Red Bull

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

Red Bull Brings The RB17 Hypercar To The Goodwood Festival Of Speed

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 08, 2026

Red Bull RB17 Comes TO Goodwood Festival Of Speed

Oracle Red Bull Racing, one of the world’s favorite motorsport organizations today, is going to have an exciting presence at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Along with it, Red Bull Advanced Technologies has brought forth engineering excellence that evolves the iconic name lightyears beyond the energy drink that is its origin. Alongside its decorated race cars, the Goodwood Festival of Speed will see an exciting appearance: the dynamic debut of the Red Bull RB17 hypercar. The RB9, Red Bull’s 2013 championship-winning Formula 1 car, and the team’s F1 Academy car, will take part in demonstration runs at the festival, while the RB17 will partake in a series of demonstration runs, part of its ongoing testing and development program. The demonstration runs of the RB17 offer the public the first opportunity to see the car running, but the performance of the RB17 will be further tested on track in the near future. Behind the wheel of the anticipated hybrid hypercar will be a familiar and celebrated lineup of talented drivers: Isack Hadjar, Yuki Tsunoda, Alisha Palmowski, and the car’s designer, Adrian Newey. Supplementing the demonstration runs will be a static display of Red Bull liveries from throughout the team’s history, and they help tell the story of how Formula 1 technology was translated to a groundbreaking hypercar in the form of the RB17. No restrictions curtail the RB17’s performance, and its combination of a bespoke naturally aspirated Cosworth V10 engine and a hybrid system make it fearsomely powerful. Its track-only status indicates its aim at unbridled performance potential, as well. <- Gallery -> With a display of cherished moments in its racing legacy, as well as the first look at its highly anticipated hypercar in motion, Oracle Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Advanced Technologies are bringing a heap of high-octane excitement to this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, and marking a milestone in their collective motorsport legacy. View All Luxury & Exotic Cars For Sale Image Source: Red Bull Technology

By Khris Bharath – May 05, 2026

Final Assembly of 1,200 HP Red Bull RB17 Track-Only Hypercar Begins

Final assembly of the first customer example of the Red Bull RB17 is now underway in Milton Keynes, in the U.K., with track testing set to begin in the coming weeks and launch scheduled for spring 2027, followed by customer deliveries through the end of 2028. The move follows the production-spec reveal covered in our January report, and traces back to the RB17’s original concept debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2024. By the time we saw the finalized version earlier this year, the car already appeared largely complete, down to its Le Mans Hypercar-standard carbon tub, finalized cockpit, and fully developed aerodynamic surfaces signed off by Adrian Newey. Now at Aston Martin, Newey left Red Bull in early 2025. However, he remains one of the brightest minds in Formula 1, and the RB17 is a no-limits F1-based hypercar and final project developed during his time at Red Bull’s dominant stint, free from the cost caps and regulatory constraints that define modern F1. Speaking exclusively to Autocar UK, technical director Rob Gray confirmed the first car is nearing completion, marking a transition from design to validation. What stands out as the car enters assembly is how little has changed from the aforementioned concept. The overall package remains just as dramatic and tightly packaged, with deep side channels feeding air toward the rear, while the front section stays compact to manage airflow cleanly over the body. The rear structure integrates a large diffuser and high-mounted wing. A central spine running along the engine cover houses the exhaust, with the gases directed beneath the wing to increase aerodynamic load, a solution developed late in the program at Newey’s request. Active systems reduce drag on straights to manage tire load across longer runs. The powertrain carries over unchanged. A 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V10 developed by Cosworth produces 1,000 horsepower and revs to 15,000 rpm, paired with a 200-horsepower electric motor integrated into an Xtrac gearbox. Total output is 1,200 horsepower, which may not sound like much compared to the 2,000+ hp hypercars already on the market. However, with curb weight at just 1,984 pounds (an exceptional figure for a Hybrid), and 3,700 pounds of downforce, a figure that surpasses the car’s own weight, should bring the RB-17 back into conversation. For context, a current F1 car weighs approximately 1,750 pounds and produces somewhere in the ballpark of 4,400 pounds of downforce. <- Gallery -> The dash to 60 mph takes under 3.0 seconds, whereas top speed is rated at 217 mph. According to Autocar UK, internal simulations indicate a 1 minute 38 second lap at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, which is about one second quicker than current Formula 1 cars. Inside, the RB17 retains much of the configuration detailed in January. The cockpit features physical controls, with a staggered two-seat layout that keeps the frontal area tight. Front-hinged doors allow vertical entry, a practical solution for track use with a helmet. Limited to just 50 units, the RB17 remains a closed-circuit machine with a base price is expected to be around $6.3 million. While this is a track-only machine, we cannot rule out future road conversions, as seen with several recent street-legal track-car conversions by British firm Lanzante. Watch this space. View All Exotic and Luxury Cars for Sale Images: Red Bull Advanced Technologies

The production version of the Red Bull RB17 hypercar is revealed: a futuristic, silver machine with aerodynamic curves and black accents, parked on a reflective surface against a gradient background.

