Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 213 Wrong Direction, Negative Upgrade

"WTF, what is Sutil doing? Is he provoking driver North?"

"Nonsense, it's clearly a provocative act of blocking the car. Don't forget about driver Bei's reckless cutting in last race. Can a veteran like him be ridden on by a rookie?"

"It seems that Sutil really has a grudge against the HRT team."

"I think Sutil did a great job, he really taught those arrogant Chinese a lesson!"

Tens of thousands of spectators at the scene watched the big screen and focused their attention on Chen Xiangbei and Sutil.

Many of them showed excitement and enthusiasm. They didn't like Chen Xiangbei to begin with, and his arrogant words and actions at the pre-race press conference only added to the problem. Now that Sutil had made a move on the track, it was a good opportunity to teach the Chinese newcomer a lesson.

Let the driver North understand that the F1 paddock is not a place where he can act recklessly!
Despite the clamor from the numerous local and Western spectators in the stands, the Chinese fans and Chen Xiangbei supporters at the scene remained silent.

On the one hand, they are outnumbered and outgunned.

On the other hand, they lack confidence.

Chen Xiangbei is ultimately a newcomer without any connections. People may not care if he just talks a lot, but if it comes down to a real fight, the price he would have to pay would be unbearable.

To put it simply and bluntly, even if European and American drivers or veterans in the paddock crash once or twice while driving aggressively, it's not a big deal.

Newcomers, especially Asian newcomers, will not be given such leeway by public opinion or the team's management.

For example, Takuma Sato, although his track accident rate was relatively high, was actually no match for many famous "directors" in later years. His problems were more due to malfunctions in the race cars themselves.

However, the overall public opinion environment within the hunting grounds treated him as a negative example, or even as a joke.

Everyone knows how exhilarating it is to be unrestrained and arrogant, but few dare to risk everything.

Even the Chinese spectators in the stands subconsciously felt that Chen Xiangbei should restrain himself and prioritize the overall situation.

"Odeto, things seem to be a bit troublesome in the north. Should we issue orders to the convoy?"

Test engineer Mazzola watched the broadcast and asked with some concern.

In his view, a new Chinese athlete, who has likely never experienced malicious competition on the track, would find it difficult to handle this situation on his own.

At this point, the team needs to offer some advice: either give way or choose the best overtaking point.

"unnecessary."

Without the slightest hesitation, Odeto gave his answer.

"Bei doesn't like to cause trouble, but he's never afraid of trouble."

“Mazzola, you can’t judge North by the conventional impression of Asian drivers.”

Before Mazzola could even understand what that meant, Briatore, who was standing next to him, added, "Don't be fooled by the Chinese kid's appearance; he actually has a warlike gene in his bones."

After saying that, Briatore patted Mazzola on the shoulder, looking like he was waiting to see a good show.

Indeed, Chen Xiangbei's "belligerent" side is often overshadowed by his status as a newcomer to China, even leading outsiders to believe that he is the one who is easy to bully.

In fact, Chen Xiangbei preferred to "bully" people.

Briatore has a natural talent for identifying drivers; he can observe certain traits in a driver and amplify them.

That's why, no matter how bad the reputation of floral prints was, Schumacher and Alonso never said a bad word about them.

He saw Chen Xiangbei's "restless" heart!
Chen Xiangbei was blocked several times on the track, and his expression gradually changed from confusion to a faint smile of excitement.

Does Sutil think he's picking on someone who's easy to bully by blocking the car like that?
Just as Chen Xiangbei had guessed, Sutil really didn't take the Chinese newcomers seriously, even though they had achieved a respectable fifth place in the opening race.

Whether it's to fulfill team orders or to retaliate against the aggressive cut-in at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Sutil intends to teach the Chinese kid a lesson about rules through this lap!
The two race cars sped off one after the other, and the track camera was completely focused on them. Even many drivers who had returned to the pits early were watching the big screen with great interest, along with the team strategy team.

I want to know how Chinese newcomers can break through this situation.

Chen Xiangbei first attempted to overtake on a curve using the conventional method, but Sutil was well-prepared for this. Relying on his extensive offensive and defensive experience, and betting that the Chinese lad wouldn't dare to risk a collision, he defended very aggressively.

On two consecutive turns, Chen Xiangbei's No. 13 car was almost touching the rear wheel of the Sutil car, watching helplessly as the opponent defended and changed lanes, playing a snake-like maneuver.

