Lawrence Stroll's Aston Martin F1 team has unveiled which is perhaps the first fully developed F1 car for the 2022 F1 season - the AMR22 - which has been designed keeping in mind the new ground-effect aerodynamics that typifies the new era of F1. The car was launched at the Gaydon headquarters of the luxury supercar maker and tomorrow the car will make its track debut at the iconic Silverstone track during a filming day. The car will be driven by 4-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll who is also the son of Lawerence Stroll, the executive chairman of the F1 team and the Aston Martin Lagonda automotive brand.
The car features updated livery replete with the Aramco branding and without traces of the iconic pink from BWT which used to be the title sponsor of the Silverstone-based team before the transition to the Aston Martin branding was made. Both for Aston Martin and Vettel, this is a crucial year as the team has to show results after Stroll's massive investment, and the German wishes to be competent further ahead in the grid rather than P7 which is the constructor's standing ranking the team ended up with last year.
This also comes at a time when there are major changes in the management of the team with Mike Krack joining as the team principal replacing Otmar Szafnauer who had been with the team for a long time and left after the end of the 2021 season. Aston Martin also added Martin Whitmarsh as CEO of Aston Martin technologies to whom Krack will report. It also awaits the arrival of Dan Fallows from Red Bull as technical director.
The AMR22 is Aston Martin's 2022 challenger which it hopes will fare better than its 2021 effort
"We are continuing our journey to the summit of Formula 1, the most prestigious and competitive racing series in the world - and we want to win. But we know winning isn't easy. That's why we have a five-year journey and plan to keep climbing and get to the top. To win in Formula 1, everything has to be just in the right place, and a lot of moving parts have come together. The sport is constantly evolving, and unless you evolve with it, you will be left behind," said Lawrence Stroll who is the team owner.
"When it comes to hopes for the season, I do not think anyone really knows what to expect. There are new rules and of course, all the teams will be hoping that they have got it right. Everyone wants to win, me included, and no one would be in Formula 1 if their dream was not to win. I am no different. The main thing is to keep moving forward and moving up. This is only year two of a five-year plan, so we are still quite near the start. But this team has big ambitions and big plans, and I am hugely excited to be a part of that," said the Vettel who is the third most successful driver in F1 history after Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.
Interestingly, there were reports that Aston Martin was running behind schedule with the development of the car but ended up showcasing a fully developed car with interesting side pods that have exit Finns for airflow.
