Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 166 The Top Team I Need

F1 driver, the epitome of the world's top drivers.

The lifelong dream of countless professional drivers is to sit in the cockpit of a single-seat Formula One race car and experience the ultimate speed and passion.

In his past life, Chen Xiangbei stood at the entrance of the palace, but ultimately failed to knock on that closed door.

Whether it's ability, sponsorship, or even residency status, the world won't listen to the reasons of losers.

Through his hard work and management, he has made a comeback.

This official driver contract is the key to unlocking the door to F1.

By signing his name, Chen Xiangbei will become the undisputed top driver on Earth, the kind who utterly despises all others!
Taking a deep breath to calm his slightly agitated emotions, Chen Xiangbei took the driver's contract from Carabant and quickly glanced at the details.

HRT offered a three-year contract, which is not a typical signing period for rookies, given that Chen Xiangbei had never won any lower-level formula championships and his rapid advancement was too exaggerated.

Normally, the team would only offer a one-year rookie contract to test whether Chen Xiangbei could adapt to the pace and intensity of the F1 paddock.

After all, there are too many talented F1 drivers in history who either start strong and then falter, or start strong but then go astray. No one can guarantee that Chen Xiangbei won't be the next one.

Unless the driver's sponsorship is so substantial that the team cannot refuse it.

It is clear that "United Capital," which controls the HRT team with absolute ownership, has the upper hand in Chen Xiangbei's driver contract, which is why this long-term contract exists.

Next was Chen Xiangbei's annual salary, which had no long-term contract benefits and was only $200,000.

It's important to understand that in this era, F1 drivers did not have a guaranteed base salary. This meant that regardless of whether you were a paid driver or not, there was still a possibility of having zero annual salary, unlike in later generations where there was a guaranteed base salary of one million US dollars.

In the 09 F1 paddock, the highest-paid player was Kimi Räikkönen of Ferrari, whose annual salary was $4500 million.

At the bottom are Force India, Toyota, and Renault, whose paid drivers earn zero annual salary.

To be precise, if we include the fees, the annual salary should be negative.

Some car enthusiasts might not understand: if you don't earn a penny a year, and you still have to pay for racing yourself, what's the difference between that and paying someone to work?
In fact, F1 drivers' salaries are divided into two parts: payments from the team and their own private sponsorships.

Simply put, the moment you become an F1 driver, you've essentially reached the pinnacle of the field, and you'll most likely become the top motorsport driver in your country.

At this point, brand awareness, influence, and commercial value will skyrocket!

Take Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu as an example. When he entered the race, he received 30 million US dollars in sponsorship funds, but his annual salary was only a base salary of one million US dollars.

Theoretically speaking, it would cost an extra $2900 million to start an F1 team.

But this is only theoretically a loss. Not counting the endorsement revenue split between Zhou Guanyu and the team, he personally owns more than a dozen brands such as ROG, Hublot, HSBC, Hennessy, Dior, and Jike.

The income from these private endorsements belongs entirely to Zhou Guanyu himself, and he basically broke even after 30 million US dollars.

If Zhou Guanyu could achieve better results, such as winning a regional championship, his personal endorsement value could increase at least tenfold!
Just imagine, Ms. Gu, a Winter Olympic champion, raked in over 20 million US dollars in endorsement revenue in just a few months thanks to the publicity she received.

The popularity and global influence of Formula 1 are more than a hundred times greater than those of the less popular Winter Olympics events; the only difference between the two is the lack of a championship title.

And this only includes salary, sponsorship, and endorsement income.

Although Liberty Media had not yet taken over operations in the United States at this time, the teams still had rankings and points revenue sharing with the FIA.

This amount ranges from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of US dollars, depending entirely on the final rankings of the teams and drivers.

Therefore, the payment made by F1 drivers is not called a loss, but rather an investment.

Once you've made it, you can easily recoup your investment in a year, and every year after that, you'll be guaranteed to make a profit.

Furthermore, Chen Xiangbei's contract explicitly included a clause stating that he would not interfere with the driver's choice of advertising endorsements.

