Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 153 This is what you call a meteoric rise to fame (10K)

"Xiang Bei-jun, are you planning to put your weight on the second lap of practice?"

Sensing that Chen Xiangbei was taking the tire warming process particularly seriously, Hiroki Sawano realized something and asked a question via TR voice.

"Well, since there are fewer cars, I plan to test the simulator data."

As one of the most classic tracks in the F1 paddock, Spa's setup has been thoroughly figured out over the years.

The adjustments that can be made are simply to address the characteristics of the race car, the driver's habits, and the road conditions.

F3 is a standard racing car, with consistent characteristics and performance, so this point can be ignored.

In the past two weeks, driver Chen Xiangbei has driven the car more than a thousand times on the simulator.

During the twelve-hour training session, apart from four hours of physical conditioning and rest, the remaining eight hours were basically spent sitting in the simulator cockpit.

As for the road conditions, there are not many variables; it's just a matter of choosing between soft tires and ultrasoft tires.

No F3 driver would use medium or hard tires for a 15-lap race when forced to pit.

Chen Xiangbei is now using ultra-soft tires, which heat up faster and have better grip.

Of course, the price to pay is an astonishingly short lifespan when operating at full speed.

However, one lap push is enough. Chen Xiangbei is fully confident that he can reach the limits of the Spa circuit in the shortest amount of time!

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is 7.004 kilometers long, making it one of the longer F1 circuits.

The current F1 pole position record is 1 minute 43.576 seconds, held by Kimi Räikkönen.

The F3 pole position record is held by Hamilton at 2 minutes 05.241 seconds.

"be careful."

Hiroki Sawano knew Chen Xiangbei's personality and was aware of the lap times the Chinese kid had achieved on the simulator, so he did not try to dissuade him.

It was just a reminder about safety issues, that the risks increase in tandem with the speed.

"receive."

During Chen Xiangbei's tire warming process, FIA official presenter James began his live commentary.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Chinese driver Bei is the first to leave the pits and is doing his warm-up lap."

"As the official commentator for the Renault Series, I know driver Bei better than most people. This arrogant Chinese kid is definitely trying to surprise everyone by taking the lead in the race!"

James can be considered Chen Xiangbei's "old friend," although the two do not know each other and have never met.

But James witnessed Chen Xiangbei's growth and development throughout his time competing in Europe.

He was arguably the first European to notice Chen Xiangbei, aside from the members of the Super Dream team, and believed that this Chinese kid had the ability to create miracles, even when the outside world was not optimistic about him!

"James, what do you consider a surprise?"

The commentator sitting next to him, Klass, asked a question in return.

The influence of the Reynolds equation is ultimately limited, and besides, Chen Xiangbei has only run two races.

As for the Grand Prix, its prestige is undeniable, but it's located in Australia, China, and most motorsport professionals in Europe cannot witness it in person.

The impact of hearing something is fundamentally different from the impact of seeing it.

In addition, as an F1 commentator, Klass has witnessed the world's top speeds and drivers, so the "surprises" of F3 level are like children playing house in his eyes.

"At least a top-three finish in practice races around the north lap."

Upon hearing James's words, a mocking smile appeared on Claes's lips.

Pre-ordering a top-three finish before even starting, do they really think there are no European drivers?
Even if James is familiar with this Chinese kid, his favoritism is a bit excessive.

"I do not believe."

The response was very simple; Klass didn't believe Chen Xiangbei could make it into the top three in just one round.

"Then let's wait and see."

James didn't argue; he trusted his gut feeling!

Chen Xiangbei's tire warm-up on the track was nearing its end, and other drivers were gradually taking to the main track to begin their practice.

At this moment, not only were the cameras focused on Chen Xiangbei, but the eyes of engineers from dozens of teams, including F1, were also on car number 13 on the track.

Sir Williams, in particular, was staring intently at the big screen, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

It's worth noting that when it comes to the earliest F1 management to pay attention to Chen Xiangbei, even Ross Brawn has to take a backseat. Back when Chen Xiangbei ran his first Renault race, Sir Williams was watching from the VIP box at Silverstone.

However, at that time, he rejected Stahler's recommendation and did not include Chen Xiangbei in the team's reserve list.

