Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 293 This Time, He Was Arrogant and Proactive

"Impossible. Is there something wrong with the timer? How could a Chinese guy possibly achieve pole position lap time?"

"Damn it, is the HRT race car running at overpowered speed again?"

"I strongly urge the FIA ​​to test Chen Xiangbei's racing computer. I suspect it contains cheat programs that enhance performance settings!"

"That's right, Chen Xiangbei's pole position is problematic!"

Even with the facts laid bare, doubts continued to arise at the scene.

In fact, similar incidents are not uncommon in the F1 paddock. The famous racing legend Michael Schumacher was questioned by the media and fans twice.

One instance was during his time with the Ninaton team, when some suspected that Schumacher used electronic aids to achieve such speed and precision in cornering.

Furthermore, reporters even sought confirmation from then-Benetton team principal Briatore, who simply smiled and remained silent, seemingly confirming the outside speculation, which made Schumacher's first world championship title highly controversial.

The second instance occurred during the Ferrari dynasty, an era that also featured engine output power tuning settings.

However, normally the car settings have to be set during practice sessions, just like the rule in later generations that you can't change the car settings before qualifying. But Schumacher's overtaking maneuver on the track was unusually fast and precise, completely overtaking his teammate Barrichello.

This sparked further questions and controversy, with outsiders suspecting that Schumacher's race car computer had a cheat button that could be activated at crucial moments to release more engine power, and then deactivated to protect the power unit during cruising.

But these doubts and controversies gradually turned into a joke as Schumacher won the world championship time and time again and defeated the strongest opponents in the paddock.

Schumacher won against you without cheating.

Or, to put it another way, even if you cheated, you still couldn't beat Schumacher!

The sudden rise of Chen Xiangbei, coupled with the HRT race car's unpredictable and phenomenal performance, certainly created a bizarre atmosphere, as if the car's performance had undergone some kind of mysterious surge.

The cheating allegations that the Donghai International Circuit was suppressed by its home team have become increasingly rampant at the Lingyan Circuit.

Briatore, who was in the pit room, smiled without saying a word. The old rogue had been in the paddock for decades and had seen all kinds of things. Such doubts were nothing but farts to him!

As long as Chen Xiangbei remains unaffected, he might even be hoping for an even more intense attack.

When the time comes, the Chinese boys will shut them up with victory after victory!

"Dennis, was my lap time surpassed?"

Hamilton, who was also on the return lap, asked the team a question in a slightly trembling voice.

When he set the fastest lap, the team's race engineer even congratulated him in advance, because according to the computer's ideal lap data, Hamilton was already close to his limit under wet track conditions, and other drivers had neither the ability nor the time to overtake him.

Who would have thought that Chen Xiangbei would run the final lap before the countdown ended, defeating Hamilton by 0.1 seconds?

Faced with this "sad" news, the team did not immediately inform Hamilton.

However, the McLaren driver also sensed from the reactions of the audience that pole position was not his.

Because he did not receive applause and cheers from the spectators in the stands on both sides of the track.

"Yes, Bei got pole position."

Dennis replied in a slightly low voice.

What was his lap time?

"1 minutes, 35 seconds, 585."

Upon hearing this speed, Hamilton's expression became very serious.

Keep in mind that even if Chen Xiangbei ran last, the track was already practically dry, so achieving that result would still be incredibly difficult.

The reason is simple: just having a dry driving line means having an incredibly precise driving line, otherwise the tires will immediately slip when they hit a wet or slippery spot.

This is similar to how when an ordinary person drives on a main road, the road markings are more slippery than the road surface.

If it's a motorcycle or bicycle, there's even a possibility of falling over.

Within an extremely limited driving range, Chen Xiangbei set the fastest lap time. As a top professional driver, Hamilton knew very well that there was no element of luck or chance involved.

Chen Xiangbei just wants to run faster and better!

"We underestimated the North."

After a long silence, Hamilton replied with this.

To be honest, before this match, Hamilton already considered Chen Xiangbei as a rival, unlike before when he thought of him as just a nobody.

However, there are different levels of opponents. For example, Barrichello is an opponent, and Rosberg is also an opponent.

Can they be compared to the likes of Schumacher and Alonso?

Chen Xiangbei's position is even below that of Rosberg and Barrichello.

Hamilton's current pole position at the Yeongam Circuit in South Korea has completely woken him up; the Chinese rookie has now become one of his championship rivals!

