F1 car wheel arches tested by Ferrari to combat wet race spray

F1

Wheel arches have been tested by Ferrari in an effort to reduce the vast plumes of spray that limit visibility in wet races

Ferrari Fiorano test

Ferrari tested new wheel guards as well as new upgrades at Fiorano

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Ferrari juniors Oliver Bearman and Arthur Leclerc have been pictured testing an F1-75 car fitted with wheel arches, which aim to reduce the amount of spray produced by F1 cars in wet weather conditions.

Drivers have complained that the new generation of ground-effect cars with larger 18in wheels create more spray than previously, severely limiting their view of the track ahead and causing races to be delayed or suspended.

Last season, fans and drivers were left waiting at the Dutch and Belgian Grands Prix, when track sessions were suspended during wet weather due to the level of spray created by the cars

A study by racing’s governing body, the FIA, is looking at ways of reducing the effect and is now into its third year. One proposal is to develop wheel arches that would be fitted when the level of spray makes it too dangerous to race. Currently races are red-flagged at this point until conditions improve. In future, cars could come into the pits to be fitted with standard-specification wheel arches, enabling them to resume racing much quicker.

An initial “minimal” wheel arch was developed last year but, when tested at Silverstone by Mercedes, these were considered a failure due to their inability to reduce wet weather spray.

The new devices, which encompass the entire top half of the tyre with cutouts at the front to allow for cooling, are meant for “extremely wet” conditions — which were seemingly simulated during the test at Fiorano.

The results of the test have not yet been officially published, but from initial photographs it looks as if the new wheel arches are creating less upward spray and are instead pushing standing water outward.

Ferrari test wheel arches

Leclerc (front) runs with new wheel arches, while Bearman (behind) follows without

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However, they may not do enough to reduce spray. Officials are also investigating whether the new cars’ underfloor tunnels, which generate ground effect, contribute to the increased spray by picking up surface water and throwing it high into the air. Many experts are currently in agreement that the attempts by F1 to reduce dirty air and improve wheel-to-wheel racing in dry conditions may have worsened the amount of spray that is produced when the field takes to a damp track.

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Last year’s delays at the Dutch at Belgian Grands Prix came after lengthy stoppages the previous season. Officials were hesitant to run in full wet conditions in 2022, with the Monaco, Singapore and Japanese Grands Prix being delayed due to concerns over spray and the displacement capacity of the Pirelli rain tyres.

“Driver feedback has suggested that there has been reduced visibility in extremely wet conditions with this latest generation of cars, which is a key determinant on starting, or needing to suspend sessions,” said the FIA in a previous statement. “Therefore, the FIA commenced a study to define a package of parts aiming to suppress the spray generated when running in wet conditions.”

An initial concept was shown to the F1 Commission, made up of officials from the FIA and F1, as well as the teams. From there it has been built upon further, with the latest iteration of the concept being shown at Fiorano.

Leclerc Ferrari wheel arches test

New wheel arches applied just to the rear of Leclerc’s Ferrari

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Should the problem continue, Pirelli boss Mario Isola has stated that F1’s tyre provider will shift its efforts into developing a “super-intermediate” tyre which would be more suited to the wet conditions. In the past, drivers have often refused to use the full wet weather blue-striped tyre due to its incredible lack of pace.

“The extreme [wet] tyre is a pretty pointless tyre,” said George Russell. “It’s really, really bad. It’s probably six, seven seconds a lap slower than the intermediate.

“The only reason you’d ever want the extreme wet is because you’re going to aquaplane on an intermediate, so that needs to be substantially improved.

The extreme wet weather tyre also leaves a wall of spray in its wake, as at racing speed it can disperse over 85 litres of water every season — double the amount of the quicker intermediate tyre.

“We still have doubts about what the actual proportion is between the spray due to the tires and that generated by the diffuser,” FIA director Nikolas Tombazis explained ahead of Ferrari’s most recent wheel arch test. “We know that both factors are quite significant, and we are clearly aware that the problem cannot be solved completely.”

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