Why have the F1 racers been banned from wearing watches?
As of recently the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) have introduced some new rules for the F1 drivers in the hopes to reduce the risk of further injury to the drivers. You may be wondering what these new rules entail and that would be… A WATCH BAN :(
The new rules aren’t directly aimed at watches, it’s basically a jewellery ban but watches have been included in this. The FIA have introduced these rules for a number of reasons including:
“Metallic objects, such as jewellery, in contact with the skin can reduce heat transmission protection and thus may increase the risk of burn injuries in the event of a fire.”
“The wearing of jewellery during the competition can hinder both medical interventions as well as subsequent diagnosis and treatment should it be required following an accident.”
“The presence of jewellery can slow, due to the risk of snagging, the emergency removal of driver safety equipment such as helmet, balaclava, and overalls.”
“In the case that medical imaging is required to inform diagnosis following an accident the presence of jewellery on the body can cause significant complication and delay. In the worst case the presence of jewellery during imaging may cause further injury.”
“Jewellery in and/or around the airway can pose specific additional risks should it become dislodged during an accident and either ingested or inhaled.”
Racers who refuse to be compliant with the new rules can face some hefty fines. There are no official penalty documents revealing the fines which the drivers will face, however sources suggest that fines up to €250,000 could be charged.
It’s safe to say that most of the drivers aren’t too pleased with the ban, especially Lewis Hamilton & Kevin Magnussen. Magnussen expressed how he didn’t feel comfortable having to remove his wedding ring, saying “With something like that, like your wedding ring. Let us take that responsibility. There must be somehow to remove liability.”.
Hamilton was even given a 2 race ban for the Miami Grand Prix which was on May 8th and the Spanish Grand Prix which was on May 22nd due to him being unable to remove his nose ring. Hamilton said “I think we’ve made really great strides as a sport. This is such a small thing. I’ve been in the sport for 16 years and I’ve been wearing jewellery for 16 years. In the car I only ever have my earrings on and my nose ring, of which I can’t even remove.” & "In 16 years, I’ve had so many MRI scans and not had to take out the platinum because it’s not been a safety issue.”
I can definitely understand why these steps are being taken but I also get why the drivers aren’t too happy about removing sentimental pieces of jewellery. It’s a shame though that the racers won’t be able to wear their watches, as Tag have a gorgeous collection of F1 watches.
For example they have the Tag Heuer Formula 1 CAZ101K model, which as you can see sports a gorgeous blue dial and stainless steel bezel.
They also have the Tag Heuer Formula 1 Red Bull Special Edition CAZ1018 which has a stunning blue and white contrasting dial along with a blue bezel. The red accents on this really pull the whole racing look together.
The Tag Heuer Formula 1 WAZ1112 is also an impressive addition to the collection with its black dial giving a clean, modern look.
It's a shame the racers won't be able to sport any of these gorgeous watches whilst they're competing but I suppose safety must come first! Hope you've enjoyed, and if you want to feel like an F1 driver check out our Tag F1 watches for yourselves.
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