Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 158 Would you like to join the three founding families?
Chen Xiangbei drove race car number 13 back to the pit lane, got out of the car, and high-fived his team members again in celebration.

However, the applause and cheers from the stands were quickly drawn to another group of true superstars, who were the real stars of the Spa circuit.

This group of people are the F1 drivers participating in qualifying.

"North, want to go to the pit room at Brown GP to watch the qualifying race?"

Odeto asked again, "There's nothing wrong with getting a taste of the F1 atmosphere beforehand."

"No need, I plan to go back to the hotel first to watch today's recordings."

Having already experienced the race in the Brawn GP pit yesterday, Chen Xiangbei is currently focusing more on tomorrow's second race.

Only by winning these two races can one be considered a true F3 Spa Grand Prix champion!
In addition, as the main race starts in reverse order, Chen Xiangbei will start in tenth place tomorrow, a starting position he has never experienced before. To win the championship, he must overtake the nine drivers ahead of him.

Even though Spa is relatively easy to overtake, passing nine opponents in just fifteen laps, which is close to one overtake per lap, is still extremely difficult.

If the first round of the main race was a test of Chen Xiangbei's ability to defend at the start and maintain a good tire during long-distance cruising, then...

The second round of the main competition will then test his round-by-round offensive and defensive battles.

Only drivers with no weaknesses will gain the attention of F1 teams.

In a sense, the person who invented the low-level formula for reverse starting was a genius.

This not only significantly increases the excitement of the race and the number of overtaking maneuvers, but also allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of drivers' abilities, preventing the emergence of some subpar champions.

"OK, then you can go back."

Odette responded and then turned to call the crew members to conduct post-race maintenance.

At the same time, he used his authority as the team leader to remind everyone of the mistakes and shortcomings that occurred during the tire change at the pit stop.

A tire change time of 3.7 seconds is unacceptable.

Odette's minimum requirement is to consistently change tires in under three seconds every time he enters the pits!
Back in the Prima team's pit bay, Ricciardo, despite being comforted by his crew, wore an expression of deep pain.

Although he finished as runner-up in the first round, he consolidated his lead over Bottas in the overall standings.

But he showed absolutely no joy in victory!

The reason is simple: in the previous qualifying session, Ricardo could still find excuses, believing that Chen Xiangbei was able to get pole position because of the "specially tuned car" of the Chao Meng team.

Otherwise, the Chinese boys won't be able to outrun their own.

But with the arrival of Red Bull F1 mechanics to adjust the car, Ricciardo could no longer find any excuse!

At this time, Red Bull Racing's ranking and influence were indeed far inferior to the top position of the "Big Three" in later generations.

However, its weakness lies not in its strength, but in its heritage and influence.

Red Bull Racing was formerly Jaguar Racing, and it didn't make its F1 appearance until 05, just four years ago.

Compared to established giants like Ferrari, Williams, McLaren, and Renault, which have been around for decades, its seniority is relatively low.

However, Red Bull Racing has developed rapidly. In fact, it has now occupied the second position in the paddock, and even established giants such as McLaren and Renault have to give way to this rising star.

Compared to Red Bull, the Super Aguri team is nothing, not even close. Unless they bring back the big brother Honda, there's no chance they can even go toe-to-toe.

Even with Red Bull's specially tuned F3 car, it still couldn't catch up with Chen Xiangbei, and was left behind at the first corner. This was an unacceptable reality for Ricciardo, who had always been in the "favored son" position!

Was my past performance a facade?
Is he really inferior to a Chinese newcomer?
Perhaps sensing Ricardo's doubts, Prima's team manager, Philip, walked over, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Daniel, never doubt your abilities. You ran exceptionally well in this race."

"The reason you didn't win the championship is because you were unfamiliar with the Chinese driver Bei."

"Or perhaps everyone, including myself, underestimated the aggressiveness and madness of Chinese drivers."

Philip's words were not only a consolation, but also a heartfelt statement.