In the Bahrain Grand Prix, when it comes to cornering grip for overtaking, Chen Xiangbei is not afraid of his opponents taking the defensive line in the corners. As long as the tire grip is sufficient, overtaking on the outside lane is no problem.

However, with the severe oversteer and the medium downforce tuning, Chen Xiangbei is struggling to keep the car stable, let alone overtake on a curve.

At certain times, Chen Xiangbei could even feel the tail of the race car swaying!

If the speed were any faster, or the turning angle any larger, Chen Xiangbei had no doubt that the TF110 would spin in place.

"On the track, HRT team's No. 13 driver, North, was very close to Force India's No. 15 driver, Sutil, and the two were constantly changing lanes to engage in an offensive and defensive battle."

"The problem is that this is the first practice session, and theoretically there should be no competition between them. Could it be that the hot weather has affected even the drivers' tempers?"

Red was unaware of the grudges involved and could only offer explanations through speculation and sarcasm.

Prost added, "North's offensive desire is very strong; it seems he has no fear of his seniors in the paddock."

"However, you can feel from the footage that the HRT car struggles in the corners, which is completely different from the characteristics of the Bahrain Grand Prix. I don't know if it's due to the tuning or the impact of the new kit upgrade."

It must be admitted that even after retiring for many years, Prost's eye for talent remains sharp.

He saw through Chen Xiangbei's thoughts and the difficulties the TF110 race car was facing at a glance.

A legendary GOTA driver, truly deserving of the title!
Sutil, who was running ahead, looked at the number 13 car in the rearview mirror, which had failed to attack, and a disdainful smile appeared on his lips.

Force India's R&D capabilities are weak, and their cars are basically at the lower-middle level in the paddock. In the opening race, he did his best to get into Q3, but crashed into Trulli early and retired from the race, losing the opportunity to compete against Chen Xiangbei.

In retrospect, the Chinese kid who was hyped up so much in the opening game was nothing special, and the reason Rosberg couldn't stop him was simply because he was a complete novice.

Without his world champion father, Rosberg wouldn't deserve to be in Mercedes!

Soon the two cars exited Turn 12 and a long straight came into view.

After passing this long straight section and then a series of bends, you will reach the entrance to the maintenance access road, signifying the end of this "chase".

Sutil was in a relaxed mood. Chen Xiangbei couldn't even overtake him on the curves, let alone on the straights.

According to statistics from various teams at the Bahrain Grand Prix, the HRT car ranked sixth in terms of top speed, which is comparable to that of the Force India car.

At this speed, how can you overtake on a long straight?

However, Sutil immediately saw in his rearview mirror that car number 13 was rapidly approaching and had clearly caught his slipstream.

[Is this Chinese kid so skilled at catching slipstreams?]

When Sutil exited the corner and entered the long straight, he deliberately changed lanes and took an unconventional driving line in order to disrupt the tail airflow and avoid being caught by Chen Xiangbei using the "slingshot effect" to overtake him.

To everyone's surprise, Chen Xiangbei still managed to catch him!

The Chinese bridesmaids' sensitivity to airflow exceeded Sutil's expectations, but he remained calm.

Sutil stepped on the gas and quickly changed lanes, intending to disrupt the airflow at the rear of the car again, or even create turbulence to slow down Chen Xiangbei's speed. This is the shrewdness of a driver who has been fighting on the track for many years.

But this time, Sutil miscalculated.

Chen Xiangbei had no intention of changing lanes to catch the slipstream. Instead, taking advantage of the moment Sutil changed lanes, he floored the accelerator and the HRT car's speed soared again. He actually managed to forcefully overtake the rear wheel of car number 15 and seize the best entry line into the corner ahead of time.

Can HRT race cars really accelerate?

Sutil looked at the black and orange race car that was slowly catching up beside him, his face under his helmet filled with shock.

HRT's top speed is similar to India's, so why is Chen Xiangbei still able to accelerate on long straightaways and overtake him?
More importantly, HRT racing cars have this performance, so why didn't Chen Xiangbei use it before?
Most of the questions filled Sutil's mind. Facing Chen Xiangbei, who was about to overtake him, he had no time to think about these questions anymore. His instinctive reaction of not wanting to fail made him grit his teeth and decide to knock this Chinese newcomer off the track.

Just like how he knocked Trulli off the track in the opening game!
With the support of the team management, Sutil didn't care about the car damage at all; he didn't believe that the Chinese newcomer could be so indifferent.

Sutil suddenly changed lanes and squeezed past. Just as the front wheels were about to hit Chen Xiangbei's rear wheels, the HRT race car strangely accelerated a little again, and the rear wheels jumped to the position of the front wing of the Force India race car.

