Verstappen reveals McLaren’s real edge: ‘It’s not just the tyres’

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen has pushed back on the idea that McLaren’s current dominance is solely due to its car’s impressive tyre management, offering a more nuanced explanation for the Woking squad’s clear advantage this season.

With McLaren securing 11 victories in 14 races so far this year, team papaya’s path to a potential Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championship double seems all but assured, especially as Verstappen now trails Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris by 97 and 88 points respectively as F1 settles into its summer break.

While much of the paddock has focused on the MCL39’s mastery over tyre degradation, Verstappen believes McLaren’s contender also holds a real edge elsewhere.

Incredible Medium-Speed Performance

In Hungary last weekend, Verstappen acknowledged McLaren’s superiority in tyre preservation, particularly on intermediate compounds, but emphasized the team’s unrivalled performance in medium-speed corners as another deciding factor.

“Well, it’s definitely better on its tyres. It can keep the tyres alive a lot nicer,” commented the Red Bull charger.

“You can clearly see that in the wet on Intermediates, where if you have good tyre management, it even comes out more on that tyre. Because the tyre is more fragile, it overheats even faster and they definitely have that very well under control.

“At the same time, I think their medium speed performance is incredible compared to, I would say, everyone else on the grid.

“The rotation that they have on the front axle without losing the rear is something that is also quite incredible to see. That’s something that we have to try and achieve.”

Verstappen’s remarks come amid continued speculation over McLaren’s technical secrets. Earlier this season, suspicions about a possible embedded tyre water-cooling system – which were later dismissed by the FIA – added intrigue to McLaren’s rise.

But for the four-time world champion, the telemetry data speaks louder than the rumours.

Stella: “Data in Hand, Our Car Is the Best”

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella didn’t shy away from Verstappen’s praise. Instead, he backed up the Dutchman’s comments with cold, hard numbers.

“It can be answered just by looking at the GPS data,” Stella said when asked about Verstappen’s observations, quoted by Motorsport Week.

“When you look at the speed comparison with some other teams, the data says that McLaren can generate the highest mid-corner speed in medium-speed corners. So, I think the assessment of Max is correct.

“We still have our weak points. If you go on a very high-speed corner like Copse [at Silverstone], for instance, or Pouhon [at Spa-Francorchamps], we are not the fastest car.

“Likewise, probably in very low speed, we are not the fastest car.

“But the majority of corners in a championship happen to be medium-speed corners, and certainly in that range, our car is, data in hand, the best.”

• Read also: McLaren’s Brown reveals highlights of first half of 2025 F1 season

Despite Verstappen’s wins at high-speed venues like Suzuka and Imola, Red Bull has struggled to match McLaren’s consistency across varied track layouts.

The challenge for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, and for the rest of the grid, now lies in replicating McLaren’s sweet spot – the delicate balance of front-end grip and rear-end stability through medium-speed turns.

As Formula 1 heads into the back half of the 2025 campaign, McLaren’s stranglehold on the championship shows no signs of weakening – and Verstappen’s analysis makes it clear that solving the medium-speed mystery is now everyone else’s top priority.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook