“Every race conforms to some sort of regulation, and every racing car is built to fit within those various regulations,” explained Yamauchi. “However the X1 is something new, created from a ‘what-if’ dream. We want to inspire racing fans and the industry alike by exploring the realm of possibilities for the future of motorsports.”
Newey brought his vast experience and boyish technical curiosity to the entire X1 design process. As a result, Polyphony’s X1 Prototype became an extreme car, having a unique form and mechanism unlike any other racing car in history.
“We all have a dream about pushing the boundaries, where the performance of the car and the experience of the driver take precedence over the rules,” said Newey. “Only with the technology of PlayStation3 and the virtual environment of Gran Turismo 5 could that dream become a reality that millions can explore.
“This is the inspiration that brought Red Bull Racing and Polyphony together. And as a result the X1 Prototype is dynamite to drive.”
So just what does Adrian Newey mean by dynamite? Step forward virtual test driver Sebastian Vettel who took the X1 Prototype for a shakedown around Suzuka in Japan. On his first virtual lap, the German beat the lap record – set by Kimi Raikkonen in 2005 – by more than 20 seconds.