Mercedes reveal F1 2022 requires "a completely different way of working"

Mercedes technical director Mike Elliott has claimed the technical regulations require a "completely different way of working" for the reigning constructors' world champions.

F1 will race to an all-new set of technical regulations this year with a larger focus being placed on ground-effect technology in a bid to promote closer racing.

The new rulebook is far more restrictive than in previous years but after Haas revealed it is likely a variety of solutions will be on display at the first pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in two weeks.

"This year's cars are going to be hugely different," said Elliott in a Mercedes YouTube video.

"I think the most visible difference will be in the aerodynamic shape of the car. Not only are the aerodynamics different, but the whole way the regulations are constructed is completely different.

"In the past, we have just had to fill boxes or shadow certain planes, but in this set of regulations, we are given a base surface to work to and we have to stick within a certain tolerance. It is a completely different way of working for us."

Although large changes underneath the bodywork are not mandated through the regulation changes, the profile of the new cars has resulted in the need for significant changes to be made.

"With such a significant aerodynamic change, pretty much all the components underneath the skin of the car need to change, so all the way from front to back, everything is different," explained Elliott.

"All those new components [being] designed have been a huge challenge."

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