😮 AlphaTauri name revealed?

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!

📢 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

👀 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.

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.

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).

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

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.

History of Wind Tunnel Testing

In the 19th century, the focus of aerodynamic research was manned flight. The physical testing was done with a gravity-powered whirling arm spinning test objects through the air.

But Frank Wenham saw the flaw in this - a pesky circular wake messing up results. So, in 1871, he gifted us the first wind tunnel, a 12ft tube with an air-blowing fan.

Fast forward to the 1970s, and the Formula 1 world is falling head over heels for wind tunnels. By the 1990s, F1 teams were so infatuated that they were investing in private, specialized wind tunnels for bigger, better, and year-round testing.

How does a wind tunnel work?

A wind tunnel is a tool used to simulate the effects of air moving over or around an object - in this case, a scale model of an F1 car. It's essentially a large tube with powerful fans generating controlled wind conditions.

Formula 1 teams often use special tunnels called closed-loop tunnels. A big fan at one end of the tunnel pushes the air around.

The fan is usually much larger than the area where the car is tested. The bigger the fan, the slower it needs to spin to push the air at the right speed.

Everything in the wind tunnel is designed to keep the air moving as smoothly and predictably as possible. Even the walls are made super smooth to avoid causing any disruptions in the air.

After being pushed by the fan, the air enters a section of the tunnel that gets wider. A wider tunnel slows down the air, making it easier to control and keep smooth.

Before the car testing area, the air goes through a section filled with devices that help maintain its smooth and straight flow.

Finally, the air reaches the testing area, flowing over a model car. The car is held in place by an arm, and the wheels spin freely on a moving road that simulates a real track.

The model car can only be up to 60% of the real car's size, and the air can't go faster than about 180 km per hour.

The Process of Wind Tunnel Testing in F1

💻 Preparation & Initial Designs

Wind tunnel testing begins with the use of computer simulations (Computational Fluid Dynamics - CFD) to create initial designs. A scaled model of the F1 car is then developed based on these designs.

🚇 In the Tunnel

The car model is outfitted with various sensors. Visualization techniques, such as smoke or lasers, are used to map the airflow over the vehicle visually.

📈 Data Analysis & Iteration

The gathered data allows engineers to understand critical factors like pressure points, drag, and downforce. This information is then used to make adjustments to the car.

🚫 Challenges & Limitations

Recently, F1 has enforced a budget cap and placed restrictions on wind tunnel usage, making time in the wind tunnel a scarce and highly valuable resource. Teams now face a considerable challenge in optimizing their resources for the best results.

Budget cap and restrictions

Here it gets a bit complicated, so I'll try to simplify how rules are applied for wind tunnel testing.

The FIA lays down the rules based on periods they call Aerodynamic Test Periods (ATP), and there are six such periods in a year. ATP 1 starts on January 1, and ATP 6 ends on December 31. The fourth period has an extra 2 weeks added for the mandatory summer break.

The team that finishes 7th in the Constructors' championship is given a standard 100% limit for wind tunnel testing.

The other teams get a different percentage of this 100%, which varies from 70% for the team that comes first to 115% for the team that finishes tenth.

The percentages are decided twice a year. At the start of the year, they're based on the previous year's Constructors' standings. For the second half of the year, the percentages are recalculated based on the standings as of June 30th.

All Formula 1 teams are racing under a budget cap to keep control of their spending and encourage a more level playing field. If the teams don’t play by the budget rules, they’ll be hit with a penalty.

Like Red Bull. They got a $7m fine and a 10% reduction in wind tunnel time this season for breaching the 2021 budget.

Could F1 ban wind tunnels?

Apparently, there's a plan to put the brakes on using wind tunnels for aerodynamic testing within the next decade cause F1 wants to be carbon-neutral by 2030.

Also, there's a hefty price tag attached to these wind machines.

Just building one of these costs you an arm and a leg. Then you have to shell out on the staff, build exact mini versions of your cars, and cough up crazy electricity bills to simulate race-like wind speeds.

Head of aerodynamics at Haas, Aaron Melvin, says it’s something that the F1 shouldn’t do.

🔵 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

🇳🇱 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