Just when McLaren appeared to be mounting a credible title challenge in Formula 1’s 2025 season, speculation has emerged that a pair of Technical Directives issued by the FIA ahead of last weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix may have curbed team papaya’s momentum.
While Max Verstappen’s victory at Imola might have looked like a return to business as usual for Red Bull and its star drive, behind the scenes, the sport’s technical undercurrents may tell a more compelling story.
Now, fresh reports have revealed that two Technical Directives (TDs) quietly issued by the FIA last week may have shifted the competitive balance – and the intrigue is swelling in the paddock.
Red Bull Raises Eyebrows Over Timing
Red Bull’s win at Imola came just two weeks after McLaren’s dominant display in Miami, where its superior tyre management left rivals chasing shadows. Last weekend, however, the tables were turned – with Verstappen managing his tyres more effectively and McLaren struggling to stay in touch.
While circuit characteristics, the race’s circumstances, and Red Bull’s upgrade package undoubtedly played a role, senior figures inside the Milton Keynes-based outfit have hinted at another possible contributor: the FIA’s issuance of two TDs on key areas of car performance.
The first TD clarified how skid block materials are measured, addressing how some teams had found creative ways to pass post-race depth tests while still running their cars extremely low to the ground.
The FIA sought to close off these interpretations by setting clearer rules on which materials can be used around the skids, and how they may be mounted.
The implication? Any team that had been pushing the limit in this area would have been forced to raise ride height in Imola, potentially sacrificing aerodynamic performance.
It’s no surprise then, that Christian Horner offered a curious post-race reflection:
“We were sort of more surprised about McLaren's lack of performance,” said the Red Bull team principal, quoted by The Race.
Read also: Verstappen ‘quite surprised’ by Imola win – hoping for more
The second TD wasn’t a regulatory reinterpretation, but a response to Red Bull’s own inquiry to the FIA regarding systems that could aid tyre cooling – including concepts involving water-cooling of wheel assemblies and tyres. The FIA’s response was circulated to all teams, effectively outlawing any existing systems in that domain.
This type of open communication ensures that any potential advantage – often positioned on the fringe of the regulations – that a team might have been running – or considering – is removed from play. According to The Race, this correspondence may have clipped the wings of more than one team heading into Imola.
From Red Bull’s vantage point, the timing of the FIA’s interventions raised suspicions — especially as McLaren failed to show the tyre strength it had displayed just a fortnight prior.
McLaren Response: “Focus on Yourselves”
Despite the swirling suspicions, McLaren was adamant that the TDs had no impact on its Imola performance. Team insiders have stated emphatically that the skid block clarification had no bearing on the MCL39’s setup or legality, and that the TD was likely aimed at other competitors.
As for the tyre cooling suggestions? The FIA had already thoroughly inspected McLaren’s wheel and brake systems multiple times, including a detailed examination after the Miami Grand Prix. Each time, McLaren was cleared – with FIA sources even describing their concept as “clever”, but fully within the rules.
©McLaren
The team’s stance is that no design changes were necessary for Imola, and that it ran the car exactly as it had in previous events.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has grown increasingly vocal about what he sees as rival teams looking in the wrong places for explanations of McLaren’s growing pace.
“For us, it's good news when our rivals get their focus – rather than on themselves – onto some of the aspects that allegedly are present in our car, and that effectively are not even present," said Stella in Imola.
“And certainly, even if they were – let's say, flexi-wings like a front wing deflection, like everyone else – it has nothing to do with the reason why McLaren is very competitive.”
“So, I hope that in the future there will be more of these kinds of sagas because it means that our rivals keep focusing on the wrong things. And this is, for us, just good news. It's just helping our quest.”
All Eyes on Barcelona
The intrigue doesn’t stop at Imola. The pre-race directives may have shaken things up subtly, but the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona is likely to be more revealing.
That’s where yet another technical directive – this time on flexi wings – comes into force, requiring teams to stiffen their aerodynamic structures to meet tighter load tests.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has already hinted that this could trigger a wider recalibration of the pecking order.
"For sure everybody will have a new front wing in Barcelona – by definition and by regulation. I think it will be perhaps a reset of the performance of everybody," said Vasseur.
With performance gaps razor-thin and the FIA keeping a sharp eye on innovation, it’s clear that the 2024 season isn’t just being contested on track — but in the shadows of the rulebook.
And with more technical directives on the horizon, the real race may be between those who can adapt the fastest… and those who don’t realize they’ve already fallen behind.
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Have the FIA’s shadowy Imola TDs curbed McLaren’s momentum? F1i.com.
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