Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 171 Chinese drivers are not weak!
"British team, how are you going to run like that?"

"Won't our national cup, held on Chinese soil, result in a first-round exit?"

"Facing F1 world champion Jenson Button and touring car king Andy, I feel the Chinese team has zero chance of winning!"

"There's no way around it. In the pinnacle of racing, there are no weak teams. No matter who you draw, it's going to be tough."

Reporters and racing industry professionals at the scene saw the draw results in Chen Xiangbei's hand, and many people began to discuss it.

Regardless of Andy's ability as the "King of Touring Cars," Jason Button has just won the F1 World Championship title, and the "new king" is at the peak of his form and momentum.

With his kingly aura boosted, it felt like even Chen Xiangbei and Han Han combined wouldn't be a match for him!

Despite the uproar from the crowd, Chen Xiangbei maintained a calm smile, briefly showed the draw results, and then returned to the driver team.

"Heading north, I feel like my luck is a bit bad."

When Han Han saw Chen Xiangbei return, she muttered something under her breath.

"I didn't feel like I had bad luck; the result was pretty good."

Chen Xiangbei replied casually.

Han Han was taken aback upon hearing this answer.

Then, with a surprised expression, he asked, "Xiang Bei, you're not kidding, are you?"

"Of course, putting aside Button's F1 world champion status, this is also his first time participating in the ROC Nations Cup, putting him on the same starting line as us."

"We're all newcomers, why can't we win?"

Why can't we win?

Chen Xiangbei's earnest explanation left Han Han completely dumbfounded...

Can the concept of "newcomer" still be used like this?
When Han Han saw the lottery results, her first reaction was to expect the most optimistic outcome.

He was just thinking that he and Chen Xiangbei shouldn't lose too badly, and at least they should consider the feelings of the home crowd.

But Chen Xiangbei was thinking about how to win!
In that instant, Han Han seemed to have an answer in his heart. He understood why Chen Xiangbei was able to emerge out of nowhere and become China's first F1 professional driver at an incredible speed.

Strength is only one factor.

Throughout the history of Formula One, there have been countless genius drivers; in other words, without genius, one simply cannot stand before the gates of the F1 hall of fame.

Chen Xiangbei is able to create miracles because he has absolute belief and the heart of a champion!
Even though his opponent was the newly crowned F1 world champion, Chen Xiangbei never thought he would lose.

"Xiang Bei, you are truly special."

Han Han didn't know how to reply, so she could only use the word "special" to describe it.

"If we win this game, I'll definitely write a book about your story!"

Han Han then added that he thought Chen Xiangbei's life story was very interesting.

"How about taking it a step further and making a movie? That would reach a wider audience."

This time, Chen Xiangbei made a joke that was half-serious and half-joking.

"I don't know how to make movies."

Han Han was somewhat puzzled by Chen Xiangbei's suggestion, as he was both a writer and a race car driver.

Filmmaking falls under the purview of directors; the two are completely unrelated. At most, a writer might act as a screenwriter.

"Maybe it will happen in the future."

Chen Xiangbei replied meaningfully.

Han Han's talent for filmmaking is undeniable. Whether it's his early work "The Continent" or his recent film "Pegasus 2," his overall quality is definitely above average, as evidenced by his box office success.

If one day Han Han could have a biographical film made based on his own story, that would be a great experience.

"Okay, if that day ever comes, I'll make a movie about it for you!"

Han Han immediately agreed, feeling that he probably wouldn't have the opportunity to make a movie.

While the two were chatting, the draw for the eight teams was completed.

In Group B, where Chen Xiangbei is located, besides the British team, there are also the Australian team and the Finnish team.

The Finnish team's overall strength is comparable to that of the British team. They also boast F1 world champion Kimi Räikkönen and two-time WRC champion Markus Groenholm.

The only slightly weaker team was the Australian team, which consisted of V8 Supercar champion Jamie Winkapp and MotoGP legend Mick Duhan.

