F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 138 Monza
The Italian Grand Prix was held in Monza, Ferrari's home track, and the stands were naturally filled with Tifosi. Red clothes, red hats, and huge prancing horse flags rose and fell like a red ocean.

Wu Shi was wearing a simple T-shirt, while Louise was excitedly wearing a red Lafayette hat.

The tifosi population is very high among Italians, and she was no exception.

Fortunately, she didn't know that Wu Shi had declined Ferrari's invitation, otherwise she would have been upset for a while. Seeing the sea of ​​red cars, she couldn't help but say to Wu Shi:

"If you ever join the Ferrari team, all these people will cheer for you! This will be your home turf!"

The little girl must be very excited today, quite spirited, looking around the field as if to say that this is the future of the country.

"It's a pity. By the time I join Ferrari, this might no longer be LaFerrari's home ground," Wu Shi said casually.

"Huh? Will the Monza circuit be cancelled in the future?"

Louise was puzzled. Because of her studies, she hadn't paid as much attention to the racetrack as before. In addition, Wu Shi, as an F3 driver, must know a lot of inside information, which is why she asked the question.

“No, Monza is not going to be cancelled. It’s just that the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuits may be added to the F1 calendar in the future,” Wu Shi said.

"Impossible! How could a country have two stations?" Louise's long, off-white hair fluttered in the wind.

"Why not just register it under one of the other duchies?"

This track in Imola, once added to the racing calendar, will become Ferrari's true home track, as it is only 85 kilometers from LaFerrari's headquarters, making it practically the track right at LaFerrari's doorstep.

"Oh, I didn't realize you could do it that way." Louise didn't even consider questioning Wu Shi's words.

As the two were chatting, Wu Shi's phone suddenly rang. It was an unfamiliar number, but he answered it anyway.

"Hello, is this Wu Shi?" the person on the other end asked.

"Yes, are you?"

Wu Shi was puzzled. Had his number been exposed? How could a strange number be calling him?

“Oh, I’m Antonio Vivaldi, an operations staff member for the Mercedes F1 team. I heard you’ve come to the track, and our team manager would like to invite you to watch the race from the pit garage,” Antonio Vivaldi said quickly.

"Oh, but I'm not alone."

Wu Shi declined, explaining that the P-room was a restricted area reserved for important figures, official reporters, or internal staff, making it very difficult for other people to enter.

He bravely ventured into the pit room in 07 thanks to Zhi Shiwei's help; otherwise, how could a child like him have gotten in? The tournament rules don't allow children to enter such potentially dangerous places.

"Okay, just a moment."

A few hushed voices came from the other end of the phone. After a moment, Antonio Vivaldi spoke up, saying, "The team leader said it's no problem to bring a classmate in."

“But we’re not even sixteen yet.”① As Wu Shi was saying this, Louise tugged at his sleeve and shook it. The little girl probably still wanted to go to the repair area to take a look.

There was another pause on the other end of the phone, then Antonio Vivaldi said, "We'll give you name tags. Where are you?"

Wu Shi turned his head and saw Louise blinking her big eyes desperately. Her longing expression made it impossible for him to refuse, so he could only tell her his seat number.

"Okay, we'll arrange for someone to come and take you there in a bit."

After saying that, Antonio Vivaldi also hung up the phone.

Wu Shi stared at the phone number, lost in thought. Why was Mercedes so eager to invite him to the P-room?

Louise, on the other hand, didn't have to think about all that. She cheered and grabbed his arm, saying happily, "I've never been to the P room to watch a match before! Yay! ヾ(▽)ノ."

For most racing fans, the opportunity to enter the pit lane to watch a race is rare.

“If you’re so eager to go, just talk to Aunt Martina, and she’ll easily get you a spot in the Ferrari P-room.” Wu Shi pinched Louise’s cheek.

"Ugh, I don't want to go in by myself." Louise pouted, looking like a little pufferfish with its belly bulging out, a protest against having her cheeks pinched.

"Ophelia didn't come with you?"

“No, she doesn’t like racing. I had to keep dragging her to watch it with me,” Louise said.

"You two have a really good relationship," Wu Shi remarked.

“Hehe~ Of course!” Louise said happily. While the two were waiting for the Mercedes staff to bring them the passes, a group of young men and women walked in from the corridor.

Upon seeing the group, Louise immediately lowered her hat brim and turned her head toward Wu Shi's chest, attempting to hide herself.

"Your classmate?" Wu Shi asked directly after just one glance.

“Hmm.” Louise nodded, the tips of her hair brushing against the cotton material of his T-shirt, causing a slight itch.

Wu Shi didn't know if Louise was shy about meeting her classmates in such a setting, or if she wanted to avoid being recognized by the group for some other reason. He didn't ask any further questions and planned to talk about it later when he had time.

However, whether others had already seen her or her long, flowing, off-white hair was too dazzling, several students at the front of the line suddenly shouted, "Louise?!"

Louise buried her head even deeper, but Wu Shi didn't even look at the others. Instead, he put his hand on Louise and covered the outside of her face.

"Hey! Louise, I recognize you! Didn't you say you weren't coming to the game?"

"Oh! So you went on a date!"

Wow! Aren't you going to introduce your boyfriend to us?!

Students are naturally very gossipy, and the boys' teasing was somewhat driven by emotion, since Louise's beautiful appearance and excellent grades made her very popular at school.

The girls, on the other hand, seemed to be venting their frustrations, and even started to scrutinize Wu Shi before the group of boys.

"Hey! Isn't it impolite not to say hello?" one student said.

“You’ve mistaken us for someone else. Please don’t bother us,” Wu Shi said directly.

"Hey, looks like you're not very nice. Let me tell you! This is Italia, go back to your slums!" a boy shouted.

Wu Shi turned his head and looked at these people, his sharp gaze seemingly carrying a murderous intent.

As he turned his head, several people suddenly covered their mouths, as if they had seen something unbelievable.

Just as he was about to continue speaking, Louise suddenly stood up, pointed at the group of people at the head, and said:

"Are you all such rude and disgusting bastards? Your vile words disgust me! I don't want to have anything to do with you! Get out of here!"

Louise was so well-mannered that she didn't use many profanities even when she was talking like this.

Wu Shi also stood up and waved to the back of the crowd.

The students in the lead, not understanding what was going on, turned around to look.

A tall man in a Mercedes team uniform kept saying "excuse me" as he squeezed in. After looking at Wu Shi, he said, "Hello, this is the first time I've met you in person. This is the name tag we prepared for you."

"Okay, thank you for coming all this way."

"Okay, let's go down now."

Antonio Vivaldi saw the row of students crammed there; he might not know what had just happened, but it was unlikely he didn't.

Excuse me, everyone!

So her tone was somewhat forceful, and while some students were rebellious, the ones from Louise's school were all smart kids, and they wouldn't put on a brave face and escalate the conflict in this situation.

After Antonio Vivaldi and the two left, the students who had been covering their mouths started talking amongst themselves.

"It really is Wu Shi?!"

"It really is him! How did Louise meet him? I'm so envious!"

"Wow! To think that something like this would happen right after we met, I'm really..." the girl said, her gaze towards the boy in front of her becoming strange.

The group of boys at the front were also confused. After all, people who watch F1 don't necessarily follow lower-level races. Besides, they were just a group watching the race today, and some of them weren't even racing fans; they were just there to enjoy the team activity.

　① The Formula One racing rule 30.16 of 2014 states that "persons under the age of 16 are not allowed to enter the pit lane".

　　
　
(End of this chapter)