Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 126 Potential Major Sponsors
It was sunny on March 3.

In the terminal of Guangzhou-Shenzhen International Airport, Chen Xiangbei pushed his luggage alone toward the exit.

The convoy members did not travel together, but instead split into two groups and headed to Hong Kong Island.

Due to certain national policies, foreign crew members like Odette need to apply for visas at the embassy to come to mainland China.

On the contrary, with the invitation from the Hong Kong Grand Prix, they can land directly on Hong Kong Island, saving a lot of trouble.

Considering that there are still two weeks until the Grand Prix, there is not much point in Chen Xiangbei going to Australia early to prepare. Let him get together with his family and friends and relax.

Fatty Wang and Glasses Zhou stood in the crowd of people waiting to arrive at the airport, their eyes fixed on the exit, until a familiar face came into view.

"Zhou Glasses, Xiang Bei is coming out, grab your weapons!"

At Wang Pangzi's command, Zhou Yanjing took out a roll of banner from his backpack and unfurled it in full view of everyone, revealing a line of large characters written on it.

[A warm welcome to Renault champion Chen Xiangbei!]

Chen Xiangbei had actually spotted Fatty Wang and Glasses Zhou long ago. Just as he was about to go over and say hello, he saw the two guys unfurling a large banner.

Almost instantly, Chen Xiangbei's smile froze on his face, and he silently lowered his hand, which he had raised halfway.

Then he turned his head and looked ahead expressionlessly, as if he didn't know Fatty Wang and Glasses Zhou at all, and was just a stranger who had just gotten off the plane.

Even at this moment, he hoped that the name "Chen Xiangbei" would never belong to him...

Chen Xiangbei never expected that these two bastards, who had repeatedly told him to inform them of the exact time when he returned to China, were actually preparing this!

"Look north, we're here!"

"Heading north, an exclusive championship banner, we've got you all the prestige!"

"Brother Bei, Brother Bei, you're incredibly brave and amazing!"

The fact that Fatty Wang and Glasses Zhou had unfurled their banners had already attracted the attention of the people waiting at the airport.

Now that these shouts have been heard, half of the people in the airport terminal are looking over, their faces filled with curiosity.

"No, who is this Chen Xiangbei? He even put up a banner to welcome him at the airport."

"What kind of championship is the Renault Champion? I've never heard of it."

"It looks really impressive. Are we falling behind the times?"

"The problem is, who exactly is Chen Xiangbei? We haven't seen him appear."

Ordinary passengers in the hall had already started whispering among themselves. For most Chinese people in this era, apart from the name Schumacher, they probably didn't pay much attention to F1, let alone know what Formula Renault was.

At this moment, Chen Xiangbei wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground...

You know, Chen Xiangbei could calmly face the cold stares and ridicule of tens of thousands of people on European racetracks, and even dare to be arrogant. But he really couldn't stand the "enthusiastic flattery" from Fatty Wang and his companion.

What does it mean that low-level red is inferior to high-level black? The present moment is a living example.

If time could be turned back, Chen Xiangbei would never have told Fatty Wang his flight information!
Since things had already come to this point, pretending to be dead was useless. Fatty Wang and Glasses Zhou had already surrounded them, unless Chen Xiangbei threw away his luggage and ran away.

"No, Chen Xiangbei, you're really not loyal. As the saying goes, if you become rich and powerful, don't forget your friends."

"Now that you're the Renault champion, you're pretending you don't recognize me, huh?"

Wang Pangzi, who had been calling Chen Xiangbei "Brother Bei" all along, saw that Chen Xiangbei was ignoring him, so he immediately threw the banner to Zhou Yanjing and pounced on him.

Chen Xiangbei dodged Wang Pangzi's move precisely, causing Wang Pangzi to miss.

Although his shoulder injury had recovered to about 70-80%, he couldn't withstand the torment of Wang Pangzi's weight of 170-180 pounds.

Chen Xiangbei replied with a helpless expression, "If you didn't know it was the Renault champion, you'd think the F1 world champion was returning home. Can't we be a little more low-key?"

"Damn, you finally regained your memory!"

Fatty Wang muttered a complaint, then put his hand on Chen Xiangbei's shoulder, raised his eyebrows smugly, and said, "Brother Bei, how was it? Are you satisfied with this welcome ceremony?"

