Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 335 Ferrari's "Weakness"

Reid loudly called on the audience to give Chen Xiangbei a more enthusiastic response and praise, which was extremely rare in the past during the preparation time of the main race. Only drivers with special status and commemorative significance deserved such treatment.

Today, Chen Xiangbei got it.

Regardless of the race outcome, from the moment he stopped at pole position to start, he was already a legend!
"Well said, Chen Xiangbei has made F1 history!"

"The Monaco record will forever be etched in North's name. Run forward at your fastest speed!"

"Go for it, Bei! You will become the King of Monaco in the East!"

"China's pride, Asia's pride, and one day the world's pride!"

Despite the cheers and encouragement that filled the entire arena, Chen Xiangbei remained relatively calm, which was probably due to wearing a helmet.

Liang Chi and others, who were standing by providing logistical support, had slightly reddened eyes. Chen Xiangbei no longer had to face cold stares and ridicule; he had finally won the respect of the audience and car fans!
This kid conquered the world with his strength!
"Brother Bei, come on!"

"Kid, run freely, don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"Xiang Beijun, you are already an Asian Demon King-level driver. Fight for honor!"

Infected by the emotions, the team members all expressed their wishes and expectations to Chen Xiangbei, except for Odeto and Briatore, who were still sitting on the outdoor command platform, talking nonsense.

Two whistles sounded in succession, and the support staff left the track, leaving only twenty-four cars on the track.

Chen Xiangbei's attention also shifted to the indicator lights above the track. Pole position only means the beginning. Even though he has won a lot of praise and accolades, he clearly understands that only the race championship means the final victory.

Don't be fooled by the current satisfaction of many fans in pole position. In reality, the more enthusiastic some of the fair-weather fans are about to praise a car if they actually lose, the harsher the criticism will be.

Of course, Chen Xiangbei's desire to win wasn't for the sake of public opinion; he simply didn't want to fall at the last step!
After the five indicator lights lit up and then went out, Chen Xiangbei immediately started the car for a warm-up lap. He treated this as a starting reaction practice to get used to the influence of the environment and light in advance.

The temperature at the Monaco circuit was a bit low today, with the ground temperature only slightly above 10 degrees Celsius according to team data. The three-plus-kilometer length is also considered relatively cold compared to regular circuits, meaning it would be difficult to reach the operating temperature in a single lap.

However, Chen Xiangbei started on soft red tires. If he couldn't reach the operating temperature, then the other drivers wouldn't be able to either.

What really matters is the starting reaction and acceleration response!
The one-minute warm-up lap ended quickly, and the twenty-four race cars were back on the starting grid, waiting for the official start signal.

Before the lights came on, Chen Xiangbei glanced at Ferrari Alonso in the rearview mirror and saw that the other man's head was also slightly turned.

Even though the helmet visor blocked his vision, Chen Xiangbei knew that Alonso was watching him.

The two had already started sparring before the match even began.

In fact, it wasn't just Alonso; almost all the drivers in the back row had their eyes on Chen Xiangbei.

The weak development of the HRT car in the middle of the season led to Chen Xiangbei's high start and low finish. He did not win enough championships and pole positions to create that invincible momentum.

In other words, many drivers from the upstream and even midstream groups still believe they have the ability to defeat Chen Xiangbei!

The exchange of glances was fleeting. Soon, all the drivers were staring intently at the starting indicator lights. As they lit up one by one, Chen Xiangbei began to release the clutch and shift gears. His left foot slowly moved away from the brake, while his right foot prepared to press the accelerator.

No matter how much boasting Chen Xiangbei made before the match, he would never underestimate Alonso. He would regard the Spanish veteran as the strongest opponent of his career, even more so than Hamilton and Vettel.

Because Chen Xiangbei, who has a god-like perspective, knows just how amazing Arondo really is!

The five indicator lights went out again, accompanied by the engine roaring fiercely. Chen Xiangbei released the brake instantly and then stepped on the gas. The tachometer instantly broke 10,000 rpm, and the speedometer also broke 100 rpm in less than a second.

