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🚨 The Honey Badger is back
A Race of Twists, Turns, and Surprises: Let's Dive Deep into Every Thrilling Moment of the British GP!
Hey there, Racing Rebels!👋
What a show we witnessed at Silverstone! With teams unleashing fresh upgrades, the grid has turned into a fierce pack of hungry hounds, closer than ever before.
While all eyes were on Brad Pitt's new team, McLaren has risen from the ashes to get closer than ever to Verstappen.
Talk about a jaw-dropping surprise? Just 2 hours ago Daniel Ricciardo was officially announced to join AlphaTauri starting with the Hungarian GP.
Could this be why?
During the British GP Mercedes and Ferrari battled it out head-to-head until the Safety Car chaos hit, while Aston Martin looked lost in British territory. Meanwhile, Williams is on fire and stronger than ever!
It has been a weekend full of surprises, with a very interesting race from which we can draw good conclusions. The championship is more alive than ever!
Get ready for an epic adrenaline rush as we dive into this week's edition of The APEX Bite!
In today’s email:
Speedy Race Review: Detailed info, charts, and analysis on the latest happenings at the British GP.
In-depth Education:
Fast Lane News: Stay in the loop with a quick and friendly F1 update that's all about keeping you cool and in the know.
The Hungarian GP: Get a sneak peek to gear you up for the thrilling action coming your way at the next Grand Prix.
Let’s get going…
Speedy Race Review📉Here’s the global race pace after the British GP
McLaren’s pace was impressive: 2nd and 3rd best, in front of both Mercedes cars. Russell’s pace, though, would have been better if not for being stuck behind Leclerc.
Sainz was just 0.1s/lap slower on average than Leclerc despite one fewer stop.
Aston had no pace.
😵💫Red Bull: A Tale of Dual Faces
Verstappen snagged his sixth victory of the season at Silverstone, but not without a hiccup! After a shaky start, he lost the lead to Norris, only to reclaim it a few laps later and dominate the entire race.
With eight wins this season and eleven consecutive wins for Red Bull, they're now on par with McLaren's 1988 record.
Verstappen is closing in on Sebastian Vettel's record of nine consecutive wins in 2013, and his lead is more commanding than ever, a whopping 99 points ahead of Perez.
He could even skip winning any more races, finish second each time, and still clinch the championship!
However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows at Red Bull. Sergio Perez has fallen victim to Q1 for the fifth Saturday in a row. Despite battling his way up to sixth position, he had to toil hard to secure some points.
Critics argue that the second Red Bull seat is being wasted, suggesting that drivers like Ricciardo or Tsunoda could extract more potential from it. In response, Helmut Marko stepped up to defend the Mexican:
Thank God he finished ahead of Alonso and extended his lead. That's our goal. In the last 10 laps, he was the fastest driver on the grid, and that was driving on soft tires. His position is not in danger at all.
So, what's your take on the Sergio Perez situation? Do you believe there's a more deserving driver for that seat, or is the Mexican simply going through a rough patch? – Read more (ES)
🚀 McLaren's metamorphosis - From tractor to rocket!
In a surprising turn of events at the British GP, it's not Ferrari, Mercedes, or even Alonso in the mix behind Verstappen. It's McLaren, sizzling on a track with those lightning-fast corners!
The British team, which had a disastrous start of the season where they could barely score a point, has undergone a remarkable transformation with their MCL60 updates, with the first promising signs appearing at the Red Bull Ring.
Decked out in a shiny chrome livery, reminiscent of their 2000s glory days, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri qualified second and third on the grid, even surprising Verstappen himself! Talk about a plot twist that even Hollywood would envy!
Related: The 11 changes that have helped turn the McLaren into an F1 rocketship
McLaren’s latest upgrade has transformed its car's pace in Formula 1, as it has emerged as one of the best in high-speed corners.
The last two high-speed circuits have proven to be favorable for McLaren, showcasing their potential for the season. However, the upcoming race in Hungary, known for its slow corners, leaves the team a bit more uncertain. – Read More
But we do have a poor car -- and I say poor, I would say pretty terrible -- in the slow-speed corners, extremely difficult to drive. I feel we're getting excited, and I accept that, but we're going to go to a couple of tracks coming up where I'm sure people are going to be saying, 'What have you done now? How has it got so bad all of a sudden?
