Lando Norris pokes fun at McLaren 'tyre water' following Red Bull ...

Lando Norris made a joke about the water in McLaren’s tyres after Red Bull reportedly complained that the Woking team were illegally cooling their tyres.

A report came at the start of the month claiming Red Bull had alerted the FIA to a potential trick McLaren were using to cool down their tyres using water but Norris has poked fun at the rumour.

Additional reporting by Elizabeth Blackstock

According to AMuS, McLaren were thought to be benefiting from adding a small amount of water into the tyres via the valves to help with cool down, a tactic Red Bull alerted the FIA to.

As of yet, McLaren have not commented on the rumour but Norris joked about the suggestion after quali in Las Vegas.

“It’s how we have to drive our car, it just makes it too difficult,” he told media including PlanetF1.com. “That’s our issue. It’s not tyres. It’s not because they’re too hot or too cold or all of this nonsense, or the water.

“It’s just our car doesn’t suit these conditions.”

The water complaint is just one of a number of protests raised between teams throughout the season, from both sides of the paddock.

Red Bull and others complained that the rear wing used by McLaren in Baku was too flexible while Red Bull themselves were accused of having a function to be able to adjust the height of their car after parc fermé.

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Whether the water rumour is true or not, McLaren would not have deployed that tactic in Vegas with the cool temperatures requiring heating rather than cooling but there is work to do for Norris if he wants to prevent Max Verstappen winning a fourth world title.

Starting P6 to Verstappen’s P5, Norris said he is just focused on his race and what will be, will be.

“I mean, whether he wins or not tomorrow, for me is, you know, it’s not going to change anything,” Norris, who trails Verstappen by 62 points, said. “He’s pretty likely to win the championship, but I’m here to race and do my best in every single race I can.

“Whether Max finishes ahead or not, that’s life. He’s only just ahead of us today. I think we have a chance to beat them tomorrow, but, you know, I’ll go out and do my best, like I do in every single race and whatever the outcome is the outcome.”

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