Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 270 China's Station Champion!
"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"

Watching Chen Xiangbei's car headlights disappear into the distance, Alonso instantly broke down.

In just three games, Alonso has been overtaken by this young Chinese player for the second time.

If last time he was arrogant and didn't take driver Bei seriously, then the other side found a loophole and overtook him.

This time, Alonso had no excuse, and was even a little frustrated.

The other side clearly had a winning attitude, and I was almost forced off the track by the Chinese kid!

To be honest, this kind of overtaking maneuver is quite humiliating and unacceptable for Alonso, the two-time champion and currently the best player in the paddock.

"Domenicali, report the dangerous driving behavior in the north to the FIA!"

Alonso immediately contacted the team. Since the overtaking was already a done deal, they had to try to get back at Chen Xiangbei by doing something else, such as getting him penalized by reporting him.

Many Chinese fans who followed Alonso in later years basically did so because Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu entered F1. The older Alonso, who stayed at Aston Martin, seemed somewhat low-key, peaceful, and unambitious.

In fact, the early Alonso wasn't a good guy at all...

He particularly enjoys complaining, blaming, and playing the politics of the paddock.

Unfortunately, their political skills are particularly poor, and in the end, they are often the ones who can't outmaneuver others and are forced to leave the team.

To use a Chinese internet slang term, it's described as someone who's bad at the game but loves to play.

But his love for politics and emotional intelligence cannot overshadow his unparalleled talent and endurance.

Even at 23 years old, when Alonso was over 40, he could still compete with Verstappen for the world championship if given a Red Bull car.

Furthermore, Zhou Guanyu, Sainz, and even Verstappen have all firmly stated that Alonso is their idol, which is enough to prove the veteran's dominance in his twenty-year F1 career.

Of course, people are people, things are things, and technology is technology.

Alonso is certainly unable to accept his defeat right now, and may even be experiencing a kind of "impotent rage".

"We will submit a complaint to the FIA."

Domenicali knew Alonso's personality well and first offered a reassuring reassurance.

Then he said, "However, we need to be prepared for both possibilities. First, try to maintain your position. Vettel of Red Bull is already behind you, and he will launch an attack soon."

Alonso's tire grip disadvantage was already obvious. Even without Chen Xiangbei's forceful squeezing, he was already on the verge of slipping on the large curve of Anting Bend and couldn't grip the ground at all.

During the first half of the race, Vettel followed Alonso for dozens of laps but was never able to overtake him and regain his lead.

Now that they've made a comeback, their offensive will likely be even more ferocious.

"I'm going to stop Vettel?"

Even though he knew the team's instructions were correct, Alonso still couldn't swallow his anger.

Blocking Vettel would mean helping Chen Xiangbei stop the car, a classic case of two birds fighting over a clam while a third party benefits.

How can we change our mindset to help the "enemy"?
"Yes, hold onto second place."

Domenicali replied calmly.

Alonso qualified third, only taking the lead thanks to Chen Xiangbei's retirement penalty and subsequent overtake at the start.

Holding onto second place now means they've moved up one spot compared to the qualifying rounds.

Moreover, Vettel and Red Bull are currently the biggest rivals in the championship standings. Even if the Chinese driver wins the home race, Domenicali doesn't believe he can become a contender for the world championship.

Alonso must distinguish between the primary and secondary enemies.

Alonso likes to talk, but that doesn't mean he's easily controlled by his emotions.

A driver who cannot quickly calm down and maintain rationality can never become a world champion, let alone win consecutive championships.

Domenicali's calm demeanor helped Alonso regain his composure. He took a deep breath and said, "Understood, I'll hold my position."

He then focused his attention on the rearview mirror, and from that moment on, his rival became Vettel.

Compared to the drivers and teams discussing tactics, the audience had become a sea of ​​revelry, with countless red flags waving wildly and Chinese fans chanting Chen Xiangbei's name throughout the stadium.

"That's incredible! I never dreamed that Chen Xiangbei could take on Aaron by sheer strength!"

"It looks like Chen Xiangbei is forcing his way in, but in fact, the distance between the two cars is only centimeters, which demonstrates Chen Xiangbei's terrifying car control ability. His driving skills are absolutely world-class!"

"Damn it, let's see who dares to call themselves a Chinese newbie in the future. They'll have to reach Chen Xiangbei's level of skill!"

