Possible Lewis Hamilton Mercedes stand-in for Monaco to take Williams role at Spanish GP

Max Verstappen makes subtle dig at Lewis Hamilton

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Lewis Hamilton’s possible stand-in at the Monaco Grand Prix, Nyck de Vries, is set to take a Williams seat in FP1 of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. De Vries currently serves as reserve driver for Mercedes and McLaren but will take over from Alex Albon after rule changes were introduced ahead of the new season which mandates the use of rookie drivers on at least two occasions during first free practice throughout 2022.

Hamilton has been involved in another media storm in recent weeks after the FIA decided to crack down on drivers wearing jewellery amid safety concerns. He has been reluctant to remove his jewellery and has said he will instead ask for an exemption to be granted for the remainder of the season.

The Briton has maintained he is unable to take his earrings and nose ring out and attended a press conference before the Miami Grand Prix earlier this month embellished with three watches, eight rings, four necklaces and two earrings as a protest.

Hamilton has been told he must ensure he is following the rules by the time he arrives for the Monaco Grand Prix on the final weekend of May. And there have been suggestions that he could be banned from the street race if he fails to comply.

If Hamilton is prevented from driving in Monaco, Mercedes will have to call-up another driver to take his place. And De Vries would be a prime candidate after joining Stoffel Vandoorne as a Mercedes reserve driver last year.

Hamilton claimed the jewellery ban felt like a “step backwards” for F1 but told reporters in Miami: “It seems unnecessary to get into this. I am here to be an ally of the sport – we have bigger fish to fry.”

Meanwhile, Mohammed ben Sulayem has admitted Hamilton could be sanctioned if he fails to remove his jewellery. But the FIA president stopped short at saying the 37-year-old would be banned from the Monaco race.

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“That’s up to him,” Ben Sulayem said recently when discussing whether the Stevenage-born ace would take out his piercings. “There are fines that apply. It’s like if someone speeds on the roads – you can’t stop them doing it but they get fined – even if it was accidental.

“You can’t let people off because they are your friends. There has to be one rule for all, and that’s that. I love jewellery – I absolutely love it. But in the car there can be no choice. People say they (the rules) haven’t been implemented before. Don’t ask me why not. People can ask the old regime why that is the case.”

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