Mercedes Teases Image Of W13, 2022 F1 Challenger

Mercedes may have lost its first drivers title in 2021, the first time since the advent of the turbo-hybrid engine era of F1, but it is determined to remind us why it won 8 constructor's titles on the bounce, something no team has achieved before. It has now teased an image of the W13 which will be its 2022 car designed specifically for the new ground-effect aerodynamic rules which many believe are the most dramatic changes F1 cars have seen since the 80s. 

Thanks to the budget cap and cliffhanging battle for the 2021 driver's championship, many believed that Mercedes and Red Bull may struggle as some of the other teams could take advantage of the situation. However, the dominant Mercedes team is showing off its new car already signalling to the paddock that it is ready with its car. These new cars will also be the first ones to have new 18-inch wheels instead of the 13-inch ones which have been used for the last couple of years. 

The 2022 F1 cars are expected to be dramatically different and slightly slower than the 2021 cars 

Of course, this car is based on the F1 template car that Liberty Media showed off last year featuring Venturi tunnels and simplified front and rear wings which reduce the aerodynamic wake that makes overtaking hard for the cars following. One of the interesting things about the teaser is that the main colour of the W13 has been darkened - ensuring that the main colour of the livery is not given away.

In the last two years, Mercedes adopted a black livery in light of the Black Lives Matter movement. However, it has been reported that the German marquee is going back to its ionic silver and turquoise silvery which gives it the silver arrows nickname.  

Teams that have scored fewer points than Mercedes get more time for wind tunnel and CFD development, something that Mercedes and Red Bull have both acknowledged. Many believe teams like Ferrari, Alpine and McLaren could be a huge threat in 2022 thanks to these rules changes.