Red Bull adopts “McLaren MCL39-style” solutions in pursuit of McLaren | Emilia Romagna GP. Red Bull introduces McLaren-inspired upgrades at Imola.

Red Bull is chasing McLaren not only on track but also in the wind tunnel. The team of engineers led by Technical Director Pierre Waché has introduced its first major upgrade package of the season this weekend in Imola. The goal is clear: to give Max Verstappen the best chance of defending his world title, while waiting to see if and how the landscape will shift from Barcelona onward, when the now well-known Technical Directive on flexible wings comes into force.

Key focus: cooling
Already during the 2024 Formula 1 season, Red Bull’s attention to temperature management had become apparent. This focus has been confirmed at the start of this season, with the upgrades introduced in Emilia-Romagna aiming for the best possible compromise between cooling efficiency and packaging management “under the skin.”

In this regard, the image below shows the work done around the sidepod area, where the radiator inlet has seen its vertical portion increased, while the upper intakes have been moved further back and now sit on a sort of “wing surface” detached from the rest of the chassis. This contributes to the generation of vortices intended to push outward the turbulence coming from the front wheels (an aerodynamic advantage). Also worth noting is the appearance of a small flow diverter placed under the sidepod undercut to enhance the so-called outwash effect—another sign of the importance of micro-aerodynamics.

Shifting focus to the rear, and specifically the brake cooling ducts, an important modification has been introduced aimed at improving tire management. The work done in this area by the Milton Keynes team is specifically targeted at significantly altering the internal ducting within the brake drums—an important aspect under current regulations, which no longer allow classic ventilation holes. This solution clearly mirrors what is seen on the MCL39, a car known for its excellent rear tire management through controlled brake system temperatures.

Meticulous aerodynamic work has also been done in this same area, with a modification to the suspension fairing, which in turn leads to more efficient interaction with the beam wing and diffuser assembly.