The two-seat RB17, which is claimed to be quicker than an F1 car, is the final Red Bull project from engineer Adrian Newey.
The Red Bull RB17 is a dramatic hypercar that can lap quicker than a Formula 1 car, according to its creator, Adrian Newey. The 1200hp, V10-powered RB17 has been revealed at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, ahead of Newey’s departure from Red Bull. A limited run of 50 examples will be produced.
- Red Bull RB17 is a track-only model
- Powered by a 1,000hp naturally aspirated V10 and a 200hp electric motor
- RB17 weighs just 805kg; has a top speed exceed 350kph
Development of the RB17, which kick-started in 2021, will now ramp up, including the first firing of the Cosworth-developed engine on the dyno later this year. The car is expected to turn a wheel for the first time in track testing next summer.
The RB17 is a successor of sorts to the Aston Martin Valkyrie, the first road car Newey was heavily involved in the engineering of during a now-defunct tie-up between Aston and Red Bull. But whereas the Valkyrie was designed to be road-legal, the RB17 is a pure track machine created by a team of around 120 engineers at Red Bull Advanced Technologies.
The specification of the RB17 includes active aerodynamics and suspension systems developed in F1. The sheer volume of technology in the RB17 enables a high degree of adjustability to myriad systems. But while the performance levels are prodigious, Newey wants the carbon fibre RB17 to remain accessible and exploitable, even for less experienced drivers.
The original plan was to make the RB17 a four-wheel drive car with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine driving the rear wheels and an electric motor driving the front wheels. However, the final production model will use a high-revving, normally aspirated V10 developed by Cosworth and mated to a more conventional hybrid system.
The 1,000hp V10 revs all the way to 15,000rpm. The engine is hooked up to a carbon fibre transmission of Red Bull’s design, related to the one used in its F1 car, which integrates a 200hp electric motor. This not only provides performance assistance, but also acts as a starter motor and reverse gear, and helps the car move away from a standstill.
The RB17 weighs just 805kg in its lightest form – short of items such as air conditioning and a glass windscreen – and is around five metres long and two metres wide. Three tyre options will be offered. Each has been developed in conjunction with Michelin, especially for the RB17, including a slick that unlocks the car’s full performance potential, achieving a top speed exceeding 350kmh.
Although the car is not road-legal, Newey suggested that people will be able to convert it for road use should they wish. Being a track-only car from the factory, it is not bound by legislation around emissions and safety, although Newey said it has been designed to comply with LMH motorsport safety regulations.
The RB17 is not eligible to compete in any existing race series, so Red Bull will instead offer customers bespoke track days and experiences. While its F1 drivers, including Verstappen, will drive the car on the simulator to aid development, a much broader range of drivers will also be invited to test it to ensure that it will be as accessible as possible.
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