Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 134 My Own Home Ground (10K)

"Shouldn't Sawano-senpai have helped with this as well?"

Chen Xiangbei countered with a question.

Although Satoru Nakajima treated her very well and even introduced her to Aguri Suzuki.

However, it is well known in the Japanese motorsport world that Kazuki Nakajima and his father, Satoru Nakajima, have differing opinions. One is aligned with Toyota, while the other is aligned with Honda, making them essentially "enemies."

The full-view cornering trajectory of the race car, as well as the data analysis from the European ART team's strategy group, is definitely not the kind of common information that can be seen in broadcast recordings. The only way to obtain this information is to get it personally from Kazuki Nakajima.

For Nakajima Satoru to lower himself to help with this, his status as a former racing student alone is not enough.

The only person Chen Xiangbei could think of to provide support was his own competition engineer, Hiroki Sawano.

"Yes, Sawano-senpai provided assistance."

Hoshino Yoshi nodded; he understood the reason as well.

"Yes, thank you for today."

Chen Xiangbei didn't say anything more, only thanked Hoshino Yoshino.

"You're welcome, I owe you."

After saying this, Hoshino Yoshi waved to Chen Xiangbei, then stepped on the gas and drove away.

As Hoshino Yoshi drove away in his Honda NSX, Qin Lianjie approached and said in a surprised tone, "Chen Xiangbei, I didn't expect you to be classmates with the daughter of the chairman of Eastern Shipping. This company has long been the title sponsor of the Hong Kong Grand Prix and sponsors local drivers from Hong Kong and Macau."

"By the way, your year's Hong Kong Island driver, Fong Chun-yu, received their sponsorship."

"pretty good."

Chen Xiangbei casually replied that there aren't many Chinese companies willing to sponsor drivers these days.

"So, do you have any ideas?"

"what idea?"

Chen Xiangbei was baffled by Qin Lianjie's sudden question.

"Don't let the good stuff go to outsiders. Find a way to win over the female classmate, and you'll never lack sponsorships again."

Qin Lianjie replied seriously, as he was well aware of the strength and background of the Eastern Shipping Group.

"Crazy thread."

Chen Xiangbei ignored him and turned to walk into the hotel.

But Qin Lianjie pressed on, adding, "I know you're focused on your career right now and don't have the time or energy to think about romance. Besides, a race car driver doesn't need women."

After saying that, Qin Lianjie changed the subject, put his hand on Chen Xiangbei's shoulder meaningfully, and said, "But a rich woman can let you drive a faster and better race car!"

[Does this sound like she's asking to become a gigolo?]

Chen Xiangbei was utterly speechless at Qin Lianjie's words, and could only utter a phrase that would become a common expression in later generations: "Your sister..."

To his utter surprise, Qin Lianjie seemed to have a burst of inspiration after hearing the news.

"Holy crap, so you were after my sister all along."

"But then again, if you really have this idea, it's not impossible!"

Chen Xiangbei was completely convinced. How come he had never noticed that Qin Lianjie had this kind of thought process before?
Without continuing the nonsense, Chen Xiangbei went back to his room, took a shower, and went straight to sleep.

The next morning, on his way to the hotel restaurant, he happened to run into Hiroki Sawano at the entrance.

"Sawano, thank you."

Upon hearing Chen Xiangbei's gratitude, Hiroki Sawano paused for a moment before realizing what was happening and a smile appeared on his face.

During this period, he and Chen Xiangbei analyzed the track data, but the track layout of GT racing is very different from that of Formula racing, and the results of "theoretical analysis" after a few days were not very good.

Hiroki Sawano then decided to seek help from his old friend Satoru Nakajima, and eventually obtained Kazuki Nakajima's cornering trajectory and data from the ART team.

"What were the results of last night's test run on the track?"

Hiroki Sawano didn't mention the data issue, but asked Chen Xiangbei about the field test run last night.

"The traffic conditions were terrible, and later on we even encountered street racers, so I didn't get a satisfactory result."

"That's normal. It's difficult to conduct extreme test runs on non-closed road sections like streets."

Chen Xiangbei's answer was exactly what Hiroki Sawano expected. After all, he had experienced the peak of street racing in Japan in the 1980s and 90s, and he knew very well what often happened in street races.

