This is correct.
Do not run Directional tires
Backwards.
I have seen this happen when tires are new.
View attachment 10381
That's interesting, the delamination thing
However, this: "This is incorrect. Water has nothing to do with directional tires."
Is not always correct. In the case of tires expected to encounter water on the road, specifically.
Often directional tires DO have a very specific water-path-upon-contact reason for the directionality of their tread. Goodyear started this with their "natural path" rain tires years ago. Deep water, when a tire runs over it, wants to flee in two primary directions, in combination: straight forward and towards the edges. "natural path" rain tires attempt to have their grooves aimed to align most effectively with that direction.
As you can see, the tires above are designed with that exact principle in mind. I have seen photos of Goodyear engineers manually cutting grooves in rain compound tires at the racetrack that followed a similar pattern.
Possibly actual Goodyear F1 tires:
Yes, the direction that rain and deep water takes when interacting with the tire surface as it drives over it has a LOT to do with the directional nature of SOME tires.
Definitely an actual F1 tire:
Note: marketing hype has zero to do with this tire's design. It's F1. Performance, and ONLY performance is the criteria for its design, from casing to tread surface. In fact, this tire is designed for one thing, and one thing only; driving in the wet.