From Untouchable to Beatable: The Sudden End of McLaren’s Formula 1 Domination Explained

If Formula 1 teaches us one thing each season, it’s not to trust a narrative until the championship has been mathematically sealed. Heading into round seven of the 2025 Formula 1 season at Imola, the story seemed crystal clear: McLaren had ascended to a position of total dominance. Oscar Piastri’s three consecutive victories, an astonishing show in Miami where he and Lando Norris crushed the field by over 30 seconds, and relentless podium streaks from both drivers put the team miles ahead. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen and Red Bull—four-time reigning champions—looked lost, their car dismissed as unpredictable and outdated.

But at Imola, everything changed. Red Bull staged a stunning turnaround, with Verstappen snatching the win in emphatic style. So, what really happened? How did McLaren go from untouchable to defeated in the space of one weekend, and was it all down to Red Bull’s upgrades—or was there more going on behind the scenes?

McLaren’s Winning Streak Broken—What Went Wrong?

Coming into Imola, McLaren were the grid’s yardstick. Oscar Piastri had three wins on the bounce and hadn’t finished lower than third since the first round. Lando Norris, though occasionally inconsistent, was racking up podiums. McLaren’s edge had largely come from their exceptional tire management—a trait that turned them into race-winning juggernauts, especially dramatic at a tire-shredding track like Miami, where their rivals faded dramatically while McLaren maintained astonishing pace.

But Imola told a different story from lap one. Piastri started on pole, and many assumed another runaway win was coming. Instead, Verstappen shocked everyone, pulling off an aggressive move around the outside into Turn 1. Once out front, Max never looked back. For the first time in weeks, McLaren lacked the raw pace—and, by Piastri’s own admission, no strategy tweak would have brought them to Red Bull’s level that day.

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Post-race, even Norris seemed stunned: “I probably just didn’t expect the Red Bull to be quite as quick as they were.” So, where did McLaren’s advantage evaporate to?

Did Red Bull Find Their Missing Pace… Or Copy McLaren’s Design?

The obvious explanation is on the design side. Red Bull had quietly introduced floor updates in Miami with little effect, but Imola saw a significant overhaul: a revised engine cover, reworked rear suspension, and crucial changes to rear-end geometry—camber and toe tweaks designed to improve tire performance and overall balance.

Christian Horner, Red Bull’s Team Principal, claimed that a newfound harmony between front and rear grip allowed Verstappen to deliver metronomic laptimes and consistent tire performance, something that had eluded him all year. The raw data backed it up; Verstappen’s opening stint on mediums was relentlessly precise, and the Red Bull suddenly looked easy to drive.

Intriguingly, technical observers noticed that the new Red Bull rear-end geometry now suspiciously resembled the McLaren’s—a nod to just how much admiration there is across the pitlane for the Orange team’s current design philosophy.

The Secret FIA Directives—How Much Did They Shake Up the Grid?

Beneath the surface, however, there was more at play than just upgrades. Two technical directives from the FIA quietly landed before the Imola weekend.

The first addressed skid blocks and plank wear, clarifying the legality of materials and mounting methods beneath the floor. This subtle regulatory clarification had a dramatic effect: teams such as Mercedes, who had been running their cars close to the ground (and producing endless sparks for the TV cameras), suddenly had to raise their ride height, potentially costing lap time. McLaren publicly insisted this directive had “zero impact” on their car. Still, the suggestion lingers that ride heights across the grid had to be recalibrated—potentially nudging McLaren further from their magic setup window.

The second directive was even juicier: Red Bull asked the FIA for clarification about tire cooling systems, specifically water-cooled wheel assemblies. The FIA replied loud and clear: such systems are not allowed. Rumors have swirled that a front-running team (some point to McLaren) may have exploited an innovative, water-based tire temperature control system. But after thorough FIA inspections of McLaren’s car post-Miami, everything was deemed legal.

Christian Horner couldn’t resist stoking the fire, suggesting that the FIA’s pre-Imola clarifications might have “mysteriously” coincided with McLaren losing their edge. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella, for his part, brushed off the intrigue, suggesting that other teams were merely distracted.

Was It the Track, Setup—Or a Bit of Everything?

Not all explanations are as conspiracy-laden as some fans would like. Imola itself—with its flowing, high-speed corners—has historically played to Red Bull’s strengths. Even in previous years, they shone on circuits like Suzuka and Jeddah, and Imola requires precisely the kind of front-to-rear balance and tire control that Red Bull’s upgrades appeared to finally deliver.

Additionally, McLaren’s own upgrades for Imola were subtle: a tweaked rear wing and minor changes to the rear corners. While still rapid, these didn’t fundamentally shift the performance needle in the same way as Red Bull’s more dramatic rethink.

The Big Picture: Has the Pendulum Swung?

As the dust settles and the circus moves on to Monaco, nothing is certain. Piastri still narrowly leads the drivers’ championship, Norris remains a threat, and Verstappen—now seemingly revitalized—has momentum. If Red Bull truly has solved their tire degradation issues and achieved balance, it could presage another classic Verstappen title comeback, just as hopes of a new McLaren era began to crystallize.

Still, McLaren shouldn’t be discounted. Their car’s sweet spot remains formidable, and upgrades can come fast and effective. Monaco’s street circuit could play once more to their precise cornering abilities.

Was Imola a Blip or a Warning Shot?

The question lingers: Was Red Bull’s resurgence all about technical upgrades, or did the FIA’s behind-the-scenes clampdowns nudge McLaren off their pedestal? The only certainty in F1 is that nothing stays the same for long.

So—was Imola just a one-off, or have Red Bull reawakened? With the season still young and technical intrigue brewing, the real battle may not just be on track, but in the design offices and FIA briefings behind closed doors.

What’s your theory? Was Red Bull’s comeback down to clever engineering, rule clarifications, or simply the ebb and flow of a fiercely competitive sport? One thing is clear: in Formula 1, dominance is never handed out—it has to be fought for, every single lap.