Jack Doohan, the elder, won five MotoGP world championships, equivalent to Ayrton Senna in Formula 1. His son, Jack Doohan, was a rookie for the Renault team in 25. The second generation of drivers couldn't withstand the "great shift" of the floral fabric.

After the draw according to the event procedure, the drivers will leave the field to wait for the official race in the afternoon.

However, since this was China's home turf, Chen Xiangbei and Han Han were kept behind to be interviewed separately by reporters, which was considered a "bonus" for domestic audiences and supporters.

The reporters present were already eager to hear Chen Xiangbei's true thoughts at this small interview ceremony. They also disliked official pleasantries and wanted to know what Chen Xiangbei was really thinking!
"I'm a reporter from Sports Daily. I'd like to ask Chen Xiangbei and Han Han, are you satisfied with the draw results?"

Faced with this question, Chen Xiangbei did not answer, but instead smiled and glanced at Han Han.

The latter understood immediately and raised the microphone to reply, "Very satisfied."

At this moment, Han Han felt a strange sense of exhilaration. Confidence is contagious, and all her previous worries and fears vanished!

Are you very satisfied?

The reporter who asked the question doubted whether he had misheard Han Han's answer.

Chen Xiangbei drew a draw that resulted in a first-round exit; how could he possibly be satisfied with this outcome?
"With the formidable British team in our first match, do you think you have a chance to win?"

"Of course we have a chance to defeat our opponents."

Perhaps realizing that their question was flawed, no driver in this environment would think that they had no chance of winning.

So the reporter switched to a more direct way of asking questions.

"What I mean is, what do you think your chances of winning are?"

How big?

This time, Han Han did not answer, but instead handed the microphone to Chen Xiangbei.

He could never be as confident and self-assured as Chen Xiangbei.

"Ten percent!"

100%?

This time, it wasn't the reporters who were being questioned, but all the reporters present were stunned.

Many of them did their homework before the competition, and some even watched Chen Xiangbei's CCTV interview in Australia.

Knowing that this young Chinese athlete competing overseas has a more flamboyant and unrestrained personality compared to domestic athletes, I can tell that he lacks the humility and restraint often found in domestic athletes.

But they didn't expect Chen Xiangbei to be so arrogant.

Even Schumacher wouldn't dare say he has a "1%" chance of winning against the newly crowned F1 world champion, Jenson Button.

Where did Chen Xiangbei get this bold claim?

"Chen Xiangbei, you are really confident..."

The reporter's statement was essentially a sarcastic remark expressing disapproval.

As if he hadn't heard the message, Chen Xiangbei replied nonchalantly, "A driver must have absolute confidence in himself."

"Why race if you don't have confidence?"

Chen Xiangbei's words immediately ignited the emotions of the audience and racing professionals present.

"Damn, no wonder Chen Xiangbei became an F1 driver. His confidence is infectious."

"This is the style of one of the world's strongest drivers. As expected, Chen Xiangbei has stepped into the realm of gods who look down on all living beings!"

There's a saying in the racing world: "A driver without personality can't achieve greatness."

"I have a feeling that a new era for Chinese motorsport is about to begin!"

Since the advent of professional racing in China, no driver has ever been as flamboyant and confident as Chen Xiangbei.

They even reached the point of being completely fearless of the F1 World Championship!

Whether the Chinese team will ultimately win is uncertain; apart from Chen Xiangbei, no one at the scene dared to give a definite answer.

However, the people present gained a new understanding.

It turns out that Chinese drivers can compete on the same level as the world's top champions, and their momentum is in no way inferior!

The impromptu interview didn't last long. Chen Xiangbei and Han Han, led by staff, rode in a convertible adorned with the national flag and circled the Bird's Nest stadium, receiving cheers from the entire audience.

This action is similar to the pre-race parade of F1 drivers, only much more spectacular and sensational.

The agglomeration effect of indoor stadiums far exceeds that of outdoor open-air tracks, a difference that can be seen in the opening ceremony of the 08 Olympics and major football events.

As the home team drivers, Chen Xiangbei and Han Han were the first to drive out of the tunnel, and almost instantly felt the impact of the thunderous sound waves!

