Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 159 You've Picked the Wrong Opponent (8K)

The Renault team currently has two drivers: number one Alonso and number two Grosjean.

After the "crash incident" was exposed, Alonso has announced his intention to leave Ferrari next year, and it is highly unlikely that the Renault team will be able to retain this "team selection genius".

As for Grosjean, that driver is quite interesting.

He originally held dual Swiss and French citizenship, initially competing as a Swiss driver. It wasn't until he won the French Formula Renault championship that the Renault team's junior development department approached Grosjean, proposing to compete as a French driver from then on.

The reason is simple: the dream of an all-Chinese team is not only held by Japanese teams, but also by French teams, and has been passed down through generations.

From the early days, Prost insisted on building an "all-French team," and was even more radical than Japan's Super Aguri. Not only did the drivers have to be French citizens, but all the important components such as the car chassis and engine also had to be from French suppliers.

The result was obvious: the Prost team performed poorly and was also stabbed in the back by engine supplier Peugeot.

The company issued a public statement claiming that the team's poor performance was their own problem and had nothing to do with Peugeot engines.

At that moment, Prost nearly choked on his own blood. His friend had given up the "unlimited" high-performance and stable Japanese engine in exchange for the dream of a "full French car" by choosing the immature French Peugeot power unit.

You're a fellow countryman meeting someone from your hometown, and then you shoot him in the back?
With dismal results, a shortage of funds, and betrayal from his own people, Prost left the F1 paddock in despair, occasionally attending F1 races as an invited guest.

The French dream of a racing legend has come to a tragic end.

While the Renault team doesn't have an all-French squad, they still prioritize selecting and developing French drivers.

Grosjean is their training target.

Mid-season, he replaced Piquet Jr., who was temporarily kicked out of the team, and his speed was decent, only 0.3 seconds slower than Alonso in qualifying.

The problem is that this guy's consistency is too poor; in offensive and defensive battles, the opponent has to guess whether he'll "give in" or not...

I have participated in two events so far, but I have already had to withdraw from one of them due to a clash.

In his history, he came on as a substitute in seven games during the 09 season, and withdrew from four of them.

A driver with a completion rate of less than 50% would probably be too expensive for a team to hire, even if he were Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn's half-brother, let alone just because he has a French passport.

If Grosjean is just a simple dish, there's not much to say.

What's interesting about this driver is that after leaving the F1 paddock, he returned to the GP2 series as a "recycled" driver and actually became the world champion!
What's even more bizarre is that three years later, Grosjean returned to the F1 paddock and rejoined the Lotus-Renault team, which is the same Lotus team nicknamed "Black Gold Lotus".

And when the team's number one driver, Raikkonen, left the team due to a salary dispute, Grosjean stepped forward and declared that he would take up the mantle of the "Lotus" team!

Everyone initially thought it was a joke, but Grosjean actually pulled through, single-handedly reaching the podium repeatedly and single-handedly leading a team that was in disarray mid-season to fourth place in the championship.

This truly echoes Chow Yun-fat's line: "I waited three years for this opportunity, not to prove how great I am, but to tell others that I will definitely get back what I lost!"
Grosjean earned the nickname "Grossbill" due to his unpredictable and sometimes brilliant performances.

Of course, that's all in the future. Right now, no one in the Renault team expects this reckless guy to carry the torch. They're already looking for a replacement for next year.

Polish driver Kubica and Russian prospect Petrov are both on Renault's shortlist.

The former focuses on potential and technology, while the latter targets sponsorship from Russian oil and banks.

Originally, Chen Xiangbei had nothing to do with it, but his performance at this race was too amazing, and the Renault team knew the rookie's test data, which finally made team principal Brillier decide to include him in the shortlist.

“I’m very interested in joining the Renault team, but I don’t know what kind of seat team principal Brill can offer me?”

Chen Xiangbei replied with a smile, "Even if the Renault team continues its decline, it will still be one of the 'Big Three' in the paddock."

Even ten years later, with the rise of teams like Mercedes and Red Bull, the renamed Alpine still holds a stable position in the mid-table, which is much better than starting from a smaller team.

In Formula 1 racing, the driver can only determine the lower limit; the car is what determines the upper limit.

Even a player as strong as Verstappen, when the Red Bull RB21 declined, could at best secure his position in the front row on his own, but he would struggle to outpace McLaren's young driver Piastri in the title race.

“North, we can provide you with a third driver’s seat.”

Hearing Burrell's expected reply, Chen Xiangbei's smile widened.