It's not that he looks down on or discriminates against Asians. In fact, the Williams team currently has a Japanese driver, Kazuki Nakajima.

Chen Xiangbei's racing line data for the Guia Circuit was still based on that of this "second-generation driver".

The main problem is that Chen Xiangbei's growth rate is too exaggerated.

Who would have thought that a Chinese newcomer with almost no karting experience would jump to F3 in just over half a year, and through Stahler's revelation and test results, Chen Xiangbei also plans to advance to F1 through support races.

Six months ago, even Sir Williams, who had been immersed in the F1 paddock for a long time, had never seen such an outrageous operation. This Chinese kid was simply dreaming.

Looking back now, Chen Xiangbei has unknowingly reached the threshold of F1, creating his own miracle!
Can this young Chinese man overcome the final hurdle?

No one knew the answer. The sound of engines on the track was deafening. As Chen Xiangbei crossed the starting line, he had achieved a dynamic start with full throttle!
The T1 turn before the long straight is an extremely difficult V-shaped hairpin bend, and it's also downhill. Drivers need to start braking 100 meters before entering the turn, otherwise they won't be able to straighten the car when they enter the turn.

The more challenging aspect is that it is also the starting corner, which means that all the drivers in the race have to do their best to get through the corner.

If you're too slow on the straightaways, you'll be overtaken by your opponents.

The speed on the straightaway was too fast, and the brakes couldn't be stopped in front of the V-shaped bend.

Applying the brakes too hard can lock the tires, which greatly affects their lifespan.

If you apply the brakes too lightly, the car will veer off the track without warning...

Cornering in Formula One racing involves not only controlling the racing line but also having an extreme sense of braking distance and force.

Verstappen was able to handle the extremely difficult Red Bull RB21 because he could sense the changes in grip of each tire, know where the car's limits were, and reduce corrections.

If the same in-car video were shown on Lawson or Hiroki Tsunoda, you would see them engaging in a fierce "struggle" with the race car, making slight adjustments to their cornering lines at almost every bend.

This is similar to a novice driver who can't always drive in a straight line.

Of course, the concept of correction in F1 racing is very different from that of driving in a straight line.

But every correction slows down the speed, even if it's only by a fraction of a second.

After a dozen or so turns, his teammate will be a fraction of a second to a second slower than Verstappen!
The true skill level of an F3 driver can often be demonstrated without even going to the iconic Red River Bend at Spa-Francorchamps; Turn 1 alone can serve as a "test."

70 meters from T1 bend, Chen Xiangbei slammed on the brakes, applying force close to the point where the tires were about to lock up.

F3 cars have much lower acceleration and top speed than F1 cars, so they don't need to brake early at 100 meters. Chen Xiangbei's 70-meter distance was just right to hit the critical point of braking force!
As the F3 car smoothly entered the apex of the corner, Chen Xiangbei released the brake pedal and accelerated before even exiting the corner. The surface temperature at Spa in August exceeded 30°C, and the seven-kilometer warm-up lap had already brought the ultrasoft tires to their peak grip.

Chen Xiangbei knew exactly where his tires could grip the ground, so he added throttle in advance to increase his exit speed from the corner.

Because what follows is a two-kilometer stretch of road driven entirely on throttle, including the famous Red River Bend.

The theoretical top speed of an F3 car is only 280 km/h, and in most cases, it doesn't even reach that speed. Just like the speedometer of an ordinary civilian car often exceeds 200 km/h, but many people never actually max out their speedometer in their entire lives.

However, with full throttle for those two kilometers, plus the extremely long downhill stretch of the Red River Bend, Chen Xiangbei's race car has a chance to break the 280km/h barrier.

This time, the accelerator will truly be welded to your foot, and you'll be slamming into the engine!

The engine was squeezing out its last bit of potential, and the tachometer needle had already reached its limit, with no way to increase it any further.

Chen Xiangbei pushed all the data indicators, such as tire pressure, fluid levels, and cylinder pressure, to their limits.

If this weren't a brand new engine, there's a possibility it might blow up.

220km/h, 260km/h, 280km/h……

Just when everyone thought the speed had reached its limit and the speedometer on the steering wheel screen had stopped moving.

