring even after the exemption period is over. It was this claim that led to a potential showdown between the FIA and the seven-time champion when the exemption period ended.

As it turns out, on the eve of the exemption period's end, the FIA seemingly backtracked against the champion.

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The FIA extends the jewelry exemption until June 2022

According to a report from Motorsports.com, the exemption period for wearing jewelry during racing has been extended until June as the FIA is going to have a dialog with the drivers regarding the rule. The report stated:

“The exemption covered Miami and Spain, but this has now been extended until the end of June, covering the next three races in Monaco, Azerbaijan and Canada. The move is intended to allow for dialogue to continue between the drivers and the FIA’s medical staff, who are trying to find a way for the article within Appendix L of the ISC that concerns the wearing of jewellery to be enforced in a safe but sensible way. Discussions took place after the drivers’ briefing in Spain relating to the matter, with the FIA’s concerns chiefly surrounding the safety issues that wearing jewellery in the car may pose.”

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What does Lewis Hamilton have to say?

Lewis Hamilton has not shied away from making his opinions known about the whole saga. When asked about his views regarding the entire situation, the Briton said that the whole thing had become a distraction and was not something he wanted to put his energy into.

The seven-time world champion said:

“Honestly, I feel like there’s just way too much time and energy being given to this. I’ve said everything I feel I need to say on it in the last races and that’s not what my focus is this weekend [in Monaco]. [I’ve been] taking out my studs for every time I’ve been in the car, and I will continue to do so. The nose ring is not a problem, at the moment.”

Although the comments were made before the extension of the exemption period, they showed the kind of combative mindset Lewis Hamilton had at the time.

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Why did the FIA backtrack?

To be honest, the FIA has been very fair with Lewis Hamilton in this whole saga. The Mercedes driver was given an exemption as soon as he revealed that he needed professional help to remove the studs. There has also been a very flexible approach when it comes to enforcing these rules.

Hamilton's statement that he would continue wearing the nose ring even after the exemption period, however, was a complete defiance of the FIA's authority. The Briton gave a clear message that if there was something by the authorities that he did not like, he would not bow down.

So why did the FIA take a step back and extend the exemption period? Simply because it was Lewis Hamilton, the biggest cash cow in F1 at the moment by some distance. The driver also has, by far, the most followers on social media and is probably the most popular driver in the sport.

The Briton had made his intentions clear that if he was forced to do something he did not like, he would rather sit out and not even race. For him, it would have been a tough decision, but not as tough as one might think. Especially because he's already a seven-time world champion, he's done everything that needs to be done in the sport, and this season, he's not really fighting for the title. With that in mind, he does not have much to lose if he does sit out of a race.

For the FIA, the situation was different. Imagine the uproar if the biggest star of the sport does not race because of a dispute with the sport itself. Already reeling from a rather crude handling of what happened in Abu Dhabi last season, the FIA could not risk it again. They were in no position to let Lewis Hamilton sit out of a race and as a result, the FIA was the first to blink and extend the exemption period.

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Why does it give them a bad look?

Now, the problem with doing this is that it makes the FIA look very weak. While there was flexibility and leniency in the way it approached things with Lewis Hamilton, what it lacked was authority. The rule was supposed to be enforced on the parameters of "safety improvement". If the FIA had put its foot down, it might have faced some backlash, but it would have meant that no driver was above the sport.

With the decision to extend the exemption period, it is clear for all to see who holds the edge over the other. And once that is clear, it gives the FIA an image of a very weak entity, one that was forced to change its approach because a driver stood his ground and openly questioned its authority. Moreover, it uncomfortably revealed the kind of power Hamilton had in the sport.

In the last few months, Lewis Hamilton might not have done anything impressive on the track. What he did off the track, however, is something that would count as a historic moment where a driver went up against the might of the FIA and won!