"But that's precisely what makes street racing special and attractive; it's full of unpredictable changes and countless challenges that people want to conquer."

"Winning the Guia Circuit in Australia means you can control all types of street racing in the world, which is a must-learn for becoming a top professional driver."

Towards the end, Hiroki Sawano's words, besides encouragement, also revealed an undisguised excitement; he really liked the unique "charm" of the street races.

Because the longer a driver's career is, the higher their threshold for excitement about racing becomes.

In many cases, traditional races on regular tracks are no longer enough to get them excited. Only by constantly increasing speed and difficulty can they get themselves into a state of high excitement and rediscover the passion for chasing the wind and freedom they once had.

If the drivers' excitement threshold were higher, they might seek stimulation from other sports, such as skiing!

Many people in later generations did not understand why Schumacher, the racing legend, would go skiing, as it seemed to have nothing to do with racing.

In fact, not only him, but also his contemporaries such as Raikkonen and Massa, as well as Hamilton, Leclerc, Russell and others who are well-known in later generations, often went skiing or snowmobiling during the off-season.

The reason is that these top drivers are used to the impact of speed, and only extreme sports can give them a different feeling; otherwise, they cannot experience the joy of sports.

Skiing is arguably the most suitable activity during the F1 winter break.

"I see."

Hearing Hiroki Sawano's words, Chen Xiangbei nodded to indicate that he understood.

After breakfast, Chen Xiangbei and the team's "strategy group" went to the hotel's conference room to analyze the "graduation gift" sent by Satoru Shima.

Even Odeto, who is usually late and leaves early, unusually stayed in the meeting room this time to offer advice.

After all, this victory was of great significance to Chen Xiangbei.

Winning the championship might allow him to directly advance into the F1 arena.

If the results are poor, even the most basic sponsorships may be affected, making a career much more difficult.

This means that not only Chen Xiangbei, but the entire crew must go all out!
……

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was time for the official start of the 56th Grand Prix.

This year's Grand Prix can be described as "unprecedented". Historically, the entire race has been exceptionally intense, breaking numerous lap records.

More importantly, this year's Grand Prix coincides with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region, and has received strong support from high-level officials.

Coupled with the gimmick of Chen Xiangbei being China's first F1 test driver to participate, it can be said that the popularity and influence were maximized, and even many tourists who had never paid attention to motorsports were attracted to come to Macau to join in the fun.

At six o'clock in the morning, while the sky was still just beginning to lighten, Chen Xiangbei's entire racing team had already set off for the Guia Circuit's racing building.

The reason is simple: the preparation time before the competition is extremely tight!
The most distinctive feature of the Australian Grand Prix is ​​that it simultaneously hosts three cross-category races: touring car, motorcycle, and formula racing during race week.

This means that compared to a normal single event, the coordination and operation between different events is very difficult, and uncontrollable accidents often occur during the process, which may even affect the preparation time for F3 practice sessions.

To avoid this situation, Chen Xiangbei chose the early bird catches the worm!

In addition, Chen Xiangbei's only problem is that he lacks experience with the East Guia Circuit; at least he drove an F3 race car in his previous life.

The team of technicians led by Liang Chi had no experience whatsoever, not even having touched an F3 race car, yet they were required to complete the setup and tuning of the entire race car within a mere 45-minute practice session.

In the event of a vehicle damage accident, they also need to be able to carry out rapid repairs.

Arriving at the pit lane earlier means getting to handle the F3 cars sooner, and the mechanics can take the time to familiarize themselves with them.

If you sharpen your gun before the battle, you will lose all your happiness!
At 6:30, the group arrived at the racing building. Chen Xiangbei thought he had arrived early enough, but in fact, the pit area was already packed with people.

Chen Xiangbei wasn't the only one with the "early bird catches the worm" mentality; other teams and drivers without Grand Prix experience also arrived early to prepare for the race.

"Brother Bei, it seems everyone values ​​Grand Prix results quite a bit."

Seeing the bustling scene before him, A-Yong couldn't help but mutter something to himself.

"Of course, whoever wins the Grand Prix is ​​the King of F3!"

Chen Xiangbei replied with great emotion.

Although he reached F2 in his previous life, he was limited by his foundation and funding, and his entire career was lukewarm, without any absolute highlights.

