Red Bull Investigates McLaren’s Mysterious Tyre-Cooling Edge Amid Dominant F1 Start

Red Bull Racing is reportedly conducting its own technical investigation into McLaren’s unusually strong tyre performance this Formula 1 season, amid growing suspicions of a possible undisclosed tyre-cooling method being used by the Woking-based team.

According to Auto Motor und Sport (AMuS), Red Bull Racing has been using thermal imaging during pit stops to capture heat signatures from McLaren’s brake cooling shafts. These readings may offer indirect clues into how McLaren keeps its tyres in the optimal temperature window longer than any other team — a critical advantage in qualifying and race conditions.

McLaren’s dominance in tyre performance has been hard to ignore. The team has clinched four victories in the first five rounds of the 2025 season, with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri consistently extracting more performance and longevity from their Pirellis. In particular, their cars appear to get up to operating temperature faster and maintain stability across longer stints — a combination no other team, including Red Bull, has matched.

One standout example came during the Miami Grand Prix Sprint qualifying, where Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri dominated the twisty second and third sectors, despite Max Verstappen being fastest in sector one. McLaren’s edge was even more pronounced during race conditions, with Oscar Piastri clocking his fastest lap on the final lap in Jeddah, holding Max Verstappen at bay with remarkable ease.

Red Bull Racing’s internal analysis suggests that McLaren’s tyre temperature advantage becomes even more apparent in hotter climates. Thermal cameras showed significantly cooler brake drum temperatures (appearing blue on heat imaging) on McLaren cars, while others, including Red Bull Racing, displayed hotter shades of red and orange. These readings have left engineers in Milton Keynes questioning how McLaren is achieving such efficient cooling, and whether it is within the sport’s technical regulations.

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There have been whispers of McLaren using water as a cooling mechanism — a method strictly prohibited during races — though McLaren CEO Zak Brown has publicly denied any wrongdoing. Zak Brown even poked fun at the accusations during the Miami GP, cheekily drinking from a bottle labelled “tire water.”

McLaren has insisted that their performance gains come from a refined combination of aerodynamic balance, mechanical grip, and innovations in materials and airflow management. This could include advanced brake duct design, clever air channelling systems, or heat-resistant materials used around the wheel assemblies.

Suspicion surrounding McLaren’s tyre behaviour isn’t new. Similar concerns were raised late last season, though a previous FIA investigation reportedly found no evidence of rule violations. Still, Red Bull’s decision to carry out its own probe suggests the reigning champions believe McLaren’s success is more than just smart engineering, possibly bordering on a grey area of the regulations.

As McLaren continues its charge at the top and Red Bull ramps up scrutiny, all eyes will be on how the FIA responds to any new findings. Whether McLaren’s secret lies in innovation or controversy, one thing is clear: the tyre war in F1 is heating up.