In the round-up: Mercedes fires the 2022 car for the first time
in the letter
Mercedes is firing on W13 for the first time
Master Constructors Mercedes is the first Formula 1 team to release public footage of its 2022 car ahead of pre-season testing next season.
In a video the team shared on social media, Mercedes showed the powerplant of their not-yet-launched W13 come to life for the first time. Pictures of the chassis itself were not shared, but team boss Toto Wolff can be seen smiling approvingly.
In the 2022 season, the look of cars will change dramatically, with a series of changes to the technical regulation designed to ensure that Formula 1 cars can drive closer together without sacrificing aerodynamic performance due to polluted air. It will be the first season for Mercedes with the driver pairing Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
Pre-season testing begins on February 23, 2022 with a three-day test at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. The teams will then travel to Bahrain for a second three-day test at the Sakhir Circuit before the season kicks off in Bahrain the following week.
Haas VF-22 passes FIA crash test
Haas has announced that its 2022 challenger – the VF-22 – has officially passed its mandatory FIA safety crash test.
In a post on social media, the team shared a picture of a recreated crash test score card dated Jan.
Haas’ new car won’t have much to do to be more successful than its predecessor. The team ended the season goalless and finished tenth and last place in the constructors’ championship, with team boss Günther Steiner openly admitting at the beginning of the season that the team is concentrating all of its development work on the 2022 car.
A new era of @ F1 begins right here …
We’re launching our 2022 F1 car for the first time – the W13 is ALIVE. pic.twitter.com/fphuaVp2dI
– Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@ MercedesAMGF1) December 23, 2021
VF-22 preparations before the 2022 season firmly on track with our new, homologated chassis 
# HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/S4vR68Arso
– Haas F1-Team (@ HaasF1Team) December 23, 2021
Verstappen voted Dutch Sportsman of the Year
Max Verstappen was named “Sportsman of the Year” in his native Netherlands after winning his first Formula 1 world championship title in 2021.
The Dutch Olympic Committee and the Dutch Sports Federation announced that Verstappen was presented with the honor – chosen by Dutch athletes and an expert jury – at a gala broadcast live on Dutch television, which was received by Verstappen’s father, Jos, the middle-distance runner Sifan Hassan became the athlete of the Chosen year.
It is the second time that Verstappen has awarded the title from his Dutch sports colleagues. He won the award for the first time in 2016 after becoming the youngest driver to ever win a Formula 1 Grand Prix.
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The RaceFans recap will return
The round-up takes a short break over the Christmas holidays. There will be no round-up tomorrow (25th), Saturday or Sunday.
The round-up will return on Monday, December 28th. If you celebrate Christmas, have a nice and safe weekend!
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday to Andrew, Richpea, Wasif1, Willian Ceolin and Alex Tunnicliffe for today, happy birthday to Louise. 1987 and Urvaksh for the 25th, happy birthday to Michael S for the 26th and happy birthday to Scott Joslin, Super_Swede_96, Dean Mckinnon and Diceman for the 27th!
That day in motorsport
- 80 years old today: Howden Ganley, who drove for BRM in the 1970s, Frank Williams and March. His career was interrupted when he was injured in an accident while driving for his last team, Maki, at the Nürburgring after a suspension fault.
