Why Has Mercedes Returned to Its Iconic ‘Silver Arrows’ Look for the 2022 F1 Season

Mercedes have revealed the new livery for the 2022 F1 season ahead of the season opener in March. The Constructors’ Champions have switched to silver after two seasons of racing with a black livery. The Silver Arrows adopted a black livery as a show of support for diversity and a stand against racism.

7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton has been vocal in his quest to improve diversity and inclusion in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter movement. Additionally, Mercedes collaborated with Hamilton to launch the ‘Accelerate 25’ programme, as well as a charity named ‘Ignite.’

Team Principal Toto Wolff was part of the launch of the new W13 car for the 2022 F1 season, alongside drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. The trio was accompanied by young drivers from the Mercedes Junior Team.

He spoke about the new livery saying, ” The silver color of the Silver Arrows is as much our DNA. It’s our history. As a team, we have grown from the Silver Arrows to slowly becoming a more diverse and inclusive team and therefore our colors going forward will be silver and black.”

Read more: George Russell Provides a Grim Prediction on the Closer Racing in the 2022 Season

What to expect from Mercedes in 2022?

Mercedes will be eager to avenge the heartbreak from Abu Dhabi in December last year. The team has signed George Russell, who replaces Valterri Bottas after 5 years. Russell, who began his F1 career with Williams, will join Lewis Hamilton in an All-English pairing.

Hamilton, meanwhile, will look to start afresh after narrowly losing out on a record-breaking 8th World Championship. After a brief hiatus from social media, the Brit returned to announce his return amidst retirement rumors. He will be hungry to renew his rivalry with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in 2022.

However, the battle between the two teams also enters a new era with fresh regulations this season. The cost cap in F1 has reduced to $140m in 2022 and $135m from next year onwards. Mercedes will have their work cut out this season after winning 8 Constructors’ Championships.

Meanwhile, the W13 will be seen in Barcelona for the pre-season testing on February 23. This comes in the aftermath of their first track-run at Silverstone on Friday.

Read More: Lewis Hamilton Ready for George Russell’s Challenge – “He Will be a Strong Challenger”