Formula 1: Reigning champions Mercedes reveal 2022 contender, the W13
Feb 19, 2022
London [UK], February 19 : Reigning Formula 1 world champions Mercedes on Friday revealed the car that Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will drive in this season's championship, the W13.
Mercedes have won the constructors' title for eight successive seasons, but they relinquished the drivers' championship as Max Verstappen snatched the crown from Hamilton on the final lap of the 2021 season.
Mercedes junior Russell has been promoted to a race seat, replacing Valtteri Bottas after three impressive seasons at Williams, peaking with his first F1 podium in Belgium last year.
"It just takes you back to being a kid," said Hamilton at the launch. "I think it's always exciting watching, I mean with this new era of car, we've never seen such a drastic change, right? So it's such a huge change in so many ways, that it's just been really interesting seeing the designers and everyone coming together to find the best ways of creating a masterpiece."
Later in the day, Mercedes' 2022 W13 Formula 1 car hit the track for the first time, as their drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton took it for a spin at a blustery Silverstone.
Pre-season running begins in Barcelona on February 23-25, where Mercedes and their nine rivals will take to the track in earnest.
