With the innovative new Renault exhaust system the talk of the paddock in Valencia on Wednesday, it has emerged that McLaren's 2011 challenger also features a novel exhaust system.

The Lotus Renault R31 hit the circuit on Tuesday with Vitaly Petrov behind the wheel, the car's exhaust exiting at the bottom of the sidepod area. And, according to Auto Motor und Sport, the new McLaren has a similar design. "The MP4-26 apparently has the same trick," said the German report.

The new system is aimed at generating more downforce through the flow of air to the now mandatory single diffuser.

"I'm not going to talk too much about it, I will let our competitors find out by themselves," Renault boss Eric Boullier told ESPNF1. "Yes, we have decided to go a little bit brave in this design and this area to make the car a bit different.

"If you are too conservative you will stay at the back of the queue and we do not want to spend our time copying the others. If you want to be at the front you have to be creative and you also need to bring this creativeness in the team spirit."

And it seems likely that other teams may follow suit, including Mercedes. "Renault's thinking is in the right direction," said team boss Ross Brawn. "We are working on a similar solution."

The McLaren MP4-26 will launch in Berlin on Friday.