Red Bull Advanced Technologies is a new player in hypercar racing. If this doesn’t sound familiar, RBAT (the engineering arm of Red Bull Racing Group) is planning to compete with Mercedes-AMG One and Aston Martin Valkyrie using the RB17. Adrian Newey, a F1 designer, has also created the next rival to Gaydon’s automaker and electrified vehicle.
While we only have a sketch of the design, RBAT has some exciting preliminary specifications. The RB17 hypercar’s heart will be a twin-turbo V8/hybrid powertrain that produces more than 1,100 horsepower. A carbon-composite tub will wrap the backbone of the RB17 hypercar, incorporating “the most advanced ground effect package” in a series-produced car.
It is planned to build 50 vehicles per year at a pace of 15 each, beginning in 2025. Autocar says that most of the vehicles have been sold. Pricing is a major concern. RBAT asks for PS5 million, plus local taxes. At current exchange rates, that works out to $6.13M or EUR5.79M for a car owners will not be allowed to drive on public roads.
The two-seater vehicle is being designed to allow customers to convert the RB17 to street legal hypercar. It effectively fills a void in Red Bull Racing’s F1 car names. The RB16 used in 2020 was followed in 2021 by the RB16B before the RB18.
Autocar Adrian Newey stated that work on the RB17 began at the end 2020. It is being designed with a weight target of 900 kilograms (1.984 pounds). It will have a slightly larger wheelbase than the Valkyrie and larger tires. The electrified hypercar will have a flexible roof and side skirts as well as an active suspension. There will be a lot more F1 tricks, including an energy recovery system that virtually eliminates turbo lag.
50 signatories will be granted access to the simulator development phase. The RB17 will also come with dedicated on-track training sessions.