During the long downhill acceleration at Honghe Bend, the track testing sensors detected a completely new number.

287km/h!

Even the vehicle's ECU has reached its limit and no longer displays the speed exceeding the limit.

Chen Xiangbei, however, used the full throttle on the long straightaway and the downhill acceleration to reach a speed that exceeded the limit.

However, the members of the Campos team's pit crew did not show much joy on their faces; they were all staring intently at the various racing data on the screen.

Exceeding the speed limit is a challenge not only for drivers but also for racing cars.

The downforce borne by the aerodynamic components alone exceeds one thousand kilograms, which is an absolute heavy burden for the smaller F3 tires.

If Chen Xiangbei's tire were to burst at this point, his race car would not only crash into the wall, but, to exaggerate, it could take off!
Even Odette was dumbfounded. The reason why you can take a corner at full throttle on a racing simulator is that there is no damage or injury to the car. If you crash, you can just start over. It can be regarded as a game.

Life, however, cannot be restarted.

Chen Xiangbei's way of taking on challenges really shows he's fearless.

This competition is meant to make the Chinese boy shine, not to let him "soar to the sky"!
In fact, Chen Xiangbei was not having an easy time either. The Honghe Bend could generate huge longitudinal and lateral G-forces, and the downhill effect further aggravated the driver's body.

Drivers who have driven downhill at high speeds know that it gives them a feeling of being suspended in the air and falling, and this feeling becomes more pronounced the faster the speed.

At a mere 70 or 80 kilometers per hour, one can experience this, but Chen Xiangbei is now traveling at nearly 300 km/h. He feels as if he is "floating" while simultaneously maintaining firm control of the steering wheel to navigate the curves!
Racing simulators can simulate some of the acceleration and G-force, but they can never achieve the realism of racing.

At this moment, Chen Xiangbei was frantically fighting against all kinds of "mechanics"!
In fact, the "shock" to the crew members did not end there. The exaggerated top speed of 287 km/h was not the limit. After passing the Honghe Bend at full throttle, there was still a long straight ahead.

Under the combined effects of inertia, gravity, and mechanical kinetic energy, Chen Xiangbei's tail speed continued to climb until aerodynamics came into play, and the final figure was 292 km/h!

The reason why F3 cars put less pressure on drivers is that they are slower.

When an F3 car reaches speeds close to those of an F1 car, without the protection of the HANS (Head and Neck Support System), the impact will only be greater!
If there were a camera in the F3 race car at this moment to film the driver's perspective, it would be clear that Chen Xiangbei's facial muscles were contorted, and the veins on his neck were bulging due to the exertion of his muscles!

The grueling physical training is now showing its true potential.

Without that thick neck, Chen Xiangbei wouldn't be able to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel, and he might not even have enough blood to supply his brain, causing blackouts!

At this moment, Chen Xiangbei's top speed has been transmitted to the studio via the track control console. James looked at the number 292km/h and exchanged bewildered glances with the guest next to him, Klass.

They both saw disbelief in each other's eyes.

I had only ever heard of people challenging the limits of the track before, but today I've seen it firsthand and witnessed someone surpassing those limits!
"James, is this speed data correct?"

Claes covered the microphone with his hand and quietly asked James next to him.

He didn't believe that the speed figure was real.

“The fact that the track control console was sent to us means that it has been calibrated and checked, so there is no possibility of error.”

"How can an F3 car reach a speed of 292 km/h?"

"You'll have to ask driver Bei about that."

After saying this, James released his left hand from the microphone and exclaimed in amazement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some news to announce to you."

"On the long straight at the Red River Bend just now, Chinese driver Bei set a new F3 racing speed record of 292 km/h without slowing down or releasing the accelerator the entire time."

"I believe that as long as he doesn't make any mistakes later in this lap, he will produce another extremely impressive number!"

James's image, accompanied by FM radio broadcasts, reached the ears of every spectator at the scene, instantly igniting a frenzy of cheers across the track.

"Did you hear that? That's the speed of Chinese drivers!"

"The North is the king of the Grand Prix, and he will also become the absolute king of F3!"

"Chen Xiangbei, use your speed to make your opponents despair!"

