Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 295 Recognition from Schumacher
Ten years ago, Jackie Chan released a movie that did very well at the box office called "The Karate Kid". This can be considered Jackie Chan's last influential and commercially successful film in Hollywood.

To promote the film's box office, Jackie Chan traveled around the world during its release, attending local premieres with other lead actors. Coincidentally, this stop was in South Korea, where he also took the young actor's father, Will Smith, to watch the F1 Grand Prix.

As an international superstar who has reached the pinnacle of action films, and with Will Smith's support, his appeal to the media undoubtedly far surpasses that of the Korean boy and girl groups present, which explains the scene of him being surrounded by reporters.

However, Cheng Long did not linger with the reporters. Instead, he let Will Smith handle it while he quickly went to the HRT team's pit lane.

Since their parting in Hong Kong, Jackie Chan has not seen Chen Xiangbei again, and they even missed the East China Sea F1 Grand Prix.

"Big brother."

"Jackie Chan".

When Jackie Chan arrived, everyone in the repair shop, both Chinese and foreign, greeted him excitedly, which shows the influence of an international superstar.

Jackie Chan responded to each question with a smile, displaying great affability.

After a few pleasantries, Cheng Long and Chen Xiangbei went to the drivers' lounge together. Cheng Long said in an extremely emotional tone, "Xiangbei, I never thought that when we met again, you would actually become an F1 driver."

To be honest, when Jackie Chan was willing to sponsor Chen Xiangbei in Hong Kong Island, it was more out of a sense of camaraderie as a fellow countryman and a desire to support the development of Chinese motorsports, rather than from a rational perspective.

After all, F1 drivers are highly competitive, and even a GP2 champion is not guaranteed a stable seat, let alone Chen Xiangbei, a newcomer from China.

According to the prevailing opinion at the time, drivers who only started Formula racing at the age of eighteen had virtually no future.

However, drivers who enter F1 at the age of nineteen have a bright future!
"I am very grateful for Brother Cheng Long's help at this critical moment."

Chen Xiangbei replied with a smile.

“You will definitely become an F1 driver even without my help.”

Chen Xiangbei neither offered polite words nor denied the statement.

Indeed, having been given a second chance at life, he is destined to enter F1; it's just a matter of time.

Next, Chen Xiangbei chatted with Cheng Long about his recent situation and changes. Cheng Long even half-jokingly and half-seriously invited him to make a cameo appearance in a movie.

However, Chen Xiangbei politely declined.

They have some self-awareness about their acting skills. Their cameo roles are nothing more than those of today's popular celebrities who use their popularity and influence to make money off others.

Of course, Jackie Chan only made a few jokes and said a few polite words.

He quickly revealed his true intention: to hold another Cheng Long Cup charity race, leveraging the popularity and influence of racing brought by Chen Xiangbei to raise funds for those in need.

"No problem, brother. You can contact me anytime if you need anything."

Chen Xiangbei agreed to the request without hesitation.

As a public figure with global influence, Chen Xiangbei feels it is his duty to use his skills to help more people.

After finishing their business, the two chatted about the Korean Grand Prix. Cheng Long had also seen the recent media reports about Chen Xiangbei, and he reminded him from his own experience: "Xiangbei, I also had a period of youthful arrogance, and I offended a lot of people back then."

"Whether it's the film and television industry or the automotive world, if you want to become a true superstar, you often have to tone down your brilliance. Do you understand?"

Despite his background in martial arts, Jackie Chan may not be considered a simple-minded person. In fact, he has very high emotional intelligence and always presents a friendly and approachable demeanor around the world, which earns him the favor and respect of the locals.

This is why Jackie Chan has countless die-hard fans around the world, with over 70 million followers on Facebook.

Chen Xiangbei understood Cheng Long's good intentions perfectly, and he also knew what kind of public image he should project to be more likable.

However, just as he said in his CCTV interview, there are too many Chinese people who are humble, kind, reserved, and moderate. Chen Xiangbei would rather set an example for future domestic athletes.

If you have the ability and achievements, you should flaunt them. Even if you lose in the future, at least you were arrogant back then, which is better than being timid and submissive for the rest of your life.

Chen Xiangbei is not saying that a kind and benevolent image is bad, but rather that, like the carrot and stick theory, it's not enough to just have carrots; you also need a strong stick.

Whether he will become a globally beloved superstar in the automotive world, Chen Xiangbei doesn't know.

