Red Bull confident cooling issues solved

The Ferrari-powered machine has been blighted by overheating problems ever since it first ran in December. And, with temperatures currently much lower than those likely to be experienced during the season, the issue has been of pretty major concern to the team.

Although a revamped bodywork package is not due to be run until a Valencia test later this month, the team's technical director Mark Smith has claimed the team are on top of the problem.

"We've had to deal with a cooling issue and, over the past couple of weeks, have made the best possible use of the car in its current configuration," he said.

"This doesn't have the cooling elements in place that we will have on the aero kit that will be used at the first race. We will be testing the new elements at the forthcoming Valencia test later this month.

"We're still working hard on detailing all of the issues that led to the cooling deficit and there is still some work to do. But the timescale means we had to move on applying a solution and our analysis indicates we have solved the problem."

The cooling issues have forced Red Bull Racing to limit the length of their runs in testing, which has had an impact in the total mileage that the team have been able to conduct.

Smith is not too concerned about that limited running, however, because Ferrari have done enough mileage on the new V8 engine themselves.

"Although we haven't been able to do long endurance runs to evaluate race distance reliability on our engine, Ferrari have been running the same engine in interim form pre-Christmas and in interim and 2006 form in the New Year, so they have a good mileage on the engine and a good understanding of its durability."

Red Bull Racing have changed their testing plans to run at Silverstone rather than Jerez this week, so they can remain closer to the factory while they focus on pitstop work and other elements until the revamped bodywork is ready.

"Everybody here is still working very hard on developments for the car," added Smith. "As was always part of our plan for RB2, we are looking to get new parts onto the car at a fairly rapid rate and with several new people recently joining the team, it's good to see that we are really beginning to gel."