BREAKING; McLaren F1 ‘Trick’ Revealed Amid Early S…read more 

BREAKING; McLaren F1 ‘Trick’ Revealed Amid Early S…read more

McLaren’s early dominance of the 2025 Formula 1 season may now have an explanation, following the exposure of a clever and legal technical innovation within the team’s car. Aerodynamics expert Martin Buchan has shed light on a sophisticated two-phase brake system that could be key to McLaren’s superior tyre management  a factor that’s played a pivotal role in their commanding start to the season.

The Woking-based team has claimed five of the first six Grand Prix victories, with drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked in an intra-team title fight. McLaren now lead the Constructors’ Championship by a staggering 105 points, continuing their momentum from a championship-winning 2024 campaign.

With the current technical regulations in their final year before a major overhaul in 2026, McLaren appear to have hit a performance sweet spot that rivals are struggling to match. While previous speculation  including a now-dismissed claim from Red Bull that McLaren cooled their tyres using water bordered on the bizarre, the true advantage may lie in an advanced thermal management system integrated into the MCL39’s braking setup.

According to Buchan, the system involves a phase-changing material within the brakes. During braking, dissipated heat warms the tyres up to the optimal temperature. When temperatures approach the danger zone for overheating, the material changes state from solid to liquid  absorbing excess heat and maintaining tyre stability. This innovation ensures consistent performance across varying track conditions, giving McLaren a significant edge during long stints.

“Even if rivals like Red Bull now understand how the system works, replicating it mid-season is a massive technical challenge,” Buchan explained on his YouTube channel.

The design is so effective that it reportedly plays a role in McLaren’s unique FP3 strategy, where the team often conducts extended long runs to test and fine-tune the system’s behavior under race-like conditions.

McLaren’s engineering excellence has transformed their fortunes since their low point at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, where they were the slowest team on the grid. Their rise to the front has been meteoric, and now both Piastri and Norris are chasing the team’s first drivers’ title since Lewis Hamilton’s triumph in 2008.

As the rest of the grid scrambles to close the gap, McLaren’s mix of innovation, pace, and driver talent may continue to set the standard in what could become a historic season for the British team.