Revealed: The genius solution behind McLaren's game-changing brake design

As previously explained, McLaren has a decisive advantage over the rest of the F1 field when it comes to tyre management, and chiefly degradation.

This includes thermal degradation, with Red Bull and others raising doubts about the legality of the MCL39's inner brake drums, especially after thermal images allegedly showed cool spots deep within the cooling system.

In Miami, the FIA conducted an in-depth check of the brakes, finding nothing illegal. RacingNews365 understands that rival teams are now studying McLaren's design closely and investing resources into developing their own versions.

It appears McLaren has successfully managed to keep operating temperatures and tyre pressures under control, isolating them from brake heat.

McLaren has cleverly used a sort of micro net of PCM, Phase Changing Materials, inside its brake drums.

This mesh is composed of tiny tubes containing metal alloys with a melting point between 120 and 200 degrees Celsius, depending on the metal.

These alloys form a thin mesh membrane inside the drum and its ducts. The PCMs absorb heat up to their melting point, similar to how an ice cube maintains temperature until it melts. This keeps the air passing through the drum from significantly raising the temperature and transferring heat to the drum.

Rival teams like Mercedes and Red Bull are reportedly evaluating rapid application of this system for upcoming races, with Ferrari and other teams also looking into it.

A first version might appear around the Spanish GP in June, but given the turnaround time and upcoming flexi-wing changes, it's more likely teams might wait until the Canadian GP, where brakes are critical.