What is the Red Bull RB17 Hypercar project?

What is the Red Bull RB17 Hypercar project? The first production car from Red Bull explained

From energy drinks to performance hypercars, Red Bull has come a long way

If you’re a fan of Formula 1, you’ll have heard about Red Bull Racing Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey announcing his departure from the team. The high-profile designer is slated to leave the Red Bull organisation in 2025, and is already stepping back from his Formula 1 team design duties, and will be turning his focus to the upcoming Red Bull hypercar project, the RB17. It’s a big shock for F1 fans, particularly fans of Red Bull Racing which has immensely benefited from the high-profile designer’s work in developing winning race cars.

That’s a story for another day, though. For now, we’ll try to answer another rather important question that this whole announcement brings up - Red Bull is making a production car??

Indeed it is, showing that Red Bull is perhaps the most diversified global organisation around right now. Your first thought might be “Why is an energy drinks maker getting into performance hypercars?” But it seems like a logical step forward, given the expertise they’ve developed over the years of successfully competing in Formula 1 and winning multiple championship titles.

What is the Red Bull RB17 Hypercar?

Red Bull’s ambitious Hypercar project will be the company’s first production vehicle built for track enthusiasts. The two-seater car will be optimised for track days, giving buyers the chance to drive the closest thing to a Red Bull Racing F1 car on track, with direct support and servicing by the Red Bull Technology factory setup. Just 50 RB17 cars will be produced for select buyers, and production will start in 2025.

The Red Bull RB17 takes inspiration from the F1 program for its name, with the F1 cars following a similar naming system. Eagle-eyed fans will note that there was never an RB17 F1 car (RBR went straight from RB16B in 2021 to RB18 in 2022) so the name seems set for the company’s first ever hypercar.

The Red Bull RB17 is Adrian Newey’s last project at Red Bull, and he will be focusing on the final development and delivery of the project ahead of its expected production schedule in 2025.

“The RB17 distills everything we know about creating championship-winning Formula One cars into a package that delivers extreme levels of performance in a two-seat track car. Driven by our passion for performance at every level, the RB17 pushes design and technical boundaries far beyond what has been previously available to enthusiasts and collectors,” says Newey.

What to expect with the Red Bull RB17 Hypercar

It’s still too early to know what the Red Bull RB17 will look like, but the company has revealed a few details of what to expect. The car will be powered by the 1100bhp hybrid engine, and will have plenty of Newey’s expertise in track car development in terms of aerodynamics and performance.

Of course, you can’t just walk into a showroom and buy the Red Bull RB17 Hypercar; only 50 of the cars will be produced, and that too for select buyers. Red Bull states that ownership includes more than the car itself, also bringing a close association with Red Bull Racing through access to simulators, vehicle program development, and on-track training and experiences. Service and maintenance support will be tailored to individual owners and their usage profiles.