Many times when I see my fellow drivers winning championships on special tracks like the Grand Prix or Monaco, standing in the spotlight and enjoying the attention of the crowd, I can't help but feel a little envious.

This time, Chen Xiangbei finally has the opportunity to challenge this title with his abilities.

"Brother Bei, when will you become the King of F3?"

Ah Yong asked a question, as he had recently rewatched Jet Li's "Fearless" and was deeply impressed by this line.

But as soon as he finished speaking, Brother Lei gave him a flick on the forehead.

"You've only watched half of the movie, kid? That line isn't a good sign."

Chen Xiangbei smiled at this and then walked towards the P room.

The Grand Prix is ​​unique not only in its racing format, but also in the size and arrangement of the pit garages for each team.

Needless to say, the area is tiny. The island itself is very small, so most things are built to miniature standards. The pit lane is only half the size of a regular racetrack.

There's more to say about the arrangement. Because the Guia Pedestrian Drive is relatively short and three different races are being held simultaneously, it means that three times the number of pit garages need to be prepared for the teams.

What if there aren't enough P rooms?
Then, transform the single-sided maintenance stations into a double-sided, face-to-face layout. This way, the number of maintenance stations that can be placed in the same length maintenance aisle will be doubled.

Just like the Formula One team's entire row of pit lanes is opposite the motorcycle team's pit stop, the two sides maintain a state of non-interference.

At this moment, a Formula One car was already placed in the middle of the pit lane of the Super Dream team. Its appearance and structure were similar to the Renault car that Chen Xiangbei had driven, and it belonged to the category of single-seat Formula One cars.

However, the two are fundamentally different in terms of aerodynamic kits and internal performance.

This is a true F3 race car with aerodynamic design!

The Renault Formula car that Chen Xiangbei previously drove was only an entry-level model of a low-level formula car, with a maximum horsepower of 200 and a top speed of 260 km/h.

Thanks to its ultra-lightweight body and resulting power-to-weight ratio, its actual track driving performance is already comparable to half of sports cars.

Compared to F3 racing, the difference is so great that it's like comparing a Renault Formula car to a super karting!

At this time, F3 racing had not yet achieved standardization, and car specifications were mainly divided into two types.

One type is the low-power F3 race car, with only 270 horsepower, mainly used for national-level competitions and early regional events like the Asian F3, which were relatively weak.

The other type is a true full-power F3 race car, with a chassis provided by the Italian company Dallara, equipped with a 3.4L V6 engine, a maximum horsepower of 380, and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of less than 3 seconds!
The Australian Grand Prix uses the second type of full-power F3 race car.

Leaving aside the improvements brought by the aerodynamic kit and structural layout, the doubled power performance alone will bring a completely different experience to the driver.

Chen Xiangbei had been looking forward to a fast car for a long time, and he was almost impatient to sit in the driver's seat and experience it.

"Sawano, lead the team to familiarize themselves with the race car and make initial adjustments."

Without the slightest delay, Odeto gave the order to Hiroki Sawano.

He was well aware that the Chinese technical team had no experience with F3 racing, and the most experienced among them was Hiroki Sawano, who was a race engineer and would be working part-time as the "chief technician" for the next few days.

"Yes, Captain Odeto."

Without a word, Hiroki Sawano led his team of technicians and began working on the F3 race car according to the pre-prepared plan from the strategy team.

The Guia Circuit is narrow, winding, undulating, and has a bumpy surface, which places extremely high demands on the tuning of the race cars.

The only reference for Chen Xiangbei's team at present is the tuning scheme of the ART team, which included Nakajima Kazutaka in 05.

The problem is that four years have passed, and factors such as track conditions, tire compounds, and even weather temperatures have changed. If we simply copy the model exactly, we certainly cannot achieve a 100% match.

It's important to know that F3 is also a standardized racing car developed by the FIA. When the power performance is exactly the same, the differences in tuning will become even more pronounced.

Odeto's goal for Hiroki Sawano was to at least ensure that Chen Xiangbei wouldn't lose at the starting line!

The crew members quickly got into the swing of things, and even Lu Xiaoman was busy this time. She affixed the logos of Jiuli Sports, Guangdian Racing Team, and Extreme Speed ​​Modification Shop to the car body, signifying that Chen Xiangbei's sponsorship contract had officially taken effect.

