What illegality does Red Bull now suspect McLaren of?

So far the various technical innovations that were said to be at the limits of Formula 1 regulations have not developed into major issues. Not McLaren’s mini-DRS, not Red Bull’s ground clearance device, not anything else.

Now another came, in the context of last three days’ Brazilian GP, ​​to raise yet another issue: RBR reportedly suspects that several other teams, including McLaren, are using cold water to internally cool their tires during of the race to protect them from thermal damage.

Adding fluids to tires for cooling purposes is against the regulations. Red Bull’s suspicion is that some teams are spraying cold water into their tires through the air valve, enough to cool them but not for Pirelli to notice, after the race.

The issue arose in the context of the Singapore GP, last September, when Red Bull noticed – as soon as McLaren removed the wheels of one of its cars, at the end of the race – that there was moisture inside the rims.

The FIA ​​began investigating the case, and the Federation’s director of single-seaters, Nicolas Tombazis, asked for Pirelli’s assistance in the investigation.

Pirelli not only places the tires on the rims of each team themselves, but also carries out continuous and thorough checks with its technicians during each three-day race. Therefore, it seems extremely difficult to fool the company.

And indeed, Pirelli – through its racing director Mario Isola – said it had not noticed anything unusual in recent races on McLaren’s tires, or any other team’s.

“I don’t see anything strange in the data we have, I have no clue”Izola said, adding that it would be “very easy” to inject water into the tires – but doing so would have large and unavoidable effects on tire pressure during the race.

While Izola did not completely rule out the possibility of a team using water in their tires, he reiterated that “I am not aware of any issues” and stressed that he and Pirelli would support the FIA ​​in any ongoing investigation.