Red Bull may race seamless shift in Spain

The Milton Keynes-based outfit had originally pencilled in the system to be run for the first time at June's Canadian Grand Prix, but with dyno tests at the factory being so successful, there is a chance it could be brought in before then.

The team are hoping to give the seamless shift gearbox a run out in next week's major test at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Providing the test delivers good enough results, in terms of performance and reliability, then the green light will be given for it to be raced for the first time at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Team principal Christian Horner told autosport.com: "It's (the seamless shift's) introduction is very much dependent on its success at the test. If the test goes well and we make good progress then we could race it in Spain."

Red Bull Racing's increased efforts with the seamless shift come with their motorsport advisor Helmut Marko insisting that the team must ramp up their work to make the most of the speed shown by the RB3 so far this year.

"Apart from Spyker, all the teams are driving with continuously variable transmission," Marko said in an interview with Red Bull's website. "We have to re-tighten this by Barcelona, because it costs us time with every change of gear and acceleration.

"Apart from that the aerodynamics are being completely reworked - not because the ones used before were an aberration but because the second stage of expansion was always planned to happen around this time."

With poor reliability in the first three races of the year having cost the team championship points, Marko says that a new quality-control system has been put in place at the team to prevent repeated trouble in the future.

"From now on, every detected defect has to be reported to the factory within two hours. The senior designer has to offer a solution within a day. The defect has to be eliminated within three days. Without exception."

Marko added: "Red Bull's philosophy is this: We're not satisfied with 12th place. We'd rather risk something; (we) don't like to bundle all our resources into the development of reliability. (We) are (also) working on the advancement of speed at the same time."