Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 280 The "Autobots" from China

Time ticked by, and the team's management didn't stay in the pit for long; they had other work to do.

For example, debugging the system, detecting data from various sensors, and developing car tuning plans and racing strategies.

As a brand new track with no precedent to refer to, it puts even greater pressure on the teams' tuning skills and the correctness of their track strategies.

Don't underestimate the impact of tuning; in F1, its effect may be greater than the difference between the driver's skill and the car's performance.

To put it bluntly, the skill level among F1 drivers is far lower than one might imagine.

Unless it's a driver like Yuji Ide, who has never driven before and was forced into it by Aguri Suzuki, there won't be an extreme difference in skill level.

In other cases, even the best driver Verstappen, compared to the famous director Latifi, would have a lap time difference of only about 1 second on certain tracks, driving the same easy-to-drive car.

Of course, the premise is that it's easy to drive!

With such an extremely tuned car, if Latifi can't control his skill level, he'll probably crash before even completing a full lap.

If we need another example of tuning, then Zhou Guanyu in the 24 season is just as obvious as Bottas.

Many Chinese people know that the competition for seats prevents the two drivers from sharing setup data, but few people know the extent of the impact it actually has.

With the shared tuning scheme, the difference between the two teams in qualifying was 0.122 seconds in 22 and 0.288 seconds in 23.

To be honest, the 0.2-second average difference between the two drivers in qualifying was acceptable for Sauber at the time. After all, Bottas was a qualifying expert who had proven his absolute speed with Mercedes.

Even though he's getting older and his form and competitive ability are declining, Zhou Guanyu is still a rookie driver, so the difference in their performance is barely within his reach.

The potential problem is that the gap in rankings in the second year will reduce Zhou Guanyu's potential valuation and competitiveness in renewing her contract.

But in the 24th season, the average difference in qualifying time skyrocketed to over 0.5 seconds!
In other words, the impact of different tuning schemes can be as much as 0.2 to 0.3 seconds per lap, or even more.

If a team's engineers can effectively tune the cars and accurately respond to the driver's feedback, they can bridge the gap in absolute performance between cars and create miracles where smaller teams defeat larger teams in the paddock.

Often, when a small team achieves outstanding results on a particular track, it's because the car's design style or tuning is well-suited to the track's characteristics, resulting in exceptional performance.

Of course, it's also possible that the lottery was manipulated and you won by accident.

The impact of team strategy is even more pronounced. The timing and number of pit stops, as well as the tire selection, will directly affect the driver's ranking and final result.

The reason why Ferrari's strategy team was later called "The Jokers" is because its members made a series of blunders, showing no signs of a top-tier team's ability to correct mistakes and demonstrate its strength.

If a team can do these two things perfectly, it might be a bit difficult for a driver of Latifi's caliber to compete with Verstappen.

But it shouldn't be a problem for drivers like Russell and Leclerc, who are not far behind, to beat Verstappen.

Just like without a good car, Verstappen can't outrun Norris and Piastri.

Time passed by, and Chen Xiangbei didn't know how long he had been driving. He just felt a little hungry, and the high-intensity simulator training had caused sore muscles all over his body. It was time to move around a bit.

Another indicator is the lap time in the upper left corner of the screen, which is almost stuck at a lap time of just over 1 minute 35.5 seconds. This time is almost the same as Wirth's pole position time, which is theoretically enough time for him to rest.

In reality, there is a gap.

The reason is simple: a simulator is still just a simulator, while the Lingyan track in reality is extremely complex.

It's not just the layout or terrain that have flaws; there are also defects in the engineering quality and other aspects.

For example, if the metal strip at the lowest point of the chassis happens to catch on the cracked asphalt, a layer will be directly sheared off, causing the vehicle to fail the post-race inspection.

Even at a point where the asphalt fractures, if there is a sharp cross-section, an F1 tire traveling at over 300 kilometers per hour would be hit by it like a bullet, instantly causing a tire blowout.

Chen Xiangbei's simulator training aims to significantly surpass Vettel's pole position times, as this is the only way to defeat his opponent in official races. However, he seems to have hit a bottleneck, unable to achieve a qualitative leap through quantitative accumulation.

Since that's the case, why not relax a bit and balance work and rest? Maybe you'll find new opportunities.