After changing into his racing suit, Chen Xiangbei warmed up while discussing with Odette the tests that needed to be done on the car during the next practice session.

"The core of the North and East Guia Circuit's tuning is to balance speed and tolerance for error, which requires high downforce, sensitive steering, and stable braking to ensure precise handling."

"This time, we used a medium-to-high aerodynamic tuning, a high-friction brake pad compound, and a slightly raised racing chassis, paired with normal soft tires for testing."

"You're focusing on brake ventilation and cooling, and tire wear."

"I see."

Chen Xiangbei nodded. He had read the ART team's tuning plan many times and knew what the precautions were.

After saying those few words, Odeto didn't say anything more.

He doesn't like to nag too much, and Chen Xiangbei is no longer a novice; he has his own understanding and judgment.

As the race date drew closer, even for a practice race, the spectators along the track and in the stands were packed, including many fans who supported Chen Xiangbei.

To be honest, most of these fans didn't know anything about Chen Xiangbei before, and had never even watched a Renault race. They first heard the name when Sports Weekly published an article promoting China's first F1 test driver and announcing that a mainland driver was participating in the Grand Prix.

Many car enthusiasts and fans are curious about the strength of Chen Xiangbei, who has emerged out of nowhere, and whether he can defeat the world's strongest group of F3 drivers on the Guia Circuit!

According to the organizers' schedule, the practice sessions started with motorcycle races, followed by GT races, with Formula cars scheduled to finish last.

For almost the entire morning, Chen Xiangbei was surrounded by the roar of various race cars and the continuous cheers of the audience.

It wasn't until 10:50 AM that Chen Xiangbei finally sat in the F3 race car cockpit. Liang Chi then took the external starter and connected it to the ignition port located at the rear of the car. With a muffled "boom," the race engine was successfully ignited.

"Power is on normally."

"Sensor function is normal."

"The oil level is normal."

Since it was the crew's first time working with F3 racing, the mechanics team strictly adhered to the racing standards, constantly reporting the current racing data to Sho Mizutani to prevent errors in parameter settings and adjustments.

"Everything is normal, no problem." The data analyst confirmed that all parameters were normal after summarizing them and then reported this to team leader Odeto.

"Observe the departure signal and prepare to depart."

Upon hearing Odette's instruction, Chen Xiangbei instinctively placed his hand on the helmet visor.

Just as he was about to push off and get into the race mode, Liang Chi leaned over and shook his head, saying, "Head north, there are many spectators supporting you on the track and in the stands. Say hello to them before taking off your mask."

Australia can be considered China's home ground, and many supporters have come from the mainland. They are hoping to interact with the drivers, even if it's just a simple wave.

Upon hearing Liang Chi's words, Chen Xiangbei finally realized what was happening.

To be honest, he had never run on his home track in his previous life, so he didn't have these detailed concepts in his mind.

"I understand, Uncle Liang."

Chen Xiangbei responded and then gently pressed the accelerator, heading towards the starting point of the Guia Circuit.

Watching the race car leave the pit lane and gradually disappear into the distance, Mizutani Sho said with concern, "Sawano-senpai, is it possible for Mukai-kun to perfectly control an F3 race car, given it's his first time?"

Upon hearing this question, Hiroki Sawano was momentarily at a loss for words.

All of the team's setups and tactics so far have been based on the premise that Chen Xiangbei can perfectly drive the car and even has the ability to compete for the championship.

The problem is that this is Chen Xiangbei's first time playing F3!
Although the operating logic of racing cars is the same after entering the realm of single-seater formula cars, just as an F3 driver can drive an F2 car and an F2 driver can smoothly control an F1 car.

When you encounter a historical genius like Kimi Räikkönen, you could easily jump directly from Formula Renault to F1.

However, judging solely based on displayed talent without any prior verification left everyone, except for Odtor, feeling somewhat apprehensive and uncertain.

Whether Odeto trusts Chen Xiangbei to drive well, or believes that Chen Xiangbei must drive well, remains to be seen.

"Mizutani, there's no point in discussing these things. Mukai-kun will create a miracle."

After a moment of silence, Hiroki Sawano gave his answer, just as no one in the team had pointed it out before.

