FIA to crackdown on the “underwear’s” of F1 drivers

The FIA is set for a crackdown on the issue of Formula 1 driver’s underwear for their safety and well-being after a discussion was sparked in Australia over the matter.

IN Friday night’s briefing of F1 drivers that lasted for about two hours at Albert Park, Director of FIA race Niels Wittich announced that there would be a crackdown on suits that F1 drivers wear while racing.

Sources informed the FIA that some Formula 1 drivers have been wearing their underwear underneath their suits which is not allowed according to the rules of FIA. This rule was set to protect them in case of fire.

Drivers must be wearing gloves, a balaclava, long underwear, socks, and shoes that are approved by the FIA according to the Appendix L of the FIA’s international sporting code.

Niels has been very strict about following the rules set for F1 drivers since he was given the duties of F1 race director at the start of 2022.He reminded F1 drivers that wearing jewelry in the car is not allowed according to the rules for their safety and extrication from cars.

During the drivers briefing, the drivers seems upset and confused about the idea of crackdown on their underwear. It was an “entertaining drivers’ briefing yesterday” said the Red Bull team Principal Christian Horner.

But the idea behind this crackdown is the consequences they might have to face in a situation of fire wearing a synthetic material underwear. Romain Grosjean’s is an example of the said case which left him with burns on his hands after his car crashed in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.