Red Bull has officially presented its RB17 hypercar, a two-seater which it claims is capable of matching Formula 1 lap times.
Designed by outgoing chief technical officer Adrian Newey, the RB17 weighs 900 kilograms – around 100kg more than a current F1 car – but uses a normally-aspirated V10 engine which produces 1,200bhp at 15,000rpm.
The engine is semi-stressed within the RB17’s carbon fibre monocoque. Red Bull claim the car will reach 350kph, but expects its cornering performance will set it apart from other top-end hypercars. The dramatically low and sleek design allows the car to “deliver F1-equivalent lap times,” says Red Bull, “while remaining easy to own and operate.”
Red Bull launched the RB17 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it is also marking its 20th season in F1. “With 20 years of legacy in the world of F1 to draw from, and as a performance centred organisation, it only made sense for us to design our own hypercar from the ground up,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who predicted the machine will be a “future classic.”
Newey, who will leave Red Bull at the beginning of next year, said he had “been mulling around the idea to take on the challenge to design our very own hypercar, from concept to delivery, for many years and it has been a magnificent project and journey.”
“The RB17 hypercar embraces everything we stand for: undeniable power, speed and beauty,” he added. “It is very adaptable in its abilities, and we made sure to design it as a two-seater so that the thrill of driving at F1 speeds can be enjoyed with a friend or partner.”
Red Bull Advanced Technologies will manufacture just 50 examples of the RB17, each of which will be bespoke to the customer willing to pay its expected £5 million price tag. Exterior colours, interior materials and other details an be customised. Red Bull will also provide driver development to buyers and events at a range of circuits.
Leaning heavily on Red Bull’s F1’s pedigree, the RB17 uses the same chassis nomenclature as the team’s cars, sitting between the RB16B which took Max Verstappen to the 2021 drivers’ championship and the RB18 the team used to win both titles the year after.
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