"Chen Xiangbei makes me believe that one day, Chinese drivers will be able to stand at the top of the world!"

"It doesn't have to be a day in the future; we might witness it today!"

He was penalized from pole position and dropped to eleventh, then forcefully overtook the car that had turned back from eleventh.

Throughout the process, Chen Xiangbei demonstrated his absolute strength and his top-notch control over the Donghai International Circuit.

If many people once had doubts about Chen Xiangbei's abilities, or were not so confident in them...

When he overtook Alonso, there was no suspense left.

This is a top driver who is even better than Schumacher in the paddock!
This race not only showcased Chen Xiangbei's driving skills, but also the contributions of the entire HRT team, including Trulli.

Individual skill can only bring temporary victory, while team victory can bring lasting success.

Just like Chen Xiangbei, the HRT team doesn't exhibit the naivety and confusion typical of "newcomers," but rather displays a seasoned and experienced demeanor.

The future is expected!

At that moment, cheers erupted in the HRT team's pit garage, and Briatore proudly told Odette, "A team doesn't need many strategies, just effective ones."

"No matter where you are, I can build the strongest drivers and teams!"

When he took over the HRT team, Briatore made a bold statement in a media interview, saying that he would make a triumphant return.

We are getting closer and closer to that stage.

Odeto ignored Briatore's boasting.

The Italian old rogue is indeed very capable of leading a team, but what does Chen Xiangbei have to do with his team building?
A triple jumper should be the most dazzling star in the paddock, just like Raikkonen.

If Chen Xiangbei were a European driver instead of a Chinese driver, he would probably already be under the spotlight and crowned a superstar, hailed as the replacement for Raikkonen or Senna!
"North, can you push it a little faster?"

While everyone was celebrating with champagne, Odeto asked Chen Xiangbei a question.

"It's difficult. The tires are slipping badly, and I'm also worried that the engine won't be able to handle it."

Chen Xiangbei replied truthfully that he, like Alonso, chose the one-stop tactic and drove for nearly forty laps on hard white tires.

The Donghai International Circuit has very high tire wear, and under normal circumstances, tire maintenance techniques are required to complete the race.

However, Chen Xiangbei started from eleventh place and overtook his way to the lead.

Although there were intermittent attempts to maintain the tire, the struggles were still numerous. Pushing for speed now, forget about tire maintenance, the risk of slipping is almost 100%!

In addition, engine stability in overpower mode remains a concern.

Even though the team switched to a brand-new power unit, it still couldn't change the high temperature and pressure brought about by the overpower mode. Throughout the race, Chen Xiangbei's engine temperature exceeded the warning line for a long time.

If it weren't for Trulli's assistance and the safety car provided by the accident, giving him time to cruise and cool down the engine, Chen Xiangbei wouldn't be able to guarantee that the engine failure during qualifying wouldn't have happened again.

Pushing it under these circumstances carries excessive risk.

"I'm worried that Alonso won't be able to hold off Vettel for long; the only way to get away from him is to use the opportunity when they're locked in a close battle to create distance."

Odeto expressed his concerns.

Vettel is in the same state as Chen Xiangbei before, coming back from behind with the momentum of a tiger!
Furthermore, the difference between light and heavy load fuel kept Vettel's tires at peak grip, making it impossible for Alonso to stop him.

According to track statistics, Vettel's current lap time is 0.4 to 0.7 seconds faster than Chen Xiangbei's, only slightly slower during overtaking and close battles.

Even though there are only five laps left in the race, once he overtakes Alonso, overtaking Chen Xiangbei will be a natural progression.

That's why Odeto didn't celebrate with the team members and the audience. Instead, he told Chen Xiangbei to push the speed as much as possible, because only by widening the gap could they have a better chance of winning!
"OK, I understand."

Chen Xiangbei glanced at the rearview mirror; Alonso was indeed struggling to block him.

The difference between tire life and grip can sometimes be even more terrifying than the difference in speed between race cars.

To put it simply, it's like comparing a supercar to an SUV in cornering; the former is destined to crush the latter.

Alonso will be overtaken in one or two laps at most, and Chen Xiangbei can only be considered safe if he can maintain a distance of about 2 seconds!

Otherwise, if the other side gets caught in the tailflow, the time to catch up will be greatly shortened, just like chasing the car in front within 1 second of the DRS zone in later generations.

