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Chasing the Apex

Chasing the Apex

By Sid Sudhir

Welcome to Chasing the Apex, a motorsport-focused podcast. My name is Sid Sudhir, and my goal is to bring you insightful conversations with the most interesting personalities in the world of motorsport. I hope you enjoy what I have to offer!
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Indy Pro 2000 Driver Flinn Lazier - Episode 001

Chasing the ApexOct 11, 2021

00:00
36:56
Former F1 Design Engineer Fabio Segalini - Episode 022

Former F1 Design Engineer Fabio Segalini - Episode 022

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I am sitting down with Fabio Segalini. After earning his Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Parma, Fabio started his professional career with Dallara. While at Dallara, he held a multitude of different design oriented roles. Fabio then became the Technical Director and Race Engineer at Durango Engineering which competed in both the F3000 and GP2 championships. After almost three years with the team, Fabio then made the jump to F1, spending time with Toro Rosso, Sauber F1, and Haas F1. Since then he has spent time with Oreca and Podium Advanced Technologies and has recently started a new position as the Technical Director at MYGALE, a French racing car manufacturer. 

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Feb 04, 202401:16:40
FIA Head of Technical Audit Dominic Harlow - Episode 021

FIA Head of Technical Audit Dominic Harlow - Episode 021

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I am sitting down with motorsports engineer, Dominic Harlow. After earning a degree from Imperial College London, Dominic started his career working on rally and touring cars with the Motorsports Development firm. Dominic then joined the Williams Touring Car group, working as a Design and Race Engineer before entering F1 with the Jordan team. After a six year stint with Jordan, he then moved to the Force India team where he held roles as the Chief Race & Test Engineer as well as the Director of Circuit Engineering. Dominic then spent a year with the Williams F1 team as a Senior Operations Engineer and now runs his own consulting firm and is the Head of Technical Audit for the FIA. 

Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jan 28, 202430:28
Indy NXT Driver Josh Green - Episode 020

Indy NXT Driver Josh Green - Episode 020

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex. Today I am sitting down with Indy NXT driver Josh Green. Originally from New York, Josh started his karting career in 2015, working his way through the ranks until he made his formula car debut in 2019. Since then, Josh has competed in both the USF 2000 and Indy Pro 2000 series before moving up to the Indy NXT series with HMD in 2023. 
Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jan 17, 202401:03:53
Motorsports Journalist Sam Smith - Episode 019

Motorsports Journalist Sam Smith - Episode 019

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex, today we are sitting down with motorsport journalist Sam Smith. Sam started out his career as a press officer for the FIA Sportscar Championship before spending nearly a decade as the Communications Manager with Lola Cars. Sam then transitioned to a role as the Media Officer of the World Endurance Championship, while running a media company and writing the first definitive book on Formula E at the same time. Within the past few years, Sam has also picked up a position as the Formula E Chief Correspondent at The Race. 

Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Nov 20, 202301:04:53
Arrow McLaren Team Principle Gavin Ward - Episode 018

Arrow McLaren Team Principle Gavin Ward - Episode 018

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex, today we are sitting down Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team Principal Gavin Ward. After attending Oxford Brookes for schooling, Gavin started his career with Red Bull F1, working positions as a Tire and Trackside Control System Engineer before becoming a Trackside Race Engineer, working with drivers Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo, and reporting directly to Adrian Newey. Gavin then worked as an aerodynamicist for the team before moving stateside to work as Josef Newgarden’s race engineer with the Penske IndyCar team. In 2022, Gavin joined the Arrow McLaren team and served roles as the Director of Trackside Engineering and Racing Director before recently being promoted to Team Principal. 


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Nov 04, 202350:32
Ferrari LMh Race Engineer Justin Taylor - Episode 017

Ferrari LMh Race Engineer Justin Taylor - Episode 017

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I’m sitting down with someone who has a long and exciting list of experiences in motorsport, Justin Taylor. Justin started out his career as a race mechanic before quickly working his way up to becoming a Data Engineer for the Audi Sport LMP1 team. From there he spent almost 10 years race engineering many of Audi’s different LMP1 cars where he racked up accolades like a win and podium at Le Mans, three wins at Sebring, 1st place in the 2012 WEC Championship, and 2nd place in the 2016 WEC Championship. Since then he has held the race engineer position at Oreca, Ed Carpenter Racing, and AJ Foyt Racing. Justin is currently a race engineer for the highly anticipated LMH hypercar project at Ferrari. I hope you enjoy the episode!


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Feb 18, 202351:11
IndyCar Driver Sting Ray Robb - Episode 016

IndyCar Driver Sting Ray Robb - Episode 016

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex, I’m your host Sid Sudhir and today we are sitting down with racing driver Sting Ray Robb. Sting Ray first got in a go-kart at age 5 and it wasn’t long before he was racing competitively, winning a national karting championship in 2015. This helped springboard him into his car racing career, starting with the Pro Mazda series before transitioning to the Indy Pro 2000 series. He spent two years in Indy Pro with Juncos, winning the series in 2020 which earned him a move up to the Indy Lights series. In 2022 Robb had another impressive season with Andretti in the Indy Lights series, finishing 2nd in the standings with two poles and one race win. Sting Ray will be competing as a rookie in IndyCar this year with Dale Coyne Racing.


