Adrian Newey has ruled out copying Renault’s unique front-exiting exhaust system.
"We heard rumours in the winter that Renault would take this path," Red Bull’s highly respected car designer told Auto Bild Motor Sport.
"But we have wasted no time to develop in that direction," he revealed. "We wanted to focus on our system because we knew for sure that it would work."
Indeed, rival teams including Ferrari, McLaren, Sauber and Williams have all moved in the direction of the Red Bull solution.
Even so, Renault team boss Gerard Lopez said he is confident the innovative R31 might be good enough for a race win this season.
"The first goal of regular podiums has been achieved and the other depends also on Red Bull, who are very far ahead," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Perhaps on certain tracks like Monaco or the Hungaroring we can fight for victory," added Lopez.
He said he told technical director James Allison and team boss Eric Boullier to explore a revolutionary path for 2011 as long ago as last May.
"I saw it as the only way to change the pecking order," said Lopez.