Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 150 Are you afraid of questioning and criticism?
Staller is a professional investor, not a professional in the racing technology field.

He could only make a prediction based on his years of experience. If Chen Xiangbei could catch up to the two official drivers of the Brawn GP team within one second after the end of the test mileage at the Catalan circuit, he would be considered to have met the standard and be qualified to stand in the F1 paddock.

After all, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello are not rookies; they are top-tier drivers in terms of skill level in the current F1 paddock.

A Chinese prodigy who skipped a grade, only one second slower than the top drivers during the testing phase, is already considered to be performing beyond expectations. How much higher can we expect?

Take Boto Leto, the super rookie who won three consecutive Sauber championships, for example. His lap time was 0.7 seconds slower than that of the older Hulkenberg. Chen Xiangbei's Australian Grand Prix F3 championship title can only be considered the most prestigious single-race title.

Overall, it certainly can't compare to the F3 World Championship title.

The lap time has been reduced to 0.4 seconds, which is truly terrifying!
Before Stahler came to the Catalan circuit, he was worried that Chen Xiangbei's level might not be able to dominate in F3 racing.

It now seems that he's practically guaranteed a top-three finish, with only a few F3 drivers posing a threat.

For example, Ricardo and Bottas, who are also known as geniuses by outsiders.

"Bei, you are absolutely a super genius!"

Staller didn't hold back his praise, having followed F1 racing for many years and witnessed countless rookie drivers.

Even if Chen Xiangbei doesn't reach the level of legends like Senna and Schumacher, considering his foundation and background, calling him a super genius is no exaggeration.

"Genius is no problem, but it's too early to say he's a superstar."

Before Chen Xiangbei could even respond to Staller's praise, Odeto preemptively expressed his opinion.

The Chinese boy has been receiving too much praise lately; we can't let him get too cocky. It's time to bring back his strict nature.

Furthermore, Chen Xiangbei's initial evaluation criteria were based on his status as a Chinese rookie with "zero experience." However, now that he's at the stage of competing for a permanent F1 driver's seat, his status as a Chinese rookie is no longer an advantage, but rather a disadvantage!
No F1 team would sign Chen Xiangbei simply because he is a Chinese rookie.

They value local drivers more, offer huge sponsorships, and only consider unpredictable potential as a last resort.

Chen Xiangbei's goal is to realize his potential, moving from being close to official drivers to surpassing them.

Only by achieving this can it be worthy of the word "super"!
Staller had been exposed to Odette's eccentric personality from a young age and didn't want to argue with the old Italian man over trivial details.

Now that Chen Xiangbei has shown his talent and has the potential to make a name for himself in the F3 support race, we need to think about how to achieve that.

“Bei, before I came here I considered many F3 teams, but the vast majority of them would not offer you a temporary substitute race opportunity.”

Staller pointed out the real challenge: although F3 teams are not high-level teams, it is still very difficult to temporarily insert someone to race in a single race, as several specific conditions must be met.

The first reason is obviously that the team is short of money; otherwise, who would do such a thankless task?

Secondly, the team must have sufficient strength to allocate resources to maintain the extra race car.

Clearly, the second point contradicts the first.

An F3 team with sufficient resources will most likely not lack money.

Just as Chen Xiangbei looked troubled upon hearing Staller's words, the old British man changed the subject, saying, "However, there is a team that is willing to provide this substitute seat, as long as they can afford the price."

"What convoy?"

Chen Xiangbei immediately retorted with a question.

"Campos convoy".

[Campos car team?]

To be honest, Chen Xiangbei doesn't know much about the F3 teams of this era. He has only heard of well-known "elite" teams such as ART, Prema, and DAMS, which have lasted for more than ten years.

However, Chen Xiangbei actually knew about Campos, a racing team founded in Spain!

The reason is that this team is the predecessor of the F1 team HRT.

Ma Qingye, China's first prospective F1 driver, signed a formal driver contract with the HRT team.

To Ma Qingye's utter surprise, before he could even drive an F1 car the following year, the team itself went bankrupt and disbanded...

From its inception, HRT has been plagued by capital issues. Its willingness to sign Ma Qingye as a formal driver for the team is, to some extent, due to the sponsorship funds from China.

