The Red Bull RB17: Newey’s Final Bull Before the Aston Era

If you thought Red Bull was just about dominating the Formula 1 grid or selling energy drinks, think again. The team has finally pulled the covers off the RB17, their first-ever hypercar, and it is a certified monster. This isn’t just another track toy for the ultra-wealthy. It’s the swan song of Adrian Newey’s tenure at Milton Keynes.

Even as he packs his bags for Aston Martin, the legendary designer’s fingerprints are all over this machine. We’re going to break down everything you need to know about this 1,000-plus horsepower beast, from the screaming V10 engine to the design tweaks Newey phoned in at the buzzer.

The RB17 Design: A Legend’s Parting Gift

Let’s get straight to the heart of it. The RB17 fills the gap between the 2021 RB16B and the 2022 RB18 F1 challengers. It’s a track-only hypercar developed by Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT), and despite the headlines about Newey leaving, he didn’t just walk away from this project.

We saw the prototype at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier in 2024, but the version heading to production has evolved. Rob Gray, the technical director at RBAT, confirmed that Newey has remained involved as a consultant. Even with his impending move to a rival team, Newey was still authorized to pick up the phone and steer the ship.

“Adrian’s allowed to consult on the project, and he’s still interested in what’s going on,” Gray said. “We know what he wanted the car to look like and he’s always on the end of the phone if we need him.”One of those last-minute calls resulted in a major change: the exhaust position. Newey decided the exhaust needed to sit on the spine of the engine cover.

That might sound like a minor aesthetic tweak, but in the world of high-performance aerodynamics and thermodynamics, it’s a headache. The engineering team had to scramble to rework the thermal management to ensure the car didn’t literally catch fire. That is classic Newey pushing the envelope until the very last second.

Under the Hood: Screaming Power

Red Bull isn’t playing it safe with the powertrain. In an era where everyone is downsizing and turbocharging, the RB17 is going old school with a modern twist.

• Engine: A bespoke 4.5-liter Cosworth V10.
• Redline: A frantic 15,000 rpm.
• Power: Over 1,000 brake horsepower from the engine alone.
• Hybrid Assist: An electric motor adds another 200 horsepower into the mix.

With only 50 units slated for production, this is as exclusive as it gets. You aren’t just buying horsepower. You are buying a piece of F1 engineering history.

The Price of Performance

So, when can you get your hands on one? Production of customer cars is expected to start in the spring of 2027. But don’t expect to just walk into a dealership. Reports suggest the price tag is hovering north of £5 million (roughly $6.3 million). However, Red Bull insists you are buying more than carbon fiber and rubber.

That massive check covers a bespoke experience tailored to each driver. Buyers get access to simulators, vehicle program development, and on-track training run directly through Red Bull Racing. Essentially, they are treating owners like development drivers.

A Two-Seater F1 Experience

When Newey spoke at Goodwood, he made it clear this wasn’t just an engineering exercise; it was a passion project years in the making. “I had been mulling around the idea to take on the challenge to design our very own Hypercar, from concept to delivery, for many years,” Newey said. “The RB17 Hypercar embraces everything we stand for: undeniable power, speed and beauty.”

Perhaps the coolest feature? It’s a two-seater. Newey specifically designed it so the “thrill of driving at F1 speeds can be enjoyed with a friend or partner.” It’s one thing to experience G-forces that tear your face off. It’s another to hear your passenger screaming beside you while you do it.

The RB17 serves as a fitting final chapter for the Red Bull-Newey partnership. It embodies the relentless pursuit of speed that defined their F1 dominance, packaged into a vehicle that a lucky few will actually get to drive.