To be honest, Asian drivers, including those from China, are known for their conservatism and steadiness in the international motorsport scene.

Only in recent years, with the emergence of a new generation of Japanese cyclists such as Yuji Ide and Takuma Sato, has this image changed slightly; they seem less afraid of confrontation and competition.

However, to be fair, the "radical" approach of Yuji Ide and Takuma Sato is seen as nothing more than naivety by European team leaders, and has little to do with radicalism or madness.

You can perfectly control the race car, teetering on the edge of losing control – that's what you call an aggressive style.

If you can't control yourself and become a torpedo, you're not radical at all, you're just a noob!
Before the race, many F3 teams focused their research on Chen Xiangbei on his racing line characteristics, and no one expected the Chinese kid to play so recklessly.

Fully loaded with fuel, they went to replicate Schumacher's Red River Bend racing line. Any mistake that caused them to run out of the run-off area would mean losing the car.

A tank full of high-value gasoline, if ignited, would be a cannonball!
However, Chen Xiangbei still went ahead and did it without hesitation, completely shaking off Ricciardo on the road ahead at full throttle, causing the latter to get caught up in the battle of cars and prematurely ending the race.

Philippe didn't think it was Ricardo's fault; he simply suffered from a lack of understanding of his opponent.

In terms of skill and speed, Ricciardo is second to none, even if they are F1 drivers!

Hearing the team leader's words of comfort, Ricardo nodded slightly, wanting to say something but unable to utter a word.

At times like this, any words spoken sound like an excuse.

"Stay calm. There's a second round of reverse order races tomorrow. Take out Bottas and Bianchi at the start and let them fight with driver North."

"What Bei Neng can do, you can do too!"

Philippe was very confident that Bottas' lap times were very fast, placing him among the top tier in the paddock.

However, his weaknesses in starting and offensive and defensive skills are obvious, and Ricciardo can easily overtake him.

Given Bottas's ability, he should be able to react after being overtaken by at most one car, so the Finnish newcomer will focus all his efforts on defending against driver Nürburgring.

If Ricardo can hold off the Chinese kid for a lap or two, he can establish a significant advantage.

Philippe believes that Ricardo is second to none in terms of long-distance cruising speed!
"OK, I will do it."

Ricciardo nodded very seriously. He was also trying to get a permanent driver contract with Red Bull Racing and move up to the F1 paddock.

If Ricciardo can't even beat a Chinese rookie who's been replaced in this race, it will seriously affect his reputation with the Red Bull team.

Even the Toro Rosso team might extend an olive branch to Chen Xiangbei.

Ricardo can only win, he can't afford to lose!

Back at the hotel, Chen Xiangbei no longer watched his own moves in the video, but rather his opponent's technical style and weaknesses.

Bianchi is one of his key opponents.

In terms of his performance in Formula One and his performance in F1, Bianchi is not as good as Ricciardo and Bottas.

Logically speaking, Chen Xiangbei should be focusing on stronger opponents.

However, the reality is quite the opposite. Because of Ricciardo and Bottas' fame, Chen Xiangbei had watched almost all of their F1 races in his previous life and was extremely familiar with the technical styles and characteristics of these two drivers.

After all, whether it's Ricciardo of Red Bull Racing or Bottas of Mercedes Racing.

For a long time, the two of them were the second most focused-on subjects in the paddock after WDC, and they were also the subject of a lot of discussion.

However, due to Bianchi's untimely death, which coincided with Chen Xiangbei's Formula racing career, he did not pay much attention to the French driver.

Knowing yourself and the enemy is the only way to survive a hundred battles.

Chen Xiangbei's ability to often outperform other drivers in his class stems from his strategic disregard for his opponents while maintaining a high level of tactical awareness.

In comparison, European drivers are often arrogant and conceited. They often don't take Chen Xiangbei seriously at first, and only target him when they suffer losses, which is already too late.

However, this time Chen Xiangbei did not watch the recording late into the night. Instead, he chose to go to bed early to conserve his energy.

