The ruling was included in the Melbourneꦇ event notes tha🐭t was issued by new FIA race director, Niels Wittich, who is alternating the position with Eduardo Freitas during the 2022 F1 season following Michael Masi’s sacking. 

Appendix L, Chapter III, of Article 5 of the governing body’s International Sporting Code states: “The wearing of jewellery in th🐼e form of body piercing or metal neck chains is prohibited during the competition and may therefore be checked before the start.”

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Rather than it be𝓰ing a fresh clampdown, F1 drivers have simply beenꦗ reminded by the FIA about the ISC’s jewellery ruling, which has been in place since 2005. 

The ban was introduced 💦as a safety precaution in order to reduce the risk drivers face when they need to escape from a car following a crash.

It is understood that the reminder has come after several drivers have been spotted wearing rings an♎d bracelets when in their cars. 

The ruling will not affect the drivers when they are in and around the paddock and any bꦉreach is likely ꦦto be met with a fine, rather than any kind of sporting penalty.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton regularly wears jewellery - including rings, earrings and neck chains - in the paddock over the course of a race weekend as part of his striking fashion 🐼statements. 

Hamilton turned heads when he arrived in the Melbourne paddock on Thurཧsday wearing a bol♓d green outfit from luxury London knitwear brand AGR. 

Shov out here checking the drip.

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1)

Will Mercedes and Hamilton’s fortunes improve? 

Hamilton heads into F1’s first race in Melbourne since 2019 al෴ready 29 points adrift of early championship leader Charles Leclerc after a difficult opening two rounds of the season in Bahrain and Sඣaudi Arabia. 

After claiming a podium finish in third in the season-opener, Hamilton could only recover to 10th in Jeddah after suffering his worst qualifying performance in terms of pure pace since 🍨2009. 

Mercedes’ season has been hamp🐬ered by the porpoising phenomenon that has pre💎vented the team from maximising the true performance of its 2022 F1 car, the W13. 

It was rumoured that M𝐆ercedes would be bringing an upgraded rear wing to this weekend’s race, but it appears the updates have been pushed back until upcoming events in Imo👍la or Miami. 

Speaking ahead of the Australian GP, team principal Tot🅘o Wolff conceded Mercedes would have to make the moﷺst of its current package until a solution to the team’s problems can be found. 

"At the moment, our track performance is not meeting our own expectations, but everyone at Brackley ꧅and Brixworth is focused on understanding the problems and finding the right solutions,” Wolff said.&nbs𒊎p;

"There won't be a magic fix for the next race weekend, but we're pushing to steadily bring gains over the upcoming races, to hopefully move us close𒀰r to the front of the pack.

"Until th🉐🌠en, we need to maximise each opportunity and make the most of the package we have."

Crash F1 Podcast: Episode 4 

Download and listen to Episode 4 now at the following links…