Red Bull’s Desperate Bid to Unravel McLaren’s Tyre Cooling Secret
Red Bull Racing is reportedly using thermal imaging cameras to monitor the temperature of McLaren’s tyre cooling ducts during pit stops, as they attempt to uncover the secrets behind their rivals’ impressive tyre wear. According to a report on PlanetF1.com, the Milton Keynes-based team is desperate to understand how McLaren is able to keep their Pirelli tyres in the "magic window" so reliably, regardless of the track temperature or surface.
Last season, Red Bull is said to have suspected that McLaren were filling their tyres with water to cool them down, a claim that was sparked by the appearance of moisture inside the wheel rims after the tyres were removed from the cars following the Singapore Grand Prix. However, Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing, Mario Isola, told PlanetF1.com that they had not noticed any abnormal behaviour. "I cannot see anything strange from the data we have," Isola said. "I don’t have any evidence." He added, "I am not aware of any issue."
Despite Isola’s reassurances, Red Bull’s concerns about McLaren’s tyre wear have not dissipated. According to a report on Auto Motor und Sport, cited by PlanetF1.com, Red Bull’s suspicions remain, given McLaren’s superior tyre wear that resulted in late-race charges in the 2024 season, and the 2025 MCL39 also showing better tyre wear than its rivals. McLaren has made a strong start to the 2025 season, winning four of the first five Grands Prix and taking a 77-point lead in the Constructors’ Championship. They also hold the top two positions in the Drivers’ standings, with Oscar Piastri 10 points ahead of Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen a further two points off the pace.
Red Bull is said to be using thermal imaging cameras to capture the temperature of the tyre cooling ducts on the MCL39 when the drivers come in for their pit stops, with a focus on the rear tyres, which generally overheat more quickly than the fronts. PlanetF1.com reports that the team has noted "many blue areas around the brake vents on the McLaren tyres, while all the other cars showed a lot of orange and red," leading them to conclude that it is "impossible" to cool the tyres that well with just air alone.
The tyre speculation has led to some light-hearted exchanges between the two teams. Zak Brown, McLaren’s CEO, was spotted on the pit box with a bottle of water and "tire water" written on it during Friday’s running at the Miami Grand Prix. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner responded with a cheeky remark, saying, "We’ll send him a Red Bull down if he needs some energising."
As the battle for supremacy in the 2025 season continues, Red Bull’s efforts to unravel the mystery of McLaren’s tyre cooling secrets will be closely watched. With McLaren’s impressive form and Red Bull’s determination to regain the upper hand, the tyre war is set to become a key storyline in the F1 paddock. As PlanetF1.com reports, the use of thermal imaging cameras is just the latest example of the lengths to which teams will go to gain a competitive edge in the cutthroat world of Formula 1.