The third driver is essentially a substitute; you only get the chance to step in and fill in when the official driver has a problem.

Chen Xiangbei doesn't want an opportunity; he wants a formal position!
“Team Principal Brillier, I am currently a test driver for Brawn GP, ​​and they can also offer a third driver contract. What is your advantage?”

Chen Xiangbei's smile faded, and he asked a question in a serious tone.

“We can sign a guarantee that you will be the first-choice substitute whenever a vacancy becomes available in the official driver's seat.”

"Bei, to tell you the truth, the chances of me getting a permanent position next year are very high!"

Brill wasn't lying; he just wanted Petrov's sponsorship and didn't think the driver could finish the entire season.

Russians are reckless by nature!
However, to Chen Xiangbei, those words were nothing more than empty promises.

It seems that Renault and Alpine are truly of the same ilk. In order to keep Piastri, they made similar promises and forced this talented driver to sit on the bench for a year.

This sparked a "post-00s generation to reorganize the workplace," resulting in a public table-flipping event.

Now, if I, Chen Xiangbei, start making empty promises about myself ten years in advance, do I look like a fool?

"I'm sorry, but I won't consider anything unless it's a formal driver's contract."

"Also, thank you for your kindness, Team Manager Burrier. The second round of the F3 race is about to begin, so I'll be leaving now."

After saying that, Chen Xiangbei stood up, ready to leave gracefully.

Upon seeing Chen Xiangbei's decisive and resolute actions, both Brier and Prost showed expressions of surprise.

It's important to understand that the status of drivers and teams is not equal.

There are usually twenty official F1 seats, with only a few vacant each year, while dozens or even hundreds of drivers are eligible to compete.

There are countless drivers who are not qualified to compete but dream of becoming F1 drivers.

In theory, Chen Xiangbei, as a newcomer, had no right to bargain with the team, especially a major team like Renault, one of the "Big Three".

Chen Xiangbei rejected Renault's invitation. Is he really that confident that he can secure a regular driver's seat with another team?

Just then, Prost, who was a special guest, spoke up.

“Bei, I hope you can reconsider. Renault’s resources and platform are definitely greater than you imagine.”

Prost was offering this advice to Chen Xiangbei, a younger player, from the perspective of a senior figure in the paddock.

The reason why a factory fleet is a factory fleet is that it is backed by a huge automobile group.

Renault is not only a factory team, but also an engine supplier, and it has its own customer teams in the paddock, such as Red Bull!
Engine suppliers can often influence customer teams’ decisions, even leading to the sharing of substitute drivers and the provision of seats for official drivers.

The subtext of Prost's words was to tell Chen Xiangbei that his path to obtaining a full driver's seat was not limited to the Renault team, but also included Renault's customer teams.

Just like why news of Zhou Guanyu competing for a Cadillac seat circulated on the internet in later generations.

On the one hand, the Cadillac team leader is Zhou Guanyu's agent, giving them an advantage due to their proximity.

On the other hand, Cadillac is a customer team of Ferrari engines, and Zhou Guanyu has been a member of the Ferrari camp throughout his F1 career, giving him a natural advantage in getting started quickly.

"Thank you, but I won't consider it unless it's a formal driver's contract."

Chen Xiangbei's attitude remained firm. No matter if it was Renault or Ferrari, he would not waver in the slightest without a formal driver contract!

"Bei, it's good for young people to pursue their dreams, but they shouldn't be too ambitious. I hope you can think calmly and make the decision that is best for you."

"There is only one Kimi Raikkonen in the paddock. Don't regret your hasty decision later."

Prost offered another piece of advice, pointing out that the biggest difference between him and Sena was that Prost's thinking was extremely rational, and he would not take any unnecessary risks.

To give a simple example, if Professor Prost and Senna were to run the same race, he could get ten points if he won, but it would come with great risks.

Even if you don't win the championship, you'll still get eight points, with only a two-point difference between you and the other team.

Senna would decisively choose the former and fight tooth and nail for the title, while Prost would choose the latter without hesitation.

Two points are far from worth the risk for him!

The choice facing Chen Xiangbei now is that the Renault camp can provide him with a stable third driver's seat, and will most likely help him secure a regular driver's seat next year.

Don't underestimate the "high probability"; it might actually be higher than Chen Xiangbei's chances of succeeding if he directly competes for it.

That's why Prost added that there was only one Kimi Raikkonen in the paddock.

For a Chinese newcomer without any connections or huge sponsorships to jump to F1 after only four races, creating a miracle is extremely difficult.

