On Friday, the much-awaited Red Bull RB17 hypercar was unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Adrian Newey, the genius behind it, claims this car could have taken pole position at Silverstone last weekend, beating George Russell‘s time of 1.25.819.
Adrian Newey shared insights about his new creation during the four-day event in southern England.
Rapid RB17 ‘would’ve been on pole’ for the British Grand Prix
“It’s a very aerodynamically driven car because we wanted something accessible to people with relatively low levels of track experience,” said Adrian Newey while talking to the Goodwood team. He added that it’s adaptable and can grow with the driver. According to their simulations, it would have secured pole position at Silverstone last weekend.
Newey has been with Red Bull since 2006 and has achieved six constructors and seven driver titles with them. “I’ve driven a huge variety of cars from ’60s models to modern Formula One cars. The speed and adrenaline of driving a truly fast car like an F1 is something else,” he said. Only 50 units of the RB17 will be made, and one is already reserved for Newey himself.
The RB17: A thrilling car which would be ‘safe and controllable’
“I wanted a car that people could build confidence with and feel thrill but in a safe and controllable way,” explained Newey. The concept involves packaging two people comfortably with a V10 engine, known for its noise and emotion, working alongside Michelin on tires to handle loads—it becomes an aerodynamic challenge.” The team clearly focused on every detail to create this ultimate track machine.
Fans might think this news is super exciting!
Newey compares the gorgeous RB17 to ‘Spitfire’ plane
“You start developing around what you need mechanically, then keep refining it,” said Newey. “We wanted it to look stunning too; cars at this level should be art pieces.” He believes focusing on aerodynamics also results in beauty over time.
“If you look back in history—like Spitfire or Bluebird Landspeed record car or Concorde—they’re all beautiful objects designed for function,” he noted. For now, Newey enjoys his relaxing weekend at Goodwood Festival as he considers future challenges away from Red Bull.
What do you think about this amazing hypercar?