The Bird's Nest stadium, with a capacity of 80,000, was packed to capacity, and everyone was cheering and applauding for Chen Xiangbei!

"Go Chen Xiangbei! Let the world see the strength of Chinese drivers!"

"We are not weak. We just need to win one game, just one game!"

"Chen Xiangbei, Han Han, let's sprint for Chinese racing!"

"Go China's drivers! Go China's racing!"

Shouts and prayers rang out incessantly. The audience members who came to the ROC National Cup had some understanding of motorsports.

Han Han's achievements are limited to China. Apart from his advantages in track and rally all-around performance, his strength may not even be considered top in Asia.

As for Chen Xiangbei, although he has signed a contract as an official F1 driver, he has not actually raced a single F1 race.

His opponent, however, had already reached the pinnacle of F1!
No matter how bold the pre-race rhetoric, the audience is well aware of the gap between Chinese motorsports and the world's top teams.

Winning a game is the dream and hope of the fans at the scene!

Looking at the crowd of 80,000 spectators and listening to the cheers around them, Chen Xiangbei and Han Han both had tears in their eyes.

Han Han goes without saying. In China, a few thousand spectators are considered a grand occasion for a regular car race, and it's impossible to see a scene like this with tens of thousands of people cheering for the cars.

Even though Chen Xiangbei had experienced the F1 Belgian Grand Prix and had been in big events.

But he wasn't the main character; the cheers of tens of thousands of people weren't for him!
Today's feeling is completely different. This is the home stadium of the Bird's Nest in Beijing, and the ROC National Cup is not a club-sponsored commercial event. Chen Xiangbei and Han Han are fighting for Chinese motorsport!

This sense of honor and pride is something that other motorsports events cannot provide.

"Head north, I want to win."

Faced with encouragement from the audience, Han Han said in a choked voice.

"We will win."

Chen Xiangbei nodded; he also didn't want to disappoint the 80,000 audience members present today!

At this moment, Peng Sheng, president of Jiuli Sports, was in the VIP section of the Bird's Nest stadium to watch the game, but he did not inform Chen Xiangbei.

The reason is simple: Peng Sheng knows that Chen Xiangbei's schedule is very tight this time. He rushed back from abroad to participate in the competition almost non-stop. If he disturbs him too much, it may affect his rest.

Furthermore, Peng Sheng did not come alone this time; leaders from UnionPay International and Sinopec were also sitting beside him.

Formula 1 has long partnered with financial and oil giants. For example, Aston Martin's main sponsor is Saudi Aramco, which sponsors the company with an annual amount of up to $75 million.

Mercedes' main sponsor is Petronas, with a sponsorship amount of US$70 million.

Additionally, if you look at the F1 Grand Prix advertising boards, you'll see the logos of major banks and financial organizations such as UBS, VISA, Citibank, and Tunland.

Furthermore, HSBC is Zhou Guanyu's private sponsor.

On the Donghai International Circuit, you can also see a huge number of UnionPay and Sinopec billboards.

Many people may not understand why the finance and oil industries favor Formula 1, even investing heavily in it every year. It seems that these advertising costs, often amounting to tens of millions of dollars, don't have enough profit margins to recoup.

In fact, it is a big mistake to think that way. Never doubt the investment vision of financial and oil giants. They are the real "capital"!
The financial industry sponsors F1 to attract high-net-worth clients. To put it simply, those who have the leisure to follow Formula One racing and will even go to the stadium to watch the races are most likely to be wealthy people.

They are the clients of wealth management and private banking!

The oil industry is easier to understand; vehicles are closely related to oil, and giants need to leverage F1's global influence for brand promotion.

As for domestic oil groups, they also have businesses expanding overseas crude oil refining projects, facing competition from international giants such as ExxonMobil and Shell.

At this point, you have to rely on external promotion to showcase your brand and strength!

In the past, domestic financial and oil companies' sponsorship of Formula One racing was limited to the F1 Chinese Grand Prix due to the lack of reliable platforms and carriers, and their overseas influence was not high.

