Ferrari was pictured on Thursday running some peculiar (to put it mildly) looking wet-weather tyre guards at its Fiorano test circuit as Formula 1 continues to evaluate measures for controlling spray in wet conditions.
One solution sees the wheels almost entirely encapsulated by the wheel guard after a more measured solution was tested last year.
The second solution was slightly less extravagant and saw cutouts on the side of the guard.
A negative impact of the ground effect aerodynamics currently at play in F1 is that a larger amount of spray is projected onto the following car than in previous regulations.
This makes visibility poor, bordering on dangerous in wet conditions and has prompted action by the FIA.
Thursday’s test at Fiorano saw Charles Leclerc’s brother Arthur driving the Ferrari sporting the wheel guards with Ollie Bearman in pursuit in a normal-spec Ferrari to gauge the guards’ effectiveness.
Once an ideal solution is settled, the idea is that all cars will run the spec WWP, or Wet Weather Package, when rain intervenes during a race weekend.
However, initial trials last year with Mercedes Reserve Driver Mick Schumacher running the first iteration of the guard ahead of the following Oscar Piastri in a McLaren didn’t go as planned.
“What was done at Silverstone, with the help of Mercedes who created parts and McLaren was perhaps too optimistic an experiment,” said FIA’s Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis (via Motorsport.com).
Moreover, Tombazis has said the testing is an evolutionary product and said before Thursday’s test that the package run by Ferrari at Fiorano won’t be the final concept.
“What we’re testing in May isn’t the final solution,” Tombazis added to select media (via The Race) in November.
“It’s information gathering to see if that is actually the right path.
“Things would have to go reasonably well to have it in 2025.
“If that fails, then it would have to be 2026. It would be part of the new package of regulations.
“Alternatively, if the test doesn’t go well in spring, we may abandon that course and then have to really think about what we do.”
Tombazis hinted that understanding the balance between the tyres and rear diffuser, and which item creates the greatest amount of spray, could help steer the 2026 regulations to mitigate the need for the quite unsightly wheel guards.
The FIA Single-Seater Director has ruled out having a fully separate wet-spec car, given the understandable complications, but if the rear diffuser is found to be the main culprit, the regulations could find a solution without the need for wheel guards.
“If we conclude that the main factor is nonetheless the diffuser,” began Tombazis.
“First of all, I think that the direction that 26 regulations are going, would probably be a step improvement.
“But secondly, then we would be able to focus some of the work there and see what more we can do.”
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