No, the hypercar will not get the 1.6-liter hybrid V6 engine from one of Verstappen's F1 cars. Previously there was talk about a V8, but that appears not to be RB's choice. During the Red Bull Racing podcast, designer Adrian Newey announces that a naturally aspirated V10 engine has been chosen. Why? Newey says it emulates the F1 monsters of the '90s. Yes, yes and yes again.
Newey says that the project has its origins in 2010. Then Newey was asked by Playstation during Christmas to draw a hypercar without any limits. The designer is on a winter sports holiday at the time, but the snow is not good for skiing, so hey, Newey just started. After a few days he finished the Red Bull X1, which he also installed later Gran Turismo came.
Some years later, Aston Martin and Red Bull collaborated on the Valkyrie and Newey was appointed person for the design. The designer liked the project with AM, but also noticed that such a collaboration 'can cause some frustrations'. That's why he wanted to work on a hypercar project with only his own colleagues.
More information about the Red Bull RB17
Newey also says that the V10 will soon be assisted by a small, 200 hp electric motor. The e-motor will provide first gear, reverse gear, smoothen the torque delivery and help with shifting. Despite the electric motor, Red Bull hopes to keep the weight around 900 kilos. Seriously light, then.
Because it is a Newey car, aerodynamics play a leading role. The goal is for the RB17 to generate a maximum of 1,700 kilos of downforce. According to Newey, it would achieve this at 240 km/h, while it already pushes its own weight down even further at 200 km/h due to the downforce. So 40 km/h can make a difference of 800 kilos of downforce.
Newey hopes the hypercar will become one of the most aerodynamically efficient cars ever. To achieve this, the RB17 gets an active suspension and a blown diffuser. In the 2011 Red Bull F1 car, such a diffuser ensured that the exhaust gases are used to adjust the airflow under the car for more downforce. The blown diffuser has been banned in F1 for some time now.
The RB17 will be as fast as an F1 car
The aim of the RB17, according to Newey, is to match the lap times of F1 cars. That will be a tall order, but it is not impossible for someone whose cars have won more than 200 GPs and 12 manufacturers' titles between them. Despite the hardcore approach, Newey wants the car not to be too difficult to drive or to intimidate the driver too much.
An active suspension should ensure that just about any billionaire can get in and drive away. Drivers can adjust the mechanical balance of both axles. This should make the hypercar adaptable for a wide range of driving styles. To help you get started, Red Bull offers a training package for all 49 buyers (Newey will probably want the fiftieth copy himself). Customers first receive lessons in the simulator.
When will we get to see Red Bull's hypercar?
Red Bull will present the RB17 sometime next summer. Testing will begin in 2025. In theory, we could see the car in action with our own eyes at next year's Austrian GP. The first production models are expected before 2026. If all of Newey's words are true, then the RB17 could easily become the strangest car ever.
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