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Newey cautious about testing 2012 parts at final races

Laurence Edmondson October 19, 2011 « Webber win now the priority - Horner | Vettel not thinking about Schumacher's seven »
Adrian Newey reckons the change in exaust regulations will have a "big knock on effect" © Getty Images
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Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey has revealed his team might follow its rivals' lead by testing 2012 parts before the end of this season, but only if they don't "give the game away".

Although Red Bull has wrapped up both the drivers' and the constructors' titles, there are still three races to go this season with plenty of potential mileage for testing before the winter. McLaren and Ferrari have already admitted to testing new parts on their cars in order to gather information for their 2012 projects - with Ferrari running a new front wing in Korea - but Red Bull have stayed relatively quiet about their plans for the RB8.

At a press conference at the team's factory in Milton Keynes, Newey said the team is considering testing 2012 parts, but the main priority is to keep next year's designs secret.

"All our development and research is now on next year's car, but if there is something that comes out of that that we can apply to this year's car we may choose to do so, depending on whether we think it will give the game away as to what we are generally doing next year," Newey said.

One of the only major changes to next year's regulations is the ban on exhaust-blown diffusers, which blow hot gases over the diffuser in order to boost rear downforce. Newey said the change would have a big affect on the car's performance in 2012.

"With regards to next year's car, there are no huge regulation changes and the most significant regulation change is the exhaust location being restricted," he added. "That does have a big knock-on effect to the car. We're trying to work our way through that car to suit that restriction, but it's our usual philosophy of keeping our heads down and trying and do the best job we can and then seeing how we do next year."

Laurence Edmondson is an assistant editor on ESPNF1

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Laurence Edmondson is deputy editor of ESPNF1 Laurence Edmondson grew up on a Sunday afternoon diet of Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell and first stepped in the paddock as a Bridgestone competition finalist in 2005. He worked for ITV-F1 after graduating from university and has been ESPNF1's deputy editor since 2010