Ferrari announce the February 2022 launch date for the Formula 1 car, which they hope can be the title challenger

Ferrari, F1’s most successful team but on the hunt for their first title in over a decade, will unveil their 2022 challenger on February 17; new rules and cars give Ferrari a chance to return to competition this season; McLaren will unveil its 2022 challenger on February 11

By Matt Morlidge

Last updated: 17/01/22 16:34

Ferrari have announced the launch date for the F1 car they hope will propel them back into racing and title contention in 2022.

F1’s most successful and historic team to become the second team to confirm their unveiling will debut their all-new challenger a week after Aston Martin on February 17th. Pre-season testing begins February 23.

The team has yet to announce how they will unveil their highly anticipated car.

While Ferrari have been in famous red without a title for over a decade, they remain one of the sport’s biggest draws and will be one of the key storylines to kick off a season that welcomes heavily altered new rules and cars.

When will the new cars be revealed?

Scuderia have an aspiration to return to the top after a vastly improved 2021 season, when they beat McLaren to third place, and have been focused on the regulations longer than most.

“When I look at the 2022 car and the 2022 powerplant, believe me, there’s a lot of innovation in there,” said Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto late last year, looking forward to a possible readjustment of the competition order.

“I think the way the entire engineering team was certainly more receptive than before to the new design, the new project and the 2022 regulations, which represented a big discontinuity.

“I can measure it myself by looking at the car myself, how it’s progressing and certainly with the amount of innovation that we’ve put into it.”

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Former McLaren teammates Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris are reunited on the golf course – and they had quite different perspectives on their collision at the last race in Brazil

Former McLaren teammates Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris are reunited on the golf course – and they had quite different perspectives on their collision at the last race in Brazil

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are the drivers this year after a successful first year as teammates in 2021.

Sainz, who replaced Sebastian Vettel in the car, beat the highly-rated Leclerc in his debut season and both would be viable drivers’ title contenders if Ferrari masters the new rules.

The 2022 cars herald one of the biggest changes to F1 rules in history, with revised aerodynamics that will result in closer and more exciting races.

The new season starts on March 20th in Bahrain.

It has also been confirmed that the new McLaren MCL36 will be unveiled live on Friday 11th February by the McLaren Technology Center in association with Sky Sports F1.

The McLaren team finished the 2021 season fourth in the constructors’ standings behind Lando Norris, who took four podiums and a maiden pole position, and Daniel Ricciardo, who clinched victory ahead of his team-mate at the Italian GP.

A force of 2022? Sky F1 experts on Ferrari

Ted Kravitz

“I hear a lot of positive noises from Ferrari.

“The engine runs well and they say the car looks a lot more aggressive than in any of the recent Ferraris we’ve seen in the last two or three years.”

Karun Chandok

“I had a few chats with people just before Christmas and they were very optimistic because they feel they’ve made a lot of progress on the drive unit side,” said the former F1 racer.

“They’re coming back, not quite up there with Honda and Mercedes but not a million miles behind and they’re confident that side will be fine.

“On the chassis side they were able to focus a lot of resources during last season because unlike Mercedes and Red Bull they weren’t in a championship battle so they are very optimistic that they will be in the battle early in the season.”