What engine did the Red Bull Sauber C17 use during the 1998 Formula One season?
- Jul 6
- 1 min read

The Red Bull 1998 Sauber C17 used a 3.0-litre Ferrari-designed V10 engine that raced under the Petronas name during the 1998 Formula One World Championship. Red Bull 1998 Sauber C17 prints often highlight this car, making its technical background an interesting part of the story for collectors and Formula One fans. Formula One regulations for the 1998 season required naturally aspirated 3.0-litre engines. Sauber secured customer Ferrari power units built from Ferrari's successful Type 046 design, with Petronas naming rights applied through the team's commercial partnership. The engine produced an estimated 750 to 780 horsepower at more than 16,000 rpm, placing it among the strongest customer engines available during that period. The C17 featured a carbon fibre composite monocoque chassis paired with a six-speed longitudinal semi-automatic gearbox developed by Sauber. The complete package gave the team a reliable car across the season's 16 Grands Prix. Reliability carried real value during the late 1990s, with many races seeing several retirements from mechanical failures. Sauber reached the finish in a large share of its race starts, helping the team collect valuable championship points. Jean Alesi used the Ferrari-based engine to score nine of Sauber's 10 championship points and his third-place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix became the team's highlight of the season. Johnny Herbert added another point with sixth place at the Spanish Grand Prix, giving Sauber sixth place in the Constructors' Championship. Collectors appreciate the technical story behind the Red Bull Sauber C17 since it links Ferrari engineering, Petronas sponsorship and Red Bull's early Formula One involvement.



