Once you get to the competition stage, the question of whether you can drive or not is no longer relevant.

Chen Xiangbei must make the most of the 45-minute practice session, otherwise he won't be able to get a top-ranking time in tomorrow's qualifying session.

Besides its difficulty, street racing has another very significant characteristic: it is difficult to overtake.

Drivers who qualified from the back, even strong ones like Hamilton and Vettel, have to stay in the back and eat exhaust fumes!
On the other side, Chen Xiangbei had already left the maintenance lane and entered the main track. He was instantly stunned by the scene before him, as if he had entered a red ocean.

It's worth noting that compared to the traditional two-story pit lane layout of a racetrack, this one features VIP suites on the upper level and the main grandstand opposite.

The pit stop on the island of Australia is a large building, with another row of pit stops opposite it. You can't see any spectator information inside the pit stop at all; there are only event staff and team crew members on site.

Chen Xiangbei knew that this time, playing on home soil, there would definitely be many spectators coming to support and cheer him on.

But he never expected such an outrageous scene to unfold.

The entire main grandstand and the streets on both sides of the starting line have been dyed Chinese red!
"Wow, Chen Xiangbei is out!"

"Is this China's first F1 test driver? He looks so young."

"Not only is he young, but he's also handsome!"

"Look, Chen Xiangbei is waving at us!"

The cheers and screams from the main grandstand were deafening, and the track broadcast cameras also focused on Chen Xiangbei.

Just as Chen Xiangbei waved, an even louder cheer erupted from the crowd, especially from the spectators on both sides of the track who jumped up excitedly.

A Formula 2 car pulled up alongside Chen Xiangbei, and the camera immediately switched to him, completely stealing the spotlight.

The other person also did not lower his helmet and face mask. Chen Xiangbei turned his head and looked at him. He was Fang Junyu, a local Hong Kong driver!

Although both were on their home turf, there was often a distinction between "closer" and "closer" drivers, especially given the special historical ties between Hong Kong and Macau. Compared to Chen Xiangbei, a mainland driver, the audience clearly favored the Hong Kong drivers.

Fang Junyu got involved in professional racing relatively late, and didn't officially become a Formula One driver until he was fourteen years old.

Furthermore, he remarkably skipped the karting stage and started directly from Formula Renault. This amazing talent was regarded as a rising star in the racing world at the time!

Fang Junyu lived up to expectations in the early stages, participating in the Asian V6 Formula Championship after only one year of learning and training. His car's performance was basically equivalent to a full-power F3, which earned him the title of the world's youngest V6 Formula driver.

It could be said that before Chen Xiangbei appeared, Fang Junyu was the next Takuma Sato in the eyes of the outside world.

The speed of progress he has shown even surpasses that of Takuma Sato!
However, Fang Junyu's performance thereafter had a tendency to start strong but then decline.

He received numerous sponsorships and team support, and went to Germany and the UK to participate in the F3 Championship, but his results were always in the lower-middle range, and more importantly, he did not improve for two consecutive years.

Formula racing is a sport that highly values ​​performance and talent, especially in lower-level races. Even if you don't improve for two consecutive years, if you can't show a dominant performance, many scouts and top teams will condemn you to a death sentence for lacking talent.

Back in the day, Takuma Sato fought his way up from the Japanese Renault, F3, Australian Grand Prix, and British F3, proving his talent and earning a full-fledged F1 driver contract.

Fang Junyu couldn't even control the lightning in the German F3, and his former genius aura gradually faded.

To prove himself and regain the support of his sponsors, Fang Junyu resolutely returned to Australia to participate in the Grand Prix, which would be his only chance to turn the tide.

What Fang Junyu didn't expect was that just when he was enjoying the home crowd all by himself, Chen Xiangbei suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Not only did he steal the title of the next Takuma Sato, but he also came from behind to secure a contract as an F1 team test driver. The team also informed many business tycoons and sponsors in Hong Kong that they had shifted their focus to the mainland Chinese driver.

If Fang Junyu fails to defeat Chen Xiangbei this time, he will be completely abandoned!
Of course, Chen Xiangbei was completely unaware of the stories behind these events.

He was just a little annoyed that this kid had suddenly appeared and was stealing his thunder.

