They’re ugly, extremely ugly. Nothing that resembles a Formula 1, rather they resemble prototypes with covered wheels. The wheel fairings that the FIA is experimenting with at Fiorano in collaboration with Ferrari are nothing but carbon fairings around the tires, designed to study the actual extent of water spray generated, making it dangerous for drivers following a car due to limited visibility.
The F1-75 driven by Arthur Leclerc began testing on a wet track at Fiorano, artificially watered to justify the use of full wet tires, with the wheel fairings completely closed. Gradually, vents were opened first at the front and then laterally, allowing the evaluation of the impact of each modification in creating the water spray. Behind the 2022 red car, Oliver Bearman was called to drive the SF-24 in the blue striped livery seen in Miami.
This alone was a significant development because Fiorano’s track has always been approved for only one car on the track at a time: for a serious spray testing, the FIA must have granted Ferrari an exemption, allowing us to see two F1 cars running simultaneously.
The FIA had conducted an initial test at Silverstone last year after the British GP, and the results were disastrous. The technical staff led by Nikolas Tombazis wanted to conduct a second experiment based on less empirical and more scientific foundations.
It’s legitimate to wonder how much of the water wall can be generated by the droplets lifted by the tires and how much, instead, by the rear diffuser. Judging from the images we have published earlier, it seems that the water sucked in by the underfloor for the ground effect that is then… shot out by the diffuser is significantly greater than what is contained by the wheel fairings.
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The goal is to understand if limiting the water dispersion generated by the grooved tires can be sufficient to ensure less problematic visibility for those following, or if any attempt is futile and, therefore, it makes no sense to continue work that is not destined to yield results…
The “basket” on the tire has a second negative impact: it is anchored to the wheel hub, making a quick pit stop during the race impossible.
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