Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 316 What professions are you afraid of running away from?
It must be admitted that Reid has a certain understanding of Chinese culture, and even knows the term "Chinese red".

Indeed, this was the case. On the track, Chen Xiangbei's fans and car enthusiasts took out the national flags they had prepared and waved them vigorously after seeing the HRT race car cross the finish line.

A sea of ​​Chinese red appeared at the Yeongam Circuit in South Korea!

"The strongest newcomer in F1 is Chen Xiangbei from China!"

"Bei, the racing god, you have proven yourself today!"

"This champion, Chen Xiangbei, not only demonstrated how awesome he is, but also showed the South Koreans in the audience that he can take back the lead position even if he loses it!"

"Lingyan Champion, Chen Xiangbei~~~!"

The Chinese audience at the scene went absolutely crazy. Many of them couldn't contain their excitement and directly yelled at the South Korean audience members who had previously mocked and ridiculed Chen Xiangbei, without considering that this was the other side's home ground.

Of course, this sentiment did not escalate further, as on-site security likely took into account the pre-race conflict between Chen Xiangbei and the spectators. Both FIA staff and the South Korean event organizers deployed personnel to the stands well in advance to prevent any sudden mass incidents.

"Damn it, I can accept anyone winning the championship, why does it have to be a Chinese guy?"

"What exactly happened to Vettel on the last lap? Why was he overtaken by driver North?"

"Did Vettel fix the match and bet on his own side of the betting odds?"

"Don't rush into anything. The Mercedes team has filed an appeal regarding the previous crash, and the HRT team may be disqualified for improperly obtaining results."

"Indeed, the HRT team and drivers should be severely punished; their reckless and unsportsmanlike driving is outrageous!"

Various dissenting voices arose from the audience, even drowning out the cheers and celebrations for the champion.

There were too many unexpected events during the race. Even Vettel's retreat at the end was completely unexpected by the audience and the team. No one could have imagined that Chen Xiangbei could still make a last-minute victory.

The noise had no effect on the HRT team members, who were completely unconcerned about Mercedes' appeal and the FIA's investigation.

After all, no one knows better than the HRT team itself whether they have given orders to deliberately crash into other vehicles.

Cleaners clean themselves!
"Xiang Beijun is too strong. He has already surpassed the category of the strongest driver in Asia. I feel that he can compete for the title of the world's strongest rookie."

Sho Mizutani sighed deeply.

Chen Xiangbei's victory at the previous Chinese F1 Grand Prix has solidified his status as the number one Asian driver, surpassing all previous Japanese podium finishes.

At this Korean F1 Grand Prix, Chen Xiangbei achieved two consecutive pole positions, two track records, and two consecutive wins, making him a strong contender for the title of best rookie in history. From now on, no one will dare to question Chen Xiangbei's talent and ability.

He will also completely shed his status as a pay driver, just as Schumacher proved himself with a single race.

"Not only is he the strongest rookie, but he has also taken the lead in the standings, surpassing Vettel and other top drivers. He has effectively secured the capital to compete for the world championship."

Bob Bell added that very few drivers can lead the points standings in their rookie season.

Originally, Chen Xiangbei's biggest competitor was Vettel, but his retreat just now caused the scales of victory to tip precipitously.

The reason is simple: you can practice being bad, but you can't be a coward.

If you back down once when facing your biggest rival for the championship, you'll lose your mental and emotional strength.

Without the unwavering belief in victory and the courage to defeat your opponents, what do you have to compete with?

Vettel's retirement is not just about winning a race; it could also mean losing a world championship!
To be honest, it wasn't just Bob Bell who realized this; the Red Bull team's management, once they came to their senses, all wore extremely solemn expressions, especially Marko, who exuded an unusual gloom.

Many people's impression of Marko in later generations is that of a slovenly old man who specializes in team politics. In fact, his life experience is extremely exciting. From a doctor of law to a lawyer, and then to a genius driver and agent, he can be called a winner in life.

The more successful a person is, the more assertive their personality tends to be in certain aspects. In later years, Red Bull Racing mostly had him playing the bad cop, while the relatively tactful Horner played the good cop.

As the driver Marko favored and the successor to Schumacher, he did not expect the young German to achieve Schumacher's results, but only that he possess Schumacher's personality and temperament.

Marco absolutely cannot accept that the Chinese rookie backed down!

