---
title: "Red Bull to launch RB18 F1 car in early February"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2022/02/03/red-bull-to-launch-rb18-f1-car-in-early-february/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths"
section: "F1 News"
published: "2022-02-03T10:11:29Z"
modified: "2022-02-03T10:11:47Z"
---

# Red Bull to launch RB18 F1 car in early February

Red Bull has become the latest Formula 1 team to reveal the launch plans for its 2022 car ahead of its title defence this year.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit guided Max Verstappen to his first world title last year, with the Dutch driver pipping Lewis Hamilton to the drivers’ championship in a highly controversial season finale in Abu Dhabi.

On Thursday, Red Bull announced it would unveil its new car, the RB18, on February 9, marking the earliest launch date so far.

It means eight of the 10 teams on the grid have revealed when they will launch their 2022 challengers, with only Haas and Willians yet to confirm their plans.

Verstappen, who became the first non-Mercedes driver to win a title in the V6 hybrid era, is aiming to join an elite band of drivers who have won back-to-back world championships.

Out of F1’s 34 world champions only 10 have secured successive titles, the first being Alberto Ascari in 1953 and the most recent driver to achieve the feat is Lewis Hamilton in 2015.

Verstappen will once again be partnered by Sergio Perez, who joined the team from Racing Point, now Aston Martin, last year, playing an important support role to Verstappen in his championship-winning season.

This year Red Bull begins its first season without engine partners Honda, after the Japanese manufacturer pulled out at the end of last year.

In a change on plan, Honda is understood to have decided to directly supply its power units to Red Bull until the end of 2025, before the team’s highly anticipated Powertrains division takes full control.

Verstappen confirmed after his title win that he would sport the #1 on his car in 2022, with Sebastian Vettel the most recent driver to use the number in 2014.