Oracle Red Bull Racing has lifted the veil on its new F1 race car for the 2022 season, dubbed the RB18. However, it comes with a big caveat: the car you see looks very different to what Red Bull will race during the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 20.

The Red Bull RB18 unveiled by the defending driver’s championship holders is a slightly reworked version of the generic 2022 F1 showcar that was launched by Formula 1 last year. Given that the 2022 season will see the introduction of drastically different cars that focus on ground effect aerodynamics, Red Bull Racing is keeping its cards close to its chest when it comes to this year’s contender.

“With the new regulation changes this year, the whole philosophy has altered from last year, which means every single component is different to last year’s car,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. “It’s a clean sheet of paper for every single team. By the time we get to the first race, the RB18 won’t look much like it looks today, the evolution will be very quick as we progress through the season. It is a steep learning curve for everyone and it is a race of development between the first race and the last race.”

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Just like last year, racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing will be defending champion Max Verstappen and Mexican veteran Sergio Perez.

“In terms of the car, we don’t know what to fully expect so I’m excited to see how the car behaves on the track for the first time,” Verstappen said at the launch of the RB18. “The biggest adaptation this season will be the new regulations, we’ll need some time to get used to the car, it’s not like you just jump in and it’s an upgrade from last year. The rest is pretty straightforward, I don’t feel any extra pressure this season, I will just do what I do all the time because I don’t think there is any reason to be different. Now I just I can’t wait for that first moment when I drive out of the pitlane in the RB18.”

Like the other teams, the car will make its on-track debut at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on February 23 during the first day of pre-season testing.

Haas was the first team to unveil its 2022 F1 car on February 5. Both Aston Martin and McLaren will launch their cars in the coming days and be followed up by AlphaTauri on February 14, Williams on February 15, Ferrari on February 17, Mercedes on February 18, Alpine on February 21, and Alfa Romeo on February 27.

Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins
Red Bull Racing’s 2022 F1 Car Won’t Look Like This When The Season Begins