But he knew that being tough wouldn't make him a pushover, someone who could be easily bullied.

Whether you like me or not is not important; fear is enough.

"Brother Jackie Chan, I prefer to be myself."

Upon hearing Chen Xiangbei's reply, Cheng Long, with his high emotional intelligence, immediately understood.

Since that's the case, everyone has a different personality, and there's no right or wrong in that.

He was only acting out of good intentions, hoping that Chen Xiangbei could gain more recognition and acceptance from others.

"Head north, then do what you believe is right."

"Yes, thank you, Brother Cheng Long."

At this point, Lu Xiaoman pushed open the door to the drivers' lounge and informed Chen Xiangbei that the opening ceremony performance was over and it was time for the pre-race parade.

Seeing this, Cheng Long stood up and patted Chen Xiangbei on the shoulder, saying, "Xiangbei, go get ready. I'm waiting to witness you become the champion."

“Great! I’ve always looked forward to the national anthem being played on the Korean track.”

After saying goodbye to Cheng Long and leaving the drivers' lounge, Chen Xiangbei quickly tidied his clothes and then boarded the float with the other twenty-odd drivers.

While other drivers were greeted with cheers and applause, Chen Xiangbei faced boos and jeers from the entire audience.

Chen Xiangbei acted as if he hadn't heard anything, still waving to the audience with a smile on his face, always remembering a sentence Odeto had once said.

"During the race, don't let any external factors affect you; just focus on the track and your opponents!"

In fact, when the race actually started, all you could hear were the team commands and the roar of the engines.

His calm demeanor naturally earned the admiration of many Chinese car enthusiasts and European and American audiences at the scene.

The phrase "to swallow one's pride and bear insults" is easy to say but difficult to do, especially for young people in their prime.

"Chen Xiangbei has a really strong mentality. If it were me being booed by tens of thousands of people, I really couldn't withstand the pressure."

"Nonsense, if you can't handle the pressure, what kind of F1 driver are you? Even a slight tremor of your hand can lead to a crash and death."

“He’s always been like this on his journey to the north, he’s used to it.”

A European or American audience member next to him offered an awkward explanation.

He used to be a hater of Chen Xiangbei, thinking that this Chinese driver was extremely good at faking accidents and showing off, and he even cursed at him from the stands, just like the scene today.

However, as time went by, he was impressed by Chen Xiangbei's strength and performance, and has now become a staunch fan. "I've also heard that Chen Xiangbei has faced a lot of criticism on European tracks."

"That's right, from the moment he stepped into the F1 paddock, he became a public enemy and a villain."

"The villain is also the protagonist, proving that Che Shen Bei has always been the focus of the paddock!"

"Go, racing god Bei!"

Red flags were waved at the scene. The number of supporters and their voices may be small, but they believed that Chen Xiangbei would definitely see it.

You look good.

A casual voice rang in Chen Xiangbei's ears; it belonged to racing legend Michael Schumacher.

Compared to the hostility many drivers in the paddock have towards Chen Xiangbei, Schumacher, who once had the strongest competitive spirit, was able to view this Chinese newcomer with a normal attitude. In fact, under the influence of Ross Brawn and others, he even recognized and appreciated Chen Xiangbei to some extent.

The reason is simple: this little guy did something similar to what he did back then.

At Silverstone circuit, Schumacher openly humiliated home driver Damon Hill, and the jeers from the crowd were almost as loud as those at the race.

The reason he did this was to retaliate against the mockery from the home fans at the stadium, much like Chen Xiangbei's mentality of giving the middle finger.

You don't like me? Well, I'll make you unhappy too!
"It's okay, I'm used to it."

Chen Xiangbei replied indifferently.

"I've been through this kind of situation many times, so there's no need to worry about it too much."

"The moment the helmet visor is lowered, the driver's world consists only of the car and the track."

Schumacher said something similar to Odette, except one was from the driver's perspective and the other was from the team manager's perspective.

"I see."

Chen Xiangbei nodded; the car king was indeed very experienced in this kind of thing.

After all, he did many unscrupulous things in his pursuit of the championship, which angered many fans in the paddock.

Upon hearing Chen Xiangbei's reply, Schumacher said nothing more.

He wasn't someone who enjoyed socializing in the paddock, so it was already quite remarkable that he could offer some advice and experience to the younger generation.

