F1 2022: Mercedes-AMG F1 W13 E Performance Unveiled

The most anticipated unveiling of the season and it’s here. It’s the 2022 contender for Mercedes-AMG, the team that has dominated the turbo-hybrid era of Formula 1 and remains unbeaten for the last eight seasons. Meet the W13 E Performance.

The first thing to notice, Mercedes has gone back to a predominantly silver livery after running the black theme in support of diversity. The new livery still features a fair bit of black combined with the Petronas colours which add a cool contrast to the silver arrow. It continues to feature the splash of Ineos red on the intake above the engine cover and the backside of the rear wing. Visually, the Mercedes-AMG W13 seems to have a more aggressive front end than most others. The rear wing profile is quite distinctive too with the low-drag setup on the showcase specification. It also has a very visible crinkle in the bargeboard for aerodynamic benefits. This is perhaps the first visual proof of teams trying to find loopholes in the new regulations which are meant to simplify aero elements for better racing. If were to compare it to the likes of the Red Bull RB18 or the Ferrari F1-75, you can see that Mercedes has stuck with the longer wheelbase design.

The team has also made notable use of the wheel cover design. It features AMG which makes the car look even cooler on the move.

According to the official release, Mercedes only carried over 2% of the 2021 car including the steering wheel while the rest is brand new. Not only did they have to build a brand new car from sketch to meet the significantly different regulations, but they also had to work hard on the packaging of all the components under the skin. With the performance specifications to be frozen until 2026, teams have also had to leave room for interim updates in terms of reliability and efficiency. The official title of the 2022 power unit is Mercedes-AMG F1 M13 E Performance.

Mercedes will run an all-British driver lineup in 2022 with George Russell taking his seat alongside Sir Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time champ was quick to brush off the rumours surrounding his possible retirement and made a bold statement, a signal to all title rivals this year: “If you think what you saw at the end of last year was my best, wait until you see this year”. As long as the cars are competitively close to each other, we don’t mind seeing a heck of a season from Hamilton to remind everyone why he is one of the best in Formula 1.

What do you make of the Mercedes-AMG F1 W13? Will Russell present an immediate threat to Hamilton? 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.