The situation has now changed. The emergence of Chen Xiangbei and the domestically controlled HRT racing team has given the giants a "target" for sponsorship and publicity.

Chen Xiangbei's performance in the ROC National Cup will determine his investment value!
Peng Sheng had only hinted at and reminded Chen Xiangbei of these special attentions from outside the venue, but had not informed any specific companies, so Chen Xiangbei was naturally unaware of them.

Even if he knew, his mindset wouldn't be greatly affected during the competition.

Only by being 100% focused and free of distractions can you strive for that 100% chance of winning!

After the opening ceremony, the drivers returned to the temporary pit stop set up at the Bird's Nest, where five different types of race cars were displayed, along with the crew team providing logistical and technical support.

When Chen Xiangbei arrived at the pit stop and met Han Han's crew, he saw several familiar faces. They were Ye Yong, the manager of the Volkswagen 222 team, and Wang Xiao, the race engineer, whom he had met at the Haizhu International Circuit.

Seeing the surprised expression on Chen Xiangbei's face, Han Han guessed what he was thinking.

So he smiled and said, "Manager Ye and Engineer Wang have now joined my personal team, as well as Evans, the technical director I recruited from Subaru."

"They may not be as good as your F1 team, but they are definitely not bad!"

When Han Han said these words, his tone was full of trust and support for his team members.

"Yeah, I believe it."

Chen Xiangbei nodded in agreement.

In fact, he knew very well that even the top domestic car teams were no match for F1 teams.

But there is no comparison involved. Chen Xiangbei's "arrogance" and "conceit" will only be displayed when necessary.

"Xiang Bei, what are your thoughts on the car models and competitors?"

Ye Yong then asked a question.

Normally, the team manager has absolute authority, but Chen Xiangbei's status as an F1 driver means that he is the one in charge.

"Manager Ye, do you have any thoughts?"

Chen Xiangbei did not answer directly, but instead gave Ye Yong enough respect.

"I think Han Han should drive a Volkswagen Scirocco to face Button, and you should drive a ROC-specific race car to face Andy."

The ROC National Cup uses a best-of-three, two-round format. If the score is tied 1-1, the tiebreaker will be eliminated.

The final battle will be between the two winning teams.

Ye Yong's strategy was simple: use the "Tian Ji's horse racing" strategy, sending the inferior horse Han Han to challenge the F1 world champion Button, who had no chance of winning.

Chen Xiangbei, driving his familiar modified go-kart, showcased his Formula One driver skills to challenge Andy, the king of touring cars.

Regardless of the final result, at least we'll win one game.

Just as the audience chanted, Ye Yong also placed the Chinese team in the position of the underdog, hoping they wouldn't be eliminated in the first round with zero wins.

"Manager Ye, my thoughts are somewhat different from yours."

"Go north, you say it."

"I'll drive my RV to race against Button, while Han Han will drive his familiar modified Volkswagen Scirocco rally car to race against Andy."

If Ye Yong sees himself as the weaker party, Chen Xiangbei doesn't think so.

The reason is simple: historically, the combination of Han Han and Dong Hebin reached the semi-finals of the 09 ROC National Cup.

Han Han is still Han Han, and Chen Xiangbei doesn't think he's weaker than Dong Hebin.

Although the first round draw was different, it wasn't the historically weaker Australian team.

But even when facing F1's newly crowned champion Button, Chen Xiangbei still has the courage to draw his sword!
Han Han has an advantage when driving a rally car against a touring car driver, while Chen Xiangbei believes that as long as he is not driving a super go-kart against Button, touring cars are not inferior to their opponents on special tracks.

After Chen Xiangbei voiced his thoughts, everyone in the repair shop fell silent.

Holy crap, is Chen Xiangbei planning to go head-to-head with F1 world champion Button?

Even with motorhomes, let's not forget that this is also an area where Formula One drivers excel.

Ye Yong simply couldn't think of a way to win.

After a long silence, Ye Yong finally spoke, "Xiang Bei, why don't you reconsider?"

