Can a Hypercar beat a Formula 1 car at Silverstone? Yes, according to Adrian Newey. According to Adrian Newey, the RB17 Hypercar would have lapped one second faster than the Silverstone pole.

A technological masterpiece

Can a Hypercar be faster than a Formula 1 car? Apparently, yes. According to Adrian Newey, the RB17 Hypercar, which he himself designed and engineered, would have lapped one second faster than the pole time set by George Russell with the W15 at Silverstone a few weeks ago.

Although characterized by a qualifying session in tricky conditions, the British driver stopped the clock at 1:25.819, edging out his teammate Lewis Hamilton in the final moments.

What is even more surprising, however, is that, according to the English designer, the incredible lap time with the RB17 was not set by a professional but by an amateur driver, further demonstrating the monstrous competitiveness of Newey’s latest masterpiece.

“In the hands of a professional, it can do Formula 1 lap times,” he said on the Talking Bull podcast. “The other day, we had one of our clients, who isn’t actually a professional but a very good amateur driver, try out the simulator.”

“And on the simulator, he would have been on pole position at Silverstone by a second with this car, so it has great potential.”

Illustrating one of the most ambitious projects of his career, Adrian Newey also explained that with the RB17, he wanted to “try to create a car that would be accessible to someone with relatively limited experience, that would be able to feel the car, that would be smooth, not too twitchy, not too difficult to drive.”

“And then, as you develop your skills, the car will be adaptable, and you can fine-tune it, with different tires and so on, so you can grow with the car.”

Looking at the technical characteristics of the vehicle, it’s not surprising that it achieved such lap times. The RB17 is equipped with a Cosworth V10 engine producing 986 horsepower, combined with an electric unit of 197 horsepower, for a total maximum output of 1,185 horsepower, which should allow for top speeds of 350 km/h. All of this is contained in “just” 805 kg of weight, with the rev counter capable of reaching up to 15,000 rpm.

Source: f1ingenerale