Ferrari has started working on the future of racing in very heavy rain. This morning, the Fiorano circuit was the setting where the team tested the second version of the fenders designed by the FIA, intended to improve visibility conditions on wet tracks.
This novelty is part of the WWP – Wet Weather Package – project, launched at the end of 2022, whose objective is to allow Formula 1 races to be maintained over time despite the extremely unfavorable weather conditions in which the pilots practically they do not see.
Ferrari’s objective in testing has not only been to evaluate the effectiveness of these new fenders in reducing projections, but also to collect important information to support future modifications.
In this second version they seem to cover practically the entire tire, something that has been very surprising on social networks due to its strange aesthetics: “Oh my God, that looks bad, please.” Others have pointed out that, due to the large size of the fenders and if they are not modified, there will be “10-second pit stops.” It has also been noted that the FIA ??proposes “horrible solutions for a problem that they themselves have created.”
Although they do not convince a large majority of fans, it seems that some did find it a plausible solution: “We also thought about the halo. As long as they are able to run in water again, it works for me. “They will polish it.”
However, it does not seem that these large fenders are going to be the definitive prototype taking into account that in the past there were already great difficulties in finding a solution to water dispersion. Therefore, Ferrari’s work will be essential to achieve the perfect fender.
A first test at Silverstone last year, comparing a Mercedes equipped with the first version of these fenders against a McLaren without them, did not produce the expected results. This lack of success precipitated the review and development of this second version, which has been meticulously evaluated with the 2022 and 2024 cars.
Nikolas Tombazis, a key figure in this project, already said at the end of 2023 that the first tests of this project had left many doubts and that it was not going to be easy to find a solution to the dispersion of water: “The task seems to be more complicated than expected.”
The main problem lay in the complex physics of the spray, which is difficult to control since it not only comes from the water displaced by the tires when rolling on the asphalt, but also from the water expelled by the diffusers. Thus, with two different sources, they could not find the balance necessary for the fenders to be effective.
Initially, Ferrari’s tests in Fiorano should serve to get closer to a definitive solution, which would have to be ready before the new Formula regulations come into force! in 2026. This regulation will include changes to aerodynamic regulations and possibly other technical aspects of the cars.