Red Bull's inaugural road car, described by Christian Horner as "Adrian Newey unleashed," is set to hit the roads in 2024.
The RB17, a project in development for several years, marks legendary designer Newey's creative freedom from F1 regulations. It follows Newey's design of the Aston Martin Valkyrie but distinguishes itself as the first car produced by Red Bull Advanced Technologies.
CEO Horner confirms the 2024 release of the RB17, limiting its production to just 50 units, the majority of which are already sold.
Horner, in a conversation with Autocar, explained the rationale behind the RB17's creation. He mentioned that due to the cost cap in Formula 1, other areas of the business needed to justify their existence, leading to the production of the RB17.
“Adrian wanted to do a car [for us] back in 2014, and at that point in time, we found a route through that by doing all the design work for the Valkyrie in partnership with Aston Martin,” Horner said.
He emphasised RBAT's existence for nearly eight years and the accumulated knowledge. With the budget cap era in F1, projects must justify their existence, and the RB17, with its unique skill sets, complements their Formula 1 activities rather than detracts from them.
The RB17 boasts a V8 hybrid engine producing over 1,100bhp and comes with a price tag of £5 million, double the Valkyrie's cost. Limited to only 15 units per year, RB17 owners will enjoy additional perks such as access to Red Bull simulators, on-track training, and tailored maintenance and service support.
Newey expressed his excitement about the RB17, stating, “The RB17 distils everything we know about creating championship-winning Formula 1 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.”