Arrogant cheers rose and fell, and Chen Xiangbei's interview on CCTV had already deeply resonated with the public.

This young Chinese man has never backed down. He doesn't want praise for the losers, but rather reverence for the victors!

The type of driver influences the type of supporters they attract.

If the European audience felt that the Chinese supporters' words were arrogant and hurtful and defamatory to other drivers on the track.

Then you can also attack my idol—Chen Xiangbei!

Anyway, Chen Xiangbei has plenty of lice and isn't afraid of being bitten. He'll take responsibility for his own problems, and the fans can have their say for now.

Indeed, this is the case; the vast majority of viewers here are more interested in F1 racing, and very few people watch Formula Renault or the Grand Prix.

Hearing such arrogant words on the track would naturally make one feel uncomfortable.

The Chinese kid only ran a high-speed race in practice; anyone who didn't know better would think he won the Spa F3 championship.

"Don't get too excited yet, Bottas and Ricardo haven't even stepped up their game yet!"

"I heard that driver Kita is driving a specially tuned car from the Super Aguri team. Is that all he has to brag about in terms of speed?"

"Without the technical support of Super Aguri and Brawn GP, ​​the Chinese guy would be a second-rate driver at best."

"These country bumpkins who've never seen the world before, opening champagne early, at least wait until the qualifying race is over."

Various comments rang out from the grandstand. No one expected that a mere F3 support race would attract so much attention and controversy.

It can only be said that Chen Xiangbei is truly born with a divine body of heat; wherever he exists, there will never be a lack of controversy!
Compared to the verbal attacks from the spectators in the stands, the engineers in the maintenance pits of the vehicles had no doubts about Chen Xiangbei's performance.

As professionals, they all knew the significance of Chen Xiangbei's breakthrough, which required extremely precise feedback from the race car to accelerate out of the corner at full throttle as soon as he passed the apex.

At the same time, Chen Xiangbei withstood the exaggerated lateral and longitudinal G values ​​in order to achieve precise line tracking at the Red River Bend.

Is this really the performance of a Chinese rookie?
If the first half of the Spa circuit is a challenge to the drivers' courage,
The second half of the combination bends then becomes a test of the driver's skills.

Starting from Turn T5, there are various high- and low-speed combination corners, which not only require drivers to make accurate judgments on braking points and racing lines, but also require highly difficult tracking braking on some corners.

At this moment, all the teams have completely focused their attention on Chen Xiangbei. Courage is something that can be replicated by luck.

When it comes to technology, there is no room for luck!

Chen Xiangbei quickly proved that he possessed not only courage but also skill, demonstrating his mastery of cornering with exquisite tangential lines. In his two lifetimes at Spa-Francorchamps, Chen Xiangbei has driven at least tens of thousands of laps on racing simulators.

As a track that hasn't been significantly modified, he has already memorized the racing line for every corner!
In many European racing circuits during this era, Chen Xiangbei felt like a "dragon crossing the river" going to compete with a "local snake".

But at Spa, Chen Xiangbei is the real local boss!
When the silky smooth lines are revealed, it brings to mind the ultimate aesthetic of racing car handling.

Aside from considering tire pressure and not pushing the road shoulder to its limits, Chen Xiangbei had already mastered all the cornering techniques one should have in a corner.

Many members of the Mewtwo team who saw this scene on the broadcast couldn't help but smile faintly.

Chen Xiangbei almost perfectly replicated his performance in the racing simulator on the real track, showing that he really had no intention of giving his opponents any hope!
After a brief silence in the stands, car number 13 crossed the finish line, followed by thunderous applause.

Because the number displayed on the track broadcast screen is 2 minutes 04.997 seconds.

This lap time broke Hamilton's pole position record in F3.

"OH MY GOD, a Chinese driver broke the pole position record in just one lap of practice in Beijing?"

"Even if an F1 team were to make adjustments, it probably wouldn't be this exaggerated, right?"

"Is this the speed of a Chinese racing prodigy?"

Shock and doubt filled the track. From Chen Xiangbei's speed on the long straight ahead and his control of the running line, the audience could vaguely predict that his practice lap times would be very fast.

I just didn't expect it to be this fast!
It's almost 0.3 seconds faster than Lewis Hamilton, who is hailed as a historically gifted driver and won the world championship in his second year.

