Red Bull reportedly working on copying McLaren's rear brake trick to boost Max Verstappen's title campaign

To boost Max Verstappen's chances of winning his fifth title this year, Red Bull is reportedly contemplating copying McLaren. According to reports, the Bulls might bring an upgrade soon, comprising a rear brake trick used by the Papaya team to manage overheating of tires.

McLaren evidently has an edge over its rivals not only due to the sheer pace of the MCL39 but also through their superior tire management trick. In the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris managed their tires from overheating brilliantly to keep Verstappen at bay.

Initially, Red Bull reportedly accused McLaren of injecting water into their tires to manage heat. However, the FIA found the MCL39's setup completely legal, which has likely encouraged the Bulls to copy the rival's trick.

According to Racingnews365, Red Bull is planning to infuse a rear brake trick to cool the rear tires more efficiently. Apparently, McLaren cleverly uses airflow in a manner to cool the rear brake, which also helps manage the temperature of the rear tires. The Papaya team has found a way to do this through airflow alone, as the use of liquid is illegal.

Since this trick is deemed legal by the FIA, Red Bull will reportedly try to implement a similar design to their own car, RB21. Hypothetically, if this trick works, Max Verstappen will likely get better with tire management, allowing him more grip and control. This way, he can compete with his championship rivals Norris and Piastri on metrics of pace and skills.

In Miami earlier this month, Verstappen admitted that McLaren are doing something right with their heat management while the rest of the grid is lacking in that area. Despite starting the race from pole that weekend, he finished P4, behind Piastri (P1), Norris (P2), and George Russell (P3).

Moreover, Verstappen is lagging behind 32 points to championship leader Oscar Piastri (131) in the title race after the conclusion of the opening six races of the 2025 season.

---

Jacques Villeneuve warns Max Verstappen against 'golden child' Oscar Piastri

Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri at 2025 Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Max Verstappen has found two title challengers this year, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The Australian driver seems to have an upper hand, as he has won four out of the six races so far. Moreover, former F1 driver Jacques Villeneuve believes Verstappen should be wary of Piastri's headstrong approach and also his image as a 'golden child.'

Villeneuve believes that since Piastri is loved by everyone, he is less likely to get penalties. Talking to Vision4Sport, Jacques said:

"Oscar Piastri doesn’t seem to be affected by pressure, and he's got a good mentor in Mark Webber. He is somebody Oscar can lean on. I wouldn’t go as far as to say father figure, but there's this balance, this energy in place between them, and that's super helpful. Piastri is loved. He's like the golden child right now. If something happens, he won’t be given penalties as easily as Max Verstappen is, for instance. That's also a big help in fighting for a championship."

Notably, Piastri and Verstappen went head-on at turn 1 of the Saudi Arabian GP, where the latter was handed a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an unfair advantage.