The McLaren single-seater has passed the technical inspections of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), clearing up doubts about its performance in the current Formula 1 season.
The McLaren team has demonstrated outstanding performance, especially in the control of tire temperatures, which generated speculation among its competitors.
The team has achieved five victories in the first six races of the year, showing a significant advantage in high-temperature conditions, where the thermal degradation of the tires is crucial.
Although there was no formal protest from the rival teams, suspicions arose about the possible use of out-of-regulation techniques to keep the temperature of the rear tires under control.
One of the theories circulating, since last season, was the use of water to cool the brake and tire assembly, a practice prohibited by article 11.5 of the technical regulations.
However, after Oscar Piastri’s victory at the Miami Grand Prix, the FIA conducted a thorough inspection of McLaren’s single-seater, verifying its compliance with the regulations.
After the race in Miami, car number 81 was randomly selected from the top ten for more thorough physical inspections.
FIA Document
Inspections focused on the wheel body sets, verifying:
- Compliance of all components with Article 3.13 of the technical regulations (related to wheel bodywork).
- Physical verifications to ensure compliance with Article 11.5 of the technical regulations on all four wheels.
The inspection results confirmed that all the components reviewed complied with the Formula 1 technical regulations for 2025.
Following McLaren’s victory in Miami, Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, commented that a team’s dominance always generates interest and questions among its rivals.
I’m not suggesting there’s anything illegal on the car. Well done to McLaren, they were in another league. Of course, in Formula 1 there will always be questions.
Christian Horner
Horner also pointed out that the McLaren team has been the focus of attention and that this is inevitable when leading the championship.
The McLaren team, with its current performance, is shaping up to be the rival to beat in the upcoming races.
