McLaren have gotten the jump over their Formula 1 rivals with the way they manage the temperature of their tyres, but the FIA have tightened the regulations in that area for 2026.
The FIA are holding their World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) meeting in Macau this week, and in addition to approving a Superlicense to Arvid Lindblad, they have been busy tinkering with the 2026 F1 regulations.
In 2026, F1 will debut new cars with new chassis that feature active aerodynamics, while new power units will deliver power from an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and an electrical component on a 50/50 basis.
And while the 2026 F1 rules package has been developed and matured over the past months with extensive discussion regarding concerns on how the upcoming F1 cars will perform and whether they will have enough power on straights in power-sensitive tracks, the latest changes done in this week's WMSC have targeted an area that has been under scrutiny in 2024.
McLaren have managed to develop a formidable F1 car for 2024 with superior tyre management capability and have left their rivals scratching their heads as to how they have managed that.
While there were suggestions in 2024 that the Woking squad have been using water to cool down their tyres, the FIA inspected the Papaya cars at the time and cleared them of any wrongdoing while also amending procedures to ensure water cannot be used to cool tyres.
Further speculation around McLaren's tyre management this year have led some to claim that they are using what is known as "Phase Change Material" to keep tyre temperature in check, but the FIA has maintained that the Woking squad are doing nothing wrong, hailing their design for their brakes and wheel hubs as "clever".
It appears that McLaren have been able to control the temperature of their tyres in the manner the air goes through the wheel hub when the car is moving forward, which is legal but apparently exploits a loophole in the regulations.
The FIA have moved to close such loopholes, pointing out that devices targeting the cooling of the "Complete Wheels" are prohibited.
Below is a snapshot taken from Issue 12 of the 2026 Technical Regulations showing the changes in purple and dated 10/06/2025.
Latest News
Loading
