Red Bull Begins Work on RB7 Car for 2011

We're all pretty certain that all Formula One teams are preparing in one way or another for the 2011 season, developing their single-seaters more or less intensively. If Mercedes GP confirmed earlier this month that they'll move full speed to the development of their 2011 car after the Singapore GP – in the mean time, they'll work in parallel at the 2010 machine – recent reports suggest that Red Bull has also started focusing on the RB7, their car for next season.

The information was made available by the Austrian team's new test and reserve driver Jean Eric Vergne, the 20-year old who replaced ousted junior and F1 reserve driver Brendon Hartley from the Red Bull lineup earlier this season.

Asked by the media is he is conducting any work within the Red Bull Racing team for the time being – with the lack of in-season testing and all – the Frenchman revealed he's currently being kept busy in the F1 simulator. Additionally, he's also helping with the development of the RB7.

“(I'm working) more and more – in the simulator. The objective is preparing for grands prix: we try different setups and there is also work on the (2011 car) RB7,” said Vergne.

“No project has been set for next year and it's too early to think about it. I don't know what I'll be doing in 2011,” he added, hinting that his role within the Milton Keynes organization may become greater in the year to come.

Since the F1 is now entering its last third of the season in 2010, more and more teams are switching focus to the next year's campaign, especially the ones that don't have a lot to fight for this campaign. The technical regulations for 2011 include the return of KERS and a new tire supplier Pirelli (among others), two new coordinates have a great influence on the design of an F1 car.