Just as Chen Xiangbei stretched and got up, he was surprised to see Perez standing behind him with a very complicated expression on his face.

This was the first time he had seen Chen Xiangbei train using a simulator, and the first time he had seen someone run a completely unfamiliar track so smoothly and precisely.

Even though the lap time didn't improve much in the end, from Perez's perspective, he couldn't find any flaws in Chen Xiangbei's driving skills. It could be said that he had already reached the upper limit of this track.

That's outrageous! Does that mean there really are some kind of genius monsters in this world?
"Is there anything you need?"

Seeing that Perez remained silent, Chen Xiangbei took the initiative to ask him a question.

"You... the simulator is very fast."

Perez hesitated for a moment, but ultimately offered a word of praise.

This adaptability and learning speed are something he doesn't see in GP2, at least not in GP2.

"The more you practice, the faster you'll become."

Can I run a few laps?

Perez countered with a question.

After watching for so long, he also felt a strong urge to try it out.

"Of course, you're an HRT driver too."

Chen Xiangbei nodded, explaining that he was only enjoying the priority resources of the first driver, not monopolizing the entire team.

Perez also has the right to use the simulator.

Having received "permission," Perez sat in the racing simulator cockpit, while Chen Xiangbei planned to go out for some fresh air.

But just as he turned around, he heard Perez's voice behind him.

"I can definitely run faster than you!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiangbei was first taken aback, then a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

Because he could understand Perez's mindset at that moment.

Although Chen Xiangbei only participated in a few more F1 races, he can already be considered a "senior" compared to Perez.

Especially after winning the race, the difference in experience between the two teams has become apparent!
Perez is like Chen Xiangbei, who has just entered the F1 paddock, bearing the expectations of the nation and eagerly hoping to defeat the "gods" of the racing world to prove himself.

Chen Xiangbei's initial targets were Trulli, Kubica, and Barton.

Then came Hamilton, Alonso, and Schumacher.

Now, Perez's first goal is also to defeat his teammate Chen Xiangbei!
Perhaps Chen Xiangbei's simulator speed was too exaggerated, forcing Perez to resort to this method to strengthen his confidence in the challenge.

In the F1 paddock, having no results or experience is not a big deal.

Fear is the only way to lose!
Even if it's just psychological manipulation, Perez has to build up his confidence and absolutely cannot think that Chen Xiangbei is unbeatable!

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Chen Xiangbei smiled faintly, showing no anger at being "provoked".

People who like to act aggressively are often vulnerable.

Truly powerful people are confident, and confidence leads to gentleness.

Stepping out of the drivers' lounge, compared to the bustling activity of other teams, the HRT team's pit garage was nearing completion. Bob Bell and others were standing in front of the race car, holding laptops and talking about something.

Seeing this, Chen Xiangbei leaned over and asked, "Is there a problem with the race car?"

"No problem, the engine power was reduced slightly to ensure stability." "Back to the initial settings?"

"Ah."

Upon hearing Bell's question, Chen Xiangbei frowned slightly.

The essence of F1 is 70% car and 30% driver, and top drivers can increase that ratio to 50/50.

If we're talking about the Donghai International Circuit, Chen Xiangbei is confident that he can achieve relatively good results in low-power mode.

But Chen Xiangbei lacked the confidence and assurance to succeed at the Lingyan racetrack.

In addition, as a design by German track designer Hermann, Lingyan Circuit is also a high-speed track, especially with its two long straights with heavy braking, similar to Donghai Circuit, which have very high requirements for top speed.

Slow cars will be overtaken by opponents on very long straights!

"Do we have no other choice but to use this method?"

"Yes, take the new power unit that Perez is driving and put it in your race car."

Odeto suggested another solution: using the resources of the second driver.

Trulli's car was damaged in an accident at the last race, which means that a brand new power unit will be used again for this race, which is also the last spare engine the team is currently carrying.

As the number one driver, Chen Xiangbei has priority.

Just like how Albon later "requisitioned" his teammate Sargent's chassis for the Williams team.

But Odeto immediately added a sentence.

“If we use a brand new power unit, it means that you will be using four engines in four races, which is far beyond the planned schedule and will inevitably exceed the FIA’s limit.”

"In the second half of the season, you might get penalized for every single stop!"

