George Russell addresses McLaren's tire temperature trick that makes the car this dominant

George Russell has dismissed the notion that McLaren is doing something different with the car's rear brakes, helping it dominate when temperatures rise. Its solution has caught many people's attention because it keeps the rear tires in the operating window longer and doesn't overheat them. This has led Red Bull to approach the FIA with questions around its legality.

The effectiveness of the Woking-based squad's car was seen in the F1 Miami GP when Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were around seven-tenths of a second faster than everyone. Russell, who finished the race in P3, was more than a minute behind the two and had no answer for their pace advantage. He told the media, including PlanetF1:

“I don’t believe they’re doing anything untoward. They’ve been this dominant for 18 months now, so you’ve got to give them credit where its due, and the rest of us have to improve. I think we have ideas ourselves where we can improve in this regard.

But that’s a long-term process, and that’s a bit of a bugger. But this is Formula One. When there’s a team dominating, it’s very challenging to catch back up."

The Mercedes driver even cited some of his past quotes, stating that the McLaren would be dominant at races with high temperatures.

McLaren is still the best on its worst day: George Russell

George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes AMG Petronas celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 04, 2025, in Miami, Florida \ Getty Images

At Miami, it was the first occasion when the conditions were quite extreme, and true to form, McLaren unlocked another gear altogether. George Russell told the media, including PlanetF1:

"I’ve been saying that a lot this season. What we saw from them in the likes of China and Japan, it’s probably their worst-case-scenario, and what we’re seeing in the hot race of Bahrain and Miami is their best-case scenario. So on their worst day, they’re still the best. On their best day, of course, they’re the best."

Russell has been consistent this season, continuing to plug away with podiums whenever he's had a chance, helping him stay less than 40 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri. Currently fourth in the championship, if Mercedes can make a step up in performance, things could change, and he could even fight for the title.

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Edited by Aayush Kapoor