“Satisfied, very satisfied!”

Chen Xiangbei replied with gritted teeth.

Fatty Wang was completely oblivious to Chen Xiangbei's change in expression. Instead, he boasted to Glasses Zhou, "See? I told you Xiangbei would love it!"

"I probably don't like it that much..."

Zhou Chenshu's observation skills were far superior; he calmly put the banner back in his backpack and then changed the subject.

"By the way, Xiangbei, besides us, there's another person coming to pick us up at the airport."

"Who?"

"You'll see when you get to the parking lot."

Soon, the three of them arrived at the parking lot amidst their bickering. From afar, they saw Qin Lianjie leaning against the hood of his Civic Type-R, waving with a big smile and saying, "Xiang Bei, we meet again."

"Why are you here?"

Chen Xiangbei was somewhat surprised that he had not informed Qin Lianjie of his return this time.

“Shaiminghui said you were going back to China, so I asked Fatty Wang for the exact time.”

Showing off one's life?
Upon hearing this answer, Chen Xiangbei immediately turned to look at Fatty Wang. It must be that big mouth who spread the word throughout the city!
As expected, when faced with Chen Xiangbei's questioning gaze, Fatty Wang gave an awkward smile. He had simply been talking a little too loudly with Glasses Zhou, and it had unknowingly been overheard.

It can only be said that Chen Xiangbei left too much psychological trauma on Shaiminghui, which led to him paying "special attention" to him.

"Get in the car first, I've booked a restaurant to welcome you back."

Qin Lianjie said something, then opened the car door and got into the driver's seat.

"No need to be so polite, I'd better go home first."

After saying that, Chen Xiangbei pointed to his luggage.

He was abroad for several months, even spending the Lunar New Year overseas, and to be honest, he missed his mother a little.

Qin Lianjie immediately realized what was happening and nodded, saying, "That's right, I didn't think it through. I'll take you back first."

So the group got into Qin Lianjie's Civic Type-R and drove towards the city center of Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Throughout the journey, Fatty Wang and Glasses Zhou kept asking Chen Xiangbei about his experiences with racing abroad.

For them, a real Formula One career is full of mystery and curiosity.

Chen Xiangbei answered all of this without reservation, leaving Fatty Wang and Glasses Zhou stunned. When they arrived home, they were still reluctant to get out of the car and made an appointment to meet up the next day.

Watching the two young men walk away, Chen Xiangbei finally spoke up: "Qin Lianjie, what's the current status of Huali Group's acquisition of Volvo?"

"Both sides are very interested, but the funding gap for the acquisition by the Huali Group is too large. Goldman Sachs is only willing to provide a maximum investment of US$3.3 million by acquiring equity."

Even before Chen Xiangbei went to Europe, he had already asked Qin Lianjie to keep a close eye on the news of this cross-border automobile merger and acquisition.

Qin Lianjie just didn't understand what the significance of Chen Xiangbei's concern was.
Even if he knew the progress of the entire merger and acquisition, such a multinational project worth billions of US dollars was not something Chen Xiangbei could get involved in; at most, he could only be an observer.

"How large is Geely's funding gap right now?"

"Who knows."

Qin Lianjie shrugged.

Although listed companies are required to publish financial reports, the acquisition involved a combination of numerous banks and state-owned assets, and the exact amount remains unknown to outsiders.

"However, according to Goldman Sachs' estimates, it should be around two hundred million US dollars."

Qin Lianjie hesitated for a moment, but still revealed his father's inside information, as he trusted Chen Xiangbei's character.

"I understand, thanks."

"OK, see you tomorrow."

"Well, see you tomorrow."

Chen Xiangbei waved goodbye to Qin Lianjie and went upstairs with his suitcase.

Arriving at his familiar home, Chen Xiangbei had just inserted the key into the lock when the door immediately opened from the inside, revealing his mother, Zhao Yumei.

It was obvious that Zhao Yumei had been waiting for Chen Xiangbei to come home, which was why she opened the door immediately.

Compared to the excitement and longing she felt upon returning to China from Japan, Zhao Yumei has gradually adapted to and accepted Chen Xiangbei's identity as a driver, and her emotions have become much more stable.

