Usually, Formula 1 teams begin developing the new engine or the new car a year in advance. And usually, most teams take up the window between the last race of the previous season and the car launch a few weeks before the first race of next season to fully complete and polish their new artillery. But not Mercedes F1.

A couple of days before Christmas, the Silver Arrows had posted a video on their social media in which they teased the new engine by firing it up. An early Christmas gift for their fans, no doubt, but this was something that many suspected was either a late 2021 PU or a ‘very early’ still-in-development version of the 2022 one.

But now, F1 expert Sam Collins has clarified that the PU in the video was, in fact, a 2022 spec one. “Serious statement indeed,” Collins wrote on everyone’s behalf on Twitter.

Mercedes’ new PU and the sound of Wolff’s comments are not the same

A few days ago, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had spoken about the implications of the new car and regulations on the 2022 season. “We are all operating under the same financial cap and the concepts are very new,” he said.

He explained how first the aerodynamic regulations have already proven to decrease the gap between the teams in the championship. Wolff added, “I think we need to expect much closer fighting for championships and races than we had before, and that’s exciting.”

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Now, what Wolff is describing or the idea that he is selling is regarding most teams that haven’t seen the top of the table as often as Mercedes or Red Bull recently; those teams will gain more thanks to the regulations. But then again, Mercedes have already developed the new PU while those other teams are expected to finish it by mid-February.

F1 fans would hope Mercedes wrapped up their PU first and now they’ll turn their attention towards other aspects of the car so when the 2022 season begins and we enter the new era of F1, no one team dominates as the Silver Arrows did in the last decade.

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