This season's Formula One cars are the most advanced yet and already look futuristic and tech-laden, but Renault predicts that, in 10 years time, things will take more of a turn towards the sorts of vehicles only found in games.

The Renault R.S. 2027 Vision F1 concept was unveiled at Auto Shanghai 2017, the massive Chinese car show and it gives a glimpse at some of the technologies we could see in the sport in the not-so-distant future.

The company claims it would place drivers more firmly at the "heart of the sport", with a transparent cockpit and, even, transparent helmet design. That way the driver him or herself could be seen more clearly.

this is the future of f1 renault r s 2027 vision concept looks stunning image 3
Renault

Active LED lighting would be incorporated into the wheels and moving aerodynamic parts to give the car a better visual appeal. It'd look especially cool during night races, that's for sure.

It would be more ecologically respectful, with a fuel tank half the size of current F1 cars. There would also be a battery on board to switch to a full-electric mode when travelling through the pit lane.

Drivers would benefit from four-wheel drive and even four-wheel steering. And fans could get real-time telemetry data transmitted to their portable devices. At present, this is restricted to the teams themselves.

Races would also be safer, with autonomous driving modes activating in all cars in the case of an accident ahead. Plus, ultra-resistant polycarbonate cockpits could protect further against impact.

This is all just in the design phase at present, but innovation in F1 is always welcome. And who knows, if we head down this path maybe WipEout-style races aren't as far fetched as previously thought.