Breaking: McLaren’s Brake Secret? Former Woking Em…..read more 

A fascinating new theory has emerged in the Formula 1 world, potentially shedding light on McLaren’s recent surge in race pace. The MCL39, McLaren’s 2025 challenger, has been turning heads—not necessarily for raw qualifying speed, but for its seemingly unmatched tyre management over a race distance. Now, a former Woking insider has proposed a compelling theory that could explain where this advantage comes from: the braking system.

McLaren’s strength this season has become most obvious during longer race stints. While Red Bull’s RB21, piloted by Max Verstappen, remains a formidable force in qualifying, the tables turn when the lights go out on Sunday. Over a Grand Prix distance, McLaren appears to be playing a different game, and in high-degradation races like Miami, the team’s edge was stark. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished more than 30 seconds ahead of their nearest competitors, a gap almost unheard of outside of Red Bull’s dominance in recent years.

So, what’s their secret? While engineers from rival teams have been scratching their heads, the consensus forming in the paddock is that McLaren’s advantage lies in its ability to manage tyre temperatures better than anyone else. This, in turn, keeps tyre wear minimal, allowing their drivers to push harder for longer.

At the heart of this theory is the MCL39’s braking system. According to a former McLaren staff member now working elsewhere in motorsport, the car’s brake cooling may be playing a crucial role. It’s believed that McLaren has found a way to keep their brake drums consistently cooler than those of rival teams, even under intense race conditions. Cooler brakes lead to lower heat transfer to the wheel rims and tyres, which can dramatically influence how quickly tyres overheat and degrade.

Red Bull is reportedly aware of this potential advantage. In fact, sources suggest that they’ve been using thermal imaging technology to study McLaren’s brake temperatures during races. The data, which apparently confirms that McLaren’s brakes run cooler, has even been shared with the FIA.

While the specific mechanics of McLaren’s setup remain a mystery, this insight could explain why their tyres stay in optimal condition longer than others—particularly under high-stress conditions like those seen in Miami. As teams scramble to decode the MCL39’s performance edge, all eyes will now be on McLaren’s brake architecture. Could this be the elusive key to long-run pace in 2025? If so, don’t be surprised if similar concepts start showing up on rival cars very soon.