Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 308 Teaching Both Forward and Backhand Techniques

"Perez hit a bumpy spot."

Just as everyone was in a daze, Odeto murmured something.

"Team leader, is the ride a bit bumpy?"

Hearing this, Mizutani Sho asked in surprise, "As a data engineer, I don't even know what bumps are on the track, so how did Odette know?"
"Yes, there is a section of asphalt at the entrance to the TIO corner. As long as the wheels run over the race car, there will be obvious undulations and vibrations, which will affect the driver's precise control."

The T10 turn at Lingyan Circuit is a hairpin turn, preceded by a long straight, making it an important overtaking point on the track.

There is a long braking zone before the corner, where many drivers try to delay braking in order to gain a faster entry speed and overtake their opponents.

However, due to the fact that the Lingyan racetrack is still in its unfinished state, there are many uneven areas on the asphalt surface. The faster the speed, the greater the impact on the handling of the race car when driving on these bumpy sections.

To give a frontline example, when an ordinary person is driving a family car on the road, if they encounter a pothole or curb, slowing down and driving over it might only result in a slight sway.

However, if you accelerate at high speed, the whole car might bounce, and if you're unlucky, it could even have a tire blowout.

Of course, the unevenness and bumps of an F1 track are definitely not as exaggerated as having a pothole on a road.

However, considering that the braking zone at the end of the long straight can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h, even a one-centimeter bump in the ground can have a huge impact on the race car.

要知道F1赛车是没有方向盘虚位，转向比更是只有6:1，远低于民用车辆的18:1。意味着普通车辆调头需要打一圈半，F1赛车只需要打半圈就够了。

The lower the steering ratio, the higher the steering requirements of the steering wheel. In a regular car, a slight bump in the steering wheel is fine, but in an F1 car, a slight bump can cause it to veer off course by a great distance.

Even if you can control the steering wheel vibration with your "superhuman arm," there's still the brake, which weighs over 70 kilograms, that needs to be controlled. Unlike your fingers, you can't grip the brake pedal with your foot, so it's very difficult to accurately control the braking force after a slight tremor.

F1 drivers often push the limits; a slight brake will send them off the track, while a heavy brake will lock up their tires.

Those flaws that outsiders consider extremely minor are fatal mistakes for F1 drivers.

Perez was affected by the bumpy track, which caused him to have trouble controlling the pressure on the brake pedal, allowing Chen Xiangbei to seize the opportunity to overtake him.

"Was it discovered by Xiang Bei Jun while walking the racetrack?"

Sho Mizutani asked another question.

"Ah."

"Then why wasn't it pressed down before?"

Since there are bumpy spots on the track, and the drivers have completed nearly thirty laps, they should be mentally prepared and less likely to make mistakes.

Moreover, Perez had no limit to his mistakes before, but he just had a problem on the lap when Chen Xiangbei was overtaking?

"Because this asphalt bump was not on the regular driving route, North deliberately changed lanes towards the bump to lure Perez into changing lanes to defend, which is why he finally got to this spot."

"North anticipated Perez's defensive line."

Upon hearing Odette's explanation, Mizutani Sho couldn't help but gasp.

This was not just a victory of driving skills; the timing and psychological understanding were also terrifying.

"I don't know why, but I always feel that North Far understands Perez better than I thought."

Finally, Odette added that, in his understanding, Chen Xiangbei did not feel the usual unfamiliarity with Perez at all, and even knew the other's driving habits and personality traits.

It's understandable that Chen Xiangbei would be aware that a well-known driver in the paddock is replacing Trulli.

The problem is that Perez is a complete newcomer. Even though he did well in GP2, Chen Xiangbei skipped F3 altogether. How could he possibly pay attention to a GP2-level driver?
Without this level of familiarity, it would be difficult to predict Perez's response, a point that Odette has always found puzzling.

Odeto's doubts were indeed correct; Chen Xiangbei was very familiar with and understood Perez.

The reason is simple: Perez's career spanned almost the entire career of Chen Xiangbei in his previous life, just like veterans such as Alonso and Hamilton.

Regardless of whether Chen Xiangbei pays special attention to Perez, after watching F1 races for more than ten years, it is impossible for him to still be unfamiliar with the driver's driving habits and technical characteristics.

As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

Perez and Chen Xiangbei have one-sided information transparency, making it easy for them to predict and manipulate the situation.

Another point is that Chen Xiangbei's presence played a significant role in Perez's simulator training.

