Ferrari Experiments with Innovative Spray Guards Ahead of Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
(Fiorano, Italy – April 13, 2023) Ferrari has been actively testing a new aero package, including a unique set of spray guards, in preparation for the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Photos from the test session revealed Ferrari’s reserve driver, Arthur Leclerc, the younger brother of Charles Leclerc, behind the wheel of the 2023 Ferrari SF-75 car, equipped with fully covered front and rear wet-weather tires.
The guards featured two openings in the front but were fully enclosed at the rear. Later in the day, the team experimented with another version of the guards, this time featuring spoke-like sides. Ferrari’s 2024 reserve driver, Oliver Bearman, also participated in the test, running behind Leclerc to assess the visibility.
“The test was organized by the FIA and will not count as a filming day for Ferrari. This follows a previous experiment conducted by the FIA at a wet Silverstone test last year, where they tested a similar solution aimed at improving visibility for following cars in rainy conditions.”
While no actual images of the initial Silverstone test were shared, the FIA did provide 3D renders of the partial wheel covers on both the front and rear tires. The test was carried out with the help of Mercedes’ reserve driver, Mick Schumacher, and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who served as a control car.
The initial conclusion from the Silverstone test was that the system did not make a significant difference in reducing the levels of spray produced by the cars. Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater director, acknowledged that the experiment was perhaps too optimistic, as the spray guards covered too little of the wheel.
However, the FIA has now promised a more aggressive solution, and Ferrari has taken the latest iteration to the track at Fiorano. Tombazis had previously mentioned the complexity of finding a solution that would work effectively without compromising the car’s aerodynamic performance too much.
On Friday, Ferrari will use a filming day to further test the new aero package ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix next week.
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