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Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey blames the blown diffuser ban in Formula 1 this year for the team's poor performance. He says the team had put significant time and money into the blown diffuser concept since 2010Red Bull RB6 RenaultAustria, 2010 > present4 photos
. It allowed the team to dominate last seasonRed Bull RB7Austria, 2011 > 201111 photos
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, but when the FIA banned the diffusers, the team had lost two years of work. 

"It's pretty much as we feared before the season started. Having explored exhaust blowing technology quite heavily for two seasons and then having that taken away together with other changes like the front wing flexibility, hurt us quite a lot," said Newey.

For comparison, Red Bull leads the constructors' championship by 53 points this season. Last season at this point it had a 103-point lead. This season it has won three races. Last season at this point it had six wins and either Sebastian Vettel or Mark Webber had taken the pole in every race.

The team had a further setback at the Hungarian Grand Prix when its engine map that limited torque and increased exhaust gases was ruled illegal. 

"We've been working with Renault and were suddenly faced with a clarification that was a different interpretation to what we thought we were operating to. That's where we are and we've got to go back and have a fresh look," said Newey. 

Source: Autosport