A teaser from Mercedes AMG Petronas of their W13 challenger.
2021 title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
The late-on-the-brakes manoeuvre that won the World Championship for the Dutch Red Bull Racing driver.
The 2021 Formula 1 season closed in dramatic fashion but Hamilton returns ahead of the Mercedes AMG Petronas W13 launch which will be happening later today. The Briton recently broke his personal social media silence after a follower detox and now the dominant hybrid-era Formula 1 team has shared their first images of their driver lineup for the 2022 season.
A teaser from Mercedes AMG Petronas of their W13 challenger.
The early-stages of the ultimate Abu Dhabi Grand Prix seemed to be in the bag for Lewis Hamilton, having firmly controlled the race after a controversial track limits incident with Max Verstappen on the first lap. The title was still up for grabs prior to the race and both protagonists had everything to give for the World Champion honours so a bit of scrappy driving was always to be expected.
2021 title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
With 5 laps to go, the Williams of Nicholas Latifi hit the barriers at turn 14 and brought out a safety car before the title slipped from the clutches of the 7 time World Champion after inability from the Mercedes pitwall to react to the immediate Red Bull Racing tyre strategy for their Dutch driver. The next few laps were equally as controversial as the first, with inconsistent rule enforcement and safety protocols by the race stewards enabling Max Verstappen to overtake the Briton in what was a one-lap shootout between the two contenders.
The late-on-the-brakes manoeuvre that won the World Championship for the Dutch Red Bull Racing driver.
Rumours circulated that Hamilton was going to retire after believing he was hard done by the outcome of the season which was corroborated by his long social media silence but this hearsay was quickly quashed once he posted a provoking tweet on his account.
Mercedes subsequently confirmed their expected driver lineup of Lewis Hamilton and newby George Russell after posting a striking image of the veteran Brit in front of a black and white Union Jack while an interactive shot of both drivers during a seat fitting portrays a new synergy within the team.
With new regulations for the 2022 season and no benchmark to base performance on, pundits are only left to speculate how teams will fare. One of these assumptions is that both Red Bull Racing and Mercedes AMG Petronas may have compromised the development of their new-era challenger in the hard fought tooth and nail campaign of 2021. This may lessen the gap for teams such as Ferrari and McLaren in the ensuing seasons.
Imagine the joy of watching 4 teams going for the Constructors and Drivers title? Join us at 11AM to watch the reveal of the W13 below as Hamilton returns for the unveiling.
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Keyword: Hamilton returns ahead of Mercedes AMG Petronas W13 LIVE launch