The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps once again highlighted Formula 1’s perennial struggle with wet weather. A dramatic, delayed start due to torrential rain and poor visibility underscored the urgent need for F1 to reassess its approach to managing rain affected events.
While F1 has historically relied on intermediate and wet tyres to disperse water, the ever increasing spray and safety concerns are pushing the sport towards a more proactive solution, embracing NASCAR-style track drying methods.
The recent Spa GP saw extensive delays, red flags, and drivers struggling with limited visibility, even behind the safety car. The stewards, out of caution, delayed the race start. This isn’t an isolated incident, wet races, particularly at tracks like Spa, often become processions behind safety cars or are outright suspended, frustrating fans and compromising the sporting spectacle.
NASCAR, on the other hand, has perfected the art of drying tracks quickly and efficiently. Their “Air Titan” system, complemented by jet dryers, utilizes a combination of compressed air to displace water and powerful blowers to evaporate residual moisture. This sophisticated fleet of specialized vehicles can dry large sections of an oval track in a remarkably short time, allowing racing to resume far quicker than F1’s current methods.
The case for NASCAR-style track drying in F1:
• Reduced standing water significantly mitigates spray, improving visibility for drivers and drastically lowering the risk of high-speed accidents in low-grip conditions. The sheer volume of water displaced by NASCAR’s systems would make a tangible difference, preventing scenarios like the one seen at Spa where drivers simply couldn’t see.
• Prolonged delays and even race cancellations due to wet weather are a significant headache for F1. They impact broadcasting schedules, fan experience, and event logistics. By quickly drying critical sections of the track, F1 could minimize downtime, ensure more consistent race starts, and reduce the likelihood of abandoned sessions.
• A partially wet but drying track, or a track that can be dried more efficiently, opens up strategic possibilities and encourages more dynamic racing. Instead of drivers cautiously tiptoeing around standing water, they could push harder earlier, leading to more overtakes and exciting battles.
• Effective track drying could benefit practice and qualifying sessions. Teams could gather more meaningful data in varied conditions, and fans would get to see more on-track action.
The dramatic scenes at the Spa GP serve as a potent reminder that F1’s current wet-weather protocols are no longer sufficient. While the sport has explored spray guards and improved wet-weather tyres, a more comprehensive, proactive solution for track drying is needed.