McLaren’s Tyre Cooling Claims Rubbished by Red Bull Dismissed by Zak Brown
Zak Brown, McLaren’s chief executive, has strongly denied claims made by Red Bull that his team is using an illicit tyre-cooling method, describing the allegations as “bogus”. The accusations, which have been circulating for several weeks, centre around McLaren’s apparent ability to keep their tyres cooler than other teams.
According to The Times, Brown responded to the allegations during Friday’s first practice session, where he was seen drinking from a water bottle labelled “tire water”. This reference to last year’s allegations against his team appeared to be a lighthearted dismissal of the claims.
The Times understands that Red Bull has used thermal imaging cameras to measure the temperature of McLaren’s tyres, which do appear to have more blue, cool areas than other leading teams. However, McLaren argues that their car’s exceptional balance has allowed them to keep their tyres cooler through legitimate means.
As The Times reported, Brown expressed frustration with the allegations, stating, “That [the water bottle] was poking fun at a serious issue, which is teams have historically made allegations against other teams; most recently one team [Red Bull] focuses on that strategy more than others.”
Brown called for a more formal process for protesting teams, suggesting that a deposit of around £25,000 would be enough to dissuade teams from making frivolous allegations. He stated, “If someone does believe there’s a technical issue, by all means you’re entitled to it, put it on paper, put your money down. It should come against your cost cap if it turns out you’re wrong and I think that will significantly stop the bogus allegations that come from some teams in the sport.”
The FIA has confirmed that they have not confiscated any McLaren equipment for review, and that any such action would be publicly declared. The Times understands that McLaren is confident that they have done nothing wrong, and that their ability to cool their tyres is a result of their car’s design and engineering.
McLaren’s drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, achieved a one-two finish in the Miami sprint race on Saturday, with Norris claiming victory. However, the team’s qualifying performance was less impressive, with Piastri qualifying fourth and Norris sixth.
Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver, claimed pole position for Sunday’s race, despite speculation that his recent fatherhood might affect his performance. Verstappen dismissed the rumours, stating, “Clearly, it didn’t make me slower being a dad, so that’s a positive.”
The sprint race was affected by rain, with Norris benefiting from a safety car to claim victory. Leclerc crashed on his way to the grid, and the race was delayed while the rain eased.
In the qualifying session, Lewis Hamilton failed to reach Q3, qualifying 12th, while his teammate Charles Leclerc managed eighth. Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, qualified third.
The Times reports that there is a small chance of rain for Sunday’s race, which could impact the outcome. As the teams prepare for the main event, it remains to be seen whether McLaren’s tyre cooling claims will continue to be a topic of discussion.
Sprint race top eight:
1. Lando Norris (McLaren) 8pts
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 7pts
3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 6pts
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 5pts
5. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 4pts
6. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) 3pts
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 2pts
8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 1pt
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