Oscar Piastri has been cleared of any misconduct related to his car’s rear brake design following a thorough investigation after his victory at the Miami Grand Prix. This season, McLaren has emerged as a formidable competitor on the track, prompting scrutiny from figures like Red Bull’s Christian Horner, who expressed concerns about the team’s innovative design.
During the Miami race, Mercedes’ George Russell, trailing the McLaren duo, finished over 30 seconds behind, securing third place on the podium. Despite the investigation into McLaren’s cooling systems for the rear brake drum, the FIA confirmed that all was above board.
Previously, Horner speculated about McLaren injecting water into Pirelli tyres but refrained from lodging an official protest as no evidence substantiated his claims. Post-analysis following the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix also verified that McLaren adhered to the regulations.
McLaren’s team principal, Zak Brown, humorously responded to the suspicions by drinking from a water bottle labelled “tire water,” urging Red Bull to either substantiate their claims with formal protests or cease what he deemed “bogus allegations.” Brown suggested implementing a more structured process for protests to eliminate frivolous claims in the sport.
Horner acknowledged that competitive tensions are normal in Formula 1, noting that similar concerns about Red Bull’s front suspension arose from McLaren when Red Bull led the pack. However, he commended McLaren for their current performance, asserting they appear to be in a league of their own.
Despite the controversy, Toto Wolff from Mercedes expressed confidence in McLaren’s compliance with the rules, praising their development and superior tyre management. He remarked that rivals should not interpret successful competition as cheating but as a sign of effective strategy and execution.
With McLaren currently standing out as the team to beat, it is clear that the competitive landscape in Formula 1 continues to evolve, with scrutiny intensifying as teams push the boundaries of innovation.