mobile app bar

Lewis Hamilton once wore three watches worth $10,000 to take stand against FIA

Somin Bhattacharjee
Published

Lewis Hamilton once wore three watches worth $10,000 to take stand against FIA

Lewis Hamilton is one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time. He is not just a legend in F1, but one of the biggest names in all of sports. His success on the track has given him a platform that he uses to make himself heard on the world stage.

However, Hamilton often resorts to protesting against the governing body of the sport itself, because of the rules they make. Over the last two years, the issue regarding drivers wearing jewelries during races has been under the spotlight. While most drivers are okay with this rule being implemented, Hamilton is not.

The 38-year-old has been wearing earrings and a nose ring for almost the entirety of his racing career & does not understand why the FIA are so adamant on making him remove it. He has been threatened with fines and penalties on more than one occasion, but has firmly maintained his stance on the matter.

Also read: AlphaTauri Driver’s Ex-karting Coach Makes Comparisons with Nico Rosberg Ahead of 2023 Season

Lewis Hamilton wore three watches to protest against FIA

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in 2022, Hamilton arrived to the F1 paddock wearing three watches. These were made by IWC and were exclusive for the drivers of Mercedes and team members. The value of those watches amounted close to $10,000 and Hamilton made sure that all three of his watches would be on display.

Hamilton was not in a good mood in the press conference leading up to the Miami GP. The FIA was talking about potentially banning Hamilton from taking part in the Grand Prix because of his defiance but the 7-time World Champion did not care.

“We’ve got a spare driver so we’re all ready and prepped for the weekend,” he said to ESPN. “There’s lots to do in the city anyway! It’ll be good either way.”

The FIA did not ban Hamilton from taking part in the race, and the Briton did suit up with his jewelry.

Also read: F1 TV Commentators 2023: Who Are the Commentators and Presenters of Formula 1?

Hamilton hoping to bounce back from disastrous 2022 campaign

Hamilton’s 2022 turned out to be a disaster. It was the first time he went through an entire calendar year without winning a race, and that was mainly down to the Mercedes W13 being inferior to the RB18 and F1-75. However, he also lost out to his teammate George Russell in the drivers’ championship which surprised a fair few many people.

Hamilton will be hoping that the W14 is much better than its predecessor as he aims to get back into the title picture once again in 2023.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

x-iconinstagram-iconlinkedin-icon

Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

Share this article