Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 261 Weakness Means Being Bullied
For later generations of Chinese people, when it comes to the most memorable second drivers, apart from the Red Bull team's fleeting appearances, it is probably Bottas of Mercedes-Benz, whom many regard as the benchmark for second drivers.

Low-key, obedient, fast, and doesn't steal the spotlight.

But in reality, Bottas can only be considered a competent second driver; compared to the legendary drivers, he is not particularly outstanding.

Because for the number two driver of the championship-contending team, without the Mars rover, it's not enough for you to just stay out of the competition; on the contrary, you need to step up and take the hits for the number one driver and become cannon fodder.

Just like Trulli in this race, he ended up in the same lane as Chen Xiangbei by chance, and managed to change lanes to block the potential threat from Sutil and Kovalainen.

If Trulli is any weaker and can't even make it into Q2 or finish eleventh, then it won't help the number one driver at all, and he'll be directly eliminated by the team management.

Perez in later years was just like that. At his peak, he put on an amazing defensive performance against Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of the 2021 season. It was a textbook example of how a second driver can stop a car in the last decade.

In this crucial battle for the world championship, Perez defended Hamilton for a full twenty laps, and even disrupted Hamilton's rhythm, allowing Verstappen, who was behind him, to close the gap by 5 seconds in a single lap!
It could even be said that Perez's superb performance allowed Verstappen to end the Mercedes dynasty and be crowned world champion a year early.

But when Perez's performance declined in the 24 season and he could no longer help Verstappen, he lost his value in the team and couldn't even keep his Red Bull seat.

During the Ferrari dynasty, Barrichello not only demonstrated the defensive role of Perez in the 21 season, but his greatest strength, which distinguished him from other second drivers, was his ability to show offensive prowess in crucial moments!

For example, if Schumacher's car malfunctions or he has an accident and retires from the race, Barrichello will need to step up and overpower his championship rivals to snatch their race wins and ensure Schumacher's points lead.

In those years of intense competition, Barrichello single-handedly defeated world champions Häkkinen, Damon Hill, and even the renowned Kimi Räikkönen.

Even at the Hockenheim circuit in the 2000 season, Barrichello started from 18th on the grid and won the race. Many world champion drivers never manage to pull off such a dramatic comeback in their entire careers.

That's why Barrichello is called the greatest wingman and the best second driver in history.

Instead of Massa, Perez, and Bottas.

The reason is that he actually possesses the absolute speed, top-notch offensive and defensive capabilities of a WDC-level driver, as well as the ability to stand up under pressure in critical moments.

Unfortunately, during the peak of his career, he encountered a god-like opponent.

How can a mortal body shake the "gods"?
Sir Williams is well aware of Barrichello's abilities, although he is now older and his performance has declined, just like Schumacher during his peak at Ferrari.

But while its speed and offense might be a bit lacking, its defense is definitely not a problem.

Chen Xiangbei, this young upstart, has no chance of overtaking Barrichello in one or two turns!

Facts will soon prove that Sir Williams has every reason to be confident.

On the track, Barrichello heard the race engineer Ross's reminder and glanced at the rearview mirror out of the corner of his eye, seeing the HRT race car with the number 13 on the front.

To be honest, he was quite surprised.

However, what surprised him was not how fast Chen Xiangbei was, or how he improved his ranking by several places at the start.

Throughout F1 history, there are countless examples of drivers who have improved their positions by capitalizing on the start and the chaotic cornering at T1. In the event of a chain-reaction crash, some drivers have even managed to improve their ranking by ten or more places.

Chen Xiangbei already had the potential to be this year's "Rookie of the Year," so it's not too surprising that he appeared behind his own car.

Barrichello was an unexpected surprise; he was able to overtake Schumacher so quickly!

Drivers cannot see the broadcast screen or hear the race commentary while driving. Unless the team engineer actively provides information through the voice system, they are left with only visual communication.

Barrichello couldn't understand how Chen Xiangbei was able to overtake Schumacher!
Others may only be able to sense Schumacher's power and terror through his achievements.

Barrichello, the number two driver, did indeed work alongside Schumacher to build a racing dynasty. He still has ambition and aspirations. Is this legendary figure too old to defend against newcomers after his comeback?
The distracting thoughts in his mind slowed down Barrichello's reaction, making him noticeably slower than Chen Xiangbei at turns 5 and 6. The No. 13 HRT car was already closely following the tail of the No. 9 Williams car, within range of being able to turn around and attack at any time.

