🟠 McLaren F1's tech team shake-up!

Rev up your engines for this week's APEX bite newsletter, where we're tackling F1's latest thrills and spills! 🏎️

From Horner dismissing Hamilton-to-Red Bull rumors to Ferrari's fear of failure in Jeddah, it's a rollercoaster ride in the fast lane. Wolff cries "robbery" over Alonso's penalty, while McLaren shakes up its tech team, and Mercedes turns Sherlock Holmes to dissect its 2023 car. With Alpine's boss overruled by engineers and Ferrari addressing miscommunication woes, buckle up for a wild ride on the Formula 1 news tracks! 🏁

🏎 Cooldown week news

🔵 Horner gives a very professional answer (unlike his usual punchy style) when asked about Hamilton joining Red Bull.
He dismisses speculation about Red Bull signing seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton. Amid Mercedes' struggles, rumors swirl around the Brit's next move. However, Horner tells Sky Sports F1 they're content with their current driver lineup and can't see accommodating Lewis, believing Mercedes will resolve their issues. -  Read More

🔴 Fear of failure led to Ferrari finishing 6th and 7th in Jeddah
Ferrari's fear of failure led to a cautious approach in Jeddah, prioritizing reliability and tire wear over performance. Despite progress in qualifying, the team fell short during the race. Team boss Frédéric Vasseur acknowledges the need to show potential throughout the entire weekend and address grip issues on hard tires. - Read More

⚫️ Wolff compares Alonso's penalty to Hamilton's 2021 "robbery"!
Toto Wolff draws a parallel between Fernando Alonso's Saudi Arabian penalty and Lewis Hamilton's 2021 World title loss, stating the FIA should prioritize the "right decision" over a hasty one. Hamilton and Mercedes still feel "robbed" by the controversial call that led to Verstappen's championship win. - Read More

🟢 Fernando Alonso: “It was my mistake at the start with the position on the grid”

🟠 McLaren F1's tech team shake-up!
In response to a poor 2023 start, McLaren F1 ousts James Key and forms a new Technical Executive Team with Peter Prodromou, David Sanchez, and Neil Houldey at the helm, hoping to boost performance and innovation. - Read More

⚫️ Hamilton on Verstappen: "Didn't even bother to block"!
Lewis Hamilton admits he didn't bother blocking Max Verstappen's lightning-fast Red Bull at the Saudi Arabian GP due to the "massive speed difference." The seven-time world champion was left in awe of Verstappen's swift progress through the field. - Read More

🔵 Alpine team boss 'overruled by engineers' on Ferrari challenge
Team boss Otmar Szafnauer believes they could've given the Scuderia a run for their money during the Saudi Arabian GP. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were hot on Leclerc's heels, matching his lap times. But alas, with just 10 laps left, the drivers backed off, leaving Szafnauer wishing for a chance to pass Ferrari but ultimately overruled by engineers. - Read More

🔴 Ferrari to tackle Jeddah miscommunication woes
Team boss Frédéric Vasseur admits they messed up during a crucial communication between Charles Leclerc and his race engineer. Leclerc's strong run from P12 to P5 hit a snag when Hamilton's pit stop during a safety car period pushed the Ferrari driver back to 7th. The team's scramble to strategize led to a less-than-perfect call, and they're determined to fix it! - Read More

⚫️ Mercedes goes full Sherlock Holmes to dissect its 2023 F1 car
After the Bahrain race, Toto Wolff admitted the W14 needs a total makeover for the team to regain its championship-winning ways. In a "no stone unturned" approach, Mercedes' technical director Mike Elliott says they're reevaluating everything from aerodynamics to sidepod geometry. With simulations, mechanical setups, and a pinch of elbow grease, the team's eager to close the gap and race back to the front. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a wild ride to redemption! - Read More

Bernie Collins dissects the fastest lap needle between Perez and Verstappen in Jeddah - Read More

📰 Fast Lane News

🚨 F1 and FIA ​​are alarmed.
Following another car and overtaking have become more difficult again this year. The drivers feel reminded of 2021. Did the regulations give the engineers too much freedom?
The new floor rule is possibly an own goal from the FIA. The new rule removes the point where bouncing begins, but it also encouraged engineers to add all sorts of slots, wings etc. to the floor edges to minimise the downforce loss from the 15mm rise.- Read More(DE)

🤑 Do you have a few million bucks just lying around? Schumacher's championship-winning Ferrari up for grabs.
The V10-powered F1-2000 that helped the legend secure his third title will soon hit the RM Sotheby's auction block in Hong Kong. - Read More

Seems that the US are keen on having more F1 racetracks than Europe soon enough.
The Atlantic City council approves a $2.7 billion proposal to transform the former NJ airport into an F1 racetrack, condominiums, and retail businesses. The project includes a 2.44-mile Formula 1-spec motor course, with condos and commercial establishments nearby. - Read More

Porsche will not join the F1 grid in 2026, after previous talks with McLaren and Red Bull collapsed.
A deal with sister Volkswagen Group brand Audi, for use of its power units, was also rumoured but will not materialise.
Porsche still retains an interest in F1, but it will not have an entry or affiliation with a team in the medium term. - Read More

Audi gears up for F1 shenanigans, spills the beans next month in Shanghai!
Audi teases its 2026 F1 entry as power unit supplier and Sauber partner at the Shanghai auto show in April. Meanwhile, the German automaker's already revving up at their Neuburg base. - Read More
We’ll be looking forward for some new models of overpriced F1 merchandise with the new team logo 🥹

📅 Next Race

NEXT UP: 🇦🇺 Australian Grand Prix, 31 Mar - 02 Apr.

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