Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 244 An Unbridled Home Ground

“Odetto is strict, I like that.”

Briatore, who was standing aside listening to the conversation between the two, showed a look of great agreement on his face.

It's worth noting that this old Italian rogue was very dissatisfied with Chen Xiangbei's commercial value in China.

Theoretically speaking, the birth of the first world-class F1 driver should bring a flood of commercial endorsements, especially from major domestic companies that should provide support and sponsorship.

For example, Perez's Mexican telecommunications giant.

The commercial collaborations were only so-so. While many people expressed interest in Chen Xiangbei's personal endorsement, the team's revenue was minimal.

It's similar to Zhou Guanyu in later generations, who received critical acclaim but didn't achieve commercial success.

Of course, in terms of Chen Xiangbei's achievements and influence now, he has already surpassed Zhou Guanyu in later generations.

However, due to the limitations of the times and economic development, only a handful of giant companies can reap commercial benefits from F1. The advertising fees, which often start at millions of dollars, are indeed difficult to recoup.

After all, sponsoring Chen Xiangbei personally is cheaper and can rely on the domestic market, while sponsoring car companies requires global revenue.

Currently, there are very few companies in China with a global presence...

Briatore wasn't exactly a "China expert," but he was a shrewd businessman!

Winning the championship at home would bring unimaginable benefits to Chen Xiangbei. Once he takes that final step, the team's partners will no longer be limited to private companies, but will begin to negotiate with real giants in China.

That's why he strongly agreed with Odette's radical tuning proposal.

For the sake of profit, taking risks is worthwhile!
Of course, Odette's original intention was certainly different from Briatore's; it's just that their ultimate goals were the same.

The team's mechanics made adjustments according to Odette's instructions, while Chen Xiangbei noticed that Perez had somehow arrived in the pit lane and was squatting next to the race car, carefully observing and learning.

This appearance is very similar to Chen Xiangbei's previous self.

He knew then that an F1 driver who didn't know how to tune the car was destined to never become a great F1 driver.

Chen Xiangbei would seize every spare moment to learn about automotive engineering and aerodynamics, and he would also work with Liang Chi and the others to fine-tune the car, all in order to gain a thorough understanding of the race car he was driving.

There is no doubt that Perez also has this goal.

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Xiangbei walked over and squatted down next to Perez. Before he grew a beard, the twenty-year-old looked a lot like the famous movie star Tom Cruise and could be considered a standard handsome man.

"Learning shunting?"

Chen Xiangbei asked a question.

Suddenly hearing a voice, and seeing Chen Xiangbei squatting beside him, Perez showed a surprised expression.

He then nodded in response, without saying much more.

"You're really working hard, participating in GP2 races while also learning F1 knowledge."

Chen Xiangbei praised him, saying he appreciated hard work.

It's important to know that GP2 races are mostly held on European circuits due to the cost of relocation.

Perez's desire to learn F1 knowledge means he has to travel across borders with the team, flying around constantly to ensure he can learn both without missing a beat.

Especially in the Asian Grand Prix, the drivers also have to deal with jet lag, which puts a lot of pressure on their physical condition.

"Didn't you go through the same thing?"

Perez replied casually.

"you know me well?"

Chen Xiangbei sounded somewhat surprised; from his tone, it seemed that Perez was very clear about his past.

"Yes, I know about your hard work and dedication."

"So, I wouldn't happen to be your idol, would I?"

Chen Xiangbei jokingly said that he really gained some fame in F1 when he made his debut in the Australian rain race.

If Perez knew about his efforts, he would have been watching closely for a long time.

Could it be that I've already gained a little fanboy?

However, Perez's next answer shattered Chen Xiangbei's illusions.

"No, you are the target I will defeat in the future."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiangbei's teasing smile faded, and he understood what Perez meant.

This guy has already tacitly agreed that he will replace Trulli as the official driver, and he will also compete for the team's number one driver position to gain more resources and priority.

"Before you achieve this goal, you must first be qualified to challenge me."

When it comes to arrogance, Chen Xiangbei is second to none.

He admired Perez from a later perspective, but that didn't mean he could tolerate Perez provoking him.

If Perez really has a chance to become his teammate, then Chen Xiangbei needs to make the other party realize his position in advance.

To become a championship contender, one must possess an unstoppable aura of dominance, for no one can afford to let others sleep soundly beneath one's bed.

As soon as he said that, Chen Xiangbei exuded a powerful aura, completely different from his previous smiling and easygoing demeanor, instantly giving Perez a great sense of pressure.

