Red Bull questions McLaren’s tyre cooling methods, jokingly answered by Zak Brown who sipped from a bottle labeled “Tyre Water” in Miami.
Tensions are rising again between McLaren and Red Bull, the two top contenders in this year’s Formula 1 championship, especially after a dramatic weekend in Miami.
The rivalry isn’t just on the track. Team bosses Zak Brown and Christian Horner have a well-known dislike for each other, which only fuels the fire in an already heated battle over flexible wing regulations.
In a behind-the-scenes video circulating on social media, Horner was overheard taking a jab at Brown, saying, “Let’s see how cocky Zak is after the Barcelona rules kick in.”
But Red Bull’s attention lately has shifted to something more technical — McLaren’s remarkable ability to manage tire temperatures. The British team’s consistency in keeping the tires in the perfect performance window has raised some eyebrows in the Red Bull garage.
A bizarre theory even emerged a few weeks ago, suggesting McLaren might be adding water inside their Pirelli tires. In Miami, Brown responded with a smirk and a sip from a bottle labeled “Tire Water,” poking fun at the rumors.
Despite the humor, Red Bull is taking things seriously. They’ve started using special thermal cameras to analyze temperature changes when McLaren’s wheels come off during pit stops.
During hot races like Bahrain and Jeddah, those thermal images showed cooler blue zones around McLaren’s brake ducts — a stark contrast to the usual red and orange heat signatures seen on other cars.
“It’s just not possible to get cooling like that with air alone,” a Red Bull insider claimed, hinting at something unconventional going on.
Brown continues to call the water theory “absurd,” but Red Bull isn’t convinced. The mystery around McLaren’s tire strategy is far from solved — and the championship race just got even more intriguing.
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Red Bull Hints at Tyre Water Trick, Brown Drinks to It Red Bull Hints at Tyre Water Trick, Brown Drinks to It