Red Bull recently confirmed that its Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey will leave the team in 2025 after a 20-year stint as the team's designer. However, Newey 'will remain involved in and committed to' Red Bull's latest in-house project until it finishes. We are talking about the RB17 track-only hypercar here, which is scheduled to be unveiled at the Goodwill Festival of Speed in July 2024. While Newey is due to leave Red Bull in the first quarter of next year, he said, "In the interim, the final stages of development of RB17 are upon us, so for the remainder of my time with the team my focus will lie there."
Initially announced in 2022, the Red Bull RB17 is Red Bull Advanced Technologies's (RBAT) first-ever hypercar. The February 2024 podcast revealed that the RB17 will get a naturally aspirated (NA) V10 engine, rather than a twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain (with over 1,100bhp). The NA V10 engine revving to an impressive 15,000rpm will come mated to an electric motor making an additional 200bhp of power. Meanwhile, the internal combustion engine alone will churn out over 1,000bhp.
Also Read: F1: Red Bull Racing Confirm Legendary Designer Adrian Newey to Exit in 2025
Red Bull RB17: Downforce, Weight
Touted as one of the most aerodynamic cars ever, the Red Bull RB17 is said to achieve lap times on par with F1 cars; however, it wouldn't be an F1 car. The hypercar will feature a blown diffuser and a multifunction active suspension system, resulting in 1,700kg of peak downforce at 241km/h (150 mph), while at 193km/h (120 mph), the downforce number will be 900kg – which is also aimed for the kerb weight of the car. On offer will also be specially designed Michelin slicks.
Red Bull RB17: More Legroom Than Valkyrie
In addition, the podcast revealed that the two-seater RB17 will offer more legroom than the Valkyrie, developed jointly by Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing. For those unaware, Aston Martin plans to send a racing prototype version of the Valkyrie in both, the USA-based IMSA SportsCar championship and the World Endurance Championship (WEC), starting in 2025. Based on the Valkyrie AMR Pro track car, the prototype will get a modified version of the Cosworth-built 6.5-litre NA V12 engine, which in the prototype version will make 671bhp.
Red Bull RB17: Production in 2025
Penned by the F1 engineer and designer, the Red Bull RB17 will debut later this year, with production to commence in 2025. Red Bull says no more than 50 units will be manufactured at the Red Bull Technology Campus in Milton Keynes, including the one for Adrian Newey. Moreover, the RB17 will also come bundled with on-track training and experiences.
Also Read: Red Bull RB17 Hypercar to Get 15,000rpm Naturally-Aspirated V10 Engine, Production to Begin in 2025
Red Bull RB17: Price, Rivals
Price-wise, the Red Bull RB17 will start at £ 5 million or $ 6.3 million (plus applicable local taxes). In terms of market competition, the hypercar will be Red Bull's answer to the likes of the Aston Martin Valkyrie and the Mercedes-AMG One.
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