Ferrari Tackles Rain Spray with Innovative Wheel Covers

Ferrari explores new wheel cover designs at Fiorano to minimize rain spray, enhancing visibility and safety during wet races.

It was known that Ferrari is at Fiorano for two days of running with its upgraded SF-24, for Imola.

What was less known is that it is also the scene of a parallel test of a new solution devised by the FIA and teams to try to reduce rain spray in wet races.

Photos from the test (see below) show Arthur, the brother of Charles Leclerc, behind the wheel of the 2023 Ferrari SF-75 with fully covered front and rear wheels. The shields feature two holes in the front but are fully covered at the back.

The Italian team’s reserve driver, Oliver Bearman, was following Arthur Leclerc in an SF-24 to check visibility. This test for the FIA does not count towards Ferrari’s 200-kilometer filming day allocation.

The solution presented is far more extreme (and unsightly) than the one first tested at Silverstone by Mercedes F1 and McLaren last year, which had not been satisfactory. If validated, a standardized device would be made available to teams, potentially making races easier to hold in moderately or slightly intense rain, though it would not solve aquaplaning issues.

The test photos also reveal that Ferrari’s wing tips will remain white with the arrival of HP as a title sponsor. Thus, this aspect of the livery was not just for Miami.