Rumor: Crash test trouble for Mercedes, Red Bull cars (2nd Update)

This rumor is downgraded to ‘false’ today.

(GMM) Red Bull has also pushed back at claims it failed one of the FIA’s stricter new mandatory crash-test rules ahead of the all-new regulations era beginning in 2022.

The energy drink-owned team’s key 2021 rival Mercedes this week denied suggestions its own new chassis, the W13, did not pass the tough new side impact test.

Actually, the Brackley based team said the W13 completed all tests on January 13.

“It’s a good thing we’re not superstitious about such things, isn’t it?” a Mercedes source reportedly said.

And Red Bull, despite not yet releasing a launch date for the 2022 car, also insists there is no problem with the homologation process of its chassis.

“The team of world champion Max Verstappen has, like Mercedes, given the all-clear, although a presentation date is still pending,” correspondent Bianca Garloff told f1-insider.com.

Iltalehti reporter Vinski Virtanen in Finland added: “Italian media reported that the two top teams have not passed the crash tests.

“But apparently the delay in Red Bull’s car release date is because the team is waiting for a sponsorship deal. It has nothing to do with crash tests.”

Nonetheless, boss Christian Horner does have some concerns that Red Bull’s intense focus on winning the 2021 title may have set the team back with its 2022 car.

“That inevitably distracts a little from next year and shifts the focus,” he told WION, an Indian broadcaster.

Therefore, he thinks “McLaren, Ferrari and maybe one or two other surprise teams” should also be looking good at the start of the 2022 era.

“It’s the biggest chassis change in 30 years,” said Horner.

(GMM) Mercedes has denied reports that its all-new W13 car for the 2022 regulations recently failed a mandatory FIA crash test.

“W13 completed full FIA homologation on 13 January,” the Brackley based team, whose Lewis Hamilton failed at the last hurdle to win the 2021 title, announced in order to contradict the rumors.

There are also reports that Red Bull and Aston Martin may have struck trouble with the new and tougher FIA impact absorption tests for 2022.

“The new chassis will be around twice as strong on the side as compared to before,” FIA technical boss and well-respected F1 car designer Nikolas Tombazis told Auto Motor und Sport.

“The energy that needs to be absorbed has increased by about 80 percent,” he added. “We are researching how this value can be increased in the future.”

(GMM) There are reports that likely championship contenders Red Bull and Mercedes have both struck trouble with the official FIA crash testing of their respective 2022 cars.

Another rumor is that Aston Martin has fallen behind with its program to produce an all-new car for this season, although the Silverstone-based team denies it.

“Work on the 2022 car is making good progress, and we will be ready for the first test in Barcelona,” Speed Week reports a team source as saying.

One team that is definitely not behind with its FIA crash testing is Haas – the small American team that has been focusing on 2022 arguably longer than any other team.

“The chassis is ready,” team boss Gunther Steiner told RTL.

“We did the crash tests just before Christmas and passed them straight away. The guys have done a great job.

“Now the chassis is being assembled and then things really get going. We have to be ready in two weeks,” he insisted.

“We will present the car at the beginning of February – we may even be the first.”

What he will not disclose is whether the Haas livery will be changed for 2022, after running with Russian flag-inspired colors last season.

“I’m not going to say anything,” he grinned. “Otherwise, I’ll take away the surprise.”