Upshifting and rev-matching, Chen Xiangbei precisely controlled the match between engine speed and speed, preventing the tires from slipping and spinning due to excessive throttle, while also achieving the fastest possible acceleration!
It's important to know that Turn 1 in Monaco is one of the few overtaking points on the track. Chen Xiangbei dared not relax his vigilance against Alonso in the slightest, even if his reaction was 0.1 seconds slower, or if there was a flaw in the shifting of gears and acceleration.

Then Alonso will definitely exploit the loophole!
Having fought hard throughout the season to reach the championship round, Chen Xiangbei believes that Alonso will not repeat the "arrogance" he showed at the beginning of the season.

The race car roared into Turn 1. Chen Xiangbei's line was perfect. He also remembered Trulli's advice and did not make any steering wheel corrections during the entire cornering process.

The moment he exited the bend, Chen Xiangbei subconsciously glanced at the rearview mirror, wanting to know if Alonso had caught up.

The result was quite unexpected. The image that was projected was completely different from what Chen Xiangbei had imagined. Alonso had actually been left far behind!

To be more precise, it wasn't that Alonso was left far behind, but rather that all the drivers behind him were left far behind.

"Oh, the start at the Monaco circuit was a bit unexpected. We all thought Alonso would fiercely compete with the driver for the best line at Turn 1. But instead, Alonso opted to slow down at the start, clearly slowing down his cornering speed, which slowed down Vettel and Kubica behind him."

The moment Reid finished speaking, an unexpected scene unfolded on the bend.

Massa, the sixth-placed Ferrari driver in qualifying, was very "clever" in avoiding the traffic at Turn 1 and taking the best cornering line, instead taking the outside, which is theoretically not advantageous.

Then, with the inside lane blocked, the outside lane was completely unobstructed, allowing him to easily overtake Kubica, who was ranked fourth, and Rosberg, who was ranked fifth, and move directly behind Vettel, who was ranked third.

“We all overestimated Ferrari’s arrogance and Alonso’s arrogance. Their tactics were more realistic. Their first priority was not to overtake driver North, but to let teammate Massa catch up so that they could execute the next two-car strategy!”

"Clearly, this is a tactic that loses some face but gains real benefits."

Henry, standing nearby, analyzed Alonso's motivation for this move: Ferrari had caught everyone off guard!
It's worth noting that Chen Xiangbei secured pole position in Monaco and even provoked Alonso in a pre-race interview. Given the outside world's perception, would the prestigious Ferrari team and the strongest active driver in the paddock tolerate this Chinese kid?

We should start strong and show the Chinese a thing or two, letting them know who the real king of Monaco is!
In fact, many Ferrari and Alonso fans did not react to the cheers and applause from Chen Xiangbei's fans. They were full of confidence that they would definitely slap them in the face in the race.

The mockery and humiliation back then were the most satisfying!
However, the situation took a completely different turn, and Ferrari and Alonso actually backed down!

Instead of directly confronting Chen Xiangbei to overtake, he blocked the car behind him to create an opportunity for Massa to overtake, clearly intending to win the final victory through tactics.

To be honest, there's nothing wrong with winning a race using tactics and strategies; on the contrary, this is a common practice in the F1 paddock.

However, Alonso, the strongest active driver, did not choose to confront a rookie head-on but instead used tactics, which was somewhat unexpected and unacceptable to some fans.

But it was precisely this unexpected turn of events that led to the success of this tactic.

Kubica and Rosberg were both stunned. If Vettel hadn't been in such a high position, he probably would have been one of those overtaken as well.

"FUCK, FUCK, Ferrari is still as ruthless as ever in their pursuit of victory!" At the Renault team's outdoor control tower, team principal Burrier slammed his headset down in anger.

During practice and qualifying sessions, the camera was mostly focused on Rosberg. In fact, during the third qualifying session, Chen Xiangbei wasn't the only one who lapped the Starlight.

Kubica also completed his own Star Lap in the final stage.

In competitive sports, even the runner-up doesn't have much prestige, so who would care about the fourth-place finish?

But for the Renault team, this is proof of the driver's true strength. Kubica truly deserves to be called Hamilton's only rival of the same era!
In fact, Kubica's performance in the 10 Monaco Grand Prix was even more impressive. He qualified second and finished third in the race.

This is why a team as proud as Ferrari would make an unprecedented move by pre-booking a driver to join the team.

Driving a car that ranks around fifth or sixth in the paddock, and achieving a second-place time on the most difficult track, isn't that enough to prove speed and potential?