F1 car front wings are made of carbon fiber and are very fragile in order to reduce weight. There have even been cases of "potato chip" front wings breaking off on their own while racing on the track.

The front wing was easily torn apart the moment it hit the rear wheel. Lacking airflow guidance from the front, the No. 15 car immediately went out of control, spinning continuously and hurtling towards the run-off area.

Deep ruts appeared on the park's grass, but the race car still couldn't come to a stop until it crashed into the edge guardrail.

Chen Xiangbei saw the crash of Sutil in the rearview mirror. At this moment, his face was filled with indifference, just like a heartless killer!
There is an old Chinese saying: "Those who play with fire will get burned."

Sutil has brought this upon herself, and Chen Xiangbei, being no saint, naturally has no sympathy for her.

But this scene on the track ignited the crowd. "Nothing to say, just go for it!"

"It seems I really underestimated Chen Xiangbei. If he were an easy target, he would never have become an F1 driver!"

"Chen Xiangbei is fucking tough, that's the spirit of a true Chinese man!"

Chinese viewers and Chen Xiangbei's supporters were extremely excited, with many standing up and shouting.

Indeed, in this era, it is extremely rare to see Chinese athletes competing alone overseas displaying such toughness and fighting spirit.

Whether they win or not is another matter, but at least Chen Xiangbei isn't backing down!
In contrast, Australian and European audiences became even more furious when they saw Sutil crash.

This time, it's not just about accusing Chen Xiangbei of arrogance, but also emphasizing his dangerous driving habits.

The two Grand Prix races in which the Chinese boy participated resulted in two track accidents, and many times the races were clearly designed to result in crashes.

Of course, Chen Xiangbei didn't care about this at all.

From the moment Sutil used a car crash as a means of coercion, he had to bear the corresponding consequences.

Does he think I'm afraid?
"Ladies and gentlemen, driver number 15, Sutil, has been involved in a track accident. According to the instructions of the race center, the first practice session has been ended early."

"This accident was really unexpected. It can only be said that Sutil was a bit impulsive, while Beze was extremely tough. Hopefully, the drivers can stay calm in the next race."

The commentator, Reid, gave a formal response, showing no bias towards either side.

After turning off the microphone, he still said to Prost, "Professor, North's car was clearly faster than Sutil's, but he chose to overtake on the last long straight, and it seemed like he slowed down before accelerating."

Do you think he did it on purpose?

If this statement were made publicly, it would be considered a serious accusation, and the FIA ​​would immediately intervene in the accident investigation.

In response to Red's question, Prost smiled faintly.

"Even if Bei had malicious intent, could he really manipulate Sutil to change course maliciously?"

According to Prost, the accusations made by some fans at the scene and Reid both ignored a premise.

That means Sutil was the mastermind behind this accident!
You can't just assume that whoever is weaker is right and shift all the blame to the driver when an accident happens.

It should be noted that Sutil is a veteran, while Chen Xiangbei is the newcomer. He should be held responsible for his provocative behavior.

Prost's question left Reid speechless. Indeed, prejudice had become a mountain, and many people couldn't accept it when Chinese newcomers were even slightly assertive.

In fact, Chen Xiangbei did not have any intentional thoughts. After all, as tough as he was, he would not deliberately crash into a car or do something that violates sportsmanship.

More importantly, Chen Xiangbei had figured out some of the characteristics of racing cars, namely the significant reduction in downforce, which naturally meant that the top speed on long straights could be greatly increased.

It's important to know that, in terms of absolute 0-100 km/h acceleration and top speed, F1 cars are actually inferior to some supercars.

On the one hand, due to technical regulations, the performance of F1 cars is subject to various restrictions, while supercars do not have this concern.

On the other hand, F1 cars prioritize track speed, and some of their performance is limited by aerodynamic downforce.

Without exaggerated downforce limitations, F1 cars can demonstrate their powerful power-to-weight ratio, and no super overtaking maneuver can achieve this level of lightweight design.

The adjustable front flaps, combined with the stall wing, directly give the TF110 race car the effect of DRS acceleration on long straights, eliminating the need to rely on the slingshot effect of the car's wake.

Simply put, Chen Xiangbei overpowered the Force India car by relying on his absolute top speed on the long straight!

Chen Xiangbei drove his race car back to the P parking space. The strategy team members showed no particular emotion; they all believed that their tough stance just now was justified.

