Red Bull continues to closely monitor the tyre management of rival McLaren. The Austrian racing team raised concerns last year, reportedly suspecting that the British team was injecting water into the tyres. According to multiple sources, Red Bull is attempting to unravel the mystery of McLaren’s tyre management using thermal imaging cameras.
McLaren has already claimed victory in four Grands Prix this year, and the MCL39 is the strongest car on the current grid. Both McLaren drivers have nearly perfect tyre management during both qualifications and races. It’s only logical that other teams would want to uncover the secret behind the success of the ‘papayas’. Red Bull is leading the charge, reportedly investigating how McLaren manages to control tyre temperature even under the most challenging conditions.
Red Bull’s Investigation into Brake Cooling
According to the usually well-informed Auto, Motor und Sport, Red Bull is now even using thermal imaging cameras to measure temperatures at the brake cooling slots during pit stops. The Austrian team reportedly sees many ‘blue areas around the brake drums’ at McLaren, signs of cooling, while more orange and red spots were visible at the other teams. According to Red Bull, it is impossible to cool the tires with air alone.
Tire Water Rumors Resurface
The old rumor that some teams, including McLaren, inject water into the tires, is therefore resurfacing. Concerns about this came to light during the past GP Singapore when moisture was found on the rims. Pirelli stated last November that it had found no evidence to support this rumor, and that the tire supplier saw ‘nothing strange’ in the data.
McLaren’s Response to the Rumors
Meanwhile, McLaren team boss Zak Brown is mocking the circulating rumors. The CEO had a water bottle with the words ‘tire water’ on it during the free practice in Miami.