Even if it's a "custom-tuned car", the driver still needs to have the skill to challenge the limits of the track.

It's obvious that this speed can't be achieved through tuning unless the engine power has been tampered with.

"Could it be cheating?"

Soon, a viewer made the connection to this issue.

"This probably isn't even an F3 car; it's more like an F2.5!"

"The FIA ​​should weigh and inspect immediately."

"Brown GP team built the Mars rover by relying on three wind tunnels. Now, Chinese drivers have the technical resources of two F1 teams, which is unfair to other drivers!"

When speed and performance exceed some people's expectations, they will find reasons to question it from other aspects.

The world of racing is indeed a complex and murky place. Not to mention in this era, even in F2 racing 25 years ago, it was found that some teams cheated by drilling holes in the chassis of the track to obtain better airflow and adjust their data.

As for custom tuning for racing cars, it can also achieve the same effect of upgrading to a higher level.

Mick Schumacher needs no introduction; he went straight for the F2 championship.

There was actually another driver whose driving style was even more extreme than Mick Schumacher's, having started custom-tuning his car from the F3 season.

That was Lance Stroll, the Martin driver who won by virtue of his father's connections and was known as "Young Master".

This kid only managed fifth place in his first year racing on the F3 circuit, and he was very dissatisfied, so he asked his dad to use his connections and "money power" to bring in an engineer from the Ferrari team to do a special tuning.

The following year, they won the F3 European Championship.

Furthermore, Stroll used this achievement to skip directly to F1, spending a whopping $35 million to join the Williams team.

As it turns out, sometimes hard work and effort are not as effective as having connections.

Chen Xiangbei, on the track, naturally couldn't hear these doubts and controversies.

Even if he heard it, he would probably just laugh it off.

It would be foolish not to use resources when you have them. As a Chinese driver, when you lost at the starting line, why didn't you hear any European viewers think it was unfair?

There is no absolute fairness in this world, just like Chen Xiangbei, who failed to get into F1 because he didn't have sponsorship or a household registration in his previous life.

Chen Xiangbei will do anything to get back what he has lost.

Insults and controversy are the inevitable path for every Formula One champion!

"Sawano, I'm going to pit for a tire change and a heavy-load fuel test on this lap."

Chen Xiangbei relayed feedback to Hiroki Sawano via the team's voice communication system.

The difference between a lightly loaded and heavily loaded fuel load in a racing car not only affects the car's weight and speed, but also its handling.

To give a simple example, when the car is heavily loaded with fuel during the race, an F3 car can be about 50 kilograms heavier, which is equivalent to having an extra driver on the car.

On the same curve, the extra fifty kilograms would definitely make it impossible to navigate the curve like the previous light-load oil.

For example, on the T1 curve, Chen Xiangbei only brakes 70 meters after a light load, but he might have to brake 90 meters after a heavy load, otherwise he would not be able to stop and would run off the curve.

This is why qualifying lap times are significantly faster than those in the race.

"Received, the technician team is ready."

Hiroki Sawano answered that question.

After hesitating for a moment, he added, "Xiang Beijun, don't you want to know your lap time just now?"

"I know it will be soon."

Chen Xiangbei knew in his heart that it was definitely very close to the pole position lap time, which was the data he had obtained on the racing simulator.

He wasn't interested in the exact amount.

Since this is just a practice session, not a qualifying session, lap times don't mean much.

"Very good, then keep running."

Oddo's voice came through TR at just the right moment: "The Chinese kid is getting more and more confident."

If you're not curious, then you don't need to know.

Chen Xiangbei's No. 13 race car was pitted for a tire change, and the mechanics team treated it as a real-world drill.

Although their current tire-changing speed is still behind that of the F1 teams in the paddock, they can still easily crush F3 teams, even established powerhouses like ART and Prima.

With the front jack lowered, Chen Xiangbei changed to soft tires and roared out of the station.

This time, he didn't push the speed limit; he simply tested the tire wear and tear, as well as some flaws and shortcomings in the tuning.

In addition, Chen Xiangbei was worried that if he adjusted the engine to full power output under heavy fuel load, he might not be able to wait for the next qualifying race and would have to shut down the engine prematurely on the track.