In many cases, although racing teams cannot participate in the drivers' private profit sharing, they can indirectly restrict the drivers' advertising endorsements through the "image usage rights" clause, thereby negotiating to transform it into advertising sponsorship by the racing team, and indirectly taking a share of the profits.

Some top drivers have more restrictive clauses, not only concerning revenue but also including contractual obligations related to safety.

For example, Red Bull Racing does not allow Verstappen to drive a motorcycle or rally car, and prohibits turrets from being driven on the track at will, as management believes there are safety hazards.

Rights and obligations are often reciprocal. Chen Xiangbei's exemption from interference in advertising endorsements was obtained by giving up his controlling stake in the racing team.

Chen Xiangbei believes this deal is worthwhile.

After all, controlling a racing team is merely a means, not an end.

If the goal can be achieved through other means, then the means become irrelevant.

Besides, to be honest, if Chen Xiangbei were to manage the team, it would probably be a complete mess.

The establishment of the Leedfield Technology Center alone, and the arrangement of nearly 500 R&D engineers, were enough to keep him busy to the point of collapse.

Chen Xiangbei has always understood that professional matters should be left to professionals.
Chen Xiangbei didn't care much about the main terms of the driver's contract, and after a quick look, he planned to sign his name.

But at that moment, Karabant took the initiative to ask.

"North, do you need to clarify the driver order and supplement the wingman agreement?"

The driver order is easy to understand; it simply means identifying the team's number one driver and number two driver.

The number one driver is the absolute main force, enjoying priority in a series of aspects such as track, strategy, and upgrades.

As for the wingman agreement, it is to further strengthen the status of the two drivers on the basis of the driver order through the contract, so as to prevent the second driver from "overstepping his authority".

After all, under normal circumstances, the second driver simply doesn't have priority.

A wingman is someone who needs to sacrifice themselves to do the dirty work at crucial moments.

Take, for example, the famous two generations of wingmen, Barrichello and Bottas.

Ferrari has a clear "wingman" agreement, which is a driver contract that the second driver must sign when joining the team.

Even when the team needs to, it can force one of the leading drivers to give way to another lagging driver; this behavior is called "giving way".

A similar scene occurred in 02 when Barrichello led the Austrian Grand Prix, but received instructions from his team 100 meters from the finish line to brake suddenly and slow down, allowing Schumacher, who was right behind him, to cross the finish line and win the championship.

The fact that the car has caused huge controversy is a reminder that even though F1 is full of commerce and capital, it is still a competitive sport for drivers and spectators.

This behavior is a blatant trampling of the spirit of sports!

In a sense, this also highlights the brutality of the F1 paddock.

When you're not strong enough, not only will your opponents bully you, but even your teammates will humiliate you.

In addition, the infamous Renault crash incident in 08 was, to be precise, also a constraint of a wingman agreement.

Its behavior was just as ugly as the car-letting incident in 02, directly causing the second driver to crash and resulting in a safety accident, thus allowing the first driver to win the championship.

After accomplishing this task, they even went so far as to "cross the river and burn the bridge" by kicking out the second driver, truly seemingly eager to stir up trouble...

Compared to the barbaric and crude wingman agreement of the early years, the Mercedes-Benz era has become much more civilized.

Bottas made several concessions to Hamilton, and everyone was on good terms before and after the race.

On one hand, it's Bottas's personality; on the other hand, Mercedes paid him well.

With an annual salary of tens of millions of dollars, plus personal points and championship team bonuses, Bottas can earn at least twenty to thirty million dollars from Mercedes every year, which is impossible for any other team.

There's nothing that money can't solve.

If there is.

Then add money!

"No need, I can accept fair competition."

Chen Xiangbei replied calmly.

If a driver can't even beat his teammates, does he deserve to be someone else's wingman?

"NICE, you're really young and impetuous."

Carabant praised Chen Xiangbei, expressing his satisfaction with Chen's answer.