In that instant, Perez understood why Chen Xiangbei was called the strongest rookie of the season.

This Chinese driver has two faces!
"I will prove myself!"

Even under pressure, Perez gritted his teeth and said those words.

The reason is simple: he was a paid driver who brought his own funding to the team, and he suffered the same criticism and doubts as Chen Xiangbei before.

To shed the label of a paid driver, one must prove oneself with results and speed, while projecting a tough image to mask one's weaknesses.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Chen Xiangbei spoke casually, but his gaze was extremely sharp as he looked at Perez beside him.

Perez looked away, sensing the gaze and pressure emanating from the man.

Compared to Chen Xiangbei, he was the real F1 rookie!

Of course, after Chen Xiangbei made his stance clear, he stopped doing anything pretentious or provocative and instead joined Liang Chi's team of technicians to adjust the car.

He is essentially the kind of person who won't bother others unless they bother him.

"Uncle Liang, use the stiffest springs and anti-roll bars, along with high-speed compression damping, to deal with the heavy braking zone at the end of long straight sections."

"The front wheels have a larger negative camber angle to increase the tire contact area in high-speed corners, which indirectly makes up for some of the downforce loss of the aerodynamic kit."

"The cooling system must be given extremely high priority. Maximize the opening of the brake duct air intake, as this station puts tremendous pressure on the front wheels' braking."

"The differential lock settings are all tuned to optimize cornering speed. I need sufficient traction and power output balance."

"The gearbox gear ratios are optimized for maximum speed, ensuring that the top speed on straightaways is close to the redline." Chen Xiangbei chattered on and on about his tuning needs to the technicians, a scene that stunned everyone present.

Even Odette looked on with disbelief.

It's important to know that the toughest tuning plan wasn't the result of discussions within the team's strategy group. On the contrary, it was a risky plan that he decided on the spot after seeing Chen Xiangbei's "enchanted" state.

This means the team has no pre-set adjustment plan and needs to discuss it together with the drivers, technicians, and strategy team.

As a result, Chen Xiangbei has now handled everything by himself, as if the plan had already been in his mind and was just waiting to be revealed.

The problem is that Chen Xiangbei has never driven on the Donghai International Circuit, and he hasn't even trained on a simulator during the intervals between races. Where did he get the car tuning plan from, and how can he ensure that the plan works?
Based on Odeto's understanding of Chen Xiangbei, this kid never fights unprepared battles, much less offers a plan out of nowhere.

There is only one possibility: Chen Xiangbei did not slack off during the two-week break; he kept a close eye on the Donghai International Circuit!

As for Perez, who was watching and learning from the sidelines, he was surprised but also felt a sense of emotion.

Chen Xiangbei was fully aware of his "ambition" and the challenges he faced. When communicating with the technicians and racing engineers about the tuning plan, he did not hold back or conceal anything and presented the plan very openly.

This is indeed the strongest rookie of the new season; he doesn't see himself as a threat.

Or is Chen Xiangbei truly so upright and honest that he doesn't care about secretly learning things?

Just as the race car was being tuned, Lu Xiaoman walked in and spoke.

"Xiang Bei, there's an interview with you before the practice match. Shall we head to the media center now?"

"What media?"

"You know her, Sha Tong, a sports anchor on CCTV."

Back when he was at the Macau Grand Prix, Chen Xiangbei happened to be there during the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of Macau's return to China, and he was fortunate enough to be promoted to a higher level and be interviewed by CCTV Sports.

Now that he has arrived at the Donghai International Circuit, one of the world's three major racing events, and with his status as a home driver, Chen Xiangbei is undoubtedly qualified to receive his own pre-race interview!

And the fact that it was placed in the Donghai Circuit Media Center means that it was also a live broadcast.

"Okay, I'll change my clothes and go over there."

Chen Xiangbei nodded; he was going to change into his formal HRT racing suit.

To some extent, this level of domestic visit is a good opportunity to boost the team's reputation and promote sponsors; one has to be commercially conscious.

A dozen minutes later, Chen Xiangbei arrived at the Donghai Circuit Media Center, where a large group of people were waiting for him, and all kinds of lighting equipment were already set up.

"Hey north, please have a seat. It's been a long time."

Sha Tong greeted him with a smile, as her previous interview with Chen Xiangbei had left a deep impression on him.

He had never seen any Chinese athlete as sharp and unrestrained as Chen Xiangbei.

