In a move many might see as arranging the deckchairs on Titanic, at a time the sport finds itself losing fans, sponsors and possibly teams, earlier this year the FIA, in its infinite wisdom, warned that it would be taking action against drivers who throw their visor rip-offs on to the track .

With the visors crucial, especially under (FIA) rules that make overtaking nigh impossible, therefore forcing drivers to follow rivals for lap after lap, having all sorts of detritus thrown back at them, there was concern as to where exactly the rip-offs could be placed if not thrown out on to the track.

A number of solutions have been looked at, however at last night's driver briefing concerns were raised that if stored in an overall pocket a rip-off could be a serious hazard in the event of a fire. Consequently, the FIA has opted to delay the ban and instead called on driver to limit their use.

"We've been permitted to two tear-offs during the race itself," Paddy Lowe revealed yesterday, "so I think that will be sufficient. I think there's a constant dialogue with the FIA to find a practical way forward with this."

"There's just two you can tear off during the race and that's it really," added Renault's Nick Chester.

Race director, Charlie Whiting has now confirmed that action will not be taken against drivers who discard their rip-offs on the track, but did ask them to keep the number to a minimum.

Meanwhile, there is the little matter of discarded manhole covers.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by TheHillsHaveEyes, 27/05/2016 20:21

"Who said that the FIA doesn't have a sense of humor, next they will be asking the drivers to pick up the tyre marbles that they discard each lap, I see a deal with Hover on the horizon to fit a vacuum cleaners to the rear of the cars.

News flash! Adrian Newey finds more rear grip whilst cleaning the track at the same time, he's calling it the Henry Cyclone Effect."

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2. Posted by jasman, 27/05/2016 16:48

"Maybe the FIA would be OK with it as long as they are called "tear offs' and not "rip offs" that has such a negative connotation in contemporary jargon. So from this day forward ..."

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3. Posted by edllorca, 27/05/2016 14:04

"This is a joke right?"

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Drivers urged to limit rip-off use

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