The stellar performances of the McLaren MCL39 are stirring up the paddock, but Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff sought to shut down the accusations of irregularity raised—albeit informally—by Red Bull, calling it “wrong” to be suspicious of those doing a better job.
Tensions flared up again when some suspicious traces of moisture on McLaren’s wheel rims, spotted at the end of the Singapore GP, led Red Bull to speculate that their rival was using water in the tyres to aid cooling. Although Pirelli’s analysis ruled out any irregularities, the rumors persisted.
Toto Wolff: “McLaren simply developed better”
Speaking to the media in Miami, Toto Wolff openly defended the British team: “I have no doubt that McLaren is fully compliant,” he said. “I know Zak Brown, Andrea Stella, Rob Marshall—they are all people of integrity. They’ve simply built an extremely effective car, especially in tyre management.”
The Mercedes boss then criticized the mindset of those who quickly cry foul: “When someone outperforms you, the answer can’t be ‘they’re cheating.’ That’s the wrong mentality. We just have to get better, that’s all.”
Wolff admitted that both Red Bull and McLaren currently manage tyres better than Mercedes: “We’re not competitive yet over long runs. McLaren shows how it’s done. They manage to be quick in corners without overheating the tyres. We need to take note and find engineering solutions.”
The team principal also pointed to the roots of McLaren’s success, dating back two years: “It all started with the upgrade they brought to Austria, which exceeded expectations. From there, they built a car that maximizes tyre performance. We need to do the same: understand where to focus, identify key performance factors, experiment, and respond.”
Meanwhile, Zak Brown challenged Red Bull to file an official protest if they truly suspect anything: “If there’s an accusation, let it be formal. Otherwise, acknowledge the work we’ve done.”
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