But I have to admit that Chen Xiangbei's words make some sense when you think about them, and they were very satisfying to hear!

"Hello, Host Sha."

Chen Xiangbei responded with a smile, and then sat down opposite Sha Tong.

This wasn't his first formal media interview, so he seemed quite familiar with the process.

After a brief greeting, and once everything was ready, Sha Tong nodded to the photographer. Immediately afterward, Chen Xiangbei's image appeared on the large screen at the Donghai International Circuit, instantly causing the audience waiting for the practice session to erupt in excitement.

"Look, Chen Xiangbei has appeared!"

An exclusive interview about home-field advantage!

"I wonder what surprising things Xiang Bei will say this time!"

Not only the host, but many car enthusiasts at the scene also had a deep memory of Chen Xiangbei's previous interview in Macau.

This Chinese driver showed the audience another side of his fighting spirit.

"First of all, I would like to thank Mr. Chen Xiangbei for accepting this exclusive interview with CCTV Sports."

Sha Tong gave a standard interview opening before formally asking her questions.

"In the Australian Grand Prix that ended two weeks ago, you put on a miraculous wet race, starting from P9 and finishing on the podium. This is quite rare in F1 history, especially for a rookie."

"After the race, global media outlets rushed to report on the results, and many said they saw a resemblance to Senna in you back in the day. However, many others raised questions, believing your racing style was dangerous and reckless. What are your thoughts on this?"

In the past, Sha Tong would not have asked Chen Xiangbei such sharp questions that responded to outside opinions during the interview.

He would simply follow the usual routine, politely congratulating Chen Xiangbei on his good results, and then asking about his training process, his feelings after going on stage, and other polite remarks about winning glory for the country.

To be honest, it's no different from interviewing any other athlete.

But this time, he chose to change and be true to himself!

Sha Tong understood why Chen Xiangbei chose to show his talent. This young man actually wanted to break the stereotype of Chinese athletes and stop them from being timid and pretending to be generous and polite.

Unrestrained and flamboyant behavior, youthful arrogance, should also be another side of athletes.

Compared to the interview in Australia, which featured a less prominent figure, and given Chen Xiangbei's relatively low profile at the time, the reach of the interview was somewhat limited.

At this F1 Chinese Grand Prix, Chen Xiangbei will be the real focus of attention, and his every word and action will be broadcast throughout the country!

Instead of saying some meaningless polite words, let's seize the opportunity to let Chen Xiangbei express himself and let the national audience witness the confidence and strength of China's top driver!
"Since we see the shadow of Senna, we should recognize that his style is inherently radical and crazy."

"I haven't even knocked my opponent off the track yet, how can this be considered dangerous?"

Chen Xiangbei spoke in the calmest tone, yet with the most arrogant words!
Drivers of Senna's era, including himself, could be described as violent drivers, frequently ramming their opponents off the track, even in the final race for the championship.

In comparison, I'm still too peaceful...

His words caused an uproar among the audience watching the interview, as well as the members of each team.

Chen Xiangbei has always been known for his outrageous remarks, and now he's gone even further by saying he'll crash off the track. Does he really think of himself as an "outlaw"?
The audience, in particular, had never witnessed such an interview before.

I knew Chen Xiangbei was arrogant, but I never imagined he could be this arrogant!
Chen Xiangbei was unaware of the outside world's reaction, but he could glean a general idea from the expressions on the faces of the host Sha Tong and the staff on site.

They were surprised and shocked, and their words were too extreme, which may even have a negative impact on public opinion.

But so what?
In the world of competitive sports, it's never about what you say, but what you do.

Take boxing and MMA as examples; they are full of trash talk, insults, and fighters who provoke their opponents.

Were they ostracized?
Conversely, those with the highest popularity and highest value are, for example, the famously outspoken Conor McGregor.

The reason for this is simple: they just need to turn the boasts they've made into reality one by one.

Chen Xiangbei is the same in this respect. No matter how unlikable he is, even if he becomes the super villain in the paddock, as long as he can shatter the doubts with his results and let the audience feel the speed and passion brought by professional racing with his aggressive and passionate driving style.

They will eventually become Chen Xiangbei's fans.

Just like those European car enthusiasts who once looked down on, mocked, or even cursed, they have gradually come to agree that this Chinese newcomer's style is incredibly enjoyable to watch, and many haters have become fans.

Results are the eternal theme of competitive sports!
(End of this chapter)