Mercedes-AMG’s Project One Will Have F1 Guts and Road Car Driveability

By Miles Branman Published December 31, 2019

Supercar one-upmanship never seems to take a break. The moment one manufacturer breaks a production car lap record at the Nurbugring, or hits a power-to-weight benchmark, its competitors set to work on a vehicular trump card.

Ferrari, McLaren, and Porsche were the most recent contenders for production car top dog. The LaFerrari, P1, and 918 Spyder each used a version of electronically assisted powertrains to achieve new acceleration and output thresholds. Of course, there were a few manufacturers who didn’t appreciate losing their seat at the table. Among them, Bugatti – once the undisputed kind of acceleration and top speed – readied its response.

Recommended Videos

The Chiron improved on the Veyron’s output by 50%, for a total of 1500 horsepower. None of the hybridized trio could match that. But before the latest Bugatti can take a breath, Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG will produce their ultimate weapons. Partnering with Red Bull Racing, Aston Martin has begun work on what it calls the Valkyrie. The new model promises a top speed of 250 mph, 0-200 mph in 10 seconds, and a cornering grip of 4.5g.

Now it’s Mercedes-AMG’s turn. Ahead of the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring, the German tuning house revealed the chassis and powertrain for its upcoming “Project One” supercar. Powering the vehicle will be a Formula One-derived powertrain, paired with a slew of electric motors. This is uncharted territory for Mercedes-AMG.

A turbocharged V6, just like the one in Lewis Hamilton’s W07 F1 car, will be connected to a 107 horsepower generator, two 161-hp motors power each front wheel, and a 168-hp electric motor is mated directly to the crankshaft. The result will be more than 1,000 horsepower, a redline of 11,000 rpm, and 43 percent thermal efficiency. An eight-speed automated manual gearbox will send power to all four wheels.

This might be the most motorsports-derived powertrain ever fitted to production car (including the CLK GTR from the late 90’s), and it won’t come cheap. Each of the 275 production units will sell for $2.7 million and Mercedes-AMG expects all of them to sell out before it hits the road next year.

Miles Branman developed a passion for cars early on thanks to a neighbor’s collection of rare and exotic vehicles. What…

Auto

Alpine F1 team will use Mercedes power units and gearboxes starting in 2026

With the new agreement, Alpine will be power unit customers, no longer potential suppliers to other teams.

Alpine and Mercedes-AMG F1 race cars.

After Renault's Alpine announced the decision to cease making engines for F1 race cars after 2025, that left open the question of where Alpine's F1 team would turn to source their engines. We now know the answer. Beginning in the 2026 season, Mercedes will supply the power units for Alpine's F1 race car. Mercedes will also supply the gearboxes used in the cars in 2026. The agreement to use Mercedes power units lasts through 2030, but Alpine plans to build and use their own gearbox starting in 2027.
Why Alpine's decision is a big deal
When Alpine disclosed it would cease building engines for F1 cars, it was a sea change for the manufacturer. Alpine and parent company Renault have historically been engine suppliers, providing engines to their F1 team and other teams. With the new agreement, Alpine will be power unit customers, no longer potential suppliers to other teams.
What the power unit supply deal means
The 2025 season will be the last season for the current power units. In 2026, F1 race cars and power units will be subject to next-generation FIA F1 rules and regulations. The new power units will have internal combustion engines that run on 100% biofuels and will use battery power more than the current power units.

Alpine will continue to build F1 engines at its Viry-Chatillon, France division through the end of the 2025 season, after which it will be re-purposed to Hypertech Alpine. Alpine's Enstone, UK division will continue to focus on the F1 race car's chassis.

Auto

Haas and Alpine F1 race cars have special liveries for the US Grand Prix

F1 race car liveries are attention-getters to promote teams and sponsors

BWT Alpine F1 team Xbox Indiana Jone race car livery for the United States Grand Prix.

As all ten F1 teams prepare for the 2024 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on October 18-20, the Moneygram Haas and BWT Alpine teams will each sport special race car liveries for the event. BWT Alpine is collaborating with Xbox and Indiana Jones-theme livery. Moneygram Hass, the only American-based team, is adding US flag elements to its race car livery.
BWT Alpine's Indiana Jones race car livery

BWT Alpine's special edition livery promotes the upcoming return of Indiana Jones on Xbox with the new first-person cinematic action-adventure game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. BWT Alpine F1 team drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly will wear special edition racing suits, and the team's race cars will also feature the special livery. The Alpine team also sported a special livery to promote the release of the Marvel film "Deadpool & Wolverine."
In a news release on the Alpine F1 site, Oliver Oakes, BWT Alpine F1, Team Principal said, "Working with the Xbox team to bring alive the incredible Indiana Jones and the Great Circle livery for the United States Grand Prix has been fantastic. The new look will be right at home in the Austin setting this weekend. In the past year, our partnership with Xbox has reached new heights and this is our biggest activation yet. There’s even more to come and I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of the game when it comes out."

Auto

Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar beats its own record lap time on the Ring

The AMG ONE competes with itself and wins

Mercedes-AMG ONE on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife close frontal view.

Mercedes-AMG recently announced that the AMG ONE hypercar broke its own record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Also called the Ring, this 20.832-km ( 12.94 miles) track in Germany is a standard testing ground for performance cars. The Mercedes-AMG ONE with F1 technology is the first production vehicle to complete a single lap of the circuit in less than 6:30 minutes. The official time was 6:29.090 minutes. That time is more than five seconds faster than the previous record, achieved by the AMG ONE in 2022.
Why the AMG ONE lap record matters

A car with the record time on the Ring gets worldwide bragging rights, but it means more than that to Mercedes-AMG. In addition to raising the bar for the company's production vehicles, attaining and then besting the record gives the team a chance to get the most out of the car, demonstrating their drive and ability.