Throughout the month of February, the ten teams for this year’s Formula One Championship launched their respective cars and fans could not be more excited. There are several differences with the models used in 2021, and we will be explaining all of them with the teams that ended up in the top 5 last year. The linked video at the end of this article features all of the test drives for the cars, be sure to check it out.
Mercedes
This team is changing for the 2022 season; Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time championship winner, will be accompanied by George Russell after the latter switched from Williams. Their new car, named W13, returns to its iconic grey after racing two seasons painted black as a stand against racism. A general change that can be seen in all of the vehicles is the front wing. Its design is simpler with higher-end plates, an aspect that makes it easier to follow another car. This is due to the removal of the gap between the nose and the plates themselves.
Red Bull
The Red Bull Racing (RBR) team is who last year’s champion, Max Verstappen, competes for, along with Sergio Perez who returns for a second season with them. This car is called RB18 and will be keeping its signature sleek black design with the RBR logo as in previous years. However, it sports another difference in its bodywork. The vehicle’s side profile is much smoother and several parts of the aerodynamic ensemble will no longer be used. In addition, the cooling exit louvres will be back after being banned in 2008.
Ferrari
The luxurious car manufacturer’s racing division will keep the same drivers from last season: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Their vehicle, F1-75, returns in the brand’s signature red with a sleeker design and the thick, brand new tires for the season. The recently unveiled cars feature smoother endplates rather than straight ones. This will help to deviate the airflow coming off the car over the car behind it.
McLaren
Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo return as the McLaren team for the 2022 season after last year’s championship saw the drivers end up in the top 10. Another feature that all the new cars have is the shape of their floors. Although it cannot be seen in the picture, the vehicle, named MCL36, has fully shaped underfloor tunnels rather than the stepped floor used in 2021. This will allow the drivers to create more downforce and help the car behind with the production of less disruptive airflow.
Alpine
Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso will remain as the Alpine team’s drivers after the latter’s return to Formula 1 in 2021. Their car is called A522 and sports a change in colour; it features pink rather than last season’s red. According to the official Formula 1 website, the weight of the cars will increase by 5%, from 752 kg to 790 kg. This is due to the heavier wheels (to be exact, these added 14 kgs) and the updated safety requirements to be sure that the drivers will have the best protection yet.
Bibliography
Medland, C. (2022, February 22). 2021 vs 2022: What's changed on Formula 1's all-new cars for this season | Formula 1®. F1. Retrieved from https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.2021-vs-2022-whats-changed-on-formula-1s-all-new-cars-for-this-season.1SrJj7fQgv4Iw2IxCTnb1l.html
Edmondson, L., & Saunders, N. (2022, February 18). Mercedes reveals Lewis Hamilton's 2022 F1 car. ESPN. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/33318037/mercedes-reveals-lewis-hamilton-2022-f1-car
Reynolds, J. (2021, July 15). ANALYSIS: Comparing the key differences between the 2021 and 2022 F1 car designs | Formula 1®. F1. Retrieved from https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.analysis-comparing-the-key-differences-between-the-2021-and-2022-f1-car.4xYDhtOjDee4cEQ3P4RsK9.html