However, while insisting that the layout is not in any way controversial, as it complies with all the technical rules imposed by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Mercedes GP's Ross Brawn argued the impact on the car's performance will be bigger in the exhaust's case as compared to his own-developed double diffuser a couple of years ago.
“I don't think they are challenging the boundaries so much, I think they are a clever idea but I don't think there is any regulatory problems with the exhaust systems so I don't see that as being overly controversial,” he said.
“It is a significant area and maybe more significant than the double diffuser in terms of performance and of course the teams are all working with their engine partners to work out how to get the most out of the exhaust energy so that is the new interesting area of development,” he added.
As expected, several teams have tried to copy Renault's layout, in a similar way Brawn GP's rivals did back in 2009. However, the exhaust system developed by the Enstone based team is much tougher to implement, as revealed by Ferrari's technical head Aldo Costa a while back.
“The exhaust of Renault needs to be integrated with the chassis, thinking twice about the cooling and the housing of the electronic boxes,” said the Italian in mid-February, when asked is Renault's system would be easy to copy by rival teams.
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