However, Ma Qingye's actual skill level does not meet the standards of an F1 driver; his lap time during the test was two seconds slower than his slowest teammate.

If we were to find a comparison, it would be Lafitte, who is often ridiculed by people in later generations, or Ma Zeping, who is criticized by car enthusiasts for not having "horse" (a slang term for a horse), whose lap time might be faster than Ma Qingye during his test drive.

If a company lacks sufficient financial strength, then there will be less capital to support Ma Qingye, and even less sponsorship funding will be available.

The HRT team failed to secure this lifeline and struggled to operate in the F1 paddock for three years before ultimately facing bankruptcy and dissolution.

The Campos team is based in Spain, making it easy for both sides to meet and make contact.

In addition, they will change their name to HRT and enter F1 next year, and are currently in dire need of funds.

Let alone selling an F3 substitute driver opportunity, if Chen Xiangbei could afford a high enough price, he could even sell an official F1 driver's seat!

"Staller, how much do they want?"

"one million."

Staller then added: "The euro."

"Fuck, why don't they just rob it?"

Upon hearing this number, Odeto flew into a rage!

A full driver's seat in a bottom-tier F1 team in this era is worth about ten million euros, which translates to less than one million euros per race.

Campos team dared to ask for one million euros for an F3 substitute driver spot, which is truly outrageous.

"If you want them to stop stealing, you'll have to handle it."

Staller said something meaningful to Odette.

"What do you mean?"

Odette is straightforward, unlike the cunning and manipulative nature of a businessman like Staller.

"Campos' engine supplier is called Mugen."

Honda Group's ability to become a world-class automaker is not only due to its sales volume, but also to the global sphere of influence it has built up over decades of operation.

In addition to its headquarters, Honda has a large number of operating fleets and customer fleets.

Well-known racing teams such as Super Aguri, ARTA, Mugen, and Dom are all actually members of the Honda camp.

Teams like Campos are Honda's customer fleets.

The Mugen brand originally belonged to Honda's performance research and development department and was founded by Hirotoshi Honda, the eldest son of Honda's founder Soichiro Honda.

Later, it separated from the Honda Group and operated independently, becoming one of Honda's three official tuning brands. It also established a racing team and engine R&D department, providing engines for all levels of racing from F3 to F1.

In the 1990s, the Lotus, Jordan, Ligier and other teams in the F1 paddock were all customer teams of Unlimited.

It wasn't until 01, when Honda returned to the F1 paddock under its own "Honda" brand, that the "sub-brand" Mugen withdrew.

However, in the F3 and GP2 fields, Infiniti continues to supply racing engines.

If Campos wants to take advantage of the situation and make exorbitant demands, then Chen Xiangbei can also exploit their weaknesses.

Odette has a good relationship with Suzuki Aguri and the Honda Group. As long as he puts pressure on Campos team regarding the supply of racing engines, they will not dare to quote such an exorbitant price again!
"Understood, I'll handle it."

When Oddo heard the word "infinite" come from Staller's mouth, he instantly understood the other's intention.

"OK, the next F1 Grand Prix will be held at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. I will coordinate with the Brawn GP team. You also need to prepare in advance."

Opportunity is only for those who are prepared.

"Yes. I will."

Chen Xiangbei nodded; he understood the principle.

"In that case, I'll be going now. I have another business deal to take care of."

After giving these words, Staller stood up, straightened his clothes, and prepared to leave.

"Staller, is it in such a hurry?"

Chen Xiangbei countered with a question, after all, the other party was nearly seventy years old, and had just arrived at the Catalan circuit and left without stopping, he wondered if his body could handle it.

Time is money!

With a smile, Staller replied and strode out of the conference room.

For professional investors like them, efficiency is already a given.

Chen Xiangbei informed the main members of the team that same evening of the news brought by Staller.

After discussing it, everyone decided to return to the Brawn GP team headquarters, the Blackley factory, ahead of schedule.

One reason is that the lifespan of the two spare units on the PA108 race car has been exhausted during Chen Xiangbei's test drive. Now, the car is running with the throttle off to prevent problems such as engine failure caused by aggressive driving.

However, Chen Xiangbei's lap time has once again reached a bottleneck. He needs to use very aggressive methods to challenge the limits of the car and the track, forcibly squeezing out his remaining potential.

