Wolff: If that’s Wittich’s biggest misstep, I’ll take it

Toto Wolff feels if Niels Wittich’s decision to enforce a jewellery ban is his biggest faux-pas of the season, he’ll take that “a thousand times over”.

New FIA race director Wittich surprised many in the Albert Park paddock on Friday when he informed the drivers in his pre-race notes that he would be enforcing the rule that bans drivers from racing with piercings or necklaces.

He was referring to the regulation that states that the “wearing of jewellery in the form of body piercing or metal neck-chains is prohibited during the competition and may therefore be checked before the start”.

That had the drivers joking about their piercings in the Friday press conference before Lewis Hamilton, the driver with the most visible piercings, defiantly displayed his earrings on the grid.

He later told The Mirror: “I don’t have any plans on removing. I feel there are personal things and you should be able to be who you are. And I will continue to do that.”

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were joking around after the FIA's reminder on body piercings.https://t.co/FLRhACGPCp #F1 #AustralianGP pic.twitter.com/yIJ65mMVGC

— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) April 8, 2022

Sky’s Ted Kravitz was quick to claim that the new regulation was “specifically targeted” at the seven-time World Champion.

But at a time when Formula 1 is still trying to shake off last year’s Abu Dhabi controversy, the race that ultimately led to Wittich getting the job of race director after Michael Masi was fired, Wolff has been left scratching his head over this one.

“How he has run the first few races has been respectful, solid and he hasn’t put a single foot wrong,” the Mercedes motorsport boss told the PA news agency.

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