27/05/2016
NEWS STORY
In a move many might see as arranging the deckchairs on Titanic, at a time the sport finds itself losing fans, sponsors and possibly teams, earlier this year the FIA, in its infinite wisdom, warned that it would be taking action against drivers who throw their visor rip-offs on to the track .
With the visors crucial, especially under (FIA) rules that make overtaking nigh impossible, therefore forcing drivers to follow rivals for lap after lap, having all sorts of detritus thrown back at them, there was concern as to where exactly the rip-offs could be placed if not thrown out on to the track.
A number of solutions have been looked at, however at last night's driver briefing concerns were raised that if stored in an overall pocket a rip-off could be a serious hazard in the event of a fire. Consequently, the FIA has opted to delay the ban and instead called on driver to limit their use.
"We've been permitted to two tear-offs during the race itself," Paddy Lowe revealed yesterday, "so I think that will be sufficient. I think there's a constant dialogue with the FIA to find a practical way forward with this."
"There's just two you can tear off during the race and that's it really," added Renault's Nick Chester.
Race director, Charlie Whiting has now confirmed that action will not be taken against drivers who discard their rip-offs on the track, but did ask them to keep the number to a minimum.
Meanwhile, there is the little matter of discarded manhole covers.