This racing condition clearly does not meet Chen Xiangbei's requirements.

Staying here would only improve his proficiency, offering minimal benefit to his driving skills. Furthermore, there were no racing simulators or high-end fitness equipment available; if Chen Xiangbei decided to train at the Spa F3 circuit, he would have to return to headquarters for intensive training.

Of course, another point is that Chen Xiangbei is facing a cash crunch.

The cost of testing F1 cars is like opening a floodgate!
I won't go into detail about labor, venue, and tires; these are standard costs in Formula One. F1 simply increases the price by tenfold or so.

Chen Xiangbei never expected that he wouldn't even be able to afford gas...

In later generations, people on the internet often joked about Luxgen, calling the car a "gas guzzler," a partner of PetroChina and Sinopec, saying that it was either refueling or on its way to a gas station every day.

When you step on the gas, a vortex appears inside the fuel tank.

Chen Xiangbei didn't know whether Luxgen could create a vortex in the fuel tank, but he was well aware that when he stepped on the gas on the track, an F1 car's fuel tank could indeed create a vortex.

According to calculations, when Chen Xiangbei was advancing at full speed, his fuel consumption could reach as high as 80 liters per 100 kilometers in the most extreme case!
Furthermore, F1 uses super unleaded gasoline with extremely high octane ratings and a sophisticated formula, which naturally drives up the price, making it far more expensive than regular gasoline.

In addition to gasoline, engine oil and coolant are also needed, and their prices are far higher than those of passenger cars.

Formula 1 racing is known as the most expensive sport on the planet, and for good reason; without money, you can't even afford the fuel.

Chen Xiangbei didn't know how much Odette could pressure the Campos team to lower the cost seat fee by leveraging Honda's influence, but he estimated it would be at least tens of thousands of euros.

It can only be said that without the support of a major sponsor or factory team, money really doesn't last long. Even though Chen Xiangbei is very good at attracting sponsors, it is still not enough to fill the hole of burning money.

The team acted very quickly, packing up the equipment and handing over the race cars the next day before the transfer.

Chen Xiangbei did not participate; he went to Valencia, Spain alone, where Dong Hebin was at the Renault team's division, undergoing testing for the junior driver program, which would be his last hope to enter F1.

Dong Hebin was delighted to see Chen Xiangbei arrive; the two had been apart at the Catalan circuit for almost two months.

Compared to Chen Xiangbei, who has the money and resources to conduct private tests, Dong Hebin can only undergo three days of standard testing according to the rookie process. If the potential he demonstrates fails to impress the F1 teams, he will be considered a candidate to be dropped.

Unfortunately, Tung Ho-Pin failed to meet the standards of the Renault F1 team, and he had to settle for becoming a junior driver under Renault.

"Brother Bin, I'm going back to the Brown GP headquarters in the UK. I came here today to say goodbye."

Dong Hebin was not surprised by Chen Xiangbei's words, but simply asked a question in return.

What was the final test score?

"1 minutes, 21 seconds, 435."

"Great!"

Ho-Pin Tung sincerely praised him, as he, as one of the same batch of test drivers, knew very well what this lap time meant.

Chen Xiangbei has reached the standard of an F1 driver!
"Then what are your plans next?"

"I might race in an F3 race and use my performance to impress the F1 team management present and try to secure a permanent driver's seat."

“If Brawn GP weren’t a championship contender, you might already be interested in a seat.”

Dong Hebin replied with a wry smile, not knowing whether to say Chen Xiangbei was lucky or unlucky.

He signed a test driver contract, but who would have thought he'd end up signing with a championship contender?

For ordinary rookies, competing teams can bring them fame, provide more technical resources, and allow them to experience faster cars.

But for a genius like Chen Xiangbei, what he wants is not a platform, but a real, official driver's seat!

In the process of teams competing for the championship, it is impossible to let a rookie challenge the seats of two official drivers, even if the former has shown lap times and potential in the test drive.

All Chen Xiangbei could do was wait.

Chen Xiangbei, however, was unwilling to wait; he was seeking an opportunity to take the initiative!

"And you, how did your trial as a youth driver go?"

"It's basically confirmed. Renault will announce it at a later time after the contract is signed."

"congratulations."

