Lewis Hamilton drove F1 fans into a frenzy by hinting he may have pierced his gearstick.
The seven-time world champ teased he has a gem in a sensitive area after threatening to pull out of yesterday's Miami Grand Prix over a jewellery ban.
Lewis had warned race officials he would not take part if they made him remove his earrings and studs on safety grounds. He eventually agreed to whip out all but two.
One is a nose stud that can only be taken out mechanically. The other had motor racing fans in a spin.
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Hamilton, 37, teased: "One, I can't really explain where it is. But what I can say is it's platinum, so it's not magnetic. It's never been a safety issue in the past."
Bosses of the sport's governing FIA body have banned piercings and neck chains because they claim they reduce levels of protection given by the drivers' flameproof clothing.
They also say metallic objects can increase the risk of burn injuries and "can hinder both medical interventions as well as subsequent diagnosis and treatment should it be required following an accident".
One F1 fan said: "We need to give Lew's piercing the once-over to see if it's safe.'' Another said: "I wouldn't mind weighing it up."
The seven-times world champion has already insisted he will NOT be removing various studs and piercings as they have special meaning for him. But ahead of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, race director Niels Wittich has repeated his intention to get tough on drivers who do not comply with FIA rules regarding jewellery.
In a letter to all teams on Thursday night, Wittich emphasised the regulation that states: “The wearing of jewellery in the form of body piercing or metal neck chains is prohibited during the competition and may therefore be checked before the start.”
Wittich then goes into extensive detail explaining why jewellery is forbidden, saying that it can reduce the effectiveness of flame-resistant clothing, can get snagged and, among other things, can get dislodged in an accident.
