If you’re anything like me, you have been eagerly awaiting the reveal of the RB17 which I am happy to report does not disappoint in the slightest. When Aston Martin - who worked with Red Bull and Adrian Newey on the project - gave us the Valkyrie AMR Pro, we thought it was safe to assume that this would be the most extreme creation we would see. Turns out, a dark blue horse was hiding under Red Bull's sleeve.

At the heart of the RB17 you will find a 4.5-litre V10. In today’s climate that’s enough to make us petrol heads more than happy. Except there’s more. It will rev to 15,000 rpm, produce 986 bhp and work in tandem with a 197 bhp e-motor. This combination is enough to hurl the RB17 to a top speed in excess of 217 mph. The good news doesn’t stop there though, as Red Bull ensured the engine was built to their specification by none other than Cosworth. Looking at their current catalogue, we can say this will be one fine engine. The V10 will be going through dyno testing and development for the rest of the year. 

A gearbox designed and assembled by Red Bull will be paired with the V10, with only the gears borrowed from Xtrac. We can let them off on this occasion, after all they have been busy making the ultimate track car.

With any track car, it’s essential that weight is as low as possible. Given the near BMW M5-size size of the RB17, you would be forgiven if you thought the car was on the wrong side of a tonne. The target weight is below 900 kg so we can expect an incredible power to weight ratio of at least 1,314 bhp per tonne.

While designing the RB17, Newey wanted the car to look beautiful as well as functional. Personally, that brief has been exceeded. Throughout the design, you can tell it’s the brainchild of the same man who helped give us the Aston Martin Valkyrie, which you can see learnings and influence throughout the RB17. The high nose, huge ground effect venturi tunnels at the rear and a rather familiar looking single-piece rear wing all appear to be evolutions of features found on Newey’s last closed-cockpit project. There’s also some borrowing from Red Bull’s current F1 car, the RB20, in the form of the sculpted sidepods.

It’s not only on the exterior where the Valkyrie has helped with the development of the RB17; like its predecessor, the engine isn’t bolted directly to the carbon composite chassis. Something that is connected to this is a technology which is banned in Formula 1: active suspension, but with no rulebook to follow, there’s nothing to stop its use here. Working with the active suspension, bespoke Michelin tyre compounds are being developed to help keep the RB17 glued to the race track. There are three compounds under development: ‘confidential’ (aka the highest performing one), ‘normal’ slick tyres and a more traditional threaded compound. 

While these changes may initially come across as intimidating, Newey’s aim is to provide peak performance without alienating anyone aiming to enjoy their £5 million track-only hypercar. To further help owners feel at ease Red Bull will be giving each RB17 customer their own journey which includes: track events across the globe, one-of-a-kind driver development and tailoring each car to suit each owner exactly as they desire. 

Unlike others in its category like the McLaren Solus GT, the RB17 will be a two-seater. It will also have a degree of practicality with a luggage compartment big enough for a pair of racing suits ahead of the cabin, and space for two helmets within. By that I mean racing helmets…

While it is meant to be a track-only hypercar, the RB17 may not be restricted to circuits. Lanzante, who are known for converting McLaren racers, such as the F1 and P1 GTR, has plans to add number plates to the RB17. Speaking to Top Gear, Lanzante confirmed that they “will work on road legalisation of the newly announced Red Bull RB17.” This project comes after some of the earliest customers asked if the company could convert their cars to allow for road usability. It’s not known how many RB17s will receive a set of number plates, but it may cost £250,000 - £500,000 for the work to be completed, according to Top Gear.

Cars such as the RB17 help remind us of what’s possible when there are no overarching rules restricting what can be done. Starting with a blank piece of paper, the mind behind some of the most successful F1 cars ever made has shown what can be done when there is no rulebook to adhere to. We can’t wait to see the RB17 in action and hear its V10 singing at its on-track debut next year.