Oracle Red Bull Racing has taken Formula 1 somewhere it has never been before, sending its championship-winning RB8 racing car onto the railway tracks of Madrid’s Metro system.
Driven by former F1 driver Patrick Friesacher, the specially adapted machine completed a remarkable journey through underground tunnels and railway depots in a unique motorsport spectacle.
The project, named “On Rails,” was organized to celebrate the return of the Spanish Grand Prix to Madrid after a 45-year absence.
After the new Madrid circuit welcomed Formula 1 fans back in September, Red Bull, with its usual creativity, decided to create an unforgettable tribute to the city’s transport network.
Turning an F1 Car Into a Train
Turning a Formula 1 car into something that could run on railway tracks presented an extraordinary engineering challenge.
The team selected the RB8, the car that secured both the Drivers’ (thanks to Sebastian Vettel) and Constructors’ Championships in 2012, but neither the car nor the Madrid Metro tracks could be modified.
Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Heritage Team joined forces with Spanish engineering and creative collective Andtonic to develop a solution. Fortunately, and incredibly coincidentally, the width of the railway tracks was compatible with the RB8’s existing dimensions.
However, the biggest obstacle was designing bespoke metal wheels that could support the car without putting excessive strain on its driveshafts, suspension, or gearbox.
Precision Engineering Against the Clock
Initial wheel prototypes proved too heavy, creating a serious risk of damaging the historic racing machine. Engineers eventually developed a lightweight design featuring a central hub and precision-machined spokes, removing as much unnecessary material as possible.
With just two weeks remaining before the planned run, the team had to complete the design and manufacturing process. Work continued at Metro de Madrid’s Canillejas workshops, where the specialist wheels were finally produced and fitted to the RB8.
The result was a remarkable engineering achievement, allowing a full-sized Formula 1 car to travel along the city’s railway infrastructure without requiring major modifications to either the vehicle or the tracks.
Patrick Friesacher Makes Metro History
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With everything ready, former Formula 1 driver Friesacher climbed into the best seat in the house to take the specially adapted RB8 on its historic journey.
During a temporary closure of the Metro network, the Austrian driver powered through underground tunnels and past stations, including Estadio Metropolitano (the home of Atletico Madrid soccer club), before continuing through the Sacedul and Chamartín depots.
The unusual spectacle brought together two very different worlds, but it also offered yet another example of Red Bull’s crazy stunts coming to life.
And for anyone who thought an F1 car belonged exclusively on a racetrack, think again, as Red Bull has certainly proved otherwise.