"Yes."

Dennis confirmed the statement over the radio.

However, he then emphasized, "But we are stronger, and he will still be a loser."

The qualifying rounds are over, so we don't need to worry about the results anymore. The real competition is in the main race.

On the other side, Chen Xiangbei drove the race car back to the pit stop. The team members helped him remove the steering wheel and unbuckle his seatbelt, while offering encouragement and praise.

Chen Xiangbei's pole position performance far exceeded the team's expectations, and he deserves all the praise!

Just as Chen Xiangbei left the cockpit, a microphone was thrust into the crowd of people in the convoy.

Following closely behind was a familiar face: Hank from Sky Sports.

"Bai, congratulations on securing pole position at the Korean F1 Grand Prix. Do you have anything to say about it?"

In the past, Chen Xiangbei would most likely have tried to ignore Hank, because this jerk always dug himself into a hole during interviews, trying to create a sensational news story.

However, Hank actually helped himself a lot in the public opinion backlash this time, even forcing the Korea Automobile Federation to apologize for his racist remarks.

Having owed such a favor, Chen Xiangbei couldn't bring himself to turn his back on him.

He could only take the microphone and reply, "That was great!"

"Did you use the word 'painful' to imply something else?"

Hank and Chen Xiangbei were old acquaintances. He knew that when Chen Xiangbei achieved good results, he would feel more happy than smug.

Different words represent different states of mind.

Moreover, compared to other reporters, Hank understood better what Chen Xiangbei was right about, which was why he chose to come and interview him immediately.

If you lose, there's nothing more to say than admitting defeat.

If you don't get cocky after winning, what's the difference between winning and not winning at all?
"That's right, I'm thrilled to have conquered the Lingyan racetrack!"

Arrogance may have been a disguise for Chen Xiangbei in the past, but now he vaguely understands and enjoys the taste of youthful recklessness.

Isn't Senna arrogant?
Wasn't Schumacher arrogant?

Isn't Verstappen arrogant enough?

In a post-race interview after winning the Japanese Grand Prix in the 25 season, Verstappen was asked by a reporter about his thoughts on McLaren having more points.

His response was: "If I were driving a McLaren, you wouldn't even be able to see my taillights."

He added, "I would have won the championship long ago if I were driving a McLaren." For Norris and Piastri, this was not just a provocation, but a complete humiliation.

It's like telling the other party that it's all thanks to my good car, and if I changed my car, they wouldn't even be worthy to follow me and inhale my exhaust fumes!
Each generation of top drivers has often become so arrogant that they look down on everyone else.

As for why it didn't cause a public outcry or draw criticism from the outside world, the reason is equally simple.

They have no right to say that.

Verstappen may not be able to switch to a McLaren, but he can drive a Ferrari across different fields to participate in GT3 racing, easily winning the championship with preparations done in what can only be described as his spare time.

If anyone else had said before the competition that they were going to crush noobs and win the championship, they would probably have been met with a lot of ridicule.

If Verstappen had said that, at most people would have thought he was arrogant, and no one would have thought there was anything seriously wrong with it.

Chen Xiangbei once considered becoming an F1 driver as his life goal, as long as he could overcome the hurdle he couldn't cross in his previous life.

But with two championships and a Grand Prix win, he has now fully adapted to his role as a championship contender and has set his career goal on becoming a top driver like Senna or Schumacher.

In the prime of youth, when are we not going to be wild and spirited?

“We all know that you had some unpleasant experiences before the competition, and you also heard all kinds of ridicule and doubt during the qualifying process.”

"If you use the word 'conquer' now, I'm afraid the Korean audience here won't accept it."

"Then let them be convinced."

"For example, winning the main tournament championship?"

Hank's lips curled into a wicked smile. The Chinese kid hadn't changed at all; he was once again caught off guard.

"Yes, I want to win the main competition."

If Chen Xiangbei had indeed fallen into quite a few traps before, then even if Hank hadn't dug any traps for him this time, he would have spoken out on his own initiative.

If a professional racer doesn't want to win a championship, why are they even racing professionally?
Not to mention that he was mocked and treated badly before, so he had to slap them back hard to live up to his pole position!

As Chen Xiangbei's words were played on the track's big screen, a polarized scene immediately unfolded at the scene.

Chinese audiences and fans, and even most European and American audiences, cheered for Chen Xiangbei's speech.

