AlphaTauri name revealed?

Summer break? More like a rumor-making marathon! Stay tuned for the latest buzz and the juiciest gossip

Hey there, Pole-sitters! 👋

Another edition of The APEX Bite is coming at you faster than a Verstappen overtake.

The summer break has officially started, but rumors aren’t taking a break.

Rumors say Alpha Tauri has a new name. Buckle up and dive in to find out.

What’s more, find out what happens behind the scenes of an F1 broadcast. If you’ve ever wondered how they make those beautiful aerial shots or how they time those close-ups to the millisecond, you’re in for a treat.

Before we kick things into high gear, let’s acknowledge the agonizing wait for the next Grand Prix. But fear not! We’re not just going to leave you revving in neutral.

Say hello to an F1 Summer Bingo game!

In today’s email:

  1. Pit Stop Talks – Your pole position for the in-depth news straight from the grid
  2. In-depth education: Catch the Breeze: How F1 Cars are Getting a Major Lift from Wind Tunnel Testing
  3. Fast Lane News – On the F1 beat – a zingy, eye-widening fact-fest to fuel your day
  4. The Dutch GP – Three weeks to go!

    Lights out, and away we go


f1 race reviewPit Stop Talks

📢 Is AlphaTauri’s new name revealed?

Hugo Boss is flirting with Red Bull about a title sponsorship deal for the AlphaTauri Formula 1 team starting in 2024.

Word on the pit lane last month was that the AlphaTauri is due for a makeover next year. They’re planning to auction off the naming rights to help their financial strut down the sustainability runway.

This plot twist follows the new management shuffle at Red Bull. After the loss of company co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, Oliver Mintzlaff stepped up to the wheel, deciding not to sell AlphaTauri outright.

Instead, they’re tightening their belts around their UK aerodynamics hub in Bicester, leaning on Red Bull to rocket up from the bottom of the constructors’ championship.

In the big revamp, Red Bull decided the 2020 name change (you might remember them as Toro Rosso from their 2006 F1 debut) didn’t exactly push the AlphaTauri fashion label into the spotlight as much as they’d hoped.

Should the fashion house and the racing team say “I do,” the AlphaTauri team could strut down the pit lane as ‘Boss’ or even ‘Boss Orange,’ tipping the hat to the popular Hugo Boss clothing line. – Read more

📝 What’s the hold-up with Hamilton’s contract?

Toto Wolff gave a little insight into what he called the “almost comical” delay in agreeing to a new F1 contract with seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.

“Almost there, just ironing out the wrinkles” is the vibe we’re getting from Wolff and Hamilton.

The end of 2023 is nearing, and Hamilton’s current deal is due to run out, but both parties seem pretty chill about it. Apparently, the devil is in the details, and those are the only bits left to be agreed upon.

Word on the street was that Hamilton wanted to stick around as an ambassador for Mercedes after he retires. Wolff chuckled that one off, saying that’s not what’s causing the contract signing to hit the pause button. – Read more

We’re not talking about an ambassadorial role post his retirement nor is that part of the contract negotiations

Totto Wollf

👀 Aston Martin has their eyes on Hulkenberg

Aston Martin is eyeing up a reunion with former driver Nico Hulkenberg. They’ve been blown away by his action in 2022 with them and at Haas in 2023.

The German has been their reserve driver stepping in and filling up the driver’s seat multiple times over the years.

Source: PlanetF1

 

Nico hinted that for now, Haas seems to be his pit stop, but he’s keeping his options open for the end of the 2024 F1 season.

A lot will happen on the driver market at the end of 2024, some contracts will expire. I will be as attractive as possible. At the moment I can very well imagine driving for a few more years. But I’ll take it upon myself. Everything that comes is an encore.

