The iconic single-seater in which Sebastian Vettel clinched his third Formula 1 World Championship in 2012 has left more than a few people speechless in recent days. Late at night, this Red Bull vehicle travelled several kilometres along Madrid’s underground network to celebrate the arrival of the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix in Madrid. Getting the single-seater to run on the rails presented a real engineering challenge. To this end, a complex technical adaptation – the first of its kind – was devised, enabling the car to perform in an environment that was completely different from the usual one.

The adaptation work took several months and involved overcoming the various technical challenges that arose throughout the process.

The workshops in Canillejas served as the project’s operational centre. There, using their lathes, bespoke metal wheels weighing 29.8 kilos each – roughly twice the weight of a conventional Formula 1 wheel – were designed and manufactured in record time. These components enabled the RB8 to adapt to the tracks of the Madrid underground and pull off an unprecedented feat that has taken everyone by surprise.