The technical team immediately inspected the rear of Chen Xiangbei's race car to see if the collision had caused damage to the wheel hubs or suspension.

Only Briatore came closer and said in a teasing tone, "North, your aggressive nature is something that fewer and fewer of the new generation of drivers have."

Briatore made a valid point: with the improvement of racing rules and mechanical stability, the overall style of F1 paddock racing has become more conservative. People no longer emphasize the thrill of revenge, but rather focus on finishing the race smoothly.

The kind of thing that Senna did in the final race, deliberately crashing into another car to retaliate and vent his anger, is probably something we'll never see again in the paddock.

Before Chen Xiangbei could reply, Odeto interrupted, "What is racing feedback?"

Odeto agreed with Chen Xiangbei's tough stance, but he didn't want the young people to be brainwashed by Huabu and cause some kind of accidental collision in the future.

Senna did indeed intentionally crash his car, but his greatness was never about revenge.

Briatore's inflammatory remarks clearly reversed cause and effect.

"The car's oversteer is extremely severe, requiring a complete adjustment to the downforce system."

"In addition, I need to improve the differential lock-up ratio and maximize cornering traction. I need the car to maintain balance and stability."

This time, there wasn't much detailed or tedious feedback; Chen Xiangbei precisely stated the adjustments he needed.

The HRT team has now developed a strong rapport, with both the strategy and technical teams familiar with Chen Xiangbei's driving style and the tuning results he desires.

"OK, Sawano, Mizutani, based on the feedback and data analysis results, complete the training before the second practice match."

At Odeto’s command, the crew members immediately sprang into action, while Chen Xiangbei took a short rest and adjustment.

The second practice match is about to begin at 1:30 PM.

Only 23 cars remained in the race this time. Although Sutil himself was not seriously injured, the car could not be repaired in a short time, so he will miss the remaining two practice sessions.

The main focus of the second practice session was testing the qualifying setup. The Albert Park circuit has a relatively high difficulty level for overtaking, which means that the results of qualifying will greatly affect the race rankings.

To avoid losing at the starting line, teams tend to use qualifying setups, which highlights the importance of lap times in the second practice session.

The entire second practice session proceeded smoothly. Even when Chen Xiangbei encountered Rosberg and Kovalainen, two drivers with whom he had a history of conflict, neither of them made any "out-of-line" moves.

This is the effect of being "tough": everyone wants to take advantage of the weak, but no one dares to challenge them!

However, Chen Xiangbei's lap time in the second practice session was far from ideal, with a final time of 1 minute 25.855 seconds, ranking thirteenth among all drivers.

As for his teammate Trulli, he finished eighth in the second training session.

The best comparison for speed in F1 is with your teammates.

Chen Xiangbei was not only 0.5 seconds slower than Tirulli, but he was also using a brand new kit, which instantly amplified the jeers on the track.

As the race car returned to the pit after the second practice session, test engineer Mazzola looked very serious.

"According to sensor data, the airflow direction guided by the newly upgraded kit is very turbulent. In order to adapt to the kit, the tuning scheme has been changed, which has also affected the mechanical downforce, resulting in a slower cornering speed."

“Bei, I think you need to find a completely new tuning scheme during the three training sessions.”

The second practice session's lap times confirmed that the new kit had a "negative upgrade" effect. Now, the only hope is whether Chen Xiangbei can use the last practice session to find the sweet spot for balancing the car's setup.

Otherwise, even if Chen Xiangbei has the talent and ability, he will not be able to close the performance gap in the race car.

Upon hearing Mazzola's words, the people in the P room remained silent.

Because this is absolutely asking too much of a newcomer.

If the development direction of the upgrade kit is "wrong," how can the driver adjust it in practice?

If everyone had this ability, there would be no such thing as "negative upgrades" on the track.

Even Trulli, standing next to him, wasn't happy about getting a good deal. After all, the wrong direction of the upgrade meant that everything had to be started over, which would affect the future performance of the two HRT drivers.

Just as everyone was silent, Chen Xiangbei stepped forward and spoke.

“No problem. We’ll skip the long-distance tests for the third round and use the time to find a completely new tuning solution.”

Chen Xiangbei remained calm. In his previous life, as a driver without any background, it was the norm for him to drive a bad car and rely on his own feedback to adjust it.

He had long since become indifferent to this situation.

"What about long distances?"

Sho Mizutani asked a question in return.

"Look at the sky."

After saying this, Chen Xiangbei turned his attention to the weather radar image on the monitoring screen.

(End of this chapter)