Upon hearing Chen Xiangbei's words, Dong Hebin's bitter smile deepened.

He is already 27 years old this year, long past the age for youth training.

Signing this contract means he will say goodbye to F1 for good, and his status as a Renault junior driver is more like a consolation prize.

"Hey north, keep up the good work and run well for the Chinese people and for China!"

"I will."

Chen Xiangbei nodded, then opened his arms and hugged Dong Hebin, thus concluding the farewell.

When Chen Xiangbei returned to the Catalan circuit, the crew members had already packed their luggage, and the bus waiting to take them to the airport was already parked in front of the hotel.

After taking their luggage from their rooms and boarding the bus, Oddo finally arrived just as the bus was about to depart. He sat down in the empty seat next to Chen Xiangbei and said something expressionless.

"The substitute driver position for Campos has been secured."

Chen Xiangbei never doubted Odette's efficiency and ability.

Otherwise, there would be no Mewtwo team today.

How much should we discuss?

Compared to securing a seat, Chen Xiangbei was more concerned about the price.

There isn't another Grand Prix event that would allow Chen Xiangbei to travel to China to secure sponsorship.

It's impossible for him to be like Ma Qingye in later generations, running a few Formula racing events and then returning to China to run a few touring car races to make money, right?

"Fifty thousand euros."

Upon hearing this number, Chen Xiangbei breathed a sigh of relief.

Although when converted into the cost per match, this is still considered quite expensive.

But I'm just a temporary "transfer student," and you can't expect to get something for nothing without paying a price. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

"There is another choice you need to make: participate in F3 racing and accept technical support from Campos team, or Chao Meng or Brawn GP team."

Upon hearing Odeto's question, Chen Xiangbei was momentarily stunned, not quite understanding what was going on.

He was eager to participate in the F3 series, partly to get on the radar of F1 teams and compete for a driver's seat for next year.

On the other hand, the Brawn GP team may change hands, while they can still provide technology and resources.

With Brawn GP as an F1 backer, why would they need the Campos team?

However, Chen Xiangbei quickly realized what Odeto meant.

In some ways, his current situation is similar to that of Mick Schumacher in later generations.

When Mick Schumacher was racing in F2, he joined a team called Prema, which was a top team in the lower-level formula racing category.

To ensure Mick's victory was a sure thing, Ferrari even sent F1 engineers to assist with car setup.

With the combined support of a top F2 team and top F1 engineers, Mick Schumacher, driving a "specially tuned" car, won the F2 World Championship title with little suspense.

However, this move inevitably drew criticism. People questioned whether Mick Schumacher's F2 world championship title was entirely undeserved, relying solely on his father's connections and the benefits of his father's residency, and whether he possessed the real ability to defeat his opponents.
If Chen Xiangbei wants to demonstrate his strength without controversy and gain recognition from the outside world.

Therefore, when he substitutes for F3, it's best not to use the technical resources of the Super Dream or Brawn GP teams.

Otherwise, even if he wins, his status as a Chinese driver will only lead to more questions from the outside world.

At best, it's a "specially arranged car"; at worst, it's "money power"—the rumors are exaggerated to the extreme.

Various rumors would severely diminish his abilities and the value of his victory.

The problem is that Chen Xiangbei doesn't use the technical support of the Super Dream or Brawn GP teams. Campos is one of the worst F3 teams, and their focus is currently on building an F1 team. The engineers who remain are simply not capable of tuning the car properly!

The more standardized the car, the greater the influence of tuning, and the more shady practices are involved.

Simply by changing the engine at each station, you can win at the starting line.

In many cases, the racing expenses of F3 drivers can differ by as much as ten times.

Chen Xiangbei was unsure about his teammates' resources and background, and he had no understanding of or confidence in the Campos team.

Without much hesitation, Chen Xiangbei gave his answer.

"I choose to fight alongside my team."

Upon hearing Chen Xiangbei's answer, a faint smile appeared on Odeto's lips.

"Aren't you afraid of facing external doubts and criticisms? Even the F1 teams might doubt your true abilities."

"Odette, haven't I faced enough questioning and criticism already?"

Instead of giving a direct answer, Chen Xiangbei simply smiled and asked a question in return.

"That's quite a lot. You're destined to be in the center of public attention!"

(End of this chapter)