F1 2022: Uralkali Haas VF-22 Unveiled

The first of the new-gen Formula 1 racecars has been revealed and it’s the 2022 contender for Haas. The car named the VF-2022 has carried forward the same livery theme as the 2021 racecar with a predominantly white body complemented by ribbons of blue and red.

From the front, it seems taller than the previous car. The most eye-catching change is the new, simplified shapes for the front and rear wings. Seen from the side, you can see how different the aero profile is with the simplified bargeboard area and the tall endplates for the wings. The new 18-inch low-profile Pirelli tyres make it seem more extreme than the older car, the top-most part nearly at the same height as the rearview mirrors. It also wears the aero discs that seem to be finished in an exposed carbon fibre weave and has holes in them which will play a significant role for sure. Development around the design of the aero discs may be limited and standardised for all teams, but we hope to see some colourful versions across the teams.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison between the VF-22 and VF-21:

From the rear, you are in awe of the sculpted shape of the new rear wing compared to the rather straight-lined wing details of the older car. The clever aero around here is a bit hard to see for our untrained eyes, but the exhaust is certainly hard to miss.

In terms of the livery, the Haas looks pleasantly plain with only the key sponsors visible: Uralkali, 1&1 and IONOS. It is likely that more decals will appear on the final GP car.

The VF-22 will be powered by the Ferrari 066/7 engine, now running on E10 fuel (a high octane petrol blend featuring 10% bio-ethanol). As per the FIA regulations for the new cars, the power unit development has been frozen/locked in to allow the development of future engines that will be sustainably fueled from 2026. So, it seems to fair to say that we should not expect significant performance gains from the engine alone. However, teams are allowed to submit approval requests for changes regarding the safety, efficiency and reliability of the power unit.

Haas has retained its driver lineup from 2021: Mick Schumacher (47) and Nikita Mazepin (9). While they are yet to score a point, the 2020 F2 Champion showed significant progress in his rookie year in F1. Meanwhile, Mazepin had to overcome his expected failings and improved notably over the course of the season.

Yes, it is a digital reveal. Usually, when small teams do digital reveals, it turns out that the actual car is still in production but we’ll not dwell on that too much. We hope the best for Haas in 2022 and for Mazepin to be able to prove himself unworthy of his unfortunate internet nickname, “Mazespin”.

What do you think of the Haas VF-22? How soon do you expect the Haas drivers to score their first F1 championship point? Share your thoughts in the comments below and don’t forget to subscribe to the Auto Loons for more F1 updates and news about cool cars.