After all, Chen Xiangbei knew more about Perez's mature driving habits than his rookie days. If Perez could learn from and imitate his driving style, then the reverse was also true.

Chen Xiangbei knew exactly what kind of defense Perez would make!
After quickly overtaking his teammate, car number 13 sped off towards Schumacher, who was further ahead.

Now, Chen Xiangbei no longer looks up to or "fears" this current seven-time world champion.

The gods who descend from the mountain may not be blasphemous, but that doesn't mean they cannot be challenged.

Schumacher, who couldn't bring out 80% or more of his peak form, absolutely couldn't withstand his offensive. That's where Chen Xiangbei's confidence comes from!
"Brown, you can feel that North is getting better and better, and he's determined to reclaim his pole position."

Mercedes engineer Field spoke first.

As the race progressed, Chen Xiangbei's speed and form showed a visible improvement.

Compared to his performance in the practice matches where he ranked outside the top fifteen, Chen Xiangbei's current level of proficiency is worlds apart.

They all knew that this Chinese kid had top-notch racing talent and adapted to the track very quickly, but they never expected that Chen Xiangbei would showcase his talent so vividly on the Lingyan track, which he had never driven before.

Currently, Chen Xiangbei is closing the gap between himself and Schumacher by 0.2 to 0.3 seconds per lap. Considering the performance difference between the two cars, the gap is at most about 0.1 seconds.

This means that Chen Xiangbei is now faster than Schumacher!

"Can Schumacher stop him?"

Upon hearing this, Jean Todt turned to Ross Brown and asked him a question.

While they could avoid a direct confrontation by changing tires earlier, Mercedes is unlikely to call Schumacher to the pits on lap 30 this time, and the two will inevitably have to face off head-on.

"There is no driver that Schumacher cannot stop."

Jean Todt previously said that Schumacher was getting old, a point Ross Brawn did not deny.

Compared to the racing legend in his prime, Schumacher, now in his forties, is already nearing the end of his career, even without the effects of injuries.

But the question is whether he can stop it.

At any time, in any place, as long as Schumacher is speeding on the track, there is no other answer.

Getting old doesn't mean losing your fighting spirit.

Schumacher never gives up!
"My mistake." Jean Todt apologized for his distrust. It seems that his career in the FIA ​​bureaucracy has affected his way of thinking, making it mixed with interests and intrigue, and gradually making him forget the purity of the paddock.

Race cars may vary in speed and driving skills, but there is no superiority or inferiority in fighting spirit.

Just like Ross Brawn's response, Schumacher displayed an extremely tough defensive stance when facing the No. 13 car that was chasing him, which was completely different from his previous encounters with Chen Xiangbei.

The reason is simple: Chen Xiangbei is no longer a rookie; he is an F1 driver with the ability and qualifications to challenge himself, and the two are in fact on the same level.

Similar to Hamilton's statement, only when Chen Xiangbei is truly regarded as an opponent will one show 100% fighting spirit.

Who would take a newbie that seriously?

If Chen Xiangbei's defense felt like a solid, impenetrable wall, then that's what Kubica felt.

So, the feeling Schumacher gave Chen Xiangbei at that moment was like an iron curtain appearing in front of him!
When Schumacher regarded Chen Xiangbei as a formidable opponent and focused all his energy on defense, he directly demonstrated the terror of a seven-time champion.

After a lap, Chen Xiangbei couldn't find the slightest flaw, let alone any chance to overtake!

To be honest, Chen Xiangbei was in turmoil at this moment, even though he knew very well that winning the championship was a goal, a belief, and even a slogan to cheer on the team!
However, the experience of winning the championship still inevitably caused him to feel a little smug, as if he had joined Schumacher, Alonso, and Hamilton at the same table.

It even led me to think that as long as my car was fast, it wouldn't be difficult to overtake them.

Now, however, this has dealt a heavy blow to Chen Xiangbei. Schumacher's performance has been poor for several consecutive races. Even though the team knows the truth and has no objection, the various criticisms and public pressures from the outside world are intensifying.

This is the downside of "God"—they are always under the spotlight and magnified under a magnifying glass.

Schumacher also needs to defend his kingly dignity and let the world know that he is still not to be challenged.

Thirty-two laps, thirty-three laps...

Two more laps passed, and Chen Xiangbei was still blocked behind Schumacher's car.

Without the absolute advantage of superior engine output, the gap in experience became apparent. No matter what method Chen Xiangbei used or what overtaking route he took, Schumacher could snipe him with precision.

