Lewis Hamilton removes nose stud amid FIA jewellery ban

The Mercedes driver arrived in the paddock wearing his nose stud but, when practice began, he had removed it. Hamilton enjoyed a promising Friday which bodes well ahead of Qualifying.

The jewellery saga has rumbled on all season and Hamilton has repeatedly voiced his displeasure at it, but has now significantly conceded ground to the FIA rules to avoid the threat of being punished.

Crash.Net were told at Silverstone that Hamilton has opted to remove it.

• Sainz edges Hamilton in second Practice at Silverstone
• Full results of second Practice at F1 British Grand Prix

• Why Red Bull did not comment on Nelson Piquet’s racist remark
• Police uncover protestor plot to disrupt British Grand Prix
• New footage of Nelson Piquet making additional racist insult

Hamilton had previously claimed that his nose stud would need to be surgically removed.

The FIA granted him an exemption which expired on June 30 (Thursday) - and on Friday he had removed it.

Hamilton said about this issue on Thursday, after answering questions about the racist word he was called by Nelson Piquet: "With all due respect, it is crazy to think that with everything going on in the world, this is the focus.

"We have bigger fish to fry. We really have to start focusing on more important areas.

"I will race this weekend. I will work with the FIA. The matter is not massive."

F1's new race director Niels Wittich brought focus onto the topic of banning drivers from wearing jewellery for safety reasons earlier this season.

He thrashed out talks with drivers in a heated two-hour meeting.