Dunlop's Race Car Of The Future Looks Like Something Straight Out Of Star Wars

With incredible new technology being introduced to motorsport all the time, the mind boggles at what could be tearing around the race circuits of the future.

That’s exactly why Dunlop decided to envisage where race cars could be heading by enlisting the help of renowned race car designer Sergio Rinland. Setting out to create the perfect circuit car, the Dunlop Future Race Car looks like a streamlined F1 car mixed with touches of Star Wars racer, with an enclosed canopy and no big wings.

On the straights the sleek design will increase top speed, while active aerodynamics create downforce in corners using piezoelectric panels in the bodywork. Drag is further reduced by removing mirrors; cameras positioned around the car beam images to the driver in the cockpit (or, more likely, to a head-up display in the helmet) to give full 360-degree vision.

Power will come from four electric motors, one positioned in each wheel, which run off a small battery. The interesting part of this is that Rinland expects tracks to be fitted with induction charging, which allows the batteries in race cars to be charged while on the go. This could also mean that the cars could be given larger bursts of speed like something out of Mario Kart.

Interestingly, this car doesn’t have brakes. It uses energy recovery systems to recover 100 per cent of dispelled energy used in slowing the car down. Dunlop is also developing intelligent tyres that communicate to the driver and team about their condition.