The long-awaited Adrian Newey–penned hypercar from Red Bull Advanced Technologies, the RB17, has now reached its final design stage. First shown to the public in prototype form at Goodwood in 2024, the RB17 has emerged in finished guise with several key design changes and an even sharper exterior. Although Newey has since moved to the Aston Martin F1 team, Red Bull maintains that he was never completely detached from the project’s progress.

The most significant evolution is visual. The production RB17 gains a large central fin running from the roof to the rear wing, a device drawn directly from top-level endurance racing to stabilise the car through high-speed corners. The headlights have been redesigned as slim LED units that flow cleanly into the sculpted front bodywork, while the exhaust exits have been relocated to the centre of the engine cover. Wing mirrors and a wiper also appear for the first time, signalling that this is no longer an abstract design study but a fully resolved machine.

The track-only hypercar is expected to generate close to two tonnes of downforce. Beneath its carbon-fibre skin sits a bespoke Cosworth 3.0-litre V10 capable of spinning to a staggering 15,000 rpm. It produces 1,000 hp on its own, supplemented by a 200 hp electric motor that replaces the reverse gear and forms part of the hybrid drivetrain. With a target weight under 900 kg, Red Bull says the RB17 will deliver lap times comparable to Formula 1 machinery.

Just 50 cars will be built, each costing around £5 million.