The wingman agreement was not the outcome Karabant had hoped for; rather, it stemmed from a request sponsored by the Chinese side.

They hope to secure Chen Xiangbei's position and priority, which would help him achieve better results and enhance his influence.

In many cases, the domestic environment still prioritizes results above all else.

"If there are no other problems."

"Bei, you can sign now."

After speaking, Karabant handed Chen Xiangbei a pen.

"Are there any plans for the Mewtwo team members?"

Chen Xiangbei pressed for a definite answer. "Of course, I've already reached an agreement with Suzuki Aguri, and the entire Mewtwo team will be joining the HRT team."

"Thank you."

At this point, Chen Xiangbei had no more doubts and bent down to sign his name on the driver's contract.

"North, congratulations."

"From this moment on, you are a full-fledged F1 driver."

As Carabant finished speaking, enthusiastic applause erupted in the conference room.

Many members of the Mewtwo team even had tears in their eyes.

They fell from their peak to their trough, but followed Chen Xiangbei step by step to climb back up.

The Chinese boy not only created his own miracle, but also the miracle of the entire team!
"Xiang Bei, you're an F1 driver now!"

With tears in his eyes, Liang Chi walked over and patted Chen Xiangbei on the shoulder heavily.

I wanted to say something more, but the words caught in my throat and I couldn't get them out.

When Huasai Sports was first established, Liang Chi and Zhang Zhicong harbored unrealistic fantasies, believing that one day they could create China's Formula One system, build their own race car, and cultivate future F1 drivers!

It wasn't until the collapse of the China International Film Festival (CHIF) that those illusions finally came to an end.

But who could have imagined that there's always a way out? In the final days of Huasai Sports, Chen Xiangbei appeared, embodying everyone's hopes.

Liang Chi never imagined that his dream would come true one day.

Even though he witnessed Chen Xiangbei climbing the ladder step by step, he often felt a dreamlike sense of unreality.

Now that everything has settled, Chen Xiangbei has accomplished the impossible!
"Yes, I'm an F1 driver now."

Faced with the emotional reactions of Chen Xiangbei and the others, Karabant spoke up at an inopportune moment.

“Bei, it’s not just that we know you’ve become an F1 driver; the team will also hold a grand press conference to let the whole world know that China has produced its first F1 driver.”

"Soon, you will become a star in the racing world!"

Carabante was in high spirits. As a Spaniard, his excitement naturally differed from that of Liang Chi and the others.

As the owner of the HRT fleet, owning one-third of the shares means he can receive one-third of the profits.

He has already tasted the benefits of Chinese sponsorship; the more grand the ceremony and the more popular the event, the higher the chances and amount of sponsorship he will receive.

A businessman is the true nature of a fleet owner.

As for Chen Xiangbei, he is now more concerned with how to make up for the last shortcoming of the HRT team than with commercial benefits.

That was team manager Briatore!

"Boss, have you contacted Briatore?"

Chen Xiangbei asked a question, after all, he was a driver, and this kind of "recruiting" manager was a matter for the management.

"Of course, but he didn't reply."

Carabant shrugged. Briatore was extremely individualistic, a combination of genius and madness.

He will support the drivers he values ​​wholeheartedly.

Conversely, if you don't gain Briatore's approval, it won't matter if you're a future superstar.

When Briatore was the manager of the Benetton Renault team, he took a liking to the young Spanish driver Alonso.

However, the team has already signed two official drivers: future world champion Jensen Button and Italian driver Jarno Trulli.

What if there are no seats available?
The solution is simple: kick one out.

Logically speaking, even if someone were to be kicked, it should be the weakest player on the team.

Hua Bu was no normal person; he acted entirely on his personal whims, and immediately kicked out the Englishman Jason Barton, who had better grades...

The dismissal caused great controversy at the time, but it had no effect on the old rogue Hua Bu, who confidently stated that time would prove him right.

Indeed, Alonso ended Schumacher's Ferrari dynasty and became a superstar driver in the F1 paddock.

