Watches, jewelry banned from Miami Grand Prix, F1 announces $265,000 fine for offenders

FIA has urged drivers to remove watches for this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. The Formula 1 race’s governing body took this step as a safety measure to prevent accident and injuries.

Lewis Hamilton, however, has been given a two-race exemption as some of his jewelry items cannot be easily taken out.

However, for rest of the drivers first offence will draw a $52,000 fine, while a persistent repeat offender could face up to a $265,000 penalty and the potential loss of championship points if he is caught out for a third time.

Also read: Formula 1: What penalties will Lewis Hamiltion face if he keeps defying FIA’s jewellery ban?

Ahead of the qualifying round at the Maimi Grand Prix, the FIA has further interpreted the rules and made it clear that the watches will also be viewed as part of the ban.

“In the interest of safety, watches will be considered as jewellery,” the F1 race director stated.

However, there has been no official document that explains the penalties that will be imposed if drivers break the rules, but sources have suggested that the stewards will use an escalator system for any breaches.

The fine is too high that Haas F1 driver Kevin Magnussen said he would fully comply with the rules and removed his wedding ring.

“I don’t want to pay the 250,000 Euro fine,” he said.

Also read: F1: Sebastian Vettel shows up in underwear to protest new FIA regulations

While Magnussen understood the safety reasons behind the FIA move, he said that forcing drivers to remove symbolic items like wedding wings strayed into a territory that did not make him feel comfortable.

“I understand what they are they saying, but it is a wedding ring around your finger,” he said.

“I’ll take a little bit of extra burn on my finger to race in my wedding ring. And if something was going to happen, something bad, I would want to wear my wedding ring. It kind of feels bad to take it off.

“With something like that, like your wedding ring. Let us take that responsibility. There must be somehow to remove liability.”