"Barrichello, move to the defensive line!"

Race engineer Ross reminded him again, feeling that Barrichello might underestimate Chen Xiangbei's overtaking ability, and emphasized that they must take the defensive line rather than pursue the fastest cornering line.

Otherwise, given the speed of the Chinese kid, Barrichello wouldn't be able to stop him for two laps!

“COPY.”

Barrichello's reply came through the radio, but he had no intention of doing so.

The reason is that he is now in front of McLaren driver Jenson Button!
The saying "teammates are the biggest rivals" applies perfectly to Barrichello and Jason Barton.

Last year, while working with Brawn GP, ​​Jenson Button relied on his better adaptability and speed to dominate the first five races, which solidified his position as the team's number one driver.

Without a doubt, Barrichello has returned to his second-place position.

Barrichello was very dissatisfied with this arrangement. He could accept being second only to Schumacher.

Who do you think you are, Jason Patton? Why should I be your wingman?

But given the performance gap, Barrichello could only obediently follow the team's instructions and watch helplessly as the team's resources were tilted towards Jason Button, despite his inner resentment and verbal complaints.

However, plans often go awry. In the middle of the season, Brawn GP's competitiveness weakened, and Jenson Button's racing performance declined rapidly. Meanwhile, Barrichello showed signs of catching up and winning several races intermittently, and the two were very close in total points.

I could tolerate being second-in-command when things were bad, but now that I've turned my life around, I'm being made a wingman. Of course, Barrichello can't stand it!
However, the team's strategic direction will not be easily changed, and they will continue to support Jenson Button's position as driver number one, which has led to a breakdown in the relationship between the team and the two drivers.

After the season ended, both drivers left the team, and Brawn GP was completely reorganized.

Now that the "old teammates" have met again, Barrichello is more interested in surpassing Jason Button than stopping Chen Xiangbei.

Hamilton could easily overtake this "flop" defending champion at the start, and he could do the same, not to mention that Barrichello was the first champion driver of the Donghai International Circuit.

Barrichello was unwilling to play a purely defensive role; he planned to both look for attacking opportunities and keep Chen Xiangbei at bay.

I want them all!
It must be admitted that the surge of "revenge" desire stimulated Barrichello's match performance.

While closely following Jason Button's slipstream to prevent being overtaken, he tried every means to block Chen Xiangbei's overtaking, even going so far as to "draw dragons" on the track.

"No way, Barrichello's driving style is disgusting, isn't it? He's doing some kind of snake-like maneuvering on the track?"

"If you can't block it, don't try to block it at all. Using this kind of underhanded method to block the car, have you no shame?"

"He's a well-known driver, is it really necessary to be so extreme in defending against a newcomer?"

"Multiple lane changes in the braking zone, the FIA ​​will record and investigate, right?" On the track, the Chinese audience was initially excited to see Chen Xiangbei overtake, but when they got behind Barrichello, the veteran Brazilian driver used every trick in the book, like a seasoned pro, using edge-skimming tactics to keep Chen Xiangbei firmly behind, forcing him to "drive like a train" in the midfield group.

Keep in mind that the lead car was Ferrari's Alonso, who was overtaking Red Bull's Vettel at T1 corner with great momentum and astonishing speed.

If no one puts pressure on him or holds him back, he can leave the midfielders by almost a second when running a single lap.

If this trend continues, how will Chen Xiangbei catch up with the leading groups?

Unfortunately, the dissatisfaction and insults from the spectators at the track could not affect the drivers in the race.

Furthermore, due to the imperfections in the rules, coupled with Barrichello's extensive experience in "grabbing the line," it would be difficult for the FIA ​​to determine whether he was blocking the lane twice. Chen Xiangbei would have to rely on himself to overtake him.

Second lap, third lap...

Following Barrichello for two consecutive laps, Chen Xiangbei's expression grew increasingly grim.

To be honest, he did have opportunities to overtake, but the risk of a collision from a forced overtake was very high.

Chen Xiangbei was able to suppress his inner impulses not because of fear or cowardice, but because of ambition!

His goal for this race goes far beyond simply surpassing Barrichello to finish seventh. Chen Xiangbei wants to win the home championship, create history for Chinese drivers, and ensure that the Donghai International Circuit is no longer dominated by foreigners!
This is why Chen Xiangbei was able to restrain himself from crashing and accompany Barrichello as they continued to "draw dragons" on the track, maintaining a strange balance between the two.