Only a truly capable villain has the right to flaunt his power in the hunting grounds.

HRT, a small fleet like that, probably wouldn't even catch Hua Bu's eye; he wouldn't bother with Carabant.

"Boss, do you know where Briatore is?"

Chen Xiangbei originally wanted the team's management to make the invitation, as that would appear more formal and professional.

Since the other party is not responding at all, it means that reasoning with them won't work. So, we have to follow Ross Brown's advice and try to appeal to their emotions, trying to move Briatore with sincerity.

"Briatoli might be busy with his appeals in France, or he might be dating some supermodel or actress, who knows?"

Carabant pursed his lips; he couldn't figure out Briatore's whereabouts.

The Italian old man was nicknamed "Floral" because he was a well-known playboy in the paddock.

He has an exceptionally rich romantic life, having dated countless girlfriends, including Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman.

To be honest, Carabant subconsciously did not expect Florian to take on the role of team manager.

The reason is simple: Huabu is a typical "dictatorial" team leader who would usurp the power of the team's management and even the board of directors. It's difficult to get along with this kind of old rogue.

However, for a newly established racing team, it requires a strong leader to guide it onto the right track!
“Boss, I plan to personally invite Briatore.”

Chen Xiangbei shared his thoughts.

"No problem, but I have to warn you, this guy is definitely a double-edged sword."

Carabant warned Chen Xiangbei that many outsiders only saw the capabilities of the floral fabric.

Only those working in the racing industry and his drivers can truly grasp this guy's ruthless, results-oriented approach.

Later generations of managers with poor reputations include Marco of Red Bull and Steiner, the English teacher of Haas.

Compared to Briatore, they were practically saints...

"I see."

Chen Xiangbei nodded; he knew very well what kind of person Hua Bu was.

"Since you've made up your mind, then go for it."

Carabant didn't say anything more. Since Chen Xiangbei, as the driver, didn't care, the worst that could happen was that he couldn't control the old Italian rogue.

With the signing of the F1 driver contract, Chen Xiangbei has officially found his place.

Over the next few days, he stayed at the Leyfield Technology Centre to adapt to the new environment and witness the revitalization of the abandoned headquarters.

Various pieces of equipment were continuously transported to the team headquarters, and hundreds of engineers took up their posts to carry out the final research and development and debugging of the TF110 semi-finished prototype vehicle.

For the most important wind tunnel equipment, Carabant is negotiating with the Toyota team, hoping to acquire their entire legacy at their Cologne headquarters in Germany.

Unfortunately, in the bidding, the HRT team lost to the Stefan GP team, which was formed by the Serbian consortium.

One of the most important factors is that the Stefan GP team promised to provide a full-fledged driver's seat to Kazuki Nakajima, a driver from the Toyota faction.

Transactions are often based on personal relationships. Although Toyota has withdrawn from the paddock, it still hopes that the Japanese drivers it has nurtured will continue to compete on the track.

HRT team is at a huge disadvantage in this regard, after all, Carabant is planning to take another driver seat to earn back 20 million US dollars, how could he possibly give it to a Toyota driver for free?

Fortunately, the racing simulator was assembled in a timely manner, without delaying Chen Xiangbei's training progress.

Carabant, also out of curiosity, made a point of watching Chen Xiangbei's simulator training before returning to Spain.

At that moment, he finally understood why the Chinese boy was able to skip grades.

Fast, fucking fast!
Chen Xiangbei's simulator training speed and proficiency are in no way inferior to the official F1 drivers he has seen, and he shows almost no trace of a rookie.

Carabant met with Chen Xiangbei with manager Campos primarily because he valued Chen's Chinese sponsorship and hoped it could solve the HRT team's immediate financial difficulties.

Now he sees the competitiveness of top drivers!

Chen Xiangbei had only been training for a few days when he received a call back from Ross Brown.

“North, I have already spoken with Briatore. He is currently at Renault’s headquarters in Enston, England.”

"The rest of the persuasion work is up to you."

(End of this chapter)