Toto Wolff questions new race boss as Lewis Hamilton defies jewellery ban

Toto Wolff has questioned new Formula One race boss Niels Wittich’s jewellery ban by asking: “Is that a battle he needs to have?”

Lewis Hamilton defied the FIA’s clampdown as he competed with piercings in both ears and a nose stud at the Australian Grand Prix – and said afterwards that he has no plans to remove them in future outings.

Wittich was hired by the FIA following Michael Masi’s dismissal for breaking the rules at last season’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – an event which denied Hamilton a record eighth championship.

“How he has run the first few races has been respectful, solid and he hasn’t put a single foot wrong,” Mercedes team principal Wolff said of Wittich in an interview with the PA news agency.

“But is that [jewellery ban] a battle he needs to have at this stage?

“However, if it turns out to be the biggest unfortunate misstep of a race director, I would take it a thousand times over.”

On Tuesday, it will be four months since Max Verstappen beat Hamilton to the title. But Masi’s incorrect handling of the affair remains a sore topic for Wolff.

The Austrian’s mind turns to the days before the most contentious finale in F1 history.

He continued: “It is quite interesting because I had lunch with him [Masi] on the Wednesday before the race, and I said to him that ‘I really want to tell you, without patronising you, that you need to take criticism on board and develop from there. Lewis does it every day, but you are guy who always seems to know better’.

“It wasn’t about influencing him but really giving my honest feedback that he shouldn’t block outside opinion as simply being wrong.

He was just immune to any feedback and even today he has not properly reflected that he did something wrong- Toto Wolff on Michael Masi