If Chen Xiangbei uses a brand-new power unit, it would be akin to "living beyond one's means" in Chinese idioms, meaning that any profit made in advance will inevitably have to be repaid according to FIA rules.

And the cost might be even greater.

Because Chen Xiangbei's old engine was only low-power and still usable, replacing it would be equivalent to wasting an indicator.

If you encounter a serious engine failure that renders the engine unusable, then there's no replacement available.

"Then let's use the old power unit."

Without much thought, Chen Xiangbei made his decision.

Odeto was not surprised by Chen Xiangbei's answer.

This guy isn't, at heart, someone who likes to engage in behind-the-scenes politics and suppress his teammates.

He won't do things that harm others without benefiting himself.

"How's the track simulator going?"

"I'm basically familiar with it."

"I don't like hearing such vague adjectives."

Odette's somewhat indifferent reply essentially implied that the situation was full of unknowns and surprises; he preferred absolutes.

"The simulator is working fine, but the real track can't be guaranteed to change."

Chen Xiangbei answered in a different way: real-world competitions are ever-changing, and no one dares to say they can completely control an unfamiliar track.

"How about we walk the track ahead of time?"

"OK."

Chen Xiangbei nodded; he was looking forward to stretching his muscles.

The two strolled along the Yeongam Circuit in South Korea. Compared to racing simulators, the asphalt on the real track was very rough, with cracks in many places, which meant that tire wear would be very high.

In addition, the concrete retaining walls of the Lingyan track cause far more obstruction of vision than in the simulator. Basically, there are blind spots in the view when exiting and entering corners at many corners, which is very similar to the feeling of driving a street race.

As they walked, Odette suddenly squatted down at the edge of the track, his expression somewhat strange.

"Odetto, have you found a problem?"

Chen Xiangbei leaned over and asked a question.

"This drainage ditch is fake."

【Fake?】

Upon hearing Odeto's words, Chen Xiangbei also squatted down to observe carefully.

The fences of the drainage ditch at Lingyan Racecourse are not the hollow kind that allow rainwater to drain out, but a completely solid decorative item!
To put it simply, it's a "blind path".

Chen Xiangbei knew that the Lingyan racetrack was a rushed project, but he didn't expect that South Korea could be so perfunctory.

The lack of adequate drainage means that even a light drizzle can turn the racetrack into a vast ocean, without needing any heavy rain.

Because race-grade asphalt pavement has extremely poor water permeability, rainwater will only accumulate on the track.

"It would be even more exciting if it were raining."

Chen Xiangbei said something with a half-smile.

"Are you looking forward to it?"

"Of course, the bigger the waves, the more expensive the fish!"

Odeto didn't understand why Chen Xiangbei said that, but he could understand the meaning behind it.

Rain can erase all differences in car performance, which is very beneficial for car number 13 in low-power mode!
The lap of the track was completed quickly, but Chen Xiangbei did not stop.

A half-finished track means there are more unknown factors. He has to remember not only the eighteen curves of the track, but also every drop and even the details of every crack.

Just as Odeto mentioned earlier, Chen Xiangbei also dislikes "uncertain" factors.

Odette didn't say anything, but silently followed Chen Xiangbei on the track.

No one in this world can teach an F1 driver how to drive; they can only provide data and analysis results. How to truly master a track is up to Chen Xiangbei himself.

Chen Xiangbei is no longer the novice he once was, and there's no need to emphasize that anymore.

It's time to witness him take charge.

One circle, two circles, three circles...

Chen Xiangbei walked and stopped like this, staying on the track for more than three hours until the sun set.

Furthermore, the other team members in the maintenance lane also saw him walking around in circles. At first, they didn't take it seriously, but gradually became somewhat surprised and admiring.

This Chinese guy is practically a robot. He can walk for hours on a track in such a boring and tedious way and make it feel like he's running a marathon. Many people haven't seen a second one like him in their entire professional careers!
Even Odette couldn't take it anymore towards the end, so he found a shady spot to sit down and cool off, realizing that his old bones couldn't withstand the young people's antics.

Just as Chen Xiangbei was still somewhat "not quite finished" with his thoughts, Lu Xiaoman appeared, interrupting his intentions and bringing a message.

Yonhap News Agency has submitted a request for an exclusive interview with Chen Xiangbei!
(End of this chapter)