Red Bull is set to be the first team to unveil their 2022 Formula 1 car later this month.
The team of new world champion Max Verstappen announced a February 9 launch of their RB18 on Thursday, a day ahead of Aston Martin on February 10.
The countdown begins ⏱ #RB18 coming 🔜
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) February 3, 2022
👊 @TAGHeuer pic.twitter.com/u2udXo064h
Traditionally, the Milton Keynes-based outfit completes a shakedown of their new cars at Silverstone before the first pre-season test, which this year is the three-day event in Barcelona on February 23-25.
Although whether the launch will coincide with that has yet to be confirmed.
While Red Bull finally ended Mercedes' championship dominance in the hybrid era last year, there have been questions about whether the team could start 2022 behind after working on their 2021 car right up until the final race of last season in their push for the title.
It was also recently reported the RB18 had failed a frontal FIA crash test, although the accuracy of that claim is now doubtful.
A recent boost though did come on the power unit side with Honda F1 managing director Masashi Yamamoto confirming he will leave the Japanese manufacturer to set up a consultancy company that will work with the new Red Bull Powertrains division.
Honda themselves have also completed a U-turn, with motorsport advisor Helmut Marko claiming engines will now be supplied from Japan until the end of the current regulatory phase.
“In the course of our ever-greater successes, a certain rethinking has taken place among the Japanese," he told Autorevue, "and also that they could of course use the battery knowledge for their electrification phase.
“It was initially planned that they would only make our engines for 2022. Now it has been decided that this will continue until 2025, which is, of course, a huge advantage for us. This means we only have to make fine adjustments and calibrations.”
Despite that, Red Bull are still set to switch on their new Milton Keynes factory later this year with the focus being on the next F1 power unit regulations, set to be introduced in 2026.
For this, the team has also been heavily linked to a future engine partnership with Porsche, who are reportedly poised to enter the sport along with Audi in four years time.
That rumour though has been constantly denied by Red Bull.
