The move to ramp up downforce levels this year has prompted widespread concerns of processional racing in 2017, because cars could struggle to follow each close enough through corners and braking distances are being reduced.

But Red Bull's leading design figures believe that the wider cars could actually open up more opportunities, because of the increase in drag down the straights.

Pierre Wache, Red Bull's chief engineer of performance, said: "The 2017 car will be clearly a more aggressive car in terms of looks – it will be wider, it looks [a] more muscle car, with bigger tyres for sure.

"One of the aspects by having a car wider, you could argue that it could be more difficult to overtake.

"However, due to the aerodynamic effect and more drag effect it will have, and the more time you will spend on the straights, you will have more opportunity than previous years to overtake in this kind of condition."

Head of aerodynamics Dan Fallows said: "The more downforce cars produce the more they can be affected by other cars in terms of their drag – so it could be that cars are able to run closer behind another car to use the slipstream down the straight, so overtaking in that sense could actually be easier."

Another factor that could help make the racing better is the new philosophy that Pirelli has adopted for its tyres – with more durable rubber allowing drivers to push harder.

Chief engineer of the car, Paul Monaghan said: "The tyres themselves, if they are more durable than previous generations, then I think it will change the racing – and not necessarily for the worse. I think for the better. We will have potentially more overtaking."