By Khris Bharath – January 05, 2026

Production Version of the Red Bull RB17 Hypercar Revealed

A lot has happened at Red Bull Racing over the past 12 to 18 months. Adrian Newey officially departed the company in the first quarter of 2025. Former team principal Christian Horner was ousted in July last year. On track, an action-packed season ended with the Austrian team finishing behind Mercedes and world champions McLaren, while its star driver and four-time world champion, Max Verstappen, closed out the year as runner-up to Lando Norris dominant stint. Yet away from the standings, Red Bull’s technology division is still pushing forward. The final production version of the track-only hypercar was revealed over the weekend, almost a year after its initial appearance at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed. We saw it again at Goodwood last year, along with Newey himself, making an appearance during the Formula 1’s Brightest Minds celebrations at FOS. These digital renderings of the production-spec RB17 moves well beyond the early Goodwood concept and shows how far the project has matured. Adrian Newey’s final changes include a new centrally mounted spinal exhaust, which forced a complete rethink of thermal management. The body now features far more vents, cooling intakes, downwash ramps, a large dorsal fin, and finalized hockey-stick LED headlights. Practical track-use elements have been added, including door mirrors, a windscreen wiper, and revised A-pillar-hinged doors for easier entry. The car is slightly smaller overall and now rides on a completed carbon tub designed to Le Mans Hypercar safety standards, with a finalized cockpit, physical switchgear, and active suspension. The RB17 essentially showcases what is possible with Adrian Newey, freed of Formula 1 regulations. You are looking at a car shaped by the same thinking that delivered championship-winning F1 machines, but without constraints on cost, complexity, or outright performance. The resemblance to the Aston Martin Valkyrie is uncanny, as both cars share the same design philosophy and the same mind behind them. At the heart of the RB17 sits a 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V10 developed by Cosworth that delivers 1,000 horsepower on its own and revs to an astronomical 15,000 rpm. Red Bull adds a 200-horsepower electric motor for a combined output of 1,200 horsepower. Weight remains central to the RB17’s performance, as it tips the scales at just 1,984 pounds. For some context, a modern-day F1 car weighs around ~1750 pounds. That figure alone explains why its acceleration and braking capability sit in a different category from most modern hypercars. Top speed exceeds 217 mph, but outright speed is not the headline here; it is Aerodynamics. The RB17 produces over 3,700 pounds of downforce, which is more than twice its own weight. In practical terms, this allows you to carry corner speeds that would overwhelm road-legal cars and tires. This is made possible through the aforementioned active suspension and fan-assisted underbody system that is banned in F1. Red Bull even notes that, in theory, the car could drive upside down at speed. What matters to you is the level of grip available lap after lap. Ownership comes with some limitations, as you will never drive the RB17 on public roads. This is a track-only hypercar, and it also does not comply with any racing series regulations. Instead, Red Bull includes an exclusive training program if you’re one of 50 lucky people to secure an allocation for a hypercar priced from ~$6.5 million. View All Supercars and Exotic Cars For Sale Images: Red Bull

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 12, 2024

Red Bull Reveals New 1,200HP RB17 Hypercar At Goodwood

Red Bull’s latest racing move is a new hypercar. At this point, Red Bull’s racing efforts are highly celebrated among motorsport fans, whether in F1, rally racing, or even other high-intensity sports. After going from being a popular energy drink brand to having an empire as a motorsport titan, Red Bull is now adding the latest feather to its cap: a new hypercar. Named the RB17, the new Red Bull hypercar has been anticipated for some time, and it’s finally here, being revealed at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. It was designed by Adrian Newey and Red Bull Advanced Technologies, building on Red Bull’s extensive Formula 1 experience, including its six Constructor’s Championship victories. With a lightweight carbon fiber monocoque chassis and a naturally aspirated V10 engine capable of revving to 15,000 rpm, it’s quite a high-performance thriller. Its extensive weight-saving measures include a carbon fiber gearbox. As a result, it weighs under a ton and has over 1,200 horsepower, making it capable of F1-level lap times and a top speed above 217 mph. Only 50 examples of the radical Red Bull hypercar will be made, and each client who owns one will be treated to a luxurious and comprehensive experience. This includes access to unique track events that allow clients to experience some of the world’s greatest racing courses. In addition, customers will be able to customize aspects like the exterior color and interior finishes, making each Red Bull RB17 a unique high-octane statement. With its cutting-edge engineering and laser focus on high performance, as well as its radical design, exclusivity, and VIP client experience, the new Red Bull RB17 hypercar is a new chapter in performance excellence for one of the motorsport world’s most respected names. As Christian Horner, Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO, says, the new Red Bull RB17 is expected to be a “future classic.” Finance A Luxury Or Exotic Car For Sale Image Source: Red Bull