Young people should be more realistic when considering issues.

“Mr. Prost, I will not regret my decision today.”

"There is indeed only one Kimi Raikkonen in the paddock, because I will only ever be Chen Xiangbei!"

After saying that, Chen Xiangbei left Renault's office without looking back.

People with different values ​​cannot work together. Chen Xiangbei highly regards Prost's driving skills and even believes that if F1 were to rank the greatest drivers of all time, Professor's four world championships would be ranked above Senna's.

But he did not agree with Professor Proust's ideas!

A racer should pursue the freedom of the wind and challenge the limits of speed.

Why did Ayrton Senna, with only three world championships, earn the title of "God of Racing"?

A major factor was that he died on the track.

For a driver, dying on the track is often considered an honor.

It's like if racing legend Michael Schumacher were sober, and he were given the chance to choose again.

Chen Xiangbei believed that he would never want to spend more than a decade lying on his sickbed in a daze. Instead, he would choose to go to heaven at the height of his seven-time champion reign and challenge God to a battle of speed.

Seeing Chen Xiangbei come out of the office, Dong Hebin was about to go up and ask about the result, but saw that the other party just shook his head slightly.

The answer is self-evident.

As for Brill and Prost, their expressions were somewhat complicated.

To be honest, from their perspective, for a team like Renault, one of the "Big Three," to offer a contract for a third driver and promise to seek a permanent driver's seat is definitely a very favorable treatment for a newcomer.

But the Chinese boy refused without hesitation.

“Blair, I see a shadow of Sena in this newcomer.”

"It is equally full of vigor and fearlessness!"

Prost and Senna were bitter enemies on the paddock, but they were kindred spirits off the paddock.

At Sena's funeral, Prost was his pallbearer; after a lifetime of fighting, he still found no equal.

On the other side, Chen Xiangbei returned to the Campos team's pit garage. Odeto merely glanced at him and said indifferently, "The talks broke down?"

"It seems you anticipated this?"

"Of course, all large fleets have 'illnesses'."

Odeto witnessed Ferrari's glorious era and watched helplessly as the "iron triangle" disbanded and the empire collapsed.

He knew very well that the larger the fleet, the more rigid its thinking and systems, and the more deeply entrenched its interests, making it difficult to make a desperate decision.

Chen Xiangbei's goal is clear: to secure a seat as a regular driver next year.

As one of the "Big Three" automakers, Renault would absolutely not offer a seat to a Chinese driver for next year's official driver competition.

From the very beginning, there was no possibility of this negotiation being completed.

This is why Odeto's attitude remained indifferent throughout.

Why pay too much attention to a trade that's destined to fail?
"The second round of the main race is about to begin, get in the car and get ready."

Without dwelling too much on the driver's seat, Odeto shifted the conversation to the race.

Chen Xiangbei should really be targeting the smaller teams in the lower-middle tier of the paddock; they are the cradle of new talent.

Especially those like Sauber, who have become veritable "Whampoa Military Academy" of drivers over the years.

Massa, Raikkonen, Vettel, Leclerc, Zhou Guanyu, and others.

These well-known F1 drivers all started their careers with Sauber.

The big teams just need to play it safe, while the smaller teams need to gamble. As the start of the second race approached, all the cars came out of the pit lane and stopped at the starting grid on the main track.

Due to the reverse starting order rule, Chen Xiangbei won the championship in the first round of the main race, and this time he will start from tenth place.

And so on, with the driver who finished tenth in the previous race becoming pole position.

Following Chen Xiangbei are the eleventh to twentieth place finishers from the previous race, who will continue to start in the normal order.

Although Chen Xiangbei was not in pole position, the audience knew that he was the winner of the previous race, and he was greeted with thunderous cheers when he came out.

Even the reporters waiting on the track moved to the middle of the starting grid, ready to seize the opportunity to conduct pre-race interviews.

This time, Sky Sports' Hank didn't give his colleagues a chance. He lay down in Chen Xiangbei's racing cockpit, practically sticking the microphone into his mouth!
"Bei, as the champion of the first round, are you still confident of winning again in this reverse-start race?"

Looking at the familiar "hanging hair" fire in front of him, Chen Xiangbei was very relaxed this time.

As if meeting an "old friend," he replied with a smile, "Do you think I would lack confidence?"

Having met so many times, both sides already have some understanding of each other.

Chen Xiangbei no longer needs to use any grand words to explain his confidence and attitude.

