Adrian Newey piloted the Red Bull RB17 hypercar today at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The track-only machine made its dynamic debut on the famous hill climb. Newey, who led the car’s design, completed a steady run.
This public unveiling marks a significant milestone for the project. The RB17 has been in development since late 2020, with Newey sketching initial concepts over Christmas that year.
Newey expressed satisfaction from the cockpit after his run. He acknowledged the extensive effort by the Red Bull Advanced Technologies team to bring the car to this stage.
‘It’s an incredibly special moment. It’s been a very long time in the planning. I think I did my very first sketch of the car over Christmas of 2020, going into ’21, so it’s been a long time in gestation, but everybody, guys and girls back at the factory, they’ve done a really amazing and fabulous job to get it here. Really special to have the car here and to take it up the hill for the first time.’
The RB17 is a closed-cockpit, two-seater hypercar. It features a carbon fibre monocoque chassis, designed for extreme track performance. The vehicle weighs less than 900 kilograms.
Power comes from a 4.5-litre Cosworth V10 engine, which revs to 15,000 rpm. This unit, combined with a hybrid system, produces more than 1,200bhp.
Red Bull Advanced Technologies plans to produce only 50 models of the RB17. Production is scheduled to commence this year, with deliveries anticipated to begin in 2027.
Each unit carries a price tag of approximately £5 million, or around $6 million USD, excluding local taxes.
Newey confirmed that some active systems on the pre-production model are not yet fully calibrated. This includes the active suspension and the fan-generated downforce.
The car’s first operational run occurred just three weeks ago. Its presence and performance at Goodwood represent rapid progress in its development phase.
Isack Hadjar, Yuki Tsunoda, and Red Bull Academy driver Alisha Palmowski are also scheduled to drive the RB17 throughout the Goodwood Festival of Speed weekend.
In his current role, Newey serves as Team Principal and Managing Technical Partner at Aston Martin. He officially started with the Silverstone-based team on March 1, 2025.
His primary focus at Aston Martin is the AMR26, particularly in preparation for the 2026 Formula 1 regulation changes. He also contributes to Aston Martin Performance Technologies’ strategic direction.
Newey is overseeing a significant aerodynamic and chassis upgrade package for the AMR26. This update is expected to debut at the Hungarian Grand Prix this month.
The upgrade includes weight reduction, a new nose, and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces. The front suspension remains unchanged, while the rear suspension is slightly revised.
Newey anticipates a ‘large step’ forward in performance for the AMR26. This comprehensive overhaul aims to address the car’s current weaknesses, including a lack of downforce and excess weight.
