Mercedes has confirmed that its 2022 car, the W13, received the necessary homologation from the FIA almost three weeks ago, amid rumours suggesting it failed a crash test.
Reports originating from Italy suggested that Mercedes had encountered problems in trying to get the W13 through the mandatory crash tests.
Formula 1 has stringent crash tests and any chassis homologated by the FIA must pass each one.
“For clarity, W13 completed its FIA homologation process on 13 January 2022,” Mercedes confirmed on Monday.
“The relevant procedures for this (which have changed somewhat for this season, including a reinforced side squeeze test) are captured in Article 13 of the 2022 Technical Regulations.”
Mercedes’ W13 is due to be presented during a digital unveiling on February 18.
The W13 is due to be shaken down later the same day at British Grand Prix venue Silverstone, five days before the start of pre-season testing in Spain.
Mercedes will be represented this year by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
There’s clearly no denial included in the quotes from Mercedes that the car did fail a test prior to the pass being achieved, which, given that team’s propensity for being economical with the truth, does lead me to wonder whether there may be something to the rumour. I take nothing from that house of snakes at face value.