Upon hearing Chen Xiangbei's answer, Hank's lips curled into a playful smile.

The Chinese kid now has a kind of "low-key arrogance".

Familiarity is one thing, but professional ethics cannot be lost. Hank will not show any mercy when it comes to stirring things up.

"Bei, I interviewed Raikkonen immediately after the match yesterday. His only comment on your statement that you think you are better was just one word."

"What word?"

"NO."

Kimi Räikkönen is nicknamed "The Iceman" not only because he comes from Finland, a country known for its ice and snow, but also because of his taciturn nature and often cold demeanor in front of the camera and media.

His one-word response perfectly reflects Raikkonen's "Iceman" persona.

Chen Xiangbei did not react defensively or refute this. He simply replied calmly, "It's okay. I will soon face off against Raikkonen on the track. We'll use our results and speed to prove who is the stronger driver."

Chen Xiangbei's words, projected onto the track's large screen via broadcast cameras, immediately sparked discussion among the audience.

"What does the Chinese guy mean? Does he really think he can challenge Kimi?"

"A genius champion who jumped three levels, Chen Xiangbei couldn't even see Raikkonen's taillights on the track!"

"Driver Bei is not worthy of being Kimi's opponent; he is the real genius!"

When it comes to the number of fans, especially on the European track, Chen Xiangbei can't even compare to a fraction of Raikkonen's.

Even without the fan mentality of belittling the strong, it's normal to feel dissatisfied when a rookie thinks he's better than the world champion.

However, some people understood another layer of meaning in Chen Xiangbei's words.

That's the Chinese kid. What makes him think he'll be able to compete against Raikkonen on the track so soon?

It wasn't just the audience who realized that Hank was actually planning to ask that question.

"Bei, you said you'll be facing Kimi on the track soon. Could it be related to your pre-race trip to the Renault pit garage?"

"Have you reached any agreement with the Renault team regarding the driver's seat?"

Chen Xiangbei's trip to the Renault P-room was noticed by reporter Hank, who had been "watching" him.

At the time, he didn't understand what was going on, but now, considering Chen Xiangbei's response, it seems to be related to the driver's seat.

"No, the Renault team cannot meet my requirements."

"What is your request?"

"Official driver's seat!"

This is the first time Chen Xiangbei has publicly stated his future career goals.

The reason I didn't disclose this to the media or contact the team beforehand was because I had this idea without any results, which would be considered a joke by outsiders.

But today, the time is ripe.

Chen Xiangbei will use his strength to prove that he deserves a seat as an official F1 driver!
"Holy crap, Chen Xiangbei is really planning to replicate Kimi's miracle!"

"Jumping into F1 after only four races, driver Bei really dares to dream."

"Could it be that China's first F1 driver is about to be born?"

"The Chinese kid is being too high-profile. The F1 paddock is not comparable to lower-level formula racing."

Various doubts and boos arose one after another. Indeed, Chen Xiangbei's current goal seems a bit too ambitious for the average viewer.

However, the commotion was quickly interrupted by the order to clear the track.

Hank put the microphone away and prepared to leave, but after standing up, he suddenly hesitated.

He then turned to look at Chen Xiangbei and spoke in a private capacity.

“Bei, although I often use you to create news headlines, I believe you will create a miracle this time.”

"come on!"

Work is work and life is life.

Hank was also one of those who witnessed Chen Xiangbei's growth on the European track, and he knew better than anyone else how fast this Chinese kid was progressing.

Many things that were once impossible became possible in his presence!

Compared to other rookie drivers, Hank's biggest impression of Chen Xiangbei was that the kid always had absolute trust in him.

Hank has interviewed countless famous drivers, and they all share a common trait.

That is having a champion's heart of "I am the only one who can win"!

In response to this "approval," Chen Xiangbei merely nodded and then "coldly" pushed down his helmet visor.

At this moment, he was nothing more than a racing machine devoid of any emotion.

The track was quickly cleared out, and the regular warm-up laps began.

It's unclear whether Chen Xiangbei's pre-race comments were too flamboyant, or if the driver in eleventh place had given up and was just looking to cause trouble during the warm-up period.

He floored the gas pedal and caught up with Chen Xiangbei's car, then kept weaving left and right like a speed racing team, making a provocative move as if he was about to overtake!

When the crew members returned to the pit lane and saw this scene, the young A-Yong immediately became furious and said, "What does this mean? Is car number 21 provoking Brother Bei?"

