Red Bull's Christian Horner comes clean on the team's persistent questioning of McLaren's car concept

Red Bull Racing CEO Christian Horner has called for increased scrutiny of McLaren’s car following their dominant performance at the Miami Grand Prix. Speaking to the media on-site, Horner pointed to the Woking-based team’s superior ability to manage tire temperatures, particularly on the medium compound, as a significant factor behind their recent success. The Brit hinted that McLaren may be employing a novel method to maintain optimal tire and brake temperatures, something that has contributed to their performance edge in warmer conditions.

The remarks come amid a lighthearted yet pointed exchange between the two teams. McLaren CEO Zak Brown responded to the murmurs by poking fun at Red Bull’s concerns. During the race weekend, Brown sat at the pit wall sipping from a water bottle labeled “tire water,” a cheeky nod to Red Bull’s implied suggestion that McLaren was using water-based methods to cool brakes and tires. Both the FIA and tire supplier Pirelli have dismissed any claims of irregularity, stating there is no evidence to support the accusation. Brown further challenged Red Bull by inviting them to lodge a formal protest if they truly suspect wrongdoing.

Horner, however, stood by his stance, stating that scrutiny is part and parcel of Formula 1, especially when a team finds itself in a position of dominance. He noted that Red Bull faced similar questioning during their own dominant spell and pointed out that McLaren themselves raised doubts over Red Bull’s front suspension setup on the RB20 in 2024. According to the Red Bull boss, the current concern lies in how effectively McLaren is managing tire temperatures, a crucial performance differentiator on race day. He added that Red Bull’s recent struggles stem primarily from persistent brake issues, which have affected their race pace and consistency.

Speaking of the legality of the McLaren car and their suspicion, Horner said (via RacingNews365):

“Look, I mean in Formula 1, there are always going to be questions that are raised. They [McLaren] did exactly the same about the front suspension on our car last year. So it is inevitable when you're running at the front, as we have for quite a few years, you will come under more scrutiny. That is the part and parcel of Formula 1, and in many respects for the FIA, all of the teams do the vast majority of the work because their resource is far greater and there is always competitor analysis going on across all of the teams.”

“That is just part and parcel of Formula 1, but it is important to understand McLaren is the standout car and they have the kind of advantage we had a couple of years ago. They're doing a very good job in managing temperatures and particularly on the mediums [in Miami], that is where they were probably the most competitive. That is what we need to focus on, we have brake issues which compounded the problem in the race, but that is what we need to understand moving forwards.”

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Christian Horner explains McLaren’s advantage over Red Bull

Christian Horner believes that McLaren’s key advantage over Red Bull lies in their ability to extract maximum performance from the car in warmer conditions. The Red Bull Racing CEO noted that the Woking outfit seems particularly strong on circuits with higher ambient and track temperatures, where they manage tire performance more effectively. According to Horner, while McLaren generally shows a stronger pace over a single lap in qualifying, their real strength lies in race conditions where they can sustain performance without significant tire degradation.

Reflecting on the Miami Grand Prix, Horner praised Max Verstappen’s defensive efforts against both McLaren drivers, describing his resistance as brave and committed. However, he acknowledged that the extended battle, particularly against Lando Norris, ultimately compromised Verstappen’s overall race performance. The Red Bull boss pointed out that their car tends to overheat its tires under race conditions, especially in hot climates, which is where they are currently losing ground to McLaren. This overheating issue, Horner admitted, remains a critical weakness that the team needs to address if they are to regain their competitive edge.

Commenting on the team’s performance at the Miami GP, the Red Bull Racing CEO said (via PlanetF1):

“I think the advantage is bigger in the race, isn’t it, because everything gets super hot in the race and runs at a much bigger temperature. So the advantage will always be bigger in the race than it is in quali. Theoretically, if they had put their theoreticals together in quali, they should have been ahead of us. I think Max did a did a outstanding job, and was able to get every ounce of performance and they, arguably, underperformed yesterday [Saturday]. But we knew going into this race, it was going to be very, very hard to beat them. I was actually surprised that Max was able to hold them back for circa 14 laps, I thought it was a very brave display.”

“Arguably, that maybe hurt our own race because you’re fighting hard, your tyres are getting hot, but you’re leading the Grand Prix, you’ve got to go for it. I thought he did an outstanding job to keep Oscar behind as long as he did, and then Lando.”

Red Bull currently sits third in the Constructors’ Championship with a total of 105 points, trailing Mercedes by 36 points and championship leaders McLaren by a significant 141-point margin. In the Drivers’ Championship, Max Verstappen is third with 99 points, behind McLaren duo Oscar Piastri, who leads with 131 points and Lando Norris, who is second with 115 points. Remarkably, this season marks the first time in Verstappen’s Formula 1 career that he has failed to convert a pole position into a race win on multiple occasions, missing out in both Jeddah and Miami.

The reigning champions are struggling to maintain their dominance from previous seasons, largely due to the limitations of the RB21. The car has been plagued by brake-related issues and suffers from a narrow operating window, particularly when it comes to tire and brake temperatures. These limitations are especially exposed at circuits featuring medium and slow-speed corners, where Red Bull finds it more difficult to extract consistent performance over a race distance. The combination of these factors has allowed rivals like McLaren and Mercedes to close the gap and, in some cases, decisively outperform them on race day.