Of course, Chen Xiangbei also had to admit that Barrichello was very strong, stronger than he had expected!

The fact that an older wingman, who is widely recognized as an aging soldier, can simultaneously attack and suppress vehicles is itself a testament to his strength.

At this moment, Barrichello actually had the same thought in his mind as Chen Xiangbei.

That's why this new Chinese actor is freaking amazing!
Barrichello never intended to use a "dragon-like" defensive maneuver on the track, nor is that his defensive style.

The reason he did this was simply because the defensive pressure was too great, and he had no choice but to resort to underhanded tactics.

Barrichello now understands why Chen Xiangbei was able to overtake many drivers, including Schumacher, and get behind him after the T1 corner on the first lap.

This isn't just about luck finding a wallet; mid-table drivers really can't stop you!
The HRT race car already had a speed advantage, and with the new upgrade kit and engine tuning by Ferrari engineers, it actually reached the level of being tied for the second fastest car in the paddock.

Second only to Red Bull, on par with McLaren, and slightly faster than Ferrari.

In addition, Chen Xiangbei's ability to drive the race car enabled him to advance at a high speed.

Given the current intensity of their attack, Barrichello is starting to have doubts about whether he can stick to his "want both" tactic.

Should he follow the team's orders to defend Chen Xiangbei with all his might, or should he follow his heart and seek revenge against Jason Patton?

Just as Barrichello was caught in a dilemma, Odette's voice came through Chen Xiangbei's earpiece.

"It's almost the fourth lap, can't you overtake yet?"

"I don't want to crash."

Chen Xiangbei answered very frankly: it wasn't that he couldn't overcome it, but the risks might outweigh the benefits.

"How could an older driver like Barrichello, who is multitasking, be at risk of crashing?"

"Bei, are you kidding me?"

Odeto scoffed at Chen Xiangbei's answer.

He was once a member of Barrichello's strategy team, so he knew the driver's abilities all too well.

Without a doubt, Barrichello possesses near-WDC level strength.

But that was then!
Before Brawn GP's resurgence in the second half of the year, Barrichello's performance with Honda was abysmal, with one season even ending with zero points.

If Barrichello were to focus all his efforts on defending Chen Xiangbei, it would be understandable if he couldn't overtake Odetto in three laps.

Now the other side is still trying to attack Jason Barton, relying entirely on the threat of "mutual destruction" to force Chen Xiangbei to give up on his own initiative, which Odeto cannot accept.

Back during the Renault season, Odeto had emphasized that Chen Xiangbei couldn't be conservative and had to take risks.

The reason is simple: he is an Asian driver, and a Chinese driver at that!
This is not just about driving skills, but also about the fact that white drivers from Europe and America have a natural psychological advantage over Asian drivers of color. They are more inclined to rely on their strength to gain benefits.

For example, the threat of a car crash like Barrichello.

Under Odeto's tutelage, Chen Xiangbei overcame his instinctive conservatism stemming from his lack of money, skills, and household registration in his previous life.

Furthermore, with Odeto's and the media's promotion, he cultivated a tough and aggressive style, making other drivers afraid to try and cheat in front of him. The Chinese kid will be even more ruthless and aggressive than you!
But there's a Chinese saying that goes, "He who has no desires is invincible."

At that time, Chen Xiangbei was barefoot and fearless, charging towards the F1 paddock with all his might, preferring to be smashed to pieces rather than slow down.

He has now achieved his goal and is moving towards a higher pursuit: to prove himself on his home track in Donghai and return home in glory to create a championship miracle for Chinese drivers.

Having desires is equivalent to having a weakness.

Having a weakness that others can see through and exploit is equivalent to being weak.

Weakness means vulnerability.

Chen Xiangbei had no intention of backing down, but his timing and maneuvering were cowardly, which allowed Barrichello to repeatedly block his overtaking maneuvers with his dragon-drawing defensive style.

Father, like son.

Odette saw Chen Xiangbei's concerns and his extreme desire for the Donghai Station championship.

He could understand Chen Xiangbei, but he couldn't accept it.

Odeto wants a strong, aggressive, and sharp Chen Xiangbei.

The desire for a home-field championship should not be a constraint for a true driver!

(End of this chapter)