"Taking advantage of the reverse departure order, now even the most insignificant Tom, Dick, and Harry dares to provoke Xiangbei?"

Lei Ge also said something with a face full of dissatisfaction.

Under normal circumstances, driver number 21 wouldn't even be able to see Chen Xiangbei's taillights.

You still have the nerve to provoke us?

Unfortunately, the warm-up tires had limitations, leaving Chen Xiangbei with no way to retaliate.

Furthermore, this driver ranked eleventh is clearly someone who has nothing to lose and isn't afraid of those who are wearing shoes. Since he has no chance of scoring points at Spa, he might as well come and annoy the arrogant Chinese guy.

"The race hadn't even officially started yet, but the atmosphere on the track was already thick with tension."

"During the warm-up lap, driver number 21 made some aggressive moves. Was he trying to challenge driver Bei, or was he venting his dissatisfaction with Bei's pre-race comments?"

James was commentating on the situation on the track. He was actually a half-fan of Raikkonen and could understand the feelings of driver number 21.

It was indeed unwise for driver North to want to challenge Raikkonen.

"That Chinese guy deserves it, let's see if he dares to be arrogant again!"

"Renault is a disgrace. They were rejected when they tried to sign a new player. No wonder they're going downhill."

"Allen, well done! You'd better knock North off the track during the race!"

Many European spectators in the stands cheered, seeing this as the best response to Chen Xiangbei's arrogance.

Hearing the provocative shouts from outside the stadium, and seeing this scene so familiar, Odette pressed the call button on his listening headset.

"North, do you see the race cars behind us?"

"of course."

Chen Xiangbei casually replied that he not only saw it, but when the guy behind him got closest to the car, the distance between the two cars could be measured in centimeters, and he could clearly hear the other car revving up the engine and revving the engine.

"Then what are you going to do?"

Almost the instant Odeto finished speaking, Chen Xiangbei slammed on the brakes to slow down, changed lanes, and then slammed on the brakes.

The driver in car number 21 behind had no time to react, and the provocative act turned into an overtaking maneuver.

"Do it this way."

Chen Xiangbei provided Odeto's answer through his actions.

He would never tolerate his grandson's provocations.

"GOOD!"

Odeto was very pleased with this.

This is the effect he wanted: even if Chen Xiangbei is wearing shoes now, he should never be coerced by someone who is barefoot.

Arrogance is fine, but hesitation leads to defeat!
"OH~~! The race center has issued a penalty. Driver number 21 was penalized 10 seconds for overtaking during the warm-up lap, and an additional 10 seconds was added by the race arbitrator for his illegal driving behavior."

"It seems that the second round of the main race is already over for driver number 21."

James's tone revealed a hint of schadenfreude.

Provocation is fine; that's the driver's own skill.

If you try to steal a chicken but end up losing the rice instead, then don't blame yourself for becoming the object of ridicule.

It's obvious that driver number 21 hadn't paid much attention to driver Bei before. This Chinese kid is no pushover; he's always been vengeful!
"Damn it, daring to provoke Chen Xiangbei, they've really picked the wrong opponent."

"Chen Xiangbei really didn't disappoint me; this is the true spirit of a Chinese driver!"

"Bei is as tough as ever, and that's what attracts me to him."

"Driver Kitama Man!"

Compared to cowardly men who are all bark and no bite, it's clear that audiences prefer tough guys.

No matter how arrogant Chen Xiangbei is, at least he's consistent inside and out!

The warm-up lap was completed quickly, and the twenty race cars returned to the starting grid.

As the indicator lights on the track lit up one by one, many people's hearts pounded wildly with each light.

The moment the five lights went out, the race car engines roared to life, and the drivers frantically floored the accelerator to accelerate, not wanting to be overtaken at the start.

Bottas, who was in eighth place, smoothly shifted gears, released the clutch, and revved the engine. The whole process was not particularly fast, but at least there was no sign of him getting dizzy at the start.

Even so, Ricardo was faster, taking off and pulling away to overtake, just as the strategy team had planned before the race had done, he executed it perfectly!

Bottas has never been good at taking the lead; most of the time he can only maintain his position and rarely takes the lead at lightning speed.

Bottas was prepared for Ricciardo to overtake him and he would rely on his long distance to catch up.

Before he could change lanes and get past the corner, another race car appeared next to Bottas's car, right behind Ricciardo.

The number 13 on the front of the car already identified the other party.

Chen Xiangbei also made a successful start and overtake, moving up to ninth place in just two seconds into the race!

(End of this chapter)