Red Bull launch 2012 car

The most anticipated Formula One car launch of 2012 has taken place, double F1 world champions Red Bull have launched the car they hope will take them to a third consecutive title.

Everyone in the paddock was desperate to see just how Red Bull's chief technical officer Adrian Newey would deal with the new regulations, in particular the new exhaust rules which had proved so pivotal in their previous success and the more visual design of the front wing following the changes in the height of the nose of the cars.

Well we didn't really get definitive answers on either aspect.

The nose design fits in with all the other teams, apart from McLaren, it's boxey, rigid and on brief inspection no different to the other teams.

'We've kept more or less the same chassis shape, but had to drop the nose just in front of the front bulkhead which, in common with many other teams, has led us to a slightly ugly looking nose.

'We've tried to style it as best we can, but it's not a feature you would choose to put in were it not for the regulation.' Newey told the BBC.

However with the closer angle pictures, it rapidly becomes clearer that Red Bull have implemented something different to all other teams on the grid, some kind of vent.

All the other cars have solid ridges, however Red Bull appear to have some sort of an air duct, which could be used for a whole host of things.

The air could be used for cooling, with Red Bull struggling with their KERS device at different stages last season, this could be a logical guess, while it could also be for aerodynamic effect, but we won't know just from these pictures.

Newey however has conceded that the team were put at a big disadvantage following the regulation changes regarding exhaust-blown diffusers: 'Regulation restrictions like the lost exhaust are a bit frustrating in truth, because they are exactly that, they are restrictions, they're not giving new opportunities or revenues particularly, they're just closing a door, Regulation changes I enjoy, regulation restrictions I rather lament.' he told Autosport Magazine.

'we have lost the exhaust technology with the restriction exhaust outlet position that we were able to develop and perhaps be ahead of the pack on in the last couple of years, that led to a big rethink over the winter.

'Whether that will affect us more than other people is difficult to know of course. We designed the RB7, last year's car, around that exhaust position and were probably the only people to do so. So it may be that we've lost more than other people through that. Only time will tell, but it will be good to get out to do some testing and to see where we get to.'