F1 drivers prohibited from throwing visor tear-off strips on track

In a note sent to teams ahead of qualifying in Melbourne, a copy of which has been seen by Motorsport.com, F1 race director Charlie Whiting reminded drivers that regulations by which the sport is governed forbid them from discarding the tear-off strips.

He made it clear that Article 1.2 of Chapter 3 of the International Sporting Code is very clear about what is and is not allowed by all drivers of open cockpit cars.

It states: "Any tear-offs attached to visors may not be thrown onto the track or the pitlane."

Drivers have long fitted a number of tear-off strips to their visors for when their cars are out on track. These can then be removed if their vision becomes obscured by debris or fluid such as water or oil.

There was no official explanation as to why the matter has come up now, but sources have suggested it is related to teams being unhappy about the risk of the tear-off strips getting lodged in car parts and causing problems.

It has been known for the strips to get trapped in brake ducts, in particular, which have been known to have caused cars to retire.

At last year's Spanish Grand Prix, a visor tear-off strip was believed to have caused the brake problems that put Fernando Alonso out of the race. 

The stricter enforcement of the regulations means that drivers may now have to carefully place any tear-off strips inside their cockpits - or only have them removed at pitstops.