Aston Martin hopes to move up the grid with its redesigned AMR 22.
SILVERSTONE, England—Compared to the last two Formula One launches (Haas and Red Bull), the Aston Martin AMR 22, which launched Thursday, is the same car you will see when the British-based team takes to the test track in two weeks in Spain.
A new sponsor is on the car, with Saudi-led oil firm Aramco, which sponsored much of the sport when COVID gripped the 2020 season.
The team is still headed by co-owner Laurence Stroll, who also oversees the Aston Martin car company, the exact reason why last season the Canadian changed the name of the team.
The team might have finished seventh last season in the world championship, but this year’s challenger should have them move up further in the order with the most advanced design car so far, a concept that was taken from last season’s Red Bull design.
For Chief Technical Designer Andrew Green, it is a concept that will certainly be upgraded during the season. “The huge changes in the 2022 regulations created a massive challenge,” Green said. “Every section of the car is virtually new, so the philosophy for the AMR 22 is about being open-ended and giving ourselves flexibility. It’s a huge challenge, but everyone has risen to it, and we’re motivated to solve the questions that arise in development.”
The team once again will have the same line-up from last year. Lance Stroll, the current owner’s son, and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel both return. For one, Vettel believes that it is too early to tell how the car will perform. “I think from a driving point of view, the main challenge will be adapting to these cars,” Vettel said in a press conference ahead of the launch. “It feels a bit different driving in the simulator, but I think it will be different again driving in real life.”
More teams are expected to launch their cars in the coming days.