Chen Xiangbei is the second young driver, after Vettel, to earn his appreciation. Even Rosberg, a fellow German and teammate, did not receive such treatment.

The parade of floats ended quickly, and the HRT team's cars in the pit lane had finished warming up and were just waiting for the start of the race.

As for the Mercedes team's pit garage, a rare old acquaintance showed up: Jean Todt, the current FIA president and former Ferrari team principal and one of the "iron triangle".

As South Korea hosts its first F1 Grand Prix, the FIA ​​naturally has to show its support, and Jean Todt can also catch up with two old friends.

Although Schumacher had no fellow drivers in the paddock, Jean Todt was one of his few close friends in the industry. After the skiing accident, Jean Todt was one of the few non-relatives who could directly visit Schumacher, which shows how close the two were.

However, for Chinese people, the reason why they are familiar with Jean Todt is not only because of his position as president of the FIA ​​and team principal of Ferrari, but also because of his relationship with Hollywood Chinese woman Michelle Yeoh.

As a kung fu star, Michelle Yeoh gained fame at home and abroad for her roles in films such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Reign of Assassins," and "Memoirs of a Geisha," and later won an Oscar for Best Actress.

After a warm hug, the two chatted about things inside the paddock. Just then, the broadcast camera caught Schumacher and Chen Xiangbei talking, so Jean Todt asked curiously, "Schumacher, you seem to have high hopes for the Chinese newcomer."

If others don't understand Schumacher's personality, how could Jean Todt not understand it?

A newcomer who can get him to initiate a conversation is definitely someone to be proud of.

"Ah."

Without denying it, Schumacher simply nodded in agreement.

“I think he has great potential, and the rain match even reminded me of Senna.”

"Especially his aggressive driving style, he often relies on luck to save the car from the brink of losing control. When the day comes that God's favor is gone, that will be the real test of Bei's resilience."

While acknowledging Chen Xiangbei's abilities, Schumacher also offered his own assessment of the situation.

That is, luck won't always be on your side. Chen Xiangbei's seemingly extraordinary performance often teetered on the edge of danger.

If a devastating defeat or a horrific accident were to occur, would he still be able to maintain such determination and confidence in himself?
It's important to understand that many rookie drivers lose their drive because they go through a vicious cycle of breaking through and crashing, until they are "eliminated" by their teams.

Only drivers who can withstand the slump can reach the true peak; otherwise, they will only be a "flash in the pan."

There are too many drivers in the racing world who are like the tragic failures of Zhong Yong, and Chen Xiangbei still lacks a chance to hone his skills.

"So, what do you think of the resilience of Chinese newcomers?"

"From the current perspective, it's very strong."

The reason Schumacher spoke with Chen Xiangbei earlier was because he was curious about this new Chinese talent's ability to withstand pressure.

Chen Xiangbei's composure is no less than that of a seasoned veteran in the racing world.

"How do you compare Hamilton and Vettel?"

"I feel he's on par with Hamilton, and even better than Vettel."

Upon hearing this reply, Jean Todt's expression changed slightly.

Schumacher's statement that he was better than Vettel was truly unexpected, considering that Vettel was the successor to carry the torch for German racing!
"It's not just a feeling; you really have high hopes for new Chinese talents."

Jean Todt ultimately replied that Schumacher's judgment was beyond question, but whether he could surpass Vettel remained to be seen.

The conversation between the two ended as the main race began, and the twenty-four cars drove out of the pit garage in the order of qualifying and headed towards the starting grid on the track.

This also includes the cars that were severely damaged in qualifying, which were restored to their original condition in just one night, demonstrating the versatility of Formula One parts and the professionalism of the mechanics.

The starting grid of Lingyan Circuit is very close to Turn 1, and there is no long starting straight like other circuits. At the same time, the pole position is on the clean side of the track, so as long as the driver does not make a mistake at the start, it is difficult to overtake the pole position driver.

However, starting the race involves more than just the driver's starting control; it also involves reaction time, the car's power response speed, and, crucially, the tire compound.

The front row drivers almost always use a two- or three-stop strategy, starting on soft red tires in unison to maintain their starting position as much as possible, and if possible, overtaking at the start would be even better.

The HRT team was the only one to adopt a stop-and-go strategy, with Chen Xiangbei starting on neutral yellow tires.

This means that in the initial stage of the race, it will be very, very difficult for him to hold onto his position!

(End of this chapter)