Jewellery? Underwear? The weirdest issues F1 has banned

While clampdowns on technical innovations are very little new in F1, bans on the far more strange aspects to the activity entered the spotlight forward of the Australian Grand Prix weekend when the FIA issued two awareness-grabbing clarifications. 

In the wake of the current rule reminders, we’ve compiled a list of some of the strangest decisions the FIA has taken…

 

Jewellery 

On the eve of the Australian Grand Prix, F1’s motorists have been issued a reminder by new FIA race director Niels Wittich that wearing jewellery when driving their vehicles in on-keep track of sessions is banned. 

Whilst the transfer was not a new clampdown as this kind of, with the ban on physique piercings and chain jewelry initially enforced back in 2005, the timing was intriguing and appeared to be aimed at Lewis Hamilton, even with the FIA insisting that no driver was becoming singled out. 

The seven-time planet winner is regularly found putting on jewelry in the paddock as section of his several fashion statements. When asked about the reminder, Hamilton vowed to go on donning jewellery during grand prix weekends. 

“I do not have any options on eradicating it,” Hamilton reported. 

“I experience they are personal matters. You should be ready to be who you are. There is stuff that I are unable to move. I practically are unable to even take these out [earrings on right ear]. 

“They’re welded in so I would have to get them chopped off or some thing like that, so they are going to be staying.”

Underwear 

Later on the exact same weekend in Melbourne, Wittich warned motorists that the FIA would be acquiring more durable on monitoring the type on underwear utilized for the duration of races on basic safety grounds.

The clampdown arrives amid considerations some motorists are jeopardizing compromising their defense in the occasion of a crash by wearing non-fireproof underwear underneath their race satisfies that does not comply with the policies. 

Appendix L of the FIA’s Worldwide Sporting Code states that drivers ought to put on gloves, very long underwear, a balaclava, socks and sneakers that are homologated to the FIA’s security criteria. 

The shift prompted a cheeky supply from AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly, who mocked the freshly-enforced underwear ruling. 

“If they want to check out my arse, really feel absolutely free, I’ve bought nothing at all to cover,” he quipped. “My c*ck, almost everything. If that would make them delighted, feel cost-free.”

Slogans on T-shirt 

All through the 2020 period, F1 banned motorists from sporting unofficial garments write-up-race and on the podium after Hamilton wore a T-shirt in protest of Breonna Taylor, a black female who was shot and killed in her apartment by US law enforcement. 

The T-shirt, which drew attention to law enforcement brutality in the United States, was one particular of quite a few worn by Hamilton in the course of the yr as he utilized his system to emphasize many issues which include racial injustice, inequality and environmental concerns. 

But right after Hamilton wore the T-shirt in parc ferme and on the podium soon after the Tuscan Grand Prix, the FIA declared a change to its write-up-race technique. 

Requested about the improve, Hamilton claimed: “Lots of procedures have been prepared for me more than the yrs, that hasn’t stopped me. What I will do is just keep on to try out to work with System 1 and with the FIA to make certain the messaging is right.”  

Movie star bodyguards 

Appearances by Hollywood A-listers VIP visitors on the F1 grid have turn out to be a topic of grand prix weekends, but last November the F1 moved to make a important change the way the grid operates. 

Throughout Martin Brundle’s pre-race ‘grid walk’ for Sky tv at the 2021 United States Grand Prix, the former F1 driver was stopped from undertaking an interview with rapper Megan Thee Stallion by her bodyguard. 

When Brundle questioned her which driver she was supporting, her bodyguard instructed him he was not allowed to do that, to which Brundle amusingly replied: “I can do that, since I did.” 

F1 subsequently banned superstars from bringing bodyguards with them to the starting off grid but also confirmed that superstars would no more time be obliged to give interviews. 

“For the avoidance of doubt I will not care who visits the F1 grid, the a lot more the merrier,” Brundle wrote on Twitter in response to the new ruling. “Talk to me, disregard me, shove, wave, hug, get in touch with me names, whichever makes you delighted. 

“All I ask is that you soak up the atmosphere, enjoy the privilege. I have not requested for any grid protocol alterations.”  

Military aviation displays 

In a improve for the 2022 F1 season, race promoters have been stopped from putting on aspect of their pre-race displays. 

Flybys of military services aircraft have come to be a common addition to the pre-race make-up on F1 Sundays but as of this period, armed forces aviation shows will no for a longer period be permitted forward of races. 

This prompted first speculation that the Red Arrows, which are aspect of the Royal Air Power, would no longer be authorized to carry out their conventional pre-race flypast at the British Grand Prix. Silverstone has since confirmed that this will not be the circumstance.

“The Purple Arrows have played a sizeable element in entertaining motorsport admirers considering the fact that they first carried out at the British Grand Prix in 1966 and I am pleased to say that System 1 has confirmed this a great deal-cherished custom can keep on at Silverstone in 2022,” Silverstone controlling director Stuart Pringle mentioned in a assertion. 

Helmet design ban

Prior to the start out of the 2015 F1 time, the FIA announced that motorists would be confined to just just one change of helmet style and design during the calendar year. 

The go resulted in drivers currently being prevented from donning unique models at their property races and drew criticism from motorists and supporters alike. 

In 2019, Hamilton ran a poll of his social media followers asking “how several of you feel it is bs that the FIA only let the drivers a single helmet structure alter in the calendar year?”. 

The ban was at some point lifted for the 2020 time, 5 many years right after it was originally launched.