However, now is not the time to talk about these things, and he should not express his dissatisfaction in front of the team members, otherwise it would only make matters worse for Vettel's mental state.

Marco realized that Vettel's training should not be limited to driving skills, but also teach him how to become a "tough guy"!
Meanwhile, at the HRT vehicle depot on the other side, joy was still being expressed.

Team leader Odette also dropped his "calm" facade and shouted in an excited and competitive tone: "North has created another miracle. This is not only a victory for him personally, but also a victory for the HRT team!"

To be honest, before Odette met Chen Xiangbei, his professional career was also at a low point, on the verge of retirement.

The disbandment of the Super Aguri team, the withdrawal of Japanese manufacturers, and his approaching seventy years of age—undoubtedly, following the conventional path, Odette lacked the resources for a comeback and could only leave the F1 paddock in disgrace, ending his professional career.

Although Odeto was often very strict with Chen Xiangbei and indifferent to his achievements, he rarely offered any words of praise.

But deep down he knew very well that this Chinese boy had "saved" him.

At the same time, the crew's hard work and teamwork also "redeemed" Chen Xiangbei, freeing him from facing cold stares and ridicule, allowing him to prove his talent and strength, and giving him the opportunity to stand on the highest podium.

The driver and the team complement each other; neither can be dispensed with!

"That's right, this is a victory for the North, a victory for the crew, and a victory for the HRT team."

"MAN, your outstanding performance has earned you the honor of being the champion team in the paddock."

"Long live HRT!"

Briatore also spoke out, stating that his life motto of "profit above all else" did not mean he had no sense of honor whatsoever.

People often have many facets, and Briatore also hopes to prove his status as the strongest team leader through results, proving that he can still lead a championship team even without any "shady methods".

"Long live HRT!"

"For HRT!"

"Brothers, we are the champions!"

The crew members waved their fists and shouted in agreement, drawing envious and jealous glances from other team members in the maintenance lane.

Indeed, who could have predicted at the beginning of the season that the HRT team would win the championship?

Don't be fooled by HRT's claim of bringing together the strength of three companies; it's Toyota Group's last dance.

To be honest, aren't they just a bunch of losers who can't make it in the F1 paddock?
If they can achieve good results, why would they need to disband and leave the competition?
As a result, this group of mediocre players encountered Chen Xiangbei, a young Chinese player whom the outside world had no faith in, and a magical chemical reaction occurred, achieving the miracle of winning two consecutive championships.

Is the F1 paddock really about to welcome an Eastern F1 superstar?
Scenes that were unthinkable in the past are now gradually becoming a reality.

As for Chen Xiangbei on the track, on the return lap, he pushed up his helmet visor and vigorously waved his fists at the spectators on the sidelines.

"See that? I won! I'm the champion!"

Chen Xiangbei roared and howled, venting his emotions wildly. Didn't he like mockery? Didn't he like to jump around?

Then I'll go back right now and my name, Chen Xiangbei, will be forever etched on the list of rulers of the Yeongam Circuit in South Korea!

"FUCK, just a stage winner, anyone who didn't know better would think he was a world champion!"

"Don't get too cocky, you Chinese. You just got a lucky break."

"What goes around comes around, and there will come a time when you lose."

The South Korean audience at the scene was absolutely furious at Chen Xiangbei's arrogant demeanor.

If mocking the loser is a form of humiliation...

So, mocking the victor is practically a compliment.

These voices no longer affect Chen Xiangbei in the slightest. Even the Chinese audience members present showed expressions of unrestrained mockery upon hearing them. These people were nothing more than incompetent rage.

The results gave supporters confidence, and even more so, gave them strong self-confidence and inner strength.

Amidst the clamor of the crowd, Chen Xiangbei parked his race car in the celebration area. Having won the Chinese Grand Prix before, he was quite familiar with the process this time.

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, the reporters who had been waiting swarmed around it. Although this was just a single race win, it was a historic moment for F1.

The first championship on the new track, and the first rookie to win back-to-back championships.

Not to mention that Chen Xiangbei also has pole position and the fastest lap, making him an absolute dominant force by completing a hat trick.

"Bai, congratulations on winning the Korean F1 Grand Prix. Do you have anything to say about this victory?"

"Mr. Chen Xiangbei, we all know that you caused a lot of controversy before the competition. How did you adjust your state of mind?"