⚔️ Mercedes and Ferrari: Stellar Performances with Dramatically Contrasting Outcomes
Surprise team McLaren led the midfield, while Ferrari and Mercedes established themselves as the third and fourth fastest teams on the grid. It was a close battle, like siblings squabbling over the last slice of pizza.
Ferrari drivers qualifying fourth and fifth, while the Mercedes duo settled for sixth and seventh. It was a perfect recipe for a deliciously competitive showdown.
Hamilton claimed third, and Russell settled for fifth, earning valuable points against Aston Martin and Ferrari in the constructors' championship. It was a thrilling ride for them! – Read More
🦡 How Ricciardo got a second chance with stunning AlphaTauri return
Our favorite honey badger, Daniel Ricciardo, is slipping back into F1 race suit but this time it's in AlphaTauri colors, replacing an underperforming Nyck de Vries.
Why drop de Vries? Let's just say Tsunoda's side of the garage looked much happier. De Vries had a promising start, but sadly, ten races in, he's been about as effective as an umbrella in a hurricane.
As for why Red Bull called up Ricciardo? He's a marketers dream and has the driving chops to match. Since leaving Red Bull in 2018, Danny boy's had a rough time, with a not-so-successful stint at McLaren.
Red Bull offered him a much-needed reset, and boy, has he bounced back. That same Ricciardo, the potential world title contender we saw back in 2018, is back in the saddle.
As for the why Ricciardo said yes, it's simple. No better time than the present! Sure, he would have preferred to wait until next year for a full pre-season, but with a potential seat at AlphaTauri dangling in front of him, he had to grab it, or risk losing it to another hotshot.
A homecoming, a second chance, and a lot to prove – buckle up folks, we're in for a thrilling ride! - Read more
🟢 Is Aston Martin’s Fortunes Fading?
After a bunch of podium finishes and establishing themselves as the second-best team behind Red Bull in the early races, Alonso and Aston Martin have hit a rough patch.
They've struggled to fight for points in the last couple of races, clearly losing ground compared to the improvements made by other teams.
Alonso managed a modest seventh-place finish, while poor Stroll missed out on the points altogether. The Spaniard battled with a sluggish race pace, relying on some luck from Ferrari's misfortunes to make up a few positions.
Believe it or not, even Albon's Williams was breathing down Alonso's neck in the final laps. So, the big question arises: Is Aston Martin's decline official, or were these just tracks that didn't suit their car?
Well, in theory, Hungary should provide a good opportunity for the team to bounce back. And you know what? Alonso seems surprisingly calm despite the recent results.
Maybe he's got some tricks up his sleeve, or maybe he's just a master of keeping his cool. Time will tell! – Read More
Probably is a little bit of everything. […] Out-developed a little bit in terms of a few teams brought some significant upgrades lately. Track specific, I think here was not our best layout for the package that we have.
To be honest I'm not too stressed about the development. The car is better than expected this year. We are fighting for things that we could probably never dream at the beginning of the year. […] We cannot get stressed every weekend if we are seventh or if we are fourth or if we are on the podium. We need to be very pragmatic and very relaxed about our performance.
🎬 Brad Pitt blends seamlessly into the F1 grid
Putting aside the competition, the big highlight of the weekend has been the arrival of an eleventh team, APXGP (I'm afraid to tell you that they are not sponsored by us, unfortunately), to film Brad Pitt's new Formula 1 movie.
The actor became just another driver at Silverstone, appearing alongside the drivers before the race, during the rendition of the British anthem, and on the way to the starting line, accompanied by his fictional teammate Damson Idris and Carlos Sainz.
Starting from Thursday, the American actor took a few laps around the circuit for filming purposes. On Sunday, the cars of the fictional team (a modified Formula 2 made to resemble an F1 car by Mercedes) drove alongside the rest of the cars on the grid during the installation lap, although no images were released.
What do you think of this new movie? Will it take realism to the next level? Are you excited?
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The Origins of Formula 1The first-ever Formula 1 race went down at Silverstone on May 13, 1950, called the British Grand Prix. Since then, they've been rocking this championship every single year, making big changes in all sorts of ways.
Before Formula 1, back in the 30s, there were motor racing Grand Prix events, along with some European and national championships.
