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Rediff.com  » Sports » Red Bull rule out new diffuser

Red Bull rule out new diffuser

April 22, 2009 13:19 IST
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Chinese Grand Prix winners Red Bull have ruled out a major design change to their Formula One car before next month's showcase Monaco race.

Adrian Newey, the team's chief technical officer, said on Tuesday there was no doubt the 'double-decker' rear diffuser used by championship-leading rivals Brawn GP would improve performance.

"It is worth doing for everyone on the grid," he said in a team preview of Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix after Germany's Sebastian Vettel led Australian Mark Webber to a breakthrough one-two victory for Red Bull in Shanghai on Sunday.

"Our challenge is to adapt one to work on our car.

"Given the design of the RB5, it's not the easiest task getting it to fit the car and while we work on this one item, we also need to keep working on the general development of the car," he added.

"The unique feature of the Red Bull cars is the pullrod rear suspension which is a good solution when you don't have a double-diffuser. But getting it to work with the diffuser will be more difficult," said Newey.

"We won't have a double-diffuser before Monaco (on May 24)."

The controversial split-level diffuser used by Brawn, Toyota and Williams was ruled definitively legal only last week after an appeal hearing in Paris.

The device improves downforce by channelling the flow of air smoothly under the car and other teams are now rushing to develop their own versions.

Mercedes-powered Brawn won the first two races of the season with Britain's Jenson Button but were wrong-footed in the wet conditions in China.

Newey said it was 'refreshing and healthy' for the sport to have new faces on top while teams such as Ferrari and McLaren struggled, even if only temporarily, under the revised regulations.

"Waking up on a Monday morning with a one-two always puts a smile on your face," added the Briton, who did not travel to Shanghai in order to spend more time in the factory following the diffuser appeal hearing.

He expected Red Bull to build on their success.

"The result is a great confidence boost for everyone at the factory, knowing we can put a car on the grid that can finish first and second, and do so from the front not inheriting the result because of others having problems."

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Source: REUTERS
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