At the request of the teams, testing of the water-spray kit has been postponed
F1 wheel cover testing to resume next year after teams request delay. Formula 1 will resume wet weather wheel cover testing early next year, after plans for end-of-season races were cancelled for cost reasons.
The FIA has evaluated the means of adding wheel covers in rainy conditions to help minimize spray projections, which can seriously restrict visibility.
The tests of a first model tried at Silverstone earlier this year did not yield the expected results, leading to the conclusion that the concept of the initial test failed to sufficiently cover the wheel. A second, larger model is currently being developed and was supposed to be tested on cars last month.
However, facing the logistical challenge of an intense end of the season, combined with financial implications, the teams that had offered their help believed it was better to wait until next May to plan the next tests.
The director of single-seaters at the FIA, Nikolas Tombazis, stated that the governing body was happy to listen to the teams on the best way to approach the next step. « Obviously, for these tests, we have the support of the teams doing the work, we don’t have a car ourselves », he said.
« The planned tests were supposed to take place around early November, but the availability of spare parts and the production capacity of the teams would have required them to source everything externally, which would have been very costly. So, they asked if they could postpone the test until spring to reduce the costs. We thought it was more reasonable ».
Where are the diffuser and wheel protections at ?
« The original fenders were too small and did not adequately cover the wheels, he said. « Therefore, we felt that they did not really meet our expectations. What we are still unsure about is what proportion is due to the overall diffuser and track water aspiration, which is clearly something that the fender will not solve, and to what extent it is due to the wheels. »
« We know that these two factors are very important, and it is clear that our goal is not to solve everything. We know that there will still be visibility issues, but we need to see what percentage we can resolve through the most comprehensive wheel coverage. If we find that it is indeed a tangible step forward, we will optimize it.
« So, what we are testing in May is not the final solution. It is sort of an information gathering to see if this is really the right direction. Alternatively, if the test doesn’t go well in the spring, we might abandon this prototype and then have to rethink what needs to be done. »
If the next test is successful and provides a potential solution for rainy weather, it might still be possible to install it on cars for the 2025 season. However, if additional work is needed, things will probably wait until 2026.
The issue with the diffuser is important because if it turns out that more spraying is projected under the car, this could prove to be more problematic to solve.
« If we conclude that the main solution is the diffuser, then I believe that the direction the regulations take in 2026 will bring gradual improvement. We would then be able to focus some of the work on it and see what else we can do ».
Tombazis also stated that introducing something like an air curtain, which could direct the sprays towards the ground, was not realistic.
« This idea has been proposed, but if you put something in this area, you will lose downforce. And if you lose about half of the car’s downforce, drivers suddenly find themselves dealing with a car that has very little grip. And in the end, would they be safer? »
