Red Bull has launched the car that Verstappen will use in his title defense this year. Team principal Christian Horner said that the car launched on Wednesday, which looked markedly like the concept car released by F1 last year, would evolve significantly from its launch specification, meaning it could look very different when the real thing hits the track in preseason testing later this month.

The new RB18 has been built to F1's overhauled technical regulations for 2022 and, as a result, will be a significant departure from Verstappen's championship-winning RB16B of 2021. Several features -- including the larger wheels, low-profile tires, and swept wings -- on the RB18 launch car will be common across all F1 cars this year.

The Red Bull RB18 will be powered by an updated version of the Honda engine that took Verstappen to the title last year, but the V6 turbo hybrid has been rebadged under the "Red Bull Powertrains" name after Honda's departure from F1.

Verstappen will continue to be partnered by Mexican driver Sergio Perez, who hopes to challenge his teammate for the title this season after being comprehensively outperformed by the world champion in 2021.