"Manager Ye, there's no need to consider it."

Chen Xiangbei shook his head, then added, "Believe me, and believe Han Han, we are not weak."

Upon hearing Chen Xiangbei's words, Ye Yong stood there dumbfounded.

The scene from that afternoon at the Haizhu International Circuit flashed through his mind: he had extended an invitation to Chen Xiangbei to join the Volkswagen 222 team, only to be rejected without hesitation by the young man in front of him.

Chen Xiangbei's reason was that he wanted to become a Formula One driver.

At that time, Ye Yong responded very politely, wishing Chen Xiangbei success on the Formula One circuit.

In fact, Ye Yong did not believe that an eighteen-year-old who had never been exposed to go-karting could become a Formula One driver.

Today he understood that some people are destined to succeed.

Chen Xiangbei is that kind of person!

"Okay, I'll go and discuss the match format with the British team."

Ye Yong said no more. He, along with the referees and event staff, went to discuss the matter with the British team.

Not long after, Ye Yong returned to the repair shop. The result of the discussion was obvious: the other party fully agreed with Chen Xiangbei's idea, even omitting the lottery and ban/pick process.

The reason is simple: the British team didn't even consider the Chinese team as an opponent.

F1 drivers are considered a miracle in China, but in the context of Britain's 70-year motorsport history, they are practically as common as dogs.

Not to mention Chen Xiangbei, who is a rookie who has never played a formal game.

If the newly crowned world champion Barton can't even crush a rookie like this, then there's really a problem!

As for Andy, the king of RVs, he also didn't take Han Han seriously.

He may not be good at rally racing and drifting, but that doesn't mean he can't.

Once you achieve the results of a world champion driver, you basically won't have any obvious weaknesses.

With final pre-race checks and preparations complete, the first race of the ROC Nations Cup will feature HRT team's Chinese driver Chen Xiangbei against Brawn GP team's British world champion Jenson Button.

When the competition information was displayed on the Bird's Nest's big screen, the entire audience, including the commentators, was stunned.

Their initial thinking was the same as Ye Yong's: their overall strength was far weaker than the opponent's, so they had to adopt the strategy of "Tian Ji's horse racing" (a strategy used to describe a situation where a man's strength is inferior to his opponent's). Otherwise, this head-on confrontation would be tantamount to suicide.

Today's live commentary for the ROC National Cup at the Bird's Nest stadium is provided by Li Bing from Six Star Sports and Sha Tong from CCTV Sports.

The two of them were old acquaintances of Chen Xiangbei, having once commentated on and interviewed at the Grand Prix in Australia for the F3 race.

To be honest, Chen Xiangbei's strength left a deep impression on them. They never imagined that a Chinese Formula driver could dominate the Guia Circuit and stand at the pinnacle of Formula 3.

But the driver he's going to face off against now is Jensen Button, who stands at the pinnacle of Formula One!

Was Chen Xiangbei overconfident, or did his team make a mistake in decision-making?

How could we possibly allow him to suffer a crushing defeat in his opening match?
Although the ROC National Cup is not a top-tier professional tournament, it holds extraordinary significance for China. Today, not only officials from the China Automobile Federation and the General Administration of Sport are present, but also higher-level leaders.

Even if they lose the overall score, the benefits Chen Xiangbei would gain from winning just one game would be beyond imagination.

"Mr. Li, you are quite familiar with Formula One racing. Is there any special purpose behind Chen Xiangbei's tactical arrangement?"

CCTV guest Sha Tong asked Li Bing a question, as Li Bing has been commentating on F1 races for many years and is relatively more experienced.

Is there a special purpose behind this?
Li Bing gazed at Chen Xiangbei, who was driving towards the track, and fell into deep thought.

He couldn't figure out what advantage such a tactical arrangement could offer.

But he vaguely seemed to understand some of Chen Xiangbei's thoughts and intentions.

“Teacher Sha, I think Xiang Bei’s intention might be very simple.”

"What do you mean?"

"He simply wanted to challenge the strong!"

(End of this chapter)