Chen Xiangbei has "behaved," but his teammates on the track have no intention of admitting defeat.

In particular, Bottas, Ricciardo, and Bianchi are all well-known F3 drivers who rose through the ranks by sweeping away their opponents, and coincidentally, they are also famous for their lap times.

When Bottas was the number two driver for Mercedes, he was able to go toe-to-toe with Hamilton in qualifying during his peak years. Chen Xiangbei was able to break track records, so he also has the theoretical ability to do so!
As for Ricciardo, needless to say, he is the template driver for a historic start, a prime example of a rookie speed surpassing his championship teammate.

If it weren't for Verstappen's heartbreak at Red Bull, he might not have left F1 in such a disappointing way.

"It seems that driver Bei's lap time has had a 'catfish effect,' as the overall lap time in this year's practice sessions is almost a second faster than last year!"

"Bottas and Ricciardo's fastest lap times are very close to Hamilton's pole position record. If it weren't for the congested traffic on the track, there might already be a second driver who has surpassed the pole position record."

"No wonder Chinese driver Bei chose to compete first; he probably considered the traffic situation well in advance."

James kept explaining the situation on the track, but no other driver could give him the same kind of impact that Chen Xiangbei had just had.

To put it bluntly, if this were a qualifying result, Chen Xiangbei would even be worthy of the title "Star Circle".

“James, I think driver North was considering more than just traffic.”

"He wanted to use his lap time to submit an application to the F1 teams present!"

Guest Callas keenly sensed Chen Xiangbei's ulterior motives; people often value first impressions.

Compared to the first unbeatable fastest lap, even subsequent surpassings are far less impactful and awe-inspiring than the initial one.

"That's right, Chinese driver Bei, he wants to become a full-fledged F1 driver."

James nodded in agreement; Chen Xiangbei was indeed offering his pledge of allegiance!
……

The 30-minute practice session ended quickly, and Chen Xiangbei's lap time remained at the top of the leaderboard, like an insurmountable mountain.

Back in the pit lane, the F3 competitors had realized the challenges they were about to face and had all adjusted their car suspensions to the stiffest setting, while also setting them to a low-to-medium downforce configuration.

Many people are eager to try it out, planning to do what Chen Xiangbei did and challenge the Honghe Bend and the two-kilometer straight road at full throttle!

According to the rules of the support race, after the practice session, the drivers pitted to change to new tires and top up their fluids, and then immediately began the qualifying session, which also had a 30-minute countdown.

This time, Chen Xiangbei did not rush out of the pits. He had anticipated that many drivers would imitate him, and that there would be a situation where the attempt to imitate him would backfire.

Just as Chen Xiangbei predicted, seven or eight drivers rushed out of the pits, hoping to get a smooth track traffic environment and set their own record for the longest lap.

As a result, after the warm-up lap, they were all stuck on the track, and there was no ideal space as they had imagined.

And that wasn't the most troublesome part. Next, many drivers started thinking, "If Chen Xiang can do it, so can I."

As soon as you pass the apex of T1, you start accelerating at full throttle right inside the bend.

The luckier ones will step on the gas at the corner and spin straight.

The unfortunate ones, however, are "lucky" enough to stray off course and only realize they can't control themselves once they reach the famous Red River.

Even though the buffer zone at the Red River Bend was ridiculously large, it still couldn't withstand the downhill sprint speed of over 200 km/h. It took crashing three race cars in a row to stop this "bad trend" of imitation.

Meanwhile, the number of spectators in the stands questioning Chen Xiangbei decreased significantly.

The facts are clear: even if Chen Xiangbei was driving a "specially tuned car," his lap times weren't good enough for anyone to stage an accident!
The qualifying lap times leaderboard kept changing, but Chen Xiangbei remained as steady as a rock in the pit lane.

"Xiang Beijun, the fastest lap time is 2 minutes 05.255 seconds, only a thousandth of a second away from the pole position record."

Looking at the lap record set by Bottas on the track, Mizutani Sho couldn't help but offer a reminder.

Practice matches are practice matches, and qualifying matches are qualifying matches. Chen Xiangbei is not yet at the point where he can sit back and relax.

