Alonso says drivers may need 'X-rated' solutions for tear-off ban

In a bid to prevent cars being forced to retire from races because visor tear-offs were getting stuck in brake ducts, the FIA said in Australia it was going to enforce a regulation that forbid drivers from discarding them on track.

But following concerns from teams about the matter, the enforcement was delayed until Spain, and then put back again to this weekend.

With teams and drivers still unsure about exactly what they will do, Alonso suggested on Wednesday that there may have to be some extreme places to stuff the visors to prevent them being thrown on to the track.

"Let's say it's a strange rule, because we never had this kind of rule, but it's also not a problem to keep the tear-offs inside the cockpit, so it's OK," explained the Spaniard.

"We have different solutions that we will find tomorrow. We keep trying, we tried a couple, and tomorrow we will find a place. Some of these places I cannot tell now, because it's a '18-plus' thing!

"But I think we will have to do it in the pitlane, to be honest. When we do the pitstop, this ten seconds when we are at 60km/h is the perfect opportunity to do all these things."

Tricky solutions

Alonso's teammate Jenson Button was equally unsure about what he would be doing with the tear offs once they were taken off.

"There are many different ideas that people have come up with," he said. "If we stick them in the cockpit in different places, it is not the easiest thing to do - especially when you have been taking off tear offs for 20 years of your life, then suddenly you cannot take them off, it is difficult.

"Even when you know you have to take them off and your hand is in the air, and it is blowing around and you're trying to put it back in the cockpit and stick it somewhere, it is tricky.

"Plus the first race being Monaco – you have to stick it in the car and not let go. It is difficult for everyone."

But Button felt that the controversy over the matter would soon disappear once drivers got used to it.

"It is one of those things; none of us really like it, but like a HANS Device, no driver liked it and it wasn't comfortable, but after one race you have forgotten about it and you deal with it."

Penalty question

Alonso added he was unsure about what the penalty would be for any driver who did throw his tear off on to the track.

"It is still not decided yet," he said. "We are still asking the FIA what will be the penalty, and there is still some debate about that."

Check out our Monaco GP preview…