FIA race director Wittich reminds drivers of jewellery ban

It's hardly a rule that will impact the fight for the world title this year, but FIA race director Niels Wittich has reminded drivers in Melbourne that wearing jewellry while out on the track is strictly forbidden.

Ahead of this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, the specific article which is part of Appendix L of the FIA's International Sporting Code pertaining to the wearing of jewellry was highlighted in the event notes released by Wittich.

"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," states the article.

The rule, introduced all the way back in 2005, inevitably brings to mind Lewis Hamilton's many ear piercings and the nose stud that the seven-time world champion has worn for several years.

However, to the best of anyone's knowledge, Hamilton's wearing of jewellry has never triggered an action by the FIA or been reported to the stewards.

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It's unclear why Wittich, who shares his race director role in F1 on an alternating basis with Eduardo Freitas, has suddenly decided to highlight the rule in this weekend's event's notes.

It may have been triggered by the frequent use by several F1 drivers of the Oura Smart Ring, which features a suite of sensors that offer insights on a driver's sleep patterns, heart rate, body temperature and activity.

Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, Sebastian Vettel and Lando Norris all rely on the smart ring to better understand their body's activity, as do McLaren boss Zak Brown and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

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