Artificial intelligence is slowly creeping in to our lives more and more each day. Whilst it can seem a daunting prospect, it does have its uses.
And I think I’ve found the best use yet. I’ve asked AI to design me 15 different versions of off-road Formula 1 cars suitable for tackling the Paris-Dakar rally. The results are spectacular.
AI in Formula 1
Formula 1 is a sport always at the cutting edge of technological innovation. So it’s no surprise to learn that F1 has been using AI for a number of years already.
In the top level of motorsport where data’s the most valuable commodity (alongside Adrian Newey), AI’s ability to process incredible amounts of information in fractions of a second is becoming increasingly useful.
AI helps in the F1 car design phase in a number of ways. One of those is through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling which predicts how much downforce or drag different car designs will have.
AI helps with race and simulations, where it can model millions of different parameters that can all change the outcome of a race. That gives the team an understanding of which variables can lead to better results.
It can also help with in-race strategy, when it can take all the data available to it and help the team make the best calls.
Paris-Dakar rally
The Paris-Dakar (or just The Dakar as it’s now known) is the most gruelling off-road race in the world. Originally started in the late ’70s, the race went from Paris to Senegal, crossing the Sahara desert in a 10,000 km test of man and machine.
Carlos Sainz Snr, father of Ferrari F1 driver Carlos Sainz Jnr, is a four-time winner of the rally.
Nowadays the event is held in Saudi Arabia and is open to cars, buggies, motorbikes and even trucks. But there isn’t a class for modified Formula 1 cars. Not yet anyway.
Off-road F1 cars
Seeing as Carlos Sainz Jnr is currently out of a drive for F1 in 2025, I thought why not let him follow in his father’s footsteps. But rather than jumping in to unfamiliar machinery, how about we modify a Formula 1 car for him to tackle the dunes in.
With the help of the AI image generator MidJourney (and a lot of different prompting) that’s exactly what I’ve done.
Below are a15 different versions of Red Bull off-road Formula 1 cars that the AI has come up with. As you’ll see when you follow me down the page, they progressively get better and better.
This is where we start. It looks almost exactly like the 2013 Red Bull RB9 title-winning F1 car driven by Sebastian Vettel, just with some big chunky Pirelli off-road rubber bolted to it.
The front wing is still present (rookie error there AI for offroading) but is higher than normal in a bid to avoid ruining it at the first sight of a hill. Good, but I think we can do better.
Looking better. Still quite a subtle set of modifications including some chunky ‘Adeenoa’ tyres (whatever they are) and the removal of the front wing which is pretty much vital to gain some extra ground clearance at the front. The sidepods still look low to the ground, however, which could be a mistake.
The sides of the rear wing also look like they’ve been heavily beefed up, probably to deal with the bumps better and to avoid the wing iteslf shaking too much.
Here’s a slight iteration of the previous design. AI obviously heard my concern about the low sidepods so they’ve been done away with completely, leaving lots of lovely ground clearance at the sides. The tyre tread is an interesting choice. I’m not sure how much traction that crazy-paving style will afford.
Unfortunately the front wing has returned. Not good news. And the HALO has been done away with completely, leaving the driver’s head worringly exposed.
Next up is this…thing. It looks like an F1 car crossed with a Baja Buggy, crossed with a speedboat. The HALO from the F1 car once again has been removed, this time in favour of a roof over the driver which also appears to be covering the air intake.
Never mind that; the proportions of this AI design make it look much more suited to the rough terrain than the first three versions. We’re getting there.
Now AI’s got the ground clearance dialled in. Four big fat off-road tyres make this look like the real deal for some offroading.
Evidently AI doesn’t think downforce will be required when dune bashing (it’s probably right) so it’s ditched the massive rear wing in favour of a much more modest one.
This is good. The car’s body very strongly resembles an F1 car’s, but there’s no doubt this one has been beefed up suitably for some Dakar rallying.
The Pirellis are massive and appropriately chunky. The big front wing has been ditched in favour of a much more subtle version and the ground clearance all round is looking good.
This is a very similar design to the one above, only with slightly lower sidepods and shinier looking tyres. The nice high nose makes it look like it’ll be pretty decent off road.
Ok now THIS is cool. Very very cool. So cool in fact that I wish Red Bull would make it.
The long suspension arms at the front will give it huge amounts of suspension travel, perfect for soaking up the bumps. The tyres look ideal for some sand-duning, and there’s a pair of spotlamps on top of the HALO to help illuminate the desert at night.
The nose also looks pretty perfect; no wing in sight, very narrow, and upturned on the underside to help it skid over any rocks or obstacles.
Damn this is TOO COOL. Well done AI, you nailed the brief.
Here’s another iteration, and now we’ve moved away from the HALO in favour of a fully enclosed cockpit. Probably a great idea to prevent the driver’s helmet been constantly sand blasted.
This is a definite combination of an F1 car and a Baja Buggy. Lower and potentially a little smaller than some of the other designs (the tyres are definitely a couple of sizes smaller) I’m sure this one is all about light-weight and speed.
Again, long suspenson arms are ideal and an enclosed cockpit that looks like it’s been modelled off a fighter jet. I like it a lot.
Here’s another version of the closed clockpit design. AI has definitely got the memo about no front wing and a high nose by now, which I’m pleased to see.
When I prompted AI to design me an F1 car that had been modified to do offroading on the Paris Dakar rally, this is exactly the sort of thing I’d hoped it would come up with.
The bodywork very very closely resembles one of this year’s Formula 1 cars, but the big tyres and high nose make it look much more suited to offroading. Great job.
Here’s another closed cockpit design, and this is definitely one of my favourites. The front end looks absolutely perfect; super high ground clearance and a skid plate that curves up the nose from underneath the chassis. Exactly what’s needed to slide over rocks.
Wow. This is very different and I love it. Even though I didn’t ask it to, I think AI’s taken some inspiration from the trophy trucks that you see racing in the Baja 1000. Look at the massive suspension struts poking out from behind the wheels; this thing looks completely business at the front.
And let’s not ignore the party at the back. It seems to have an exposed engine and exhaust system, much like some of the classis Beetle-based beach buggies. A huge set of headers and presumably unsilenced pipes mean this thing will probably sound as good as it looks.
Ok well now we’ve reached the pinnacle. AI has completed this game. This is THE ONE.
A Red Bull F1 car modified for offroading. This is the perfect embodiment of that request. There’s no doubting it’s the body of a Formula 1 car, and the offroad modifications are spot on. Big tyres, huge dampers, high ground clearance, big suspension travel and a set of 6 (only 5 of which seem to be working) spotlights on top of the HALO.
I LOVE IT.
So what do you think? Got a favourite design? Drop a comment below.
