[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Maybe they can fit mud flaps too?

Assuming the FIA renderings that have been widely shared are those that were tested at Silverstone and while they show a bit over the rear wheels, the main thing that jumps out is what I would effectively call "mud flaps".

Originally Posted by Taxi645

I suspect this idea with the current mud guards will last one race max. As said before, imagine such a part come in contact with (another) tyre and how violent this blade like shape could be thrown in any random direction.

I think they have effectively said what was tested will not work. So nothing is going to be raced until more testing. As to bits flying off. That really is no different than any other part of the bodywork that can be impacted by another car such as the front wing, etc. I view that as less of a risk to other drivers as the solutions being ineffective as they may be torn off (see comment below)

Originally Posted by Taxi645

To me the best way forward would seem not to keep the spray from being thrown up, but to try and isolate the tyre spray from the violently turbulent and low pressure air from the underside as much as possible. I would not mind at all if that concept would cost downforce. I rather have a wet race with low downforce than a continuously postponed race or no race at all. This has several advantages:

1 These sort of barge boards would be placed on the inside of the wheels so:
a) it would not look so ghastly and b) would be out of harms way if there is contact between cars.
2 It does not compromise the drying of the track as much.
3 It would not look so silly if you start the race wet, the track dries within 15 minutes and then you still have 75 min of dry racing with those silly mud guards attached.

This goes back to the original issue of risk vs. reward. The problems this calls out, while frustrating to fans, is relatively rare. So the more invasive and disruptive the solution, the less it makes sense. And when I say invasive, I mean that any type of significant aero changes (particularly at the front of the car) that tries to redirect spray away from the underbody, or elsewhere is going to significantly disrupt the existing aero optimization of the car. And that doesn't just mean the cars would be slower, they might be unsafe to drive at race speeds.

As to the point of parts flying off. Trying to trap or redirect spray from the tires (such as the water squeezed out of the track/tire intersection toward the underbody) means spray shielding VERY low to the track surface. Can those be low enough to be both effective AND also not be regularly torn off by curbs, etc.

Richard