Although Chen Xiangbei's muscle strength is now sufficient to withstand the G-forces of modern F3 racing cars.

However, after two days and three races, the physical pressure was still considerable, especially since Chen Xiangbei was constantly pushing the limits of the car and the track.

Looking at Chen Xiangbei, who had returned to his room early and was still devising tactics for tomorrow, Hiroki Sawano said with a sigh, "Bei has always had the advantage of emotional stability. It feels like his mental fortitude has become even stronger after this period of trial training."

Odeto scoffed at Hiroki Sawano's praise.

“Zeye, if you don’t have anything to praise, you don’t have to. The Chinese kid has received enough praise lately. It’s time to give him a little more pressure.” Odeto crossed his arms and glanced at the Spa circuit map in front of him as he spoke. On the table were also the profiles of the nine drivers that Chen Xiangbei would be overtaking tomorrow.

The principle of knowing yourself and your enemy is not only understood by Chen Xiangbei, a Chinese man, but also by the Italian old man Odeto.

As the team leader, he must work with Hiroki Sawano and Sho Mizutani, the two strategy team members, tonight to devise the winning strategy with the highest probability of success tomorrow.

Whether or not an agreement can be reached is Chen Xiangbei's problem; whether or not to do it is the strategy team's attitude.

At least in the eyes of Hiroki Sawano and Sho Mizutani, this intensity was ridiculously high!

Chen Xiangbei, who had fallen asleep, was naturally unaware of the "gift package" Odeto had given him. When he opened his eyes again, it was already Sunday.

Compared to Friday and Saturday, Sunday is the main event of F1 race week, when the excitement in the paddock will reach its peak.

Today, not only were there 80,000 spectators in attendance, but also many European political figures and social celebrities who arrived at Spa-Francorchamps to watch the race. The media area was just as lively as ever.

The F3 series already had low viewership, and now there are even fewer reporters coming to conduct pre-race interviews.

Chen Xiangbei was quite content with the situation. He wasn't really interested in the media hype. After changing into his racing suit, he sat in the drivers' lounge with his legs crossed, waiting for the start of the second round of the race.

Just then, someone knocked on the door of the lounge.

"Come in."

Chen Xiangbei called out casually, thinking it was Odeto or Lu Xiaoman.

When the door opened, it was Dong Hebin's face that appeared.

"Brother Bin, what brings you here?"

Since joining the Renault Sport Academy, Ho-Pin Tung has not accompanied the team as the third driver to watch races.

Instead, he was invited by the General Administration of Sport to team up with Cheng Congfu to participate in the 09 A1GP Formula Nations Cup.

If Chen Xiangbei remembers correctly, Tung Ho-Pin should be in France preparing for the race with Cheng Congfu, so why did he suddenly come to Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium?

"Renault team principal Burrier greatly admires your performance at Spa and he wants me to act as a middleman to talk to you. Also, there is a legend in the motorsport world here today."

"Heading north, I see this as an opportunity to join an F1 team!"

Tung Ho-Pin sounded very excited. The reason he rushed from France to Belgium overnight was that Renault team manager Brill called him after the first leg of the main competition ended yesterday.

They inquired about Chen Xiangbei's situation and revealed their intention to recruit him.

After the rookie test results came out at the Catalan circuit, Ho-Pin Tung realized that he had no chance of becoming a full-fledged F1 driver.

Given this, he hopes that Chen Xiangbei can seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve the goal of becoming China's first official F1 driver!
[Is the Renault team manager interested in me?]

Hearing Dong Hebin's words, Chen Xiangbei was honestly a little confused.

He has indeed been seeking a seat as an official F1 driver, but has never considered Renault.

The reason is simple: even a weakened camel is bigger than a horse. Renault, even if it has declined a bit, is still among the "Big Three". Why would they give a Chinese rookie a formal driver's seat?

It's worth noting that even a genius like Verstappen started his F1 career with Toro Rosso.

There are very few precedents in history for rookies to directly join the "Big Three" racing teams.

