F1 teams expecting ‘quite minimal differences’ between real 2022 cars

F1 presented a full-size model giving the clearest depiction yet of how its next-generation car will look on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

The teams are already working on the design and build of the new car according to their respective interpretation of the 2022 regulations, meaning there is scope for each car to differ slightly. 

However, teams say there are only expecting the difference between each car to be “quite minimal”.

“I think you’ll get very slight variants on a theme,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

“The regulations are so tight now that the variance between the cars will be visibly quite minimal and the differences will no doubt be under the skin of the car, which is kind of a shame that we’re going down a route that the shape is so constrained.

“It’ll be the livery that will be the biggest differentiator between the cars.

“They are kind of retro-looking, it reminds me of a 1990s IndyCar. It looks pretty cool but it’s kind of retro.”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff echoed Horner’s comments, adding that teams are “very constrained” by the overhaul to the rules for 2022.

“We are very constrained by the regulations,” he said. “There will be details that are going to be different between the cars.

“But I doubt we will have a revolution in that cars will be looking very different.”

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown revealed McLaren’s 2022 car is “subtly different” to the model presented by F1, and said the mock-up was a strong representation of how the real cars will look next season.

“I don’t think it’ll be radically different, because we’re all playing within very confined rules,” Brown explained. “I’ve seen what ours looks like, it’s subtly different.

“What they showed yesterday is a pretty good representation if you’re going to be looking at the car from 50 feet away.

“Like all the Formula 1 cars, when you start looking into the detail you’ll start to see the differences.

“Obviously, I didn’t see yesterday’s car live, only visuals of it. Hopefully it’s a better race car and does what it’s intended to do to make racing closer.”