Image via McLaren/Facebook
Fans of Formula One have been debating why McLaren has been so dominant this season, but a new report claims Red Bull figured it out and approached FIA about it. The fact that Max Verstappen then went on to win last weekend after changes were instituted by the governing body only adds fuel to the fire of these accusations.
An unusual race will precede this year’s Indy 500.
Apparently, FIA issued some new technical directives to F1 teams pertaining to tire management and wheel bodywork, reports Racing News 365. Allegedly, McLaren had figured out a clever trick to slow tire degradation, giving Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris a competitive edge.
But that’s now gone, thanks to Red Bull. But McLaren claims it didn’t have to make any changes to its cars, attempting to dispel theories it was enjoying an unfair advantage and that’s how the team snatched up five victories in the first six GPs of the season.
How Red Bull reportedly figured out what McLaren was doing to enjoy a leg up on everyone else is pretty ingenious. The team used thermal imaging cameras to monitor brake drum temperatures on its rival’s cars, which were significantly cooler than everyone else’s.
While nobody seems to know for sure how McLaren did it, one theory being floated out there is that the team applied a micro-grid of phase-changing materials inside the brake drums, allowing heat to evacuate much faster.
The mesh is paper thin and can be easily applied and disguised so a physical inspection is unlikely to uncover its presence.
With the PCMs installed in the brake wells, temperatures were kept significantly lower, which in turn helped the tire compounds hold up better during races.
But if any of this is true, does this constitute cheating? Or was McLaren just being competitive and showing innovation? And did Red Bull out-fox the fox? Fans are going to be arguing about this one, especially if McLaren’s fortunes continue to change after FIA issued the new technical directives.
Image via McLaren/Facebook
