F1's most successful team from the last decade Mercedes which has won 8 world constructor's titles on the trot has unveiled its 2022 challenger which is based on ground effect aerodynamics - the W13 e-performance. The new car features very tightly packaged sidepods, and a very narrow nose, which comes close to the one Ferrari has employed on the F1-75. Overall, the car looks slick but it isn't as radical as the Ferrari, though it also returns the team to its classic silver livery with shares of black and red.
The launch event also officially marked the return of Lewis Hamilton who now enters his 10th year with the Mercedes team. Hamilton's return to F1 was under a shroud after his heartbreaking loss to Max Verstappen in the final race of the 2021 season in controversial circumstances during the final lap. Toto Wolff had implied that the 7-time world champion may not return to F1. Hamilton himself disappeared from social media but in late January there were signs of his return.
The new Mercedes car returns to the classic silver livery after two years of black
"The mindset of the team has always been the same over the last few years, that the point count goes back to zero. There is nothing from the previous years that will make you win the current championship. No credits to be taken, but also no sense of entitlement. Like every year, we are sceptical, whether we have done a good enough job, and that is the right mentality," said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
In the lead up this launch event, the FIA also announced an overhaul of how the races were going to be policed - announcing two new race directors, and the return of former deputy race director Herbie Blash as an advisor and a new virtual race control system.
The new car features really tightly packaged sidepods
Michael Masi, the former FIA race director whose controversial call to end the safety car period without all the lapped cars unlapping themselves left Hamilton exposed to Verstappen who was on fresher tyres. Hamilton lost the race and the world championship after dominating the race after his Mercedes was caught napping on older tyres as Verstappen managed a free pit stop because of the safety car.
The move to remove Masi seemingly has been made to ensure Hamilton returns and the concerns of Mercedes and many others in the paddock are allayed. This year, Hamilton is partnered up with George Russell who comes from Williams and is highly rated to be the future of the team after 7-time world champion retires.
