Newey's stunning RB17 hypercar 'would've been on pole at Silverstone'

Rapid RB17 'would've been on pole' for the British Grand Prix

"It's a very aerodynamically driven car, of course, because what we wanted is something that would be accessible to people with relatively low levels of track experience," said Adrian Newey whilst speaking to the Goodwood team. The Brit continued: "Ultimately it's adaptable and can grow so that the driver can grow with the car and get to a car which, this car is certainly according to all our simulations with driver in the loop, it would have been on pole at Silverstone last weekend." 

Newey, who has been part of the Red Bull squad since 2006, certainly left his mark. The master designer has secured six constructors and seven driver titles with the Austrian team. "I've been fortunate over the years to have driven a whole huge variety of cars from '60s cars that of course I love driving and racing here at Goodwood, at the revival, through to modern Formula One cars, and the speed and adrenaline and excitement of driving a truly fast car like a Formula One car is something else," Newey revealed. The RB17 will be limited to just 50 units. One of them already has Newey's name on it. 

The RB17: A thrilling car which would be 'safe and controllable'

"I wanted a car that people could build with and ultimately start to feel thrill and excitement but in a car that would be safe and controllable. They can, as I say, develop with it and that has been the overarching concept. It means you've got to package two people in reasonable comfort with a V10 engine. For all the noise and emotion that we know of V10s, working with Michelin on the tyres to take the loads and then it really becomes an aerodynamic packaging problem." It's clear the RB17 team has thought about meticulous details in order to create an ultimate track weapon. 

Newey compares the gorgeous RB17 to 'Spitfire' plane

"You start to develop, if you like, the sinuous shape around the mechanicals of what you need to accommodate and then just keep developing. We wanted the car also to look stunning. So it's obviously all subjective but I do feel that cars at this level should also be pieces of art they should be sculptures and I do feel quite strongly that given enough time and spending enough time looking at it, then aerodynamics concentrating on the aerodynamic form will actually also give a beautiful product."

"If you look back in history, say Spitfire or the Bluebird Landspeed record car in the 60s or Concorde, are all beautiful objects. None of them are designed for aesthetics, they're all designed for functioning and this is what this is." Newey is yet to announce his Formula 1 future. The most successful designer in the history of the sport would be a key member of any team as he looks for a new challenge away from Red Bull. For now, Newey will continue enjoying a 'relaxing' weekend at the incredible Goodwood Festival of Speed.