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 12, 2024

Watch Max Verstappen & Checo Pérez Race The Ford Mustang ...

Ford brings F1 drivers off-road. Red Bull is known as the name behind some of the most extreme automotive feats and epic racing achievements, and one of the most prestigious branches of Red Bull’s motorsport presence is its F1 team, whose drivers are Max Verstappen and Sergio “Checo” Pérez. With a day off in a new video, the pair decided to go far away from the track and get behind the wheel of something different: the new Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally. The performance-oriented Ford EV was created to evolve Ford’s approach to off-road performance, blending thrilling all-terrain capability and speed with electrified futurism. With the Mach-E boasting thrilling electric torque, and the Rally version’s modifications that lend themselves to off-road control and speed, the two decided to race in the midst of the sandy expanse. Kicking up dust and drifting through bends, the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally proved for both Checo and Max not only an excellent off-road performance vehicle but also a joy to drive in the desert. With a beautiful video capturing their experience behind the wheel of the Mach-E Rally in signature Red Bull style, Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez are sure to return to the F1 circuit with smiles on their faces as the season continues. View All Ford Mustangs For Sale

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 18, 2023

Watch Daniel Ricciardo Do Donuts In An F1 Car In Nashville

One of F1’s staple drivers drums up excitement in Music City. Daniel Ricciardo is one of F1’s most beloved personalities among fans, and his return to the prestigious series with Team AlphaTauri was highly anticipated, but unfortunately interrupted by an injury. However, Ricciardo is on the cusp of being back again, and the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas is where it will happen. As the Grand Prix approaches, Ricciardo has already generated fanfare in Nashville, Tennessee. In the renowned Music City, Ricciardo got behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car for the first time since August for a special Red Bull show run to an excited crowd. The car was the RB7, which was famously raced in 2011 by Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, who achieved world titles for Red Bull that season. On Nashville’s iconic Lower Broadway, the crowd was treated to seeing the F1 car do donuts, and in general create quite a spectacle in the famed location. Despite his injury, Daniel Ricciardo proved himself in simulation runs, and AlphaTauri, like the fans in the Nashville crowd, looks forward to seeing him back on the track for the United States Grand Prix. With an upcoming and anticipated return to the racing world’s most exclusive and venerated stage after racing for teams like Red Bull and McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo is causing a stir with his raucous spectacle behind the wheel of Red Bull’s iconic 2011 F1 car. Shop The F1 Store View this post on Instagram A post shared by Daniel Ricciardo (@danielricciardo)

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 29, 2022

Red Bull Advanced Technologies Announces The New RB17 F1-...

Racing’s favorite energy drink brand is becoming a hypercar manufacturer. Known for a formidable F1 team along with a host of other incredible racing efforts, Red Bull has become so much more than just an energy drink brand, and now, Red Bull is taking its racing brand to the next level with the announcement of the new RB17 hypercar, a car that makes the thrilling performance of Red Bull’s F1 cars, and makes it available to the customer. Like the Mercedes-AMG ONE, and the Aston Martin Valkyrie, a car that Red Bull had a big hand in developing, and was designed by the RB17’s designer from Red Bull, Adrian Newey, the RB17 is heavily derived from the brand’s F1 car. MUST READ: 2023 Mercedes-AMG ONE Officially Revealed: A 1,049 HP Hypercar Powered by an F1 Engine The V8 hybrid powertrain in the car promises to deliver 1,100 horsepower, and the carbon-composite tub-based design will, according to Red Bull, feature the “most advanced ground effect package available in a series production car.” Only 50 of these incredible hypercars will be made, and each will be priced at £5 million, not including taxes. Each owner will, along with the car, have access to simulators and other exclusive vehicle programs, track training and experiences, along with support, servicing, and maintenance directly from the factory and tailored to each owner. Production is set to begin in 2025, and in the meantime, we’ll have to wait for more information about this game-changing hypercar to come about. View All Sports Cars For Sale Source: Red Bull Advanced Technologies

Red Bull

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe