A secret of Red Bull's superior pace in the decisive Q3 phase of qualifying may have been revealed.

Autosprint's auto.it website reports that the team has a special electronic setting for the Renault engine that maintains a constant exhaust gas pressure.

When the setting is selected, the stream of gases flow constantly from the exhaust through the double diffuser, even when the driver of the RB6 is not pressing the throttle.

This would increase downforce at slow speeds.

The setting, revealed initially on the blog of the British journalist James Allen, is reportedly used sparingly - for example only in Q3 - because it is damaging to the engine.

The RB6 has been on pole position at 8 of the 9 grands prix so far this season.

Source: GMM

 

Wouldn't that be akin to violating the "no moveable aerodynamic surfaces" rule?

Wilson

 

Wonder how that works? Maybe like an anti lag where it burns fuel down the exhaust manifold.

 

Explains the performance problems too.

 

Hmmm... This very well could be it. It's very curious of how the settings achieve this.

 

I'm guessing this is the 'blown diffuser' set up Ferrari just switched to following suit from the last race, maybe. Not sure exactly what they're referring to here.

 

My money is on this being a nice curve ball for all the other teams to waste time thinking about..

 

Interesting....Are they going to have a hearing about this?