Launch and pre-season testing
The Mercedes AMG F1 W13, with the exception of the car's drivetrain, was an all new car designed to conform to the new FIA regulations in effect as of 2022. The car was officially unveiled at the Silverstone Circuit) with Hamilton and Russell completing an inaugural shakedown on 18 February 2022. The car took part in the pre-season testing 1 at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on 23 February – 25 February. During the three testing days, the car completed 392 laps; a total of 1,832 km (1,138 mi), which is equivalent to close to 6 race distances. The car then took part in the second pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit on 10 March – 12 March. During the three testing days, the car completed 384 laps, a total of 2,078 km (1,291 mi), equivalent to 6.7 race distances. Both tests showed that the car appeared to be suffering handling and balance problems partly due to excessive porpoising, with Hamilton writing off the team's chances of winning the first race of the season.
Technical specifics
The W13 underwent a significant change with an almost sidepod-less design. This design was used throughout the Bahrain test and became the primary design for the team. From a new turbocharger and fuel management system, Mercedes managed to increase 20 more horsepower from the new M13 E Performance power unit, resulting in a total maximum power output of 770 kW (1,030 hp). The car’s livery returned to the traditional silver color scheme, after the W11 and W12 were painted black in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, though the drivers continued to race in black overalls. A planned special "Red Pig" livery, inspired by the 1971 24 hours of Spa class winning Mercedes-AMG "Rote Sau" 300 SEL 6.8 race car, for the Belgian Grand Prix was ultimately abandoned due to weight issues and a busy race schedule. While the red to silver livery did not materialise, some elements of the livery, including the AMG logos and driver numbers, were present.
Racing career
The W13 experienced a challenging start to the 2022 season, exhibiting handling and balance problems, particularly porpoising, during pre-season testing. Despite these issues, Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time during the third and final pre-season test session. Throughout the early races, the car lacked the competitiveness of its predecessors. Significant upgrades were introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix, improving performance.
George Russell achieved his first Formula One pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix and his first race win at the São Paulo Grand Prix. This win marked the team’s first victory since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and their first 1–2 finish since the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton retired from the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi with a hydraulics problem. Despite the car’s overall lack of pace, it proved relatively reliable, with the exception of Hamilton’s retirement in Abu Dhabi. The W13 extended Mercedes’ streak of winning at least one race per season to 11 consecutive years, dating back to the Chinese Grand Prix in 2012.
Regulatory outcomes
The W13’s innovative sidepod-less design initially drew scrutiny. Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, was initially quoted as saying that the design was not "to the spirit of the regulations." A Red Bull spokesperson later said this was incorrect, stating that "no official comment" had been made by the team.
Legacy
The W13 is regarded as one of the worst Mercedes-AMG developed cars to date. Toto Wolff, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team Principal, claims that he intends to "put these cars in the reception at Brackley and in Brixworth to remind us every single day how difficult it can be".
This article is based solely on the provided corpus: a Wikipedia article on the Mercedes W13. No external sources, including primary archives, autobiographies, period programmes, or specialist publications, were consulted.
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