"Well, wait a minute."

Chen Xiangbei responded calmly, showing no intention of leaving the station.

Soon, as the track grip improved, Bianchi broke the pole position record, setting a new lap time of 2 minutes and 5.173 seconds!

Thunderous cheers and applause erupted on the track. Although Bianqi's lap time was not as fast as Chen Xiangbei's, this was the true pole position result in qualifying. This talented driver from France had set a new track record!
Meanwhile, in the audience, a boy of about ten years old was excitedly cheering and jumping for joy.

His name was Charles Leclerc, who later became known as "Extreme Guy" as a famous Ferrari driver.

Bianchi was Leclerc's mentor in his racing career and, more importantly, his "godfather."

Without Bianchi, Leclerc might have given up racing long ago due to lack of funds. He has said in many interviews that his racing career was driven by the dreams of his father and Bianchi.

Today, Charles Leclerc witnessed his mentor break the track pole position record and top the lap time leaderboard!

However, this period of peace did not last long, ending with five minutes remaining in the game.

An Australian driver named Daniel Ricciardo has broken the Spa-Francorchamps F3 pole position record.

His fastest lap time is 2 minutes 04.932 seconds!

When this lap time was announced, the entire stadium erupted in uproar.

Today's F3 support race was truly eye-opening. It turns out that even Hamilton's pole position record couldn't withstand the challenge from the young driver.

At the same time, Ricciardo's time surpassed Chen Xiangbei's practice lap time, making him the undisputed king of Spa.

"Odeto, I'm about to depart."

When Chen Xiangbei saw Ricardo's name at the top of the leaderboard, he finally made a request to start the race.

"OK."

Without much conversation, Chen Xiangbei started the motor, causing the engine to roar, and sped onto the main track.

The appearance of car number 13 excited the Chinese supporters in the stands.

However, at this time, there were far fewer of the previous "arrogant" remarks.

Jump when the wind is favorable, play dead when the wind is unfavorable—this is an age-old truth for humankind.

Even Chen Xiangbei's most ardent fans, seeing the insane lap times constantly appearing on the track, couldn't guarantee that he could break his own record.

To put it bluntly, this lack of confidence stems from a lack of fundamental knowledge and experience in formulas.

Even Chinese racing fans believe that Chen Xiangbei's performance was just a flash in the pan.

After the usual warm-up lap, Chen Xiangbei roared across the starting line.

After nearly an hour of practice and qualifying, a thick layer of rubber had accumulated on the track, resulting in a significant improvement in grip compared to before.

However, the performance limits of a race car are there, and no matter how fast Chen Xiangbei goes, he can't break through the laws of physics.

His target this time was not the full-throttle straight at the Red River Bend, but the second half of the bend!

Being fast on curves is what truly matters; many people don't know how to accelerate on straightaways.

Just like a replica of the practice session, Chen Xiangbei went full throttle through the first half of Spa. In the second half of the track, his line became more aggressive, and he started to take the kerbs very seriously!
Compared to other drivers of this era, Chen Xiangbei has an advantage that others cannot match, in addition to his mastery of tens of thousands of laps on simulators.

That means Chen Xiangbei knows many more extreme routes!
Kimi Räikkönen is indeed known as the "King of Spa," but in later years, Lewis Hamilton has taken six pole positions here, and Max Verstappen has taken four.

Both of them were once representatives of aggressive driving styles, and many of their driving lines were innovative and of reference value.

Standing on the shoulders of geniuses, Chen Xiangbei should be even faster!

This time, Chen Xiangbei will use his strength to teach his F3 opponents what real racing is all about!

As expected, when Chen Xiangbei's No. 13 car crossed the starting line, the lap time leaderboard was refreshed once again.

The surname "Chen" is prominently displayed at the very top!

Instead of applause and cheers, the first reaction was a moment of silence.

Everyone stared at the number 2 minutes 04.746 seconds, somewhat unable to believe their eyes.

Especially in the pit lanes of F1 teams, many management members remained silent, but their eyes gleamed with an unusual light.

Experience tells them that this could be a rising star in future F1.

Silence, isn't it another kind of "sudden fame" after being shocked?
(End of this chapter)