FIA outlines plans to solve key wet tyre issue

The FIA will run a wet tyre test next year as part their efforts toreduce the spray from Formula 1 cars in extreme wet conditions.With the latest generation of cars, drivers have noted how thespray from the tyres and diffuser can have an effect on the amountof spray that gets produced which limits visibility. This is oftena factor in determining whether it is safe enough to start a raceor suspend sessions, with drivers also complaining about visibilityover team radio. The aim of the testing is to figure out whetherthis is caused by the tyre design or if there is alterations neededto the cars according to FIA Single Seater Director, NikolasTombazis. "We clearly want to reduce the spray. It's not an easytask, we will be doing the next spray reduction test sometime inthe spring with the help of Ferrari," Tombazis told media,including RacingNews365 . "At that time we will try to finallyanswer the question about what proportion of the problem is becauseof the car configuration or proportion is because of the tyres. "Inthe simulations it's extremely difficult to get that balance right,to answer this question just by CFD. So we're going to answer thatwhen we do the testing." The FIA and Pirelli ran a prototype of awheel-arch solution at Silverstone earlier this year, however itproved to be ineffective in reducing the amount of spray with thecurrent specification of tyres. Tombazis said they will not scrapthe wheel cover solution yet, as they look to evaluate whether workis needed on the cars or tyres in the test with Ferrari. "On thatbasis, if the tyres are a significant proportion [of the problem],then by 2026 we will have a wheel cover solution for ultra wetraces," he explained. "If the conclusion is not so much the tyres,but it's more the diffuser on the chassis, then we'd have to do abit more work on the cars and that we can simulate. But we needthis data point from the experiment in April." FIA to use mule carsIn addition to the wet weather tests, the FIA also plans to runmule cars for the 16-inch tyre tests for the future. "We arediscussing with the teams at the moment about mule cars for 16-inchtyre testing," said Tombazis. "These are a bit simpler this timebecause cars from the 2021 regulation generation would be fairlyeasy to modify to put these new wheels rims and tires on, so webelieve that we can be easily platform for such testing."