If I had to point out something, the 25 season was the most dramatic, with rookie Lawson jumping straight into the Red Bull team.

As for the complete newcomer Antonelli, he went straight into the Mercedes team.

Chen Xiangbei was still somewhat self-aware; he didn't believe such a good thing would happen to him.

Who else is a legendary figure in the world of motorsports?
"Hey, head north, don't hesitate. Before the game starts, come with me to Renault's office."

Before Chen Xiangbei could respond, Dong Hebin pulled him out of the drivers' lounge and headed to the Renault team office.

Seeing Chen Xiangbei leave, Lu Xiaoman moved closer to Odette and asked curiously, "Team leader, where did Xiangbei go?"

When Dong Hebin arrived at the P room earlier, he had already greeted Oddo, but Lu Xiaoman and the others said something to each other.

"Go and broaden your horizons."

"what?"

Lu Xiaoman didn't understand Odeto's answer at all. Did Chen Xiangbei have no experience now?
Odette, however, did not have the habit of explaining, and he turned around to discuss the car's maintenance with Liang Chi.

After three consecutive races, the engine's durability has been put to a great test. Odette needs accurate data to decide whether to use the engine at full power in the second race.

To outpace your competitors, speed is the most important factor!

Meanwhile, Chen Xiangbei, led by Dong Hebin, entered the Renault team's pit garage.

The Renault crew members also showed curiosity upon the arrival of this unfamiliar Chinese driver.

Chen Xiangbei looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Renault driver Alonso, but he didn't find him in the pit lane.

Pushing open the office door, Dong Hebin didn't go in; he merely stood at the door and gestured.

Chen Xiangbei walked in and saw two middle-aged men sitting inside. One of them was Renault's current team principal, Brier, and the other had a signature head of curly hair.

Chen Xiangbei stared at the other person's face for a few seconds, and then a look of shock appeared on his face.

Tung Ho-Pin is right, this person is indeed a legendary figure in the racing world.

His name is Alain Proust!

Throughout the 1980s, only two drivers truly reached the pinnacle of Formula 1: one of them was the legendary Ayrton Senna, a name familiar to many.

His other rival was French driver Alain Prost, who held the title of "Professor".

If Senna represents radicalism, then Prost embodies composure; these two represent two extremes in the world of motorsport!

However, due to the appealing driving style and achievements of Senna, coupled with the legendary nature of his death, his rival, four-time world champion Prost, was placed in the position of "villain," resulting in a much worse public opinion in comparison.

But one thing is certain: Prost is a driver who is no less than, and in some aspects even surpasses, Senna.

It's important to know that Prost's four F1 world championships are highly prestigious, as he defeated five world champion teammates, including Lauda, ​​Rosberg, Senna, Mansell, and Hill, all under points rules that were unfavorable to him.

The points system in F1 in the 1980s was not based on annual points as it is today, but on valid points.

Simply put, the points are calculated based on the best results in the preliminary rounds, while the later results are not counted.

It was under the "encouragement" of this effective points system that drivers in the 1980s drove with a style of risking their lives to win rankings, while steady drivers were not popular.

According to modern points systems, Senna's overall performance would be even worse.

Of course, this doesn't mean Prost is better than Senna, but rather that both have their own strengths.

To put it another way, if it weren't for the effective points system, Senna might not have been so aggressive in his efforts, and he would have shown his steady and reliable long-distance performance.

"North, congratulations on your achievement at Spa."

Burrell began with a polite remark.

"Thank you."

Chen Xiangbei responded politely in return.

Then he added, "I wonder what exactly is the purpose of the invitation from Team Leader Burrell?"

Even though Chen Xiangbei knew the answer perfectly well, he still asked the question knowingly, waiting for the other party's reply.

Faced with Chen Xiangbei's direct question, Burrell and Prost exchanged a glance and a smile appeared on their faces.

"Bei, your personality is just like your racing style, full of youthful vigor."

"Since that's the case, let me get to the point. I wonder if you'd be interested in joining the Renault team?"

(End of this chapter)