Red Bull to wait until March for launch of 2006 car

Red Bull will wait until the first race of the Formula One season in Bahrain in March before unveiling their 2006 Ferrari-powered car, the team said this week.

Team boss Christian Horner said that the V8 engined car would make its track debut in late December, just before Christmas.

"The 2006 car is progressing well and I'm sure will be a step forward for us," he said.

A Red Bull spokeswoman said, however, that the formal launch to present the car would be only on the Thursday before the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 12.

Most other teams are planning to launch their new cars in January.

Red Bull, who have also bought struggling Minardi, have yet to confirm who will partner Briton David Coulthard at their main team.

Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi and Austrian Christian Klien are battling for the seat after sharing it last season.

"It will probably be towards the end of the month, beginning of next month," Horner said.