Adrian Newey believes he has achieved a world first with the development of a car he has described as “a piece of art”.
Red Bull chief technical officer Newey was finally able to unveil his RB17 Hypercar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that is capable of producing F1-performance lap times via its naturally aspirated V10 engine that delivers 15,000 rpm.
It is the end product of years of development underlined by its name as Red Bull’s F1 cars went from the RB16 in 2020 to the RB16B the following year, and then the RB18 in 2022. The RB17 was reserved for Newey’s brainchild.
Outlining its astonishing performance, Newey said: “RB17 really is pushing the boundaries of everything we’ve learned into one car. For me, a car at this level, should also be a piece of art.”
He then significantly added: “It’s downforce to drag ratio puts it up into aircraft territory which has never been achieved before in motor racing.”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claims the car is “Adrian unleashed”.
He added: “The RB17 is the car that never was. It seemed fitting, and the fact there is so much Formula 1 DNA in it, to make it that missing car.
“It sits with some illustrious stable mates in the lineage of Red Bull cars. It’s going to be the most extreme track car of all time.”
Newey car is ‘undeniable power, speed and beauty’
Head of aerodynamics Dan Smith claims the car, that can deliver top speeds in excess of 350kph, is “a big step up from anything out there”.
He added: “The aerodynamic performance is significantly higher than anything else. It’s not possible with Formula 1 to do this level of aerodynamic performance.”
Newey said the idea of developing such a car is one he had been ‘mulling over for many years’, culminating in a “magnificent project and journey”.
After its public unveiling, he said: “For it to finally be the day we pull the covers off and see the birth of the RB17, is truly remarkable.
“It embraces everything we stand for, undeniable power, speed and beauty. 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.”