"Xiang Bei, you've lost weight."

Zhao Yumei touched her son's cheek, which was now becoming increasingly angular.

"Mom, I haven't actually lost weight. This is the effect of physical training."

Chen Xiangbei smiled and replied, then gave his mother a hug.

After nearly half a year of high-intensity physical training, the results are beginning to show. The fat loss and muscle gain only make him look thinner from the outside. At the same weight, Chen Xiangbei's physical fitness has actually improved a lot.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yumei took a step back and carefully examined her son, noticing that the most noticeable change was that his neck had become thicker. Then she tried to pinch Chen Xiangbei's arm, only to find it was all muscle and impossible to press down!
At this moment, Zhao Yumei felt a mix of emotions. She truly felt the changes in her son. He had gradually lost the image of the high school student he once was and was completely transforming into a professional race car driver.

"Oh, right, Mom, I also prepared a gift for you."

After saying that, Chen Xiangbei took out a Renault championship trophy from his backpack, with the words "Silverstone Circuit" written in English on the base.

This is the championship trophy Chen Xiangbei won at the first stop in Silverstone, marking the beginning of his professional career in the world. He gave it to his mother, Zhao Yumei, so that she could witness his success.

"Is that the Renault logo?"

The Formula Renault championship trophy is a Renault logo carved from crystal.

"Yes, but it's also a Formula Renault Grand Prix trophy."

"It has to be displayed in a prominent place at home, so that if anyone asks about it in the future, they can say that my son is a champion!"

A proud look appeared on Zhao Yumei's face. Although she still didn't understand what the Reynolds equation was, she was satisfied with her son's achievement.

"Okay, then I'll win you a few more bigger championships in the future."

Chen Xiangbei replied with a smile, "Winning a Formula Renault race is just the beginning."

"Xiangbei, Mom doesn't actually ask you to win any championships, I just want you to be safe and sound outside."

"I will."

After saying these words, Zhao Yumei pulled Chen Xiangbei to the dining table. She had prepared a table of her son's favorite dishes in advance.

Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Xiangbei immediately began to devour his food. If you were to ask him what he found most difficult to adjust to in England, the food would definitely be on the list.

It can only be said that Britain truly deserves its reputation as a country with "dark cuisine" on the internet in later generations. Basically, the dishes you can eat every day are just the same three things: potatoes, pudding, and smoked fish.

Not only are there few varieties, but there are also few styles!
Today it's roasted potatoes, tomorrow it's fried potatoes, the day after tomorrow it's mashed potatoes—Chen Xiangbei feels like he's about to become a potato himself.

This is why the championship celebration was held at a Chinese restaurant; Chen Xiangbei was essentially using his position for personal gain.

Chen Xiangbei enjoyed a peaceful meal at home and then had a good night's sleep, a rare moment of complete relaxation he hadn't had in the past six months.

The next morning, Fatty Wang and Glasses Zhou came over, and the three of them had a good get-together and chatted about their experiences over the past few days. In the end, they even went to an internet cafe and played a game of online gaming.

After all, they all knew very well that they didn't know when they would get together again.

Around noon, Chen Xiangbei unexpectedly received a call from Lu Xiaoman, whose first question was blunt: "Xiangbei, where are you right now?"

"Guangming Street, what's wrong?"

Chen Xiangbei asked in confusion, "Lu Xiaoman was a member of the crew who landed on Hong Kong Island. She wouldn't have contacted me in advance unless it was something important."

"Wait for me there, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

After saying that, Lu Xiaoman hung up the phone immediately.

"Xiang Bei, is there something you need?"

Seeing this, Zhou Glasses also asked a question.

"do not know."

Chen Xiangbei shook his head. Lu Xiaoman was the kind of person who acted on a whim; you could never predict what she was going to do.

Twenty minutes didn't last long, and soon a Ferrari F430 with license plates from Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau stopped in front of Chen Xiangbei.

As the car window rolled down, Lu Xiaoman, wearing sunglasses, called out in an extremely cool and confident manner, "Get in the car."

Chen Xiangbei was already used to Lu Xiaoman's behavior. He waved to Fatty Wang and Glasses Zhou, then opened the passenger door and got in.