To be honest, no one likes a weak and cowardly driver, especially in a high-intensity competitive sport like racing, where everyone is chasing speed, passion, and the thrill of adrenaline.

A coward cannot stir the emotions of the audience.

The reason some drivers criticize is that their skills don't match their arrogant remarks.

Just like the analogy above, a novice and a top driver can say the same thing, but they will be treated very differently.

Chen Xiangbei may not have become a top driver yet, but he has truly lived up to his arrogant words through his performance throughout his career.

If you can do it, then it's not considered crazy!
"You only got pole position because of luck in the rain, do you even deserve to be the race champion?"

"Stop dreaming, Chinese guy, the main race is more than just one lap!"

"I'm waiting to see you become the laughing stock in the paddock."

There were VIP lounges opposite and above the repair station, and Hank and Chen Xiangbei naturally heard these dissenting voices.

Hank continued, "To become the race champion, you will face not only public pressure, but also strong competitors on the track."

"For example, Hamilton has already declared that he will be the champion at this race."

"And there's Alonso, Vettel, and even Schumacher; they're all pursuing victory as well."

"Bei, I must also remind you that your past remarks and numerous collisions with the previous station have solidified your status as the public enemy of the paddock, which will lead to many obstacles and unpredictable risks."

F1 is a high-tech, high-class sport, but the battles on the paddock are often not so prestigious.

What goes around comes around. If you bumped into someone yesterday, you should be prepared to be bumped back into tomorrow.

As a journalist, Hank admires mavericks like Chen Xiangbei, who bring him news material and buzz. But as a competitor, no one likes a driver who's so dominant that he crashes into another.

Chen Xiangbei has generated a lot of hatred in several competitions, making his path to victory more arduous than others.

"It doesn't matter, becoming a champion means defeating everyone!"

"Including those world champions within the paddock?"

"Including them."

Chen Xiangbei gave a firm answer once again.

Once upon a time, in Chen Xiangbei's eyes, the F1 world champion was a "god" who looked down on all living beings.

But now, he has the ability to "kill gods"!

"Go for it, Chen Xiangbei!"

I believe you can do it!

"Let's witness the birth of the first rookie to win two world championships!"

"I knew you would become the racing legend, Bei!"

Chen Xiangbei's confidence and courage also inspired his supporters. Even if the cheers were the quietest, they did their best to shout them out.

At this point in the interview, Hank had already gotten enough heated, so he didn't ask any more questions and instead signaled to the cameraman to turn off the camera and end the interview.

With the cameras no longer in sight, Hank smiled knowingly, reached out to shake hands with Chen Xiangbei and said goodbye, "Bei, thank you for the interview. I personally wish you the best of luck in winning the main competition."

Is this just a polite remark?

Chen Xiangbei smiled and asked in return, "Logically speaking, Hank should be praying that he won't win the championship."

The ensuing public outcry and ridicule will undoubtedly become headlines across major media outlets, and countless people will be waiting to kick someone when they're down.

"No, I sensed your confidence and strength, not the bluster and cowardice you used to have."

Hank has interviewed countless drivers on the F1 circuit. His professional journalistic instincts allow him to tell at a glance whether someone is sincere or has ulterior motives.

Previously, Chen Xiangbei hoped to use his verbal skills to promote himself and increase his popularity and commercial value.

Hank needed news material and buzz, so the two of them got what they wanted.

Since it's a blatant exchange of interests, Hank naturally doesn't need to consider morality or personal relationships; he'll do whatever it takes to create hype and generate buzz.

The two have known each other for almost two years now. They may not be friends, but they are no longer complete strangers.

He could sense Chen Xiangbei's change more than most people. The Chinese boy's answer was no longer hype, but rather confidence that he could defeat his opponent and win the championship!
"I have indeed become more confident and stronger."

"But many people still don't approve; they think you're crazy."

"A dream that is not ridiculed has no value in being realized; the word 'crazy' only adds to the value of a dream."

Upon hearing Chen Xiangbei say those words, Hank finally lost his playful smile, which was replaced by a complex expression.

Ambition, toughness, arrogance, and a refusal to admit defeat were once the path to success for many top drivers.

But it is also a double-edged sword.

Senna died on the track just like that, and Chen Xiangbei did the same in his previous life.

He hoped that Chen Xiangbei would have a better outcome.

(End of this chapter)