Red Bull’s growing struggle against McLaren over full race distances became undeniable in Miami as they look to catch F1’s runaway team. While Max Verstappen continues to deliver single-lap brilliance in qualifying, Sunday afternoons are proving far more challenging — and the gap isn’t shrinking.
In fact, it’s becoming a pattern. The early rounds of the 2025 Formula 1 season have revealed a distinct trend: Red Bull can’t match McLaren when tyre wear is a factor.
Despite claiming pole positions in Bahrain, Jeddah and Miami, Verstappen has repeatedly dropped back in race trim — a concern amplified by the fact that his qualifying advantage seems to vanish as tyre temperatures rise. McLaren’s consistency, on the other hand, has been built on a more nuanced strength: tyre preservation.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained that the MCL39 is more consistent over long stints, even if it’s tricky over one lap.
“The car was easier to exploit in race simulation runs rather than on a single lap in qualifying,” Stella told the press, including Total-Motorsport.com. While Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have both struggled for clean laps in Q3 at times, they’ve been dominant over race distances.
As Stella described it, this advantage is no fluke — it’s “the result of some very targeted engineering work.”
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Thermal images, brake tech and Red Bull’s tyre dilemma
Two high-degradation races, Bahrain and Miami, have underlined McLaren’s superiority. Verstappen was over 30 seconds behind in Sakhir and trailed again in Miami — even after Red Bull brought a new floor upgrade.
Helmut Marko called the gap “depressing,” estimating McLaren’s advantage at nearly a second per lap in the heat. Red Bull’s frustration was compounded in Miami by post-race rumours surrounding thermal imagery.
According to reports, images revealed unusually cold areas in McLaren’s brake drum assembly, suggesting they’ve developed a way to keep brake heat from transferring into the tyres — preserving tyre life for longer.
The theory gained traction after Verstappen told the Dutch media: “If you see what McLaren does with the tyres, then we are all doing something wrong.”
The FIA did inspect McLaren’s brakes after the Miami GP, though it was part of standard post-race procedures. The car was cleared, but the intrigue remains.
“We’re doing our best to solve that,” Verstappen added. “Some things take a bit longer to understand.”
The budget cap makes experimentation difficult, and with 2026 regulations looming, Red Bull may not have the luxury of unlimited development time. But both Stella and Red Bull boss Christian Horner believe the lessons learned this year could shape the next generation of cars.
“There are some fundamentals that you can carry over,” Stella said, referring to how tyre management insights might influence the 2026 design direction.
Horner echoed that concern: “If you look at the data after the race, all the cars faced similar problems. But McLaren can manage these things much better.”
While Red Bull hope that front wing flexibility checks due in Barcelona might shuffle the order, it’s clear that McLaren’s edge in thermal efficiency and tyre control could be far more decisive — and more difficult to replicate.
Unless Red Bull finds a way to close the degradation gap, McLaren’s lead may not just be a 2025 issue. It could become a structural shift in the balance of power in Formula 1.
Why are McLaren faster than Red Bull in races but not always in qualifying?
According to Andrea Stella, the McLaren car is more difficult to handle over a single lap but excels during race conditions when tire management becomes crucial and the car isn’t pushed to the absolute limit.
What specific advantage does McLaren have with tire management?
Evidence suggests McLaren has developed an innovative brake drum cooling system that prevents heat from transferring to the tires, helping them maintain optimal operating temperature throughout race distances.
Can Red Bull solve their tyre degradation issues this season?
While technical solutions are possible, the combination of budget cap restrictions and resources needed for 2026 development makes finding and implementing a comprehensive solution challenging within the 2025 season.