Instead, the two men looked completely bewildered, standing blankly by the roadside watching the Ferrari's taillights disappear into the distance. Only then did Fatty Wang mutter, "Zhou Glasses, is this the legendary rich woman's style?"

"A bit like."

Zhou Glasses nodded. Lu Xiaoman already exuded a powerful aura, and with that Ferrari F430, Chen Xiangbei looked like a pretty boy in comparison.

"It seems Xiang Bei has really made something of himself..."

As he said this, Fatty Wang patted Glasses Zhou on the shoulder, and the latter nodded meaningfully in agreement.

Of course, Chen Xiangbei had no idea what those two bastards were thinking.

He asked with a puzzled look on his face, "Sister Man, aren't you on Hong Kong Island?"

"Also, what is it that's so urgent?"

"President Peng of Jiuli Sports has arrived in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and he has also helped you secure a top-tier sponsorship."

"What kind of sponsorship?"

Chen Xiangbei's curiosity was piqued.

Despite Peng Sheng being a returnee from overseas and Jiuli Sports being a startup, Chen Xiangbei has a historical perspective and knows about his family's connections and relationships in the sports industry.

The sponsorship that could get him to personally travel from Donghai to Guangzhou and Shenzhen must be from someone of considerable influence.

"See that sign on the roof of that building in the distance? That's it."

Chen Xiangbei looked in the direction Lu Xiaoman was pointing and saw a row of huge letters hanging on the top of a glass curtain wall building in the distance.

【Lneovo】(The letters are intentionally reversed; just remember the homonym).
Lianxiang?

Chen Xiangbei was shocked. He really hadn't expected that his first top sponsor would be Lianxiang.

But on second thought, it seems quite normal. Among the domestic giants of this era, there are very few brands that need overseas commercial influence, and those that are interested in Formula racing are even fewer, leaving only LISCO as the sole survivor.

As early as 2007, it sponsored the Williams F1 team, making it one of the earliest Chinese companies to venture into Formula racing.

"Looking north, Lianxiang has achieved an average annual growth rate of 55% in its overseas market in the past two years through sponsoring F1 teams and the Beijing Olympics, and has successfully entered the list of the world's top 500 companies, tasting the sweetness of exporting brand influence."

"Peng's Jiuli Sports is now expanding in all directions. It has already established a partnership with Lianxiang, signed famous Olympic champion Zou Shiming, billiards superstar O'Sullivan and others, and is also preparing to enter the Formula One field."

"They are interested in your status as a test rider for the Brawn GP team and the influence of your upcoming participation in the Grand Prix, and intend to sign a long-term sponsorship contract."

When Lu Xiaoman said this, her tone was filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

Although she wasn't short of money, as a temporary part-time "agent," she was well aware of how tight Chen Xiangbei's finances were.

After deducting the increased rental and insurance costs for the Renault race car, as well as various expenses for team members, the remaining balance in the account was less than 200,000 RMB, which could be said to be on the verge of bankruptcy.

Even when participating in the Australian Grand Prix, Chen Xiangbei did not bring a complete team of drivers in order to save on team expenses; there were only three Chinese mechanics.

Another important point is that Lu Xiaoman always remembered what Odeto said to Chen Xiangbei: "Are you afraid of the track?"

Lu Xiaoman was also well aware that it wasn't that Chen Xiangbei was afraid, but rather that he was forced to be conservative due to a shortage of funds.

That's why Lu Xiaoman jokingly told Chen Xiangbei not to worry about the car damage, as she could afford to pay for her several Renault race cars.

Although Chen Xiangbei has overcome his "conservative" mindset, the financial pressure from car damage still troubles him. The few hundred thousand yuan in sponsorship fees from small brands he currently receives is merely a drop in the bucket for Formula racing, a sport that burns through money.

Chen Xiangbei desperately needs major sponsorship from top companies, which is one of the reasons why Ross Brawn and Staller believe he must participate in the Grand Prix.

In their view, if Chinese drivers want to gain a foothold in the F1 paddock, since they don't have the advantage of having a local family background, then their strength and sponsorship must be particularly outstanding.