This was the first time in two lifetimes that they had received home-field treatment, but before they could enjoy it for long, it turned into an "away game".

With that in mind, Chen Xiangbei casually pushed off his mask and focused all his attention on the practice match.

Ultimately, a driver's performance is what matters most.

At Schumacher's level, the whole world is his home ground!

"Xiang Beijun, the air temperature is 29℃ and the ground temperature is 25℃. The temperature is gradually rising. Warming up the tires once is enough to reach the operating temperature."

Hiroki Sawano's voice came through the headset. It was already April, and since Australia's latitude was different from that of the UK, the temperature at the Guia Circuit was much higher.

“COPY.”

After a brief response, Chen Xiangbei stepped on the gas and overtook Fang Junyu, beginning his warm-up lap.

Although it was supposed to be a warm-up, considering the favorable temperature and weather conditions, Chen Xiangbei still inadvertently increased his speed a bit to verify the perfect lap simulated by the computer and to share his experience and insights from "walking" the track.

However, just as he was accelerating through the corner, Chen Xiangbei realized something was wrong; he had overlooked a very important issue.

That was the F3 racing car of this era. Its specifications, power, layout and so on were very similar to those of later generations, but the driving experience was completely different!

The reason is that more than a decade later, F3 racing cars benefited from technological advancements, and all mechanisms such as throttle, steering, and gear shifting adopted an electro-hydraulic hybrid control system.

The F3 cars of this era still primarily rely on mechanical control systems!
Putting everything else aside, just the throttle alone can provide two completely different experiences depending on whether it's mechanical or electronic.

The main reason Chen Xiangbei didn't notice these things was that his decision to skip a level was too sudden, completely disrupting the original upgrade plan and leaving him with no chance to get involved in F3 racing of this era.

Another point is that the control system of the Renault Formula has not changed. Influenced by inertia, Chen Xiangbei focuses more on the power performance of the F3 and the impact of changes in the aerodynamic kit.

After all, he is a driver, not a technical director of racing car development. How can he be perfect in every aspect?
Faced with this sudden problem, Chen Xiangbei not only had to familiarize himself with the Guia Circuit as planned, but he also had to quickly adapt to the handling of the race car!
However, even if Chen Xiangbei had known in advance, it wouldn't have made any difference.

Given the timeline and the format, there's no possibility for him to drive an F3 car ahead of schedule; at most, he can only be mentally prepared.

Chen Xiangbei did not report this to the team via TR.

The reason is simple: the ability to quickly adapt to different race cars is also a quality that a top driver should possess.

Just like Kimi Räikkönen jumping to F1, is the difference between electronic control systems and mechanical control systems greater than that between Formula Reynolds and Formula One?
The answer is obvious.

The warm-up lap was over quickly, and Chen Xiangbei began his own speed lap.

Inside the P room, Odette and Hiroki Sawano stared intently at the car's camera and various sensor data on the screen.

Compared to Formula Renault, F3 racing provides more detailed data about the car, allowing team engineers to have a more direct understanding of the driver's control.

The two of them quickly noticed that Chen Xiangbei's control was malfunctioning. Compared to the smooth and enjoyable cornering he had done in previous practice sessions, his cornering line this time showed obvious errors and stiffness.

And it wasn't just one bend; similar situations occurred at several bends in a row.

"Sawano, has Kita not been recording track data these past few days?"

Odeto asked.

Chen Xiangbei's track data analysis was always done with Hiroki Sawano and Sho Mizutani, while Odeto habitually acted as a hands-off manager.

Odeto acknowledged Chen Xiangbei's efforts and believed that even without his "supervision," the kid wouldn't slack off. So why did something feel off this time?

"Xiang Beijun is working very hard, and the training intensity has increased to twelve hours."

"I guess it might be because he's not used to street races."

Hiroki Sawano offered an explanation.

"No, this is not unfamiliarity."

Odeto shook his head; Chen Xiangbei's problem was no longer about cutting corners or changing lanes.

He also discovered excessive steering wheel corrections, mismatched throttle and gear shifts, and even slight brake lock-up.

It was as if Chen Xiangbei had instantly regressed into a novice!
Hiroki Sawano also saw these problems in the transmitted data, which were indeed beyond the scope of being unfamiliar with the track, leaving him at a loss for words.

