Dominant McLaren sure to attract more scrutiny says Horner

LONDON – Formula One champions and leaders McLaren will attract more scrutiny and face more questions about their cars simply because they are so dominant, according to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

McLaren have won five of six races this season and took a dominant one-two in Miami on May 4, with championship leader Oscar Piastri ahead of teammate Lando Norris, while George Russell’s third-placed Mercedes was more than half a minute behind.

There was plenty of chatter about tyre temperatures afterwards, and questions about how McLaren were managing better than others to keep them under control.

After unsubstantiated suspicions in 2024, without any formal protest, that McLaren might be putting water in the rear tyres to cool them down, team boss Zak Brown ostentatiously sipped from a drinking bottle with “tire water” stickers on it.

He also made the point that anyone suspecting his team of illegality should launch a formal protest if they really believed it.

“I’m not suggesting that there’s anything illegal on the car,” Horner, who had Max Verstappen start on pole but finish fourth, told reporters. “Well done to McLaren, they were in a league of their own.

“Of course, in Formula One there are always going to be questions that are raised.

“(McLaren) did exactly the same about the front suspension on our car last year. So it’s inevitable when you’re running at the front, as we have for the last few years, you always come under more scrutiny.

“McLaren have got the car to beat at the moment, that’s quite clear. They’re going to be tough to beat over the next few races.”

McLaren are already 105 points clear of second-placed Mercedes.

“We’re just not good with the tyres over an extended run. And McLaren shows how it’s being done,” said Mercedes