And having ability alone is not enough. Even someone as strong as Schumacher only got his official driver's seat and racing opportunities by signing a paid contract with the Jordan team.

Even before Liberty Media took over F1 operations in the United States, most drivers typically went through two phases.

The first method is to obtain a seat through money.

Secondly, stay based on your abilities!

"I understand."

After listening to Lu Xiaoman's explanation, Chen Xiangbei nodded.

It can only be said that Staller made the right move by leveraging its extensive investment experience in the F1 paddock.

Even before winning the championship, the influence and benefits brought by the Grand Prix have already begun to emerge.

"This could be a big contract, how come you seem calmer than me?"

Looking at Chen Xiangbei's calm demeanor, Lu Xiaoman couldn't help but mutter something to herself.

You should know that when she received Peng Sheng's call, she didn't dare to delay at all and drove from Hong Kong Island to Shenzhen without stopping.

They were worried about keeping the other party waiting too long, which would affect Chen Xiangbei's sponsorship contract negotiations.

After hearing this, the guy remained calm and collected. Did he not realize the value of this huge sponsorship, or was he just as emotionally stable as ever?

"Otherwise, should I be nervous?"

Chen Xiangbei replied with a smile.

He is indeed short of money, but he never thinks he will always be short of money!
The reason is simple: performance is the foundation of sponsorship.

Chen Xiangbei was able to get Peng Sheng's introduction and enter Lianxiang's sights to seek a large sponsorship contract.

It wasn't based on their personal relationship, nor on his status as a Chinese driver.

It was purely because Chen Xiangbei secured a test driver contract with an F1 team and became the first mainland Chinese driver to participate in the Australian F3 Championship.

As long as Chen Xiangbei can achieve good results in the Grand Prix, even without Lianxiang, other top companies, and even state-owned enterprises going overseas, will extend olive branches!
He has absolute confidence in his future and his value, which is the source of his calm and composed demeanor.

"As expected of you!"

Lu Xiaoman was speechless; it seemed she had been worrying for nothing.

The Ferrari F430 drove into the building's parking lot. As soon as the two entered the lobby, they saw a person who looked like a secretary approaching them.

"Hello, Mr. Chen, Ms. Lu, General Manager Liu and General Manager Peng are already waiting in the office. Please follow me."

After saying that, the secretary led the way. Chen Xiangbei and Lu Xiaoman exchanged a glance, and then followed behind, taking the elevator directly to the top floor of the building's high-rise office.

As the elevator doors opened, a huge office came into view, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of most of Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Peng Sheng and even President Liu were standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, chatting about something.

"Mr. Liu, Mr. Chen and Ms. Lu have arrived."

Upon hearing his secretary's reminder, General Manager Liu turned around and greeted him with a smile, "Xiao Chen, it's a pleasure to meet you. You look quite handsome."

"Mr. Liu, you flatter me."

"Come, come, sit down and let's talk."

After Liu gestured to them, the group took their seats.

"Xiao Chen, President Peng was just chatting with me, praising you as the best driver he's ever seen. He said that sitting in the passenger seat was an unforgettable experience."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiangbei and Peng Sheng exchanged a glance, it seemed that the "fire wheel" from that night had left a deep impression on him.

"President Peng is a business partner of ours, and Xiao Lu's father is also an old friend of mine. Xiao Chen, you should be clear about the intention of this cooperation, right?"

"Ah."

Chen Xiangbei nodded.

"Then I won't beat around the bush. I'll just go straight to the sponsorship amount, in keeping with the nature of you young people."

"The racing suit logo generates two million in sponsorship fees annually, and a three-year contract can be signed."

Mr. Liu quoted a very straightforward price. Normally, this kind of small commercial sponsorship contract wouldn't be something he, at his level, would discuss; the marketing department could just contact Chen Xiangbei.

The reason he met with Chen Xiangbei was entirely out of respect for Peng Sheng and Lu Xiaoman's father, and he pointed this out directly.

The sponsorship standard of two million per year is something even a top-tier race car driver like Han Han can't get. It's like Mr. Liu directly gave Chen Xiangbei a high price.

But when he heard the number, a smile appeared on Chen Xiangbei's lips.

This Mr. Liu seems to have underestimated his own potential and that of Formula One racing.

(End of this chapter)