sport news Hamilton avoids ban by ditching nose stud and then roars back into contention ... trends now
Whatever else the British Grand Prix may bring this weekend, it will contain Lewis Hamilton.
This much was unclear until a few minutes before 1pm on Friday, when his open visor revealed that the most famous nose stud in sporting history had vanished.
And, so, one of the many contentious issues which turned this week’s build-up to the Silverstone showpiece into a poisonous cesspit had been resolved, the seven-time world champion’s possible expulsion from competition in front of 142,000 fans ruled out in an instant.
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)
Hamilton had finally bowed to the FIA’s insistence that he remove the piercing, having softened his position earlier in the week after agreeing to meet the governing body’s president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a stickler for the regulation, next week. This one storm in a teacup has blown out after three months of wrangling and delays.
The resolution is especially good news for the patriotic throng at the old Northamptonshire airfield given the evidence of practice.
Yes, Hamilton complained that his Mercedes was bouncing — it was, as were other cars — but he put himself second on the timing screens and right in the mix for what would be a record-extending ninth victory here.
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
He was just 0.163sec behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. More cheer for British fans came in the shape of McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was third fastest.
Champion Max Verstappen, who leads the standings by 46 points, was fourth best. He was booed by sections of the crowd. He is enemy No 1 in these parts.
The atmosphere this weekend has an edge to it as a result of last year when the Dutchman and Hamilton collided at Copse.
Add in how Verstappen controversially beat Hamilton to the title on the final day of the season, and the ingredients for conflict are well in place.
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
So are Mercedes really back in contention? Well,
