The chief designer of the Formula 1 team Red Bull presented his 1200-horsepower hypercar with rear axle drive (7 photos + 1 video)

The first official photographs of the joint brainchild of Adrian Newey, chief designer of the award-winning Formula 1 team Red Bull, and a whole galaxy of engineers, including specialists from Cosworth and Michelin, have been published. The crazy track car wears the RB17 index, weighs less than 900 kg, and its 4.5-liter 1000-horsepower V10 spins up to 15,000 rpm.





According to Top Gear, the project originated in Newey's imagination at the turn of 2019 and 2020. After the first sketches, he entered an active phase, and, unlike work on Formula 1 cars, where aesthetics are sacrificed in favor of functionality, here the engineers were tasked with achieving maximum aerodynamic efficiency of all surfaces drawn by the designer with minimal changes in their design. The famous designer's tricks, coupled with a massive diffuser and a number of active elements, provide the RB17 with 1,700 kg of downforce at a speed of 240 km/h.

The RB17 is built around a super-stiff carbon monocoque and is powered by a 4.5-litre naturally aspirated V10 developed by Cosworth. The engine produces 1,000 horsepower and works in conjunction with a 200-horsepower electric motor and a sequential gearbox designed by Red Bull Advanced Technolgoies based on Xtrac components. The hypercar has rear-wheel drive, and not only advanced electronic systems coupled with downforce help keep it on the road, but also an active suspension with special rubber created by Michelin.

Work on the RB17 is still ongoing. For example, the car still does not have a finished interior. It was decided that there would be two passengers in the car, with the passenger seated slightly behind the driver, and a pair of racing helmets could be placed behind both of them. The company is currently working on ergonomics issues. However, Newey and the team have already publicly announced the date of the first “combat” tests on the track. They are scheduled for the summer of 2025. A total of 50 RB17s are planned to be built, each estimated to cost £5 million.