Formula 1 and Red Bull Racing are hawking a racing simulator inspired by the 2022 championship-winning Red Bull RB18 with a price tag that can get well into the six figures.
This isn’t one of the simulators F1 teams use to develop their cars and that drivers use for practice. It was designed specifically as a collectible, and is manufactured and sold through F1 Authentics, F1’s official collectibles outlet. It was developed using official Red Bull CAD data and will be made “using the same process as genuine F1 cars,” according to a blurb on the F1 website.
The simulator replicates the nose and cockpit of the RB18, with a curved screen placed in front of the user. The force feedback steering wheel has a quick release to ease getting in and out, similar to the real car. THX surround sound and adjustable pedals are included as well. Buyers can choose a livery for either of Red Bull’s 2022 F1 drivers, Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez.
Red Bull RB18 F1 race car simulator
The 2022 season marked the implementation of new design rules that gave F1 cars a very different look, and the Adrian Newey-designed RB18 was the class of the field. Red Bull won 17 of 22 races, taking the F1 team title for the first time since 2013, ending Mercedes’ eight-year winning streak. Verstappen easily defended his 2021 driver’s title with a record 15 wins. He was crowned 2022 F1 champion at the Japanese Grand Prix.
F1 and Red Bull are offering two versions of the simulator, with deliveries scheduled to begin this month. The basic Race Edition costs $92,177, while the Champions Edition adds a front-wing assembly that bumps the price up to $122,903. Many fantastic real cars could be had for that price, including a well-optioned Porsche 911, but given the complexity of current F1 race cars, this may be as close as anyone outside of Red Bull gets to owning an RB18.
