In photos: Red Bull's real RB18 emerges for the first time

Red Bull's RB18 has broken cover, almost two weeks on from an inconclusive launch held by the team to showcase their 2022 look.

Ostensibly the RB18, the car the team revealed at their season launch was more akin to a barely-modified version of the official F1 demonstration show car presented in 2021.

The actual 2022 car was used for a shakedown filming day at Silverstone last week, but the team opted against releasing any imagery or video from their limited track time.

As a result of the secrecy, the actual Red Bull RB18 had not been seen in the flesh until Max Verstappen peeled out of the garage in his new machine on Wednesday morning.

Unsurprisingly, there are some clear differences between the launch-spec and testing-spec cars, including a particularly intriguing sidepod arrangement.

Kicking off F1's new technical era, the RB18 is the car with which Verstappen will attempt to defend his Drivers' Championship title, and Red Bull will seek to claim the Constructors' Championship for the first time since 2013.