Belgian Grand Prix practice - radio & text
Sprint qualifying at 15:30 BST
Laurent Mekies' first race as Red Bull boss after sacking of Christian Horner
Listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 commentary at top of page from the Belgium Grand Prix from Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Sprint format explained
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Belgian Grand Prix practice - radio & text
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Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Newsweek
Adrian Newey-Designed RB17 Hypercar is Faster Than Max Verstappen at Spa
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Red Bull's RB17 track-focused hypercar is faster than a Formula One car at the Belgian Grand Prix's Spa-Francorchamps circuit on the simulator. This has been claimed by the technical director of Red Bull Advanced Technologies, Rob Gray. The RB17 beat the time set by Max Verstappen in his RB21 F1 car during the 2025 Belgian GP qualifying. Designed by one of F1's legendary design gurus and Red Bull Racing's former chief technical director, Adrian Newey, the RB17 has been crafted to deliver F1-level lap times, offering drivers the feeling of racing a Grand Prix challenger. Coming to the heart of the matter, the RB17 is powered by a 4.5-liter V10 engine producing 1,200 HP, all of which is sent to the rear wheels. Weighing just under 900 kilograms, the RB17 packs a monumental power-to-weight ratio, helping it reach top speeds of up to 350 km/h. Only 50 units of the hypercar will be on sale, making it highly exclusive. While the RB17 is made to match F1 performance levels, Gray revealed that it is faster than a Grand Prix car around Spa on the simulator. Speaking on the Talking Bull podcast with Nicola Hume and former F1 driver David Coulthard, Gray opened up on the lap times of the RB17 when asked by Coulthard about what the car was capable of on slick tires. He said: Adrian Newey poses for a photo with the newly unveiled Red Bull RB17 hypercar during Day Two of the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood on July 12, 2024 in Chichester, England. Adrian Newey poses for a photo with the newly unveiled Red Bull RB17 hypercar during Day Two of the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood on July 12, 2024 in Chichester, England."In the virtual world, it is faster than an F1 car. In Spa, I think they did a 1:38, something like that. Um, so yeah, incredibly fast." For comparison, Max Verstappen secured P4 with a lap time of 1:40.903 during the Belgian GP qualifying session this year. Lando Norris, who secured pole position, set his fastest lap time of 1:40.562. That makes the RB17 around two seconds faster than an F1 car, which in the world of racing is a lot of performance. However, the car has yet to prove its prowess off the simulator on a real Grand Prix circuit. Newey, who designed Red Bull's dominant RB19 of the current ground effect era that helped the team win 21 out of 22 races in 2023, said that the RB17 was a project that allowed him to do something different from his routine F1 work. He said: "I guess there's a number of years I've been in F1 that to keep myself fresh and avoid going stale, I feel sometimes I need other projects to kind of give inspiration and so forth so that when I'm in F1, I'm not feeling as if I'm always doing the same thing. "The [Aston Martin] Valkyrie was the first project in that mould, then I kind of started to think what can be the next project? I didn't want to simply do Valkyrie 2, it had to be something different. I pondered that for quite a while." He added: "I started to think, 'Okay, could we come up with a car which would be accessible to drivers with relatively limited track experience and they could then grow with the car?' "The model I kind of pictured in my own head, if you like, is say you decide you want to start playing golf, then you go to a golf club, hit a few balls and the balls go flying everywhere, but you enjoy it. Then you think, 'Right, I want to get better at this', so you employ a caddie, coach... "Part of the enjoyment is playing the game, and part of it is [helping] yourself to become better at the game, and this is trying to take that same model."
Newsweek
21 hours ago
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Daniel Ricciardo Hospitalized After Dirt Bike Crash
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo suffered an injury on Thursday while riding a dirtbike, according to new reports. Thomas Maher of Planet F1 says that the fan-favorite driver was riding his bike when he got injured. He was riding through the Daintree in northern Queensland, and then he was injured and taken to Mossman Hospital in Queensland for treatment. Ricciardo is reportedly feeling good despite the injury, indicating it may not be serious, though there are few details and specifics about what caused the injury. Daniel Ricciardo attends day two of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 01, 2025 in London, England. Daniel Ricciardo attends day two of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 01, 2025 in London, England. Photo by Karwai Tang//Getty Images The Aussie is enjoying life after Formula 1, and he appears happy with not racing at the highest level anymore. Ricciard made his return to the grid over a year ago with Racing Bulls, landing a chance to prove himself for the Red Bull seat once again, but he struggled to make a profound impression. Red Bull ended up choosing Liam Lawson to replace Riccardo at Racing Bulls, effectively finishing his time in the sport. Since his departure, he has not taken a role with another racing series like NASCAR or IndyCar. In a rare public appearance, Ricciardo spoke at Ray White's Connect conference, where he addressed how life after F1 has been going. "Well, I haven't been shaving my face," joked the Honey Badger. "The beard is my comfort right now. "This year has been a bit of self-exploration. I lived this crazy high-speed life for so long, and this year I've sat into a little bit of stillness. "I've had a lot of time, I've done some hiking. I was in Alaska a few weeks ago and didn't get mauled by a grizzly, which was a bonus. "I've been trying to figure out who I am other than this racecar driver. I've come to appreciate the little things more and the meaning of the importance of family and friends. "I've always been driven, and that sometimes leads you to being selfish, so I'm trying to learn to be a bit more selfless and become a better listener." Riccardo was one of the most captivating personalities in the sport, making a name for himself on Netflix's Drive to Survive. The show highlighted his likable personality, which was known around the paddock, though mainstream audiences got to see it firsthand. He won eight races during his career, most of which came with Red Bull, though career mistakes hindered the peak of his powers. The Honeybager left Red Bull right before it ascended and joined Renault, a move which did not pay off. He then opted for McLaren, though he once again didn't find his desired success. If Ricciardo stayed at Red Bull, he would have had a chance to fight for the title, but he never got the opportunity to do so in his career.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Red Bull moves into rugby by taking full ownership of English club Newcastle
NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Red Bull's sporting portfolio now includes a top-flight English rugby union team after the energy drinks giant took full ownership of Newcastle Falcons on Tuesday. The club has been rebranded as Newcastle Red Bulls ahead of the new season starting next month, and said the move will embrace 'the innovative approach that Red Bull has brought to its sports initiatives across the world.' They include stakes in a number of soccer teams, including Leipzig, Salzburg and Leeds, as well as in Formula One. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recently became Red Bull's head of global soccer. Newcastle plays in the top domestic league, newly called the Gallagher Prem, and has won five major titles, including the league championship in 1998. One of its most notable former players is England great Jonny Wilkinson. Newcastle's last trophy was the domestic cup in 2004. 'Together, we aim to elevate rugby to new heights and deliver unforgettable moments for our fans,' said Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull's CEO in corporate projects and investments. "We're delighted to have acquired Newcastle Red Bulls and look forward to empowering the club to reach its full competitive potential.' ___ AP rugby: The Associated Press
