Mercedes were slapped with a £21,900 fine after failing to declare a nose stud worn by Lewis Hamilton.
In the latest chapter in the saga between F1 and the seven-time world world champion’s jewellery, the Silver Arrows missed an update stating the 37-year-old produced a medical report in which he had been advised not to remove his nose stud.
Hamilton had been taking his stud out before each session, but the driver was summoned to the stewards after arriving at the Singapore GP with his stud still on show this weekend. The FIA have confirmed that deputy medical delegate, Dr Ian Roberts, reviewed and concurred with Hamilton’s medical records, but the team had failed to declare it, which resulted in a fine.
After registering his first top-three qualifying result of the season, Hamilton explained why on this occasion, he was advised not to take his stud out. “I’m not trying to make a statement, no,” he said. “Basically I’ve had my jewellery and my nose stud for years and obviously we had that whole commotion at the beginning of the year.
“At the time it was like soldered in, so it didn’t come loose. They gave me – at the time for many races – an exemption so I could find a solution. Then I went to get it taken out and tried to find a solution, putting it in and out. It got infected because of that and I was just continuing on with this infection. I got a blood blister and had quite a sore on my nose.
“Then I went back – this is all stuff I told them before qualifying – I went back and had to have the blood blister fixed, because there was pus and blood. I put this back in and in the last two weeks it’s started to heal and they’ve asked that I keep it in. It’s crazy that we’re having to talk about something so small. I take everything else out. At this point, I don’t really care to be honest.”
During the conversation with Sky Sports, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff replied to Sky F1’s question about the situation. “I don’t know, I’ve lost track of piercings…let’s see what the stewards say,” the Austrian replied. An update from the F1’s governing body the FIA read: “The Team Manager explained that the team was unaware that HAM [Hamilton] had a piercing.
“In recent events HAM had removed the piercing prior to the competition. The team assumed, without enquiring of HAM, that he had followed or would follow the same procedure for this event.
“The Stewards accept that the error in the declaration in this case was not intentional or deliberate but it would not have occurred had the team made an enquiry of HAM before completing and submitting the declaration. Given these circumstances, we fine the team £21,900.”
Hamilton has much to play for at tomorrow's Singapore GP, as he starts third for the first time this season, behind second place Sergio Perez and pole sitter Charles Leclerc.
