Red Bull has officially launched their new RB18 car ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
Last year, the Milton Keynes-based outfit ended Mercedes run of championship dominance, with Max Verstappen claiming his first Drivers’ title in controversial circumstances in Abu Dhabi.
Even so, the Dutchman had been the top driver on the grid throughout the year, winning 10 races and leading more laps than the rest of the grid combined.
But with Red Bull working longer on their 2021 car than any other team, there is a question mark over whether that success could compromise their early-season performance in 2022.
And the team is certainly keeping its cards close to their chest, with the car shown today almost identical to the show car displayed at several races last year.
“With the new regulation changes this year, the whole philosophy has altered, which means every single component is different to last year’s car,” team boss Christian Horner explained.
“It’s a clean sheet of paper for every single team. By the time we get to the first race, the RB18 won’t look much like it looks today, the evolution will be very quick as we progress through the season.
“It is a steep learning curve for everyone and it is a contest in development between the first and the last race. We believe we have a good car for 2022, the RB18 is coming to life and seeing it today is fantastic.
“It has been a huge effort from the Team and I am looking forward to seeing it out on the track now. We plan to build on 2021, we have No.1 on the car this year and now the challenge is it keep it and defend that title with Max.
“The excitement and hard work of 2021 really galvanised the Team and it means we go into 2022 in great shape for the season ahead.”
At the launch, Red Bull also announced a new partnership with Oracle, who become the title partner.