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jan 31, 202301:03:29
IndyCar Driver Devlin DeFrancesco - Episode 015

IndyCar Driver Devlin DeFrancesco - Episode 015

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex, today I’m sitting down with IndyCar driver Devlin DeFrancesco. Devlin first got into a go-kart at the age of 6 and quickly became a competitive young driver, racing in several karting series in the United States, Canada, and Italy. After graduating from karts Devlin spent a year in the Italian and British F4 championships before coming 3rd in the 2017 Euroformula Championship and winning the Spanish F3 series. Devlin then spent time in the GP3 and FIA F3 series before coming back to the states and placing 2nd in the 2020 Indy Pro championship. From there, he joined the Andretti family, spending one year in the Indy Lights series before entering his rookie IndyCar season with Andretti Steinbrenner Racing in 2022.


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jan 26, 202341:51
Indy NXT & LMP2 Driver Josh Pierson - Episode 014

Indy NXT & LMP2 Driver Josh Pierson - Episode 014

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex, today we are sitting down with 16-year-old racing driver Josh Pierson. Josh was first introduced to racing at just 2 years of age when his father let him have some fun with a mini-go-kart at a local track, and that interest very quickly blossomed into a promising racing career. Josh started out his professional career with the F1600 series before spending time in the USF 2000 series with both Exclusive Autosport and Pabst Racing. In 2022 Josh got his first taste of endurance racing at the 24 Hours of Daytona and even brought home his first WEC win at the 1000 Miles of Sebring. But it was at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where he made headlines as the youngest driver to ever compete in the famed race. For 2023, Josh has plans of competing in the Indy NXT series and has recently signed for Ed Carpenter Racing as a development driver.


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jan 11, 202358:04
Indy NXT Driver Ernie Francis Jr - Episode 013

Indy NXT Driver Ernie Francis Jr - Episode 013

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex. Today I’m sitting down with Ernie Francis Jr. Ernie started his professional racing career in 2013, racing with the Breathless Racing team run by his father in the Trans Am series. With 7 consecutive series titles under his belt in the Trans Am series, Ernie also competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with MBM Motorsports in 2017 and in the Formula Regional Americas Championship in 2021. However, one of Ernie’s most significant career moments thus far was bringing home a race win at Lucas Oil Raceway in the SRX series. He credits this win as one of the reasons he received his latest opportunity, racing in the Indy Lights series with Force Indy, a team established with the goal of bringing greater diversity and inclusion to motorsports. Hope you enjoy this episode!


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jan 08, 202348:30
IndyCar Driver David Malukas - Episode 012

IndyCar Driver David Malukas - Episode 012

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I'm sitting down with rookie IndyCar driver David Malukas. In this episode we discuss David's rookie season so far, his success in Indy Lights, the story of HMD Racing, how David mentally prepares himself for a race, and so much more! Make sure to give this episode a listen to learn more about David and his journey in racing.


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jul 28, 202241:57
ELMS & WEC Driver Bent Viscaal - Episode 011

ELMS & WEC Driver Bent Viscaal - Episode 011

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today we are sitting down with Dutch racing driver Bent Viscaal. Bent has plenty of experience in the world of racing, starting off his career by winning multiple karting championships and finishing as vice-champion in multiple F4 championships. He then continued this success in the Euro Formula and FIA F3 series before getting the call up to FIA F2 with the Trident team. After getting a couple of podiums at Monza and Jeddah in the 2021 F2 season, Bent has now turned his attention to endurance racing, competing in both the ELMS and WEC series. Click play to hear more about Bent's motorsports journey!


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jun 08, 202236:56
Porsche Formula E Race Engineer Fabrice Roussel - Episode 010

Porsche Formula E Race Engineer Fabrice Roussel - Episode 010

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! I'm your host Sid Sudhir and today I'm sitting down with Fabrice Roussel, an engineer with a wealth of experience in both the WEC and Formula E series. We start off by discussing Fabrice's time in the WEC and why the strategic nature of the racing garnered his interest. We then move on to discuss the 24 Hours of Le Mans and why it is so important to Fabrice as a Frenchman. Then, of course, we also discuss Fabrice's time on the DS Techeetah and Porsche Formula E teams and how he has been a contributor to their successes. I had many questions for Fabrice regarding Formula E and its pursuit of a more sustainable future, and Fabrice had a lot to share! Least to say, we had a great time making this podcast and I hope you enjoy giving it a listen. 


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Apr 12, 202201:11:22
Jaguar Racing Formula E Design Office Manager Patrick Coorey - Episode 009

Jaguar Racing Formula E Design Office Manager Patrick Coorey - Episode 009

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I am sitting down with Patrick Coorey, an engineer with a wealth of experience in touring cars, GP2, Formula 1, and Formula E! In this episode, we start off by discussing how Patrick, a native of Australia, made the bold decision to move halfway around the world to pursue his passion for motorsport. We then go on to talk about Patrick's time in GP2 as well as his outlook on the still relatively new Formula E series and how he thinks it is helping forge a more sustainable future. Patrick even lets us in on the time he got to race engineer Micahel Schumacher for a few days! Press play to hear all of this and much more. 