Renault's joy was short-lived, as Alonso pulled a shameless dirty trick, blocking the best inside line and giving the outside driver a huge advantage.

Every time you drop a position on the Monaco circuit, it becomes incredibly difficult to overtake the opponent. Starting fourth and then suddenly dropping to fifth was something Brier simply couldn't accept.

"I never imagined that North would grow to the point where Ferrari would have to compromise."

The sports manager, Nelson, remarked from the side.

When I first met Chen Xiangbei, he was just a greenhorn, and the team management was only willing to offer the third driver's seat for signing.

In just one year, even the Ferrari team had to avoid its sharp edge.

"What does compromise matter when it comes to winning a championship?"

Burrell replied helplessly.

Although he was very frustrated and angry, if he were in the Ferrari strategy team, Brier would definitely make the same choice.

The value of being a world champion far outweighs any concerns about saving face.

Meanwhile, the Mercedes team also felt very upset.

Rosberg, who was highly anticipated, only finished fifth in qualifying, and his lap time in Q3 was not as good as his perfect performance in Q2.

Of course, this kind of situation is common in F1. Not every qualifying session will necessarily be faster. It is not uncommon for some drivers to set an extremely impressive fastest lap in Q1, only to be eliminated in Q2.

Even though they finished fifth, the Mercedes team's strategy team remained confident, believing that Rosberg would catch up over the long distance.

Even though overtaking is difficult at the Monaco circuit, Rosberg's long-distance runs are better than his single-lap runs, and coupled with his familiarity with the home track, he can always find opportunities to take off during the 78-lap race.

But now the situation is not good. If Ferrari uses a two-car strategy to hold back the car, the gap between the midfield group and the front row cars will widen. Rosberg's chances of winning the championship or even reaching the podium will be slim.

The only variable is a track accident!

Just as Ross Brawn had predicted, after the top seven or eight cars had rounded the corner, Perez, who was in tenth place in the midfield, and Hulkenberg, who was in eleventh place, fought for the line, causing the latter to crash into the barrier and retire from the race. The safety car was immediately deployed at the race center.

At that very moment, Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher, who was eliminated in Q2, immediately chose to pit for a tire change, and Alonso's fate was changed and transferred.

"That Mexican kid is tough."

Briatore, witnessing Perez's wheel-to-wheel moment, said something meaningful to Odette.

Before the main race began, their verbal sparring was actually about how to put pressure on Perez to give up his performance in Monaco and become Chen Xiangbei's wingman.

Odeto hopes things will unfold naturally, given the significant gap in positions between the two drivers, making it unlikely they'll be able to effectively utilize each other's strengths.

Briatore, however, disregarded the consequences and planned to slow Perez down to the point of lapping him. Whoever was ahead of Chen Xiangbei would be blocked by the blue flag on the track to create an overtaking opportunity.

If Perez is unwilling, pressure him to sign a contract for next season.

The Italian club has been slow to officially announce the signing of drivers for two reasons: firstly, to raise funds, and secondly, to better control the drivers.

As for concepts like teamwork and sportsmanship, they mean nothing to him.

If you don't want to do it, then get out! There are plenty of F1 drivers out there!

Briatore meant to tell Odette that Perez was actually more stubborn than he thought, and that the Mexican kid might not have listened if he hadn't simply let things take their course.

"Being tough is always better than being a coward."

Odeto chimed in, knowing what Briatore was trying to say, but excessive exploitation of wingmen was not a sustainable solution.

Briatore merely smiled mockingly at this, believing that time would prove him right.

With the safety car on the third lap, Red Bull's Webber retired from the race due to an engine failure.

This scene caused an uproar in the stadium. It should be noted that Webber is currently ranked second in the overall points standings, only behind Alonso at the top and above Vettel.

If he withdraws from the race and fails to score points, he will be completely eliminated from the race for the championship.

It's honestly a bit cruel that a veteran who has been competing for more than ten years had to end his title race in this way, the closest he ever came to winning the world championship.

So much so that Webber, sitting in the broken car cockpit, couldn't immediately respond when track staff came to inquire about the situation, and two tear tracks were silently sliding down his face mask.

That's F1 for you; until the very last moment, nobody knows how it will end.

Regret is part of the game!

(End of this chapter)