Chasing someone outside the DRS zone for one second might take two or three laps, but if DRS is activated, catching up might only take one long straight.

"Chen Xiangbei has refueled, and the HRT's speed has noticeably increased. I wonder if he sensed the threat posed by Vettel and is taking precautions!"

Guest Sha Tong noticed the change in the speed of the car in the studio and realized that Chen Xiangbei had chosen to speed up in the final stage.

It's clear that the threat isn't Alonso, who's doing everything he can to stop him, so that leaves Vettel, the strongest driver of the new generation.

"Even through the broadcast cameras, we can see that Chen Xiangbei's tires are in very poor condition. He has been driving on hard white tires for almost forty laps, and accelerating at this time may lead to some unpredictable risks."

"For example, excessive wear and tear might prevent the tire from passing the weigh-in after the race, or it might even cause a tire blowout!"

As Li Bing explained, the joyful expressions on the faces of many audience members froze.

They initially thought Chen Xiangbei was accelerating to end the race early and secure his first stage victory in his professional career.

But instead, a crisis struck?

In the VIP observation room on the second floor of the repair station, Fatty Wang, Glasses Zhou, and their mother Zhao Yumei had all subconsciously clenched their fists.

"Zhou Glasses, do you think Brother Bei will encounter any unexpected problems in the final stages?"

"Don't jinx it, nothing unexpected will happen!"

Zhou Glasses decisively retaliated against Fatty Wang, saying that the guy really couldn't speak human language.

"No, I'm worried about your mother. Look, she's already trembling a little!"

Indeed, at this moment, Zhao Yumei's body was trembling slightly under the impact of her tense emotions.

While others were more concerned about who would win the championship, Zhao Yumei was also worried about Chen Xiangbei's safety at such astonishing F1 car speeds.

Especially after seeing Trulli's accident, the shock of the car crash almost made Zhao Yumei's heart jump into her throat.

Now, hearing the commentator emphasize that Chen Xiangbei's tires had no grip, yet he was still accelerating to try to create a safe distance from the car behind him, she was truly worried that the lakes she had seen run off the track would be repeated on her own son.

I once heard my son Xiangbei say something: "I'd rather be shattered to pieces than slow down!"

At that time, Zhao Yumei thought it was a line from a movie.

Now she understands that this is a reflection of a driver's career, and it's also what her son, Chen Xiangbei, is currently doing.

The championship was within reach. Odette didn't need to urge him; as soon as he knew someone was trying to take it, he would definitely make the most risky choice.

What's the difference between having no grip and pushing the limits of cornering?

They're all just running off the track.

Constantly teetering on the edge of losing control has long been a part of Chen Xiangbei's life.

There's nothing to take the risk for.

With the third-to-last lap of the race, Vettel successfully overtook Alonso and moved into second place.

Alonso did his best to stop them, but he still couldn't bridge the gap caused by the tires and performance.

However, this also caused Vettel trouble, as he was a full lap late in overtaking.

"Team leader, how far is my car from Bei's?"

Vettel immediately asked Horner, who also had a championship dream.

"1.9 seconds."

"We can still catch up!"

Upon learning this data, Vettel floored the accelerator and accelerated. Based on his previous maximum lap time of 0.7 seconds faster, three laps would be enough to catch up with Chen Xiangbei's car.

The extra 0.2 seconds will be used for overtaking!
Horner didn't say much about Vettel's firm stance.

At this point in the race, there are no longer any strategies or tactics to speak of; it's purely a contest of car performance and driver skill.

1.6 second, 1.2 seconds, 0.7 seconds...

As the distance between the two cars continued to close, Vettel unleashed his full power. When he saw Chen Xiangbei's car taillights, he also saw the black and white checkered flag waving beside the track.

In an instant, a sense of defeat swept over Vettel, and all the passion he had been striving to catch up collapsed at that moment.

Is it ultimately impossible to do?

At the same time, the audience heard the passionate voice of commentator Li Bing.

"It's over! The 10 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix has ended!"

"A checkered flag appeared on the track, and the first driver to cross the finish line was Chen Xiangbei, a Chinese driver from the HRT team!"

"Let's celebrate the birth of the first Chinese champion in F1 history with the warmest applause and the most enthusiastic shouts."

"I believe he expects to hear the whole stadium chanting his name."

"Chen~~~ heading~~~ north~~~!"

(End of this chapter)