McLaren F1 star Lando Norris takes aim at Red Bull over FIA cheating accusations

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Lando Norris takes aim at Red Bull over FIA cheating accusations

McLaren star Lando Norris has issued a claim over rival 'nonsense' in F1

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Thursday 3 July 2025 09:12

McLaren F1 star Lando Norris has taken aim at rival teams for 'nonsense' allegations after Red Bull reportedly alerted the FIA over concerns about the papaya team's tyres.

Red Bull reportedly suspected McLaren of cheating using illegal tyre and brake cooling tricks such as injecting water into the tyres to keep temperatures lower, but the FIA found no such evidence to support this.

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Following the Miami GP, the FIA selected race-winner Oscar Piastri's car among the top ten race finishers for detailed inspections, but investigations into McLaren's wheel bodywork and compliance with technical regulations all came back clean, clearing the papaya team of any alleged wrongdoing.

Now, speaking on the latest episode of F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast, Norris said: "You learn that in pre-school," in reference to the tyre-water accusations from Red Bull.

"It’s been very amusing seeing what people can come up with and just create out of nonsense.

"We’re under more scrutiny, there’s more checks, there’s been more rules, there’s been more implements of things to try slow us down and make things more difficult. But that’s just life at the top," he added.

Norris then continued, hinting that Red Bull were among those of McLaren's rivals to attempt to bring them down at any opportunity given their lead in the constructors' standings so far this year.

"When you get to the top, you have more people trying to drag you down, especially when it’s team against team. That’s a big part of it for them is trying to see how you can get at each other.

"In some ways, it’s any means necessary for a team to try and get back to being on top and sometimes, it’s individuals coming out with somehow bizarre theories of water in tyres, or in the brake ducts, which means you’re doing a good job if people are having to come up with such nonsense," the 25-year-old concluded.

Oscar Piastri's McLaren was cleared by the FIA in Miami earlier this year

How did Red Bull respond to the FIA's verdict over McLaren's tyres?

Following the verdict from F1's governing body which cleared McLaren of any 'illegal' tyre tricks, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: "In Formula 1, there are always going to be questions that are raised. They did exactly the same about the front suspension in our car last year," in reference to McLaren's own complaint against their rivals.

Giving his perspective having once stood at the top of the standings, Horner agreed with Norris' recent sentiment, saying: "It’s inevitable when you’re running at the front as we have for the last few years, you always come under more scrutiny. That’s part and parcel of Formula 1.

"In many respects, for the FIA, the teams, all of the teams, do the vast majority of the work, because their resource is far greater, and there’s always a competitor analysis going on across all of the teams. That’s just part of Formula 1."

Red Bull McLaren FIA Lando Norris Oscar Piastri Miami GP