Nico Hulkenberg

Hulkenberg has been in the F1 scene for over a decade but has yet to get his hands on a podium-worthy car. – Read more

📺 Step into the Control Room: F1’s Hi-tech Storytelling Hub

Racing with the World’s fastest sport, F1’s media crew works relentlessly to keep you at the edge of your seats, capturing the adrenaline-fueled twists and turns of all race weekends, rain or shine.

This hive of hi-tech wizardry near London is the heart of F1’s storytelling, where split-second decisions shape your at-home experience.

This space is packed with 300 multi-view monitors, offering a dizzying array of visual sources – more than most sports. And the goal is to engage both the newbies and the seasoned F1 devotees without oversimplifying or overcomplicating the narrative.

F1 broadcasts operate from two main galleries, one for the International or World Feed, and the other for F1 TV, their direct-to-consumer platform.

The World Feed is adapting to the needs of different regions, and the World Feed Director has to coordinate all of that, including camera angels:

– 90 onboard

– 28 UHDs around the track

– 8 free-roaming

– 1 helicopter

But let’s not forget the unsung heroes of F1 broadcasting – the censoring team. These folks step in when drivers are “under an incredible amount of pressure”, muting radios so we don’t hear any colorful language (or heavy breathing).

Source: F1

Team radio played a crucial role in the thrilling 2021 season, making the World Feed a bit like an episode of a reality TV show.

F1 also broadens its reach through various social media platforms and its own direct-to-consumer products, like F1 TV. – Read more


f1 race reviewCatch the Breeze: How F1 Cars are Getting a Major Lift from Wind Tunnel Testing

In the high-stakes, ultra-competitive world of Formula 1 racing, every millisecond counts. The secret to success in this arena lies in the blending of human skill with state-of-the-art engineering.

A crucial component of this is aerodynamics, the study of how air interacts with moving objects. Among various aerodynamic testing methods, wind tunnel testing stands out due to its incredible impact on the development of modern F1 cars.

READ THE ARTICLE HERE


f1 race reviewFast Lane News

🔵 Former Alpine team principal Cyril Abiteboul reckons that Alpine could use a lead driver who can play team boss, just like those at Red Bull and Mercedes. – Read more

👋 Seb is back? Vettel’s comeback sends F1 rumor mill into overdrive – Read more

💰 Calvin Lo, the wannabe F1 team owner, just skidded into a reality check. According to Forbes, he’s been telling tall tales about his wealth and F1 ties. The Hong Kong tycoon bragged last year about using his billions to snag a spot on the F1 grid. – Read more

💭 Lando Norris seems to be torn between his loyalty to his current team and the allure of possible glory with a fresh set of wheels. Even though Norris is in it for the long haul with McLaren, the team’s recent shaky form is making him question if he should stay or if he should go. – Read more

👨‍⚖️ Nikita Mazepin might be gearing up for an F1 return, thanks to an EU court verdict. – Read more

🌪️ FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, stands resolute and unshaken in his groundbreaking decision to shake up the Formula 1 scene with an open tender process for fresh teams. His bold move has undoubtedly stirred the waters and sent ripples of unease through the F1 community. – Read more

💦 Pirelli agrees with drivers over “useless” wet tires. – Read more

🏎️ Max Verstappen wants to set up his own racing team. – Read more

🤫 Fernando Alonso says, “be quiet,” to the former Alpine Team Principal, Otmar Szafnauer. – Read more

⛱️ No summer break for Oscar Piastri, who headed back to the Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps to conduct a Pirelli tire test for McLaren. – Read more

💸 The cancellation of the Emilia Romagna GP has had a negative impact on Formula 1’s financial numbers for the second quarter of 2023. – Read more


f1 race reviewTHE DUTCH GP

🇳🇱 Scheduled 25-27 August

Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands

1️⃣ Circuit length: 4.259 km
2️⃣ Number of laps: 72
3️⃣ Lap record: 1:11.097 Lewis Hamilton (2021)
4️⃣ Corners & DRS: 14 corners with 2 DRS zones


f1 race reviewMEME OF THE DAY