A studio shot of the new Red Bull Racing RB8 Formula One car.

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Double World champion Sebastian Vettel will be trying for a Formula One hat trick in 2012, in a Red Bull car that, like all the others, has a distinct stepped nose - but he doesn't expect to dominate as he did last year.

Without the aerodynamic advantages from its pioneering exhaust-blown diffusers - which are now banned - it promises to be a very different year for Red Bull, which rolled out its 2012 car at its factory in Milton Keynes in north London on Monday, a day ahead of the start of pre-season tests at the Jerez circuit in Spain.

Mark Webber will be the driver on the first two days before Vettel starts his testing Thursday and Friday.

Three rounds of pre-season testing are scheduled ahead of the March 18 season-opener in Australia.

NOT MUCH ROOM TO FIND SOMETHING EXTRA

Vettel said: “Looking at the cars, there's not much room left for the designers to play with, to find something extra.

“In the past two years we have had two big things taken away: the double diffusers, and for this year the system around the blown exhaust.

“We are missing that and so it's difficult to really create a difference. We'll see.”

Replacing the RB7 that won 12 of 19 Grands Prix in 2011, the RB8, designed by technical director Adrian Newey, has a different exhaust to accommodate the rule changes and also features a new nose to fit revised height regulations.

STARTING FROM ZERO

Vettel commented: “We'll always look back to 2011 and think how special it was - but it would be wrong to go into this season and expect 2011 to happen again.

“I think it will be very, very tight this year and anything else would be a surprise.

“For us, it all starts from zero again: zero points, where everyone has the same chance and we are all building our new cars.”

Vettel ran away with the 2011 title, nailing it with five races to go in a commanding performance with 11 season wins and an F1 record 15 pole positions. He ended the season 122 points ahead of second-place Jenson Button after finishing on the podium in all but two races.

Vettel said the banning of double diffusers and new exhaust system rules would make racing closer.

CLOSEST RIVALS

The RB8 has a stepped nose with a slight curve, not as sharp-edged as the Ferrari unveiled on Friday but also not with raised, curved design McLaren have chosen. Ferrari and McLaren are tipped to be Red Bull's closest rivals again.

Vettel said: “Obviously we hope our car is better than all the others but it will be difficult. I think the cars will be fairly similar, and the gaps will be even closer than they have been.” Sapa-dpa

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner agreed: “The team's goals are quite simple - it's to try and defend both titles in the manner in which we achieved them.

“Of course, when you've achieved what we have, particularly in 2011, we've set a very high standard for ourselves. But we're always looking to improve, we're always looking, in all areas, to try and do better. - Sapa-dpa, Sapa-AP

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