"Driver Bei, you have once again made F1 history. How do you see yourself now?"

"In the north, the Mercedes team has filed a complaint with the FIA ​​regarding whether there were any instructions from the team regarding profiting from crashes on the track?"

Reporters bombarded him with questions, microphones practically shoving into Chen Xiangbei's mouth; almost every question could become tomorrow's global headline news.

Faced with such a crazy scene and a barrage of questions, Chen Xiangbei didn't know who to answer first.

He could only wave his hand and say, "Thank you for the question. I'll answer them one by one. First, let me share my thoughts on this victory."

"Besides being happy and excited, I feel more like I've proven my strength. Even without the Mars rover that people think I have, I can still win the championship!"

Chen Xiangbei's response not only expressed his feelings but also powerfully refuted the various "cheating" accusations made before the competition.

To become an undisputed legendary driver in the F1 paddock, one must have a season driving the second or even third fastest "Earth car" to defeat the fastest "Mars car" and prove the value of one's championship.

Senna did it, Schumacher did it, and Verstappen did it too.

So from beginning to end, these three people have been criticized by some for being arrogant, some for being selfish, and some for being reckless.

Nobody criticized them for being bad!
The fact that a slow train can beat a fast train is enough to answer all doubts!
"How do you adjust your mindset after the pre-match controversy?"

Another reporter quickly followed up with another question.

"It's just a bunch of flies buzzing around; it doesn't affect me at all. What state do I need to adjust?"

Chen Xiangbei's words caused an uproar among the reporters present, and even the tens of thousands of spectators in the stands showed signs of rioting.

The reason is simple: the greatest humiliation is being ignored!

Even though Chen Xiangbei boasted about his ability to withstand pressure and his quick adjustment, the Korean audience at the scene accepted it.

This at least shows that pre-match public opinion influenced him.

Chen Xiangbei's direct denial means he doesn't take the ridicule and insults from the hundreds of thousands of audience members, or the protests from the tens of millions of South Koreans influenced by the media and the internet, seriously.

How can anyone tolerate this?

Undoubtedly, the scene was chaotic, so much so that the on-site staff, upon seeing this, urgently consulted with the race organizing committee to see if Chen Xiangbei could end his interview early and go to the drivers' lounge to calm things down.

After a brief discussion, the organizing committee decided to end the interview early, partly to calm the situation and partly because they were worried that Chen Xiangbei might do something similar to the middle finger gesture at the start of the competition, which would make things really difficult to handle.

Several staff members quickly arrived and separated the reporters from the scene, intending to escort Chen Xiangbei into the drivers' rest area first.

Chen Xiangbei did not refuse. He understood that the situation was beyond his control. After all, they were on South Korean territory. Even someone as strong as Master Ye could only fight ten people at once. If the tens of thousands of people on the scene really lost control, they could drown him in their spittle.

It's more exciting to show off and then run away.

But at that moment, another reporter rushed forward and shouted to Chen Xiangbei: "Bei, the Mercedes team can be said to have been very kind to you. After this collision with Schumacher and the other party's appeal, what do you want to say to them?"

A journalist who can recount Chen Xiangbei's connection to the Mercedes (Brown GP) team is undoubtedly someone who knows his career very well.

That leaves only our old acquaintance, Sky Sports reporter Hank.

If someone else asked Chen Xiangbei this kind of "divisive" question, he wouldn't want to answer.

Indeed, Ross Brown had helped him a lot, and even though they were now on opposing sides, Chen Xiangbei had not forgotten their past friendship.

He is not an ungrateful person.

The problem is that, in the eyes of outsiders, the car crash was already considered to be a deliberate and intentional act.

It can only be said that prejudice in people's hearts is a huge mountain. Briatore will never be able to break away from the "crash gate" incident, which also affects the reputation of his drivers.

Of course, Chen Xiangbei's reputation wasn't much better to begin with.

“They have the right to submit, and I believe the FIA ​​will give a fair judgment.”

Chen Xiangbei gave a very official and rational answer this time.

Clearly, this was not the answer Hank wanted.

He then pressed further, asking, "Aren't you worried about angering Mercedes or Schumacher?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiangbei stopped again, a mocking smile on his face.

"Hank, if you're afraid of even this, what's the point of being a professional?"

(End of this chapter)