Seeing this, Mizutani Sho hesitated for a moment, then leaned over and said, "Perhaps Xiang Bei-kun really isn't suited to F3 racing."

Not adapting well?

Upon hearing this, Odeto's expression was priceless.

How can a driver who plans to skip a level not even be able to adapt to F3 cars? How will he test F1 cars then?

To be honest, Odeto believed that the talent and strength Chen Xiangbei displayed made it impossible for him to believe that such a possibility existed.

Without the slightest hesitation, Odette pressed the call button on the headset.

"Bei, are you not used to driving an F3 race car?"

Upon hearing Odette's question through the earpiece, Chen Xiangbei knew that they had already discovered a problem with his racing data.

To be honest, he really struggled to drive!

If he had simply never driven one before, Chen Xiangbei might be in a better position.

Just like those F2 rookies, they can rely on their talent and amazing adaptability to get started driving F1 cars well.

Chen Xiangbei possesses top-notch talent and a keen sense of driving, so starting from scratch is not difficult for him.

The reason this situation occurred is that he didn't start from scratch!
Some instinctive habits from driving F3 race cars in my previous life have become similar to muscle memory in my operation.

Making changes on a piece of paper covered in writing is far more difficult than rewriting on a blank sheet of paper.

"A little?"

Upon hearing this reply, Odette's roar immediately came through the earpiece.

"I don't care what your reason is, I'm only giving you ten minutes!"

"You have ten minutes to get used to this F3 car, you hear me!"

The practice sessions at the Grand Prix are longer than those for Formula Reynolds, increasing from half an hour to forty-five minutes.

However, within those forty-five minutes, Chen Xiangbei and the team had a lot to do. For example, they needed to provide feedback on the race car's powertrain, transmission, aerodynamic components, and suspension system, so that the engineers could make corresponding adjustments and changes.

In addition, Chen Xiangbei also had to conduct long-distance tests with heavy-duty fuel to verify the impact of fuel level on lap time and tires.

Finally, there's the tire wear test. The tactics and strategies to use will all depend on the tire wear.

Ten minutes is the limit of the adaptation time that Odette can provide!

"receive."

Without any haggling, Chen Xiangbei gave a simple reply.

In fact, he also set a time limit of ten minutes for himself to adapt.

The race car quickly crossed the starting line, and Chen Xiangbei began his second practice test.

There are still problems with the coordination between cornering correction and throttle gear. In the past, Chen Xiangbei's tachometer needle would not drop with the gear, and it always maintained the maximum horsepower output space. Now, the power loss is very serious.

The third lap was the same, and more than five minutes had already passed.

At this moment, Hiroki Sawano's expression became serious. Adaptation is different from challenging the limits. These things are not something that Odeto can put pressure on, and Chen Xiangbei would dare to step on the gas and break through.

The team had been focusing on the track, and no one expected the problem to stem from Chen Xiangbei himself. The upgrade from Renault to F3 racing was only a routine one, and theoretically, he shouldn't be struggling so much.

Just when everyone in the P-class team was feeling a weight on their shoulders, Chen Xiangbei's control underwent a qualitative change starting from the fourth lap. He significantly reduced his cornering corrections, and the smooth cornering he used to do reappeared.

At the same time, the engine data displayed on the screen changed from a fluctuating curve to an almost straight line!
"I knew it! How could Brother Bei not know how to drive an F3 race car?"

Ah Yong felt relieved and couldn't help but say something.

In his mind, Chen Xiangbei was an omnipotent genius, and F3 theoretically posed no challenge whatsoever.

"It seems I underestimated Xiang Beijun."

Mizutani Sho nodded in agreement, admitting that he had indeed been worrying unnecessarily.

"North, next lap, we'll do the car feedback. I don't want to see any more accidents."

Odette was also baffled; this was a twist of fate that shouldn't have happened.

"receive."

Chen Xiangbei responded calmly, but his face, hidden beneath his helmet, was now covered in beads of sweat.

Overcoming instinct is far from as easy as it seems, but he did it "quietly".

Compared to challenging the track, it's harder to challenge yourself.

Chen Xiangbei suddenly had a feeling that the Guia Circuit wasn't so difficult after all.

(End of this chapter)