Red Bull has launched its 2017 challenger, the RB13, a day before pre-season testing begins in Barcelona.
Launched online via a video on Twitter at 13:13 (CET), the team played on the name of the new car with the caption: "Stroke that rabbit's foot, grab that four-leaf clover, fling that horseshoe and crank up the Stevie Wonder, the RB13 is here". The Red Bull launch has been highly anticipated this season, with the former world champions expected to mount a title challenge under new regulations that shift the focus back towards its strength in aerodynamics.
One standout part of the car is the nose, which is not dissimilar to last year's design but appears to feature a new take on the thumb-like tip with an open air inlet. The rear of the car appears to be tightly packaged around the gearbox and rear suspension, a trait of all Red Bulls in recent years, and it features a shark fin similar to other cars launched this year.
Break with tradition, #breaksuperstition :raised_hands:
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) February 26, 2017
The #RB13 :movie_camera::point_right:https://t.co/LP557OOSVb pic.twitter.com/KnojYm9LPA
Red Bull will once again use Renault power branded as Tag-Heuer and comes into the season bolstered by a partnership with fuel and lubricant supplier ExxonMobil. The technical spec quotes the Renault power unit's output at 900bhp, although such figures in press material tend to be deliberately vague. The ExxonMobil deal means the engine will use different fuel and lubricants to the Renault factory team, which uses BP and Castrol.