The Formula 1 circuit has been stirred by a budding technical controversy at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Allegations suggest that certain teams might be engaging in a clever cooling technique that involves using water to cool tyres internally.
Growing Championship Tensions
As Red Bull and McLaren fiercely compete for the championship lead, scrutiny has intensified over car elements from both teams. Recently, McLaren’s mini-DRS rear wing was put under the spotlight, leading to necessary alterations after it was deemed to potentially breach regulations. Meanwhile, Red Bull faced inquiries regarding a front bib adjuster suspected of being used to tweak ride height under parc ferme conditions. Both cases involved the intervention of the FIA, yet neither resulted in findings of illegality.
Cooled Tyres: The New Subject of Inquiry
The current attention is directed towards a strategy that Red Bull suspects some competitors, including McLaren, might be employing to gain an edge. This involves introducing water—or another liquid—into the tyres through the valves before they are used on the track. The introduction of moisture could potentially control tyre temperature, reducing thermal degradation, and enhancing race performance.
Suspicions Arise Post-Singapore
Concerns grew following observations made after the Singapore Grand Prix, where some rims reportedly contained liquid—a rare occurrence due to the effort teams typically put into eliminating moisture from tyres. Removing moisture is crucial for achieving optimal tyre pressure, and the technical regulations focus on limiting moisture removal rather than its addition.
The regulations in article 10.8.4 state that “Tyres may only be inflated with air or nitrogen,” and any process “with the intent of reducing the amount of moisture in the tyre and/or in its inflation gas is forbidden.”
FIA’s Response
The FIA is reportedly addressing the claims, with Nikolas Tombazis, the head of single-seater matters, engaging both Pirelli and the teams during the Brazilian GP to discuss the issue. Observations were made by Tombazis, especially after the sprint race, to determine if any anomalous liquids were present when tyres were dismantled from their rims.
As of now, no formal FIA statements have been released. However, skepticism persists about whether teams would indeed leverage such a loophole. The official scrutineering report from the sprint race confirmed that tyres were checked and none raised concerns.