And after several laps of close combat, Perez in the car behind was also getting restless.

He was easily overtaken by Schumacher. Although he admitted defeat and admired the racing legend's strength, as an F1 professional driver, he absolutely could not admit defeat and had to find a way to get back at Schumacher.

Since Chen Xiangbei couldn't overtake him, Perez wanted to challenge Schumacher again.

However, before challenging the racing king, he has to overcome his own teammate, which will lead to another internal battle between the two HRT cars.

The "one-stop" tactic, which involves running the entire race on white tires, means Chen Xiangbei will have to chase Schumacher while also defending himself. Towards the end of the race, there will inevitably be a sharp drop in grip.

Whether or not to stab him in the back at this moment filled Perez with hesitation.

"North, can't you get past us?"

Oddo's voice came through the earpiece, sounding somewhat cold.

Before Chen Xiangbei could answer, Odeto continued, "If you can't overtake, switch positions and let Perez try. Don't waste tires and time."

These words made the faces of the strategy team members at the outdoor command post look rather grim.

It was clear that Chen Xiangbei was under immense pressure, and Odeto's words were like adding fuel to the fire.

"I can beat them!"

Chen Xiangbei took a deep breath and gave a firm answer.

"is it?"

"Then let me tell you something else. Today's Schumacher is not even half as strong as he was at his peak. If you can't even beat him in this state, then don't even think about winning the championship!"

Fifty percent?

Upon hearing this answer, Chen Xiangbei couldn't tell whether Odeto was exaggerating or telling the truth.

In Chen Xiangbei's understanding, Schumacher should have had about 70-80% of his peak ability.

Will a full-force defense with only 50% of your strength leave you helpless?

"I understand."

Without arguing, Chen Xiangbei cut off the call with the convoy.

Whether it's 50% or 80% doesn't really matter. For Chen Xiangbei, there are only two options: to surpass it or not to surpass it.

Since that's the case, he's going to take a gamble!
Meanwhile, the two track commentators were also discussing Chen Xiangbei's situation.

Reid spoke first: "Driver North's attacks have been repeatedly thwarted, and he is completely unable to break through Schumacher's defense. If he wants to win this duel, he can't wait for the racing legend to make a mistake on his own; instead, he needs to apply enough pressure to force his opponent into making a passive mistake!"

Hearing Reid's words about "increasing the pressure" on Schumacher, Park Dong-wook retorted sarcastically, "If you put pressure on Schumacher without the absolute performance advantage of the race car, does Chen Xiangbei have the ability to do that?"

"Whenever you face an attack, there will always be pressure. Even a legend like Ayrton Senna made mistakes when facing pressure from Schumacher."

"As for whether North can exert this pressure, the answer is without a doubt. If he doesn't have the ability, Schumacher won't go all out on defense."

"When have you ever seen Schumacher take a rookie seriously?"

Faced with Red's question, Park Dong-wook was speechless for a moment.

Indeed, this presents a paradox: without pressure, how could Schumacher possibly engage in absolute defensive driving? He would have already shaken off his opponents and chased down the cars ahead.

The fact that he was forced to play all-out defense shows that Chen Xiangbei was putting a lot of pressure on him.

In addition, Chen Xiangbei actually had a slight advantage that he himself did not realize. That was the momentum of the two cars chasing him from the front, which forced Schumacher to pit for tire changes to avoid their sharp edge, which was equivalent to breaking the king of cars' golden body!
Momentum is a mysterious thing, yet it undeniably affects the results of competitions.

In a contest between two sides, one side often gains and the other loses. The reason why Perez was easily overtaken by Schumacher is that he was completely outmaneuvered by the racing legend in terms of mentality.

If you can't achieve absolute dominance, you'll inevitably be at a disadvantage in the competition!
Chen Xiangbei was completely different. Call him arrogant or overconfident, but he always carried an air of sharp arrogance throughout his life. Even when the car in front of him was the racing legend Schumacher, he never considered the problem of not being able to overtake him.

Only by believing in yourself can you avoid being outmatched in terms of momentum.

On the contrary, whether Schumacher was pitting to avoid danger or preparing to defend with all his might, it all highlighted his "lack of confidence" in himself after his form declined.

This is why Odeto, who had worked with Schumacher before, said that Schumacher was only at 50% of his peak ability.

Because Schumacher at full power wouldn't even consider Chen Xiangbei a threat; his only goal is to defeat the car in front of him!

(End of this chapter)