That's when big names like Mercedes, Bugatti, Ferrari, and Alfa Romeo started making their mark, and a bunch of drivers who later joined F1 in the 50s got their start there.
Then, after World War II, they laid down some rules in 1946. And when the FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) came into the picture in 1947, things really started to take shape.
Formula 1 was born in 1950, and the creation of this new championship was destined to be the most prestigious of all, attracting the attention of many brands and drivers.
Why was it called Formula 1?
For this new competition, the FIA made some strict rules that the cars had to stick to in all areas. They also had sporting and logistical rules for organizing the championship.
Therefore, the cars had to follow a sort of "formula" to be eligible for this new championship, and it was decided to include the word "Formula" in the name of the new category.
The organizers wanted this category to be the ultimate in motor racing, with the fastest and most advanced cars ever.
That's why they called it "Formula 1" because it perfectly captured the spirit of the category. The cars had to follow a formula or set of rules for their construction and would compete to be the fastest and most advanced cars on the planet.
The early years of Formula 1
The inaugural Formula 1 championship in 1950 had 7 rounds, and was a complete success, laying the groundwork for the next decades.
The regulations required the use of 4.5-liter naturally aspirated or 1.5-liter supercharged engines.
The Italian brands Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Maserati dominated the early years, although manufacturers of other nationalities also participated, such as the French Talbot or the British attempt BRM; including some private cars that participated in local races.
Alfa Romeo's Giuseppe Farina was the first F1 winner at Silverstone, and eventually became the first world champion in Formula 1 history as well.
Alfa Romeo's dominance continued in 1951, when the great Juan Manuel Fangio won the first of his five championships. However, Ferrari took over from the end of 1951 with its 4.5-liter aspirated cars, at which point Alfa Romeo withdrew.
Considering the rising costs and the absence of serious competitors to the Ferraris, the FIA decided that the following two championship seasons would be raced using the 2.0-liter Formula 2 cars.
Unfortunately, the move entrenched Italian dominance with the revolutionary 550s of Enzo Ferrari's team, providing Italian legend Alberto Ascari with his two championships in 1952 and 1953.
After that, the championship returned to Formula 1 rules, and gradually consolidated as a reference for the rest of the motorsport categories, with more and more competition, more races and more and more brands interested.
Our mission for you 🫵🏼
Listen up, because we've got a mission for you. No, we're not asking you to take a turn at 200 mph in a super sleek racing car. That might be less scary though, right?
You see, you've been holding out on us. And more importantly, on your friends.
We know you've got buddies who are just as crazy about F1 as you are. They love the thrill of the race, the drama of the pit stop, the roar of the engines. But guess what? They're missing out on all the juicy insider info, historical gems, and sharp analysis you're getting from us every week. And that, my friend, is just not fair.
Don't be the friend who hogs all the fun. Be the friend who shares the love.
Do them a solid and hit that "SHARE" button. And when they ask you, "Where have you been hiding this treasure?" just wink and say, "Now, you're in the fast lane, mate."
So, you up for the challenge? Or are you going to let your friends stay stuck in the pit stop?
Fast Lane News😰 Ferrari’s “scared” mindset hampered British GP F1 hopes. – Read More
🛞 Ricciardo makes Red Bull return at Silverstone test. – Read More
🤨 ‘I know where the problem is’ – Perez says he has ‘no doubts’ he can turn around his season after tricky qualifying run. – Read More
🆙 “He’s made me a better driver” Says Norris on Piastri’s epic fourth. – Read More
😑 Yet another awkward grid walk as Cara Delevingne ducks interview. – Read More
🚒 Hulkenberg: Alarm bells ring after another Haas F1 power unit failure. – Read More
🫣 Ex-F1 driver on de Vries future: "The decision has been made". – Read More
🤯 Norris to Red Bull? Marko meeting sparks rumours. – Read More
💅Shakira spotted at Silverstone and Hamilton makes podium: Is F1 love in the air? – Read More
HUNGARIAN GP 2023 🇬🇧 Scheduled 21 – 23 July
Hungaroring in Budapest
TLDR;
1️⃣ Circuit length: 4.381 km
2️⃣ Number of laps: 70
3️⃣ Lap record: 1:17.103 Max Verstappen (2019)
4️⃣ Corners & DRS: 14 corners with 2 DRS zones
MEME OF THE DAY 