🤯 Carlos Sainz to Audi?

Hey there, Racing Rebels! 👋

Welcome to a fresh edition of The APEX Bite!

With the summer break in full swing, while the drivers unwind on their vacations, we are in full throttle, keeping up with the rumors and market movements. Things are heating up!

Carlos Sainz has been the most talked-about driver in recent days. How's his relationship with Ferrari shaping up? Keep reading to get the full scoop!

And this isn't the only thing making the rounds in the paddock. There's also talk that Verstappen is driving a different car compared to Perez!

All this and much more coming right up as the Dutch Grand Prix zooms in like a bullet! So, buckle up and stay tuned for an inside look at all the latest twists and turns in the world of Formula 1.

😱Carlos Sainz: Pre-contract with Audi for 2026?!

At the beginning of the 2022 season, Carlos Sainz signed an extension with Scuderia Ferrari, keeping him with the team until the end of 2024. However, all signs point to his departure being closer than it seems.

According to Auto Action, Audi, gradually taking control of Sauber before the team's complete transformation in 2026, has already entered into a preliminary contract with the Spaniard for 2025.

Carlos Sainz Sr.'s relationship with Audi might be a key factor in this potential move. Sainz Sr. is a Dakar rally driver with the German brand and holds insider information that could influence his son's favorable decision regarding his future.

Rumors have been circulating for weeks that Sainz Sr. has been making rounds in the paddock in search of a seat for his son.

Tensions within the team and the focus on Leclerc may have played a role in this decision. The Spaniard has acknowledged his desire to start a season with the peace of mind of knowing where he'll be the following year:

This news has caused a major stir in the paddock. Even Sainz's current teammate, Leclerc, has weighed in:

What do you think will happen in the end? Is Sainz making the best decision or not? – Read More

🫣Martin Brundle: Verstappen and Perez have different cars

Former F1 driver turned commentator wanted to chat about the Red Bull team and the crazy gap between their two drivers after the Belgium Grand Prix

Perez had a brief moment of glory early in the season, nabbing 2 wins, but for the last 6 rounds, Verstappen has been flattening him like a pancake.

Verstappen's utter dominance over the Mexican became crystal clear when he breezed past Perez to snatch the lead, leaving him 22 seconds in the dust.

There's a bunch who think that the Mexican's car and the Dutchman's machine are about as similar as an egg and a chestnut. Mexican businessman Arturo Elias Ayub, son-in-law of Carlos Slim, one of Perez's main sponsors, shares the same take:

Conspiracy or plain truth? Hope we’ll find out.

🥲Horner discusses Ricciardo's regrets about leaving Red Bull

The 34-year-old Aussie driver has made a comeback to Formula 1 with AlphaTauri after being stuck in the midfield for several seasons with Renault and McLaren following his departure from Red Bull.

Ricciardo left Red Bull to steer clear of a showdown with Verstappen, but time has proven the energy drink brand right after the Aussie's rough four-year run at Renault and McLaren.

In response, Horner commented:

Formula 1 stands proudly as the pinnacle of motorsport, a realm where drivers are veritable athletes with tremendous talent and skills. They diligently train day in and day out to maintain their position at the apex.

The path to Formula 1 is far from a leisurely drive. The competition is remarkably fierce, and with only 20 seats available, securing a spot requires a Herculean effort.

To get to the category, you have to navigate through an array of lower tiers each brimming with thousands of participants. To make a mark and progress, one must distinguish oneself and accumulate a repertoire of achievements.

Many are inevitably left in the dust, with both skill and luck playing pivotal roles.

Only a tiny fraction of those who try managing to arrive at the gates of Formula 1 after a hard voyage. But the trials don't halt there. Sustaining one's presence in this arena is an equally formidable task, as pressure surges from all directions.

Now, let’s delve into the arduous path leading to Formula 1 and explore how drivers meticulously train to attain and preserve their prime form!

The Road To Formula 1

The road to Formula 1 is a real rollercoaster. It’s long, it’s tough, and boy, is it expensive! So, don’t expect just anyone to hop on that train.

The first step to start your way to Formula 1 is to dive into the world of karting from an early age, which can be from 6 or 7 years old, just like some of the current big shots like Alonso, Hamilton and Leclerc when they started out.

But wait, karting is no cakewalk. It's a real challenge with a boatload of championships – local, regional, continental, and global showdowns. And guess what? It only gets trickier and more cutthroat as you climb that ladder.

If you want to shine and make a name, it all boils down to your track record. Oh, and karts, gear, gas, entry fees, and jet-setting around can tally up to a whopping $35,000 a year!

So, it's no surprise that some youngsters hit the brakes due to the costs, or they roll up their sleeves and scout for sponsors to keep the pedal to the metal.

In karting, there are scouts keeping their eagle eyes peeled for the next big things. So, if all goes well, after about 7 years of making a name for yourself in karting globally, you might just get the golden ticket around 15 to join a team and take that next big leap.

As in karting competitions, there are numerous regional, national and international single-seater championships.

Kicking things off is the regional Formula 4, and then you’ve got Formula 3 championships like European F3 or Formula Renault, where the real action happens.

