New F1 race director sparked dismay by telling drivers they must wear undergarments that comply with regulations. Photo / Getty Images
New F1 race director sparked dismay by telling drivers they must wear undergarments that comply with regulations. Photo / Getty Images
Formula One's new race director is facing mounting criticism after being dragged into a two-hour debate with drivers over his enforcement of a ban on flammable underwear.
Niels Wittich, who replaced the controversy-hit Michael Masi, sparked dismay on the eve of the Australian GP by telling them they must wear undergarments that comply with regulations.
The likes of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Christian Horner expressed puzzlement at the prospect of drivers now being "spot checked" to make sure they have the right kit on.
Former drivers also spoke of their bemusement that it had taken hours for the relatively minor issue to be thrashed out between Wittich and competitors on the eve of a race.
"From what I understand, the drivers on Friday in Australia spent more time discussing the underwear thing than actually anything about the track," the F1 driver-turned-pundit Karun Chandhok told Telegraph Sport.
"I think you have to question whether it was really of incremental benefit. Conversely, how much of a disadvantage is it just to allow their normal pants underneath? If a fire has got to that point, there's a lot of other things to consider."
In his race notes, Wittich had also warned that wearing jewellery - like Hamilton has done for years - while behind the wheel is a rule breach. But it was the surprise orders around underpants from Wittich, who landed the role after Masi was ousted following the Abu Dhabi furore, that dominated a two-hour exchange of views on Friday. During subsequent press conferences, drivers and team staff suggested the rule was laughable. AlphaTauri's French driver Pierre Gasly said: "If they want to check my arse, feel free, I've got nothing to hide. My c***, everything. If that makes them happy, feel free."
The FIA's fear is that drivers' underwear could be flammable, with regulators looking at all options after Romain Grosjean's horrific fiery crash in Bahrain in 2020. However, the teams say there is widespread resistance to the prospect of the FIA telling drivers what sort of underwear they can wear as drivers have not been told, until now, that their choice of undergarments fell under regulations. A point raised during the meeting was that drivers should have been alerted before the season started, rather than on the eve of a Grand Prix.
Track marshals put out a fire of the crash of Romain Grosjean of France and Haas F1 during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020. Photo / Getty Images
Alonso, the double world champion, said in response: "I'm not too interested about these things. You know, I think we need to be flexible in a couple of these things. But it's part of the show. I guess."
Red Bull chief ' won't be checking our drivers' underwear'
Amid the resistance from drivers, the FIA decided to give them more time to find the right underwear, but it is not clear whether spot checks will be carried out. Horner, the Red Bull team principal, said: "I certainly won't be checking our drivers' underwear. For compliance, I see that as a team manager role, although I'm reliably informed our drivers go commando! Hopefully, it won't be an issue for them."
The jewellery edict has also caused a stir. Lewis Hamilton, who has nose and ear piercings, said he has no plans to remove them. Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, added: "Is that [jewellery ban] a battle he needs to have? However, if it turns out to be the biggest unfortunate misstep of a race director, I would take it a thousand times over." Daniel Ricciardo, also of McLaren, said: "This was the first time I'd heard about the fireproof underwear. Obviously we wear the leggings, if you want to call it that, but we don't have actual underwear-underwear that's fireproof, so that was just more of a surprise, I'd never heard of it."
A ban on body piercings has technically been in place since 2004, but Hamilton, 37, said: "They are personal things. You should be able to be who you are. There is stuff that I cannot move. "I literally cannot even take these [earrings] out. These ones on my right ear are welded in so I would have to get it chopped off. They will be staying."
Ahead of the next race in Imola, Hamilton, fifth in the standings, is 43 points behind runaway leader Charles Leclerc. He is also nine points adrift of new teammate George Russell, 24, who has finished ahead of Hamilton at two of the opening three races. Drivers could, in theory, be fined or docked points for clothing breaches. Lucas di Grassi, was fined €10,000 at the 2018 Formula E race in Punta del Este, Uruguay, for wearing underwear that was not compliant.