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Apr 04, 202250:27
E1 Series CEO Rodi Basso - Episode 008

E1 Series CEO Rodi Basso - Episode 008

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I'm sitting down with Rodi Basso, a man with a very impressive resume. Rodi started out his career working at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center before assuming his first role in motorsport with the biggest name in the game: Ferrari. At Ferrari, he race engineered for Rubens Barichello and learned from figures like Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher. Rodi then moved to Red Bull where he race engineered for David Coulthard and reported to Adrian Newey. More recently, Rodi has co-founded the E1 Series, an electric powerboat racing series which is the first of its kind. As the CEO, he is currently working hard at making the E1 Series a reality and already has some great work to show for it. I hope you enjoy our conversation! 


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Feb 26, 202245:25
Director of Aerodynamic Development at IndyCar Tino Belli - Episode 007

Director of Aerodynamic Development at IndyCar Tino Belli - Episode 007

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I'm sitting down with Tino Belli, an engineer with a wealth of experience in the IndyCar series. Tino started out his career working at March Engineering, reporting directly to the famed Adrian Newey. While at March, he worked on the team's IndyCar, Formula 3000, and Road Rallying programs. He then transitioned to F1, designing the Fondmetal and Larousse cars. However, he soon returned to IndyCar, working with the team now known as Andretti Autosport. Since 2014 Tino has worked for the governing body of IndyCar. He has been in charge of large projects like the universal aerokit in 2018 and the introduction of the aeroscreen. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Tino!


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Feb 18, 202253:36
Sporting Director of Sauber F1 Beat Zehnder - Episode 006

Sporting Director of Sauber F1 Beat Zehnder - Episode 006

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I'm speaking with the Sporting Director of the Alfa Romeo Sauber Formula 1 team: Beat Zehnder. Beat has been with Sauber ever since they formed their Formula 1 team back in 1993. In fact, he has traveled with the team to every single Grand Prix that they've participated in. Beat started off as a mechanic, before being promoted to Chief Mechanic, Team Manager, and then finally the role he holds today. I hope you enjoy learning about the different experiences Beat has gained working for Sauber!


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jan 26, 202236:48
IndyCar Driver Callum Ilott - Episode 005

IndyCar Driver Callum Ilott - Episode 005

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I'm sitting down with British racing driver Callum Ilott. Callum has competed in both the FIA F3 and F2 series in the past, finishing runner up to Mick Schumacher in the 2020 F2 season. He also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and held the reserve driver role for the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 team in 2021. In this episode, we discuss Callum's upcoming IndyCar season, his journey through the lower formulas, and whether he still has ambitions of racing in F1. I hope that you enjoy our conversation and find Callum to be an interesting guest!


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jan 06, 202249:08
CEO of Radical Sportscars Joseph Anwyll - Episode 004

CEO of Radical Sportscars Joseph Anwyll - Episode 004

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! Today I'm sitting down with Joseph Anwyll, a career engineer turned CEO at one of the biggest track car manufacturers in the business: Radical. In this episode, we discuss why Mr. Anwyll came to Radical in 2016, how the company has been able to grow over the past few years, and the plans he has for its future. I hope you enjoy this latest installment of Chasing the Apex!


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Jan 01, 202230:18
2017 British F3 Champion Enaam Ahmed - Episode 003

2017 British F3 Champion Enaam Ahmed - Episode 003

Welcome back for another installment of Chasing the Apex! Today I'm sitting down with a good friend of mine, Enaam Ahmed. While Enaam has spent most of his racing career in Europe, this past year he made a big jump by coming across the pond to compete in the IndyPro 2000 series. In this episode, we discuss how COVID-19 made this season a logistical challenge, how Enaam had to change his racing style, and why he decided to come to the United States in the first place. I hope you enjoy our discussion and find Enaam to be an entertaining guest!


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Dec 26, 202126:14
F1 Technical Journalist Craig Scarborough - Episode 002

F1 Technical Journalist Craig Scarborough - Episode 002

Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the Apex! For this episode, I had the privilege of interviewing the one and only Craig Scarborough. Craig has over 20 years of experience reporting as a technical journalist in Formula 1. He started his journalism work as a side job, but eventually made it his career, traveling to testing days and various Grand Prix weekends around the world. I had a great time chatting with Craig, and I hope it makes for a great podcast episode, enjoy!  


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Nov 01, 202147:55
Indy Pro 2000 Driver Flinn Lazier - Episode 001

Indy Pro 2000 Driver Flinn Lazier - Episode 001

Welcome to the very first episode of Chasing the Apex! For this first episode, I had the honor of interviewing IndyPro 2000 driver Flinn Lazier. I first met Flinn at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and immediately could sense his strong passion for motorsport. When you find out that his father Buddy Lazier is a former Indy 500 winner, you begin to understand just how much racing means to Flinn. So sit back, and enjoy a fascinating conversation documenting Flinn's path through the ranks.  


Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/chasingtheapex

Oct 11, 202136:56