Now, there’s a pinnacle in F3, the almighty FIA F3, and right on its tail is the grand finale, the F2, your last pit stop before the F1 extravaganza.

There’s no straight road to the summit, and it’s a twisty, turny, and often unpredictable journey to the top, with drivers often jumping from F4 to F2 or from F3 to F1.

Competitions like F3 or F2 ignite massive expectation, capturing the attention of every F1 team as they scout for the next wave of prodigious talents.

And that's where the young driver academies step up, swooping into ink deals with budding drivers, nurturing and guiding them through the ranks, all with the ultimate dream of unleashing them onto the F1 stage one fine day.

Unveiling the Training Regime of an F1 Driver

Why Training is Non-Negotiable

Many folks tend to underestimate the sheer intensity of Formula 1. After all, it's just lounging around for a couple of hours, right?

But let me tell you, being an F1 driver isn't a walk in the park. These speedsters put their bodies through the wringer, training just as hard as any top-tier athlete.

Driving an F1 car at such high speeds is a very demanding and physically demanding exercise which requires years of preparation for these drivers to honing their skills before they even get a shot at Formula 1.

Driving a Formula 1 car at high speeds takes some serious muscle power and unyielding stamina, and not just anyone can handle it.

The high speeds at which Formula 1 cars race mean that drivers are exposed to a large amount of G-forces during acceleration, corners, braking and, yes, crashes too.

Think of G-forces as those invisible hands pushing and tugging on you when you're riding a roller coaster or slamming on your car brakes – they're like the universe's way of shaking you up.

Normally, we all deal with a measly 1 G, which is basically the weight of gravity. But for F1 drivers, it's a whole different ball game.

When they hit the gas, they're pulling about 2 G, and when they're taking those hairpin curves, it can ramp up to a wild 4 to 6 G – that's like lugging around 5 times their own body weight!

When accidents happen, and they do, these daredevils can get hit with mind-boggling G-forces that shoot up to a mind-numbing 50 G.

To withstand these forces, drivers require significant muscular strength in their necks, torsos, and legs, coupled with sufficient endurance to perform at their best from the initial to the final lap, along with excellent cardiovascular fitness.

The neck stands out as one of the most vulnerable areas and one that deals with significant G forces (along with the helmet's weight). That's why drivers place so much emphasis on neck training, resulting in their robust neck muscles.

Similarly, strong legs are essential because they need to apply as much as 160 kilograms of force on the brake pedal to bring the car to a halt.

Considering cockpit temperatures can hit 50 degrees, it's not uncommon for a driver to shed up to 3 kg of body weight during a race.

To tackle this challenge, drivers maintain low levels of body fat through carefully planned nutrition and consistent endurance training. This helps them effectively manage their body temperature.

This is how G-forces act on a normal person in a Formula 1. Still think anyone could drive it?

Inside F1 Driver Training: What's Involved?

Every driver follows their personalized physical preparation program, but the majority build their workout routines around gym sessions, adopting a well-rounded approach that involves endurance activities such as cycling, running, rowing, or swimming, alongside strength training.

In their endurance training, drivers fine-tune the intensity and extent of their workouts based on daily requirements, aiming to enhance recovery and unleash their full athletic potential. They often rely on heart rate monitors to aid in this process.

Each driver has their preferred endurance sport. Jenson Button was into triathlons, and Romain Grosjean took up cross-country skiing during the preseason.

Many, like Fernando Alonso, lean towards cycling as their go-to choice.

When it comes to strength training, the focus is squarely on the neck, arms, legs, and core – the areas that take the brunt of the strain inside the car.

The gym routines they tackle involve a mix of exercises such as reverse lunge presses, Romanian deadlifts, front squats, kettlebell swings, thrusters, sumo deadlifts, military presses, and seated Russian twists, to name a few.

While building strength is crucial, it's equally important not to go overboard, as excessive muscle mass and weight could actually become a drawback.

On top of these exercises, the drivers engage in various isolated strength drills for their necks using tension bands, target their arms with heavyweight flyes, and work their core muscles.

Check out Sergio Perez giving his all in the video below!

Besides working on endurance and hitting the gym, drivers gotta amp up their reflex game too. When you're zipping around in a Formula 1 car, things go from 0 to 100 real quick, and having lightning-quick reactions is a game-changer.

Now, let's talk about a classic reflex test: the ol' falling ball trick. But that's not all – there are some other nifty reflex drills in the bag, such as promptly pressing illuminated buttons on a panel.

All of this makes drivers true athletes, who must possess not only great talent and skill but also excellent physical fitness to endure the demanding challenges.

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🥱Sky Sports commentator bemoans fans who think 2023 F1 season is boring. – Read More

✍️Seven F1 drivers who are out of contract at the end of 2023. – Read More

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👨‍🏭Red Bull: "Checo has the toughest job in F1, being Verstappen's teammate”. – Read More (ES)

💦Why Pirelli is pushing for a “super intermediate” F1 wet tyre. – Read More

😵‍💫Stella defends F1 rules but admits big problem. – Read More (ES)

🟠BARRETTO: McLaren’s turnaround has been spectacular – but can they now push on to challenge Red Bull? – Read More

🇳🇱 Scheduled 25-27 August

Circuit Zandvoort

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