Aston Martin to show real AMR22 F1 car ahead of Friday track debut

The car will also be the first model built to the new rules to take to the track when it undertakes a filming day at Silverstone on Friday. Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll are both scheduled to drive.

Fans and rival teams alike have been eagerly awaiting the first sight of the new breed of cars, given the huge changes to the technical rules package.

Haas showed renders of its latest model last week, while on Wednesday Red Bull undertook a physical launch with Christian Horner, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez standing alongside what was supposedly the new RB18.

However viewers of the live stream quickly realised that it was a show car based on the design revealed by F1 last year when it wanted to demonstrate what a 2022 model would look like.

Aston’s huge effort to get its car out early means that the team will have 12 days to analyse data gathered at the filming day before the first official test commences in Barcelona on 23 February.

The run will also be useful for Mercedes, as it will be the first on track for the 2022 power unit, which has been tailored both for the move from E5 to E10 fuel and for the different power delivery characteristics required by the new cars.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, and Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, unveil the Aston Martin AMR21 last year

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

The early track debut also contradicts reports from last month that Aston Martin had some issues and would struggle even to make the Barcelona test.

That suggestion was refuted at the time by a team spokesperson who told Autosport: “Work on our 2022 F1 car is progressing well, and it will be ready for the first test in Barcelona.”

The organisation has been undergoing some major changes in recent months, with team principal Otmar Szafnauer departing at the start of this year and being replaced by former BMW and Porsche man Mike Krack.

A revamped design and engineering team has also been settling in, although new technical director Dan Fallows won’t start until 2 April.

Long-time Jordan, Force India and Racing Point man Andy Green, who carries the title of chief technical officer, has been designated to speak at today’s launch.

Of the remaining teams McLaren will launch its F1 and IndyCar programmes in Woking on Friday night, while next week will see the unveiling of cars from AlphaTauri on 14 February, Williams on 15 February, Ferrari on 17 February and Mercedes on 18 February.

Alpine will wait until the following week, 21 February, just before the Barcelona test begins. Alfa Romeo will run its new car in an interim livery in Spain before formally launching after the test on 27 February.