McLaren has been cleared of using an illegal trick to cool their tyres. The FIA launched an investigation into the MCL39 during the race weekend in Miami. Experts attribute the lead of the ‘papayas’ to the way the car cools its tyres. Rivals, including Red Bull, suspected the team of illegal tricks, but according to the FIA, McLaren simply complies with the regulations.
In the run-up to the Emilia-Romagna GP, McLaren remains the team to beat. The British racing stable already emerged as the best from the winter tests in Bahrain and has since used the superior MCL39 to build a comfortable lead in the championship – the team has won five of the last six Grands Prix. After several veiled accusations of cheating, the FIA scrutinized McLaren after the Miami GP, but no evidence was found.
Last year, Red Bull suspected McLaren of injecting water into the tyres to prevent overheating. After a number of dominant victories by Oscar Piastri, these allegations flared up again. In Miami, CEO Zak Brown mocked Red Bull by drinking from a water bottle labelled ‘tyre water’. Later, he addressed the accusations more seriously and called on the FIA to charge teams who want to raise suspicions about their competitors.
Flexi-wings Controversy
The FIA, the governing body of Formula 1, published a report prior to the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, confirming that McLaren complies with the regulations. “Following the race in Miami, car number 81 (Piastri) was randomly selected for more extensive physical inspections,” the document stated. “All components were found to comply with the technical regulations for 2025.” Charles Leclerc‘s Ferrari was also randomly inspected and deemed legal.
During the Spanish Grand Prix, the FIA will conduct strict controls again, this time focusing on the mobility of the rear wing. On social media, the legality of McLaren’s spoiler is frequently questioned. Videos of the wing show that it bends significantly under aerodynamic pressure. If the allowed flexibility is further limited, some experts expect McLaren to be at a disadvantage. However, the team from Woking says it is not concerned. They claim that their current lead has nothing to do with the alleged flexi-wings.
