F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 148 A Protection Model

That night, Wu Shi slept very well, whether it was because he was tired from running more than twenty laps of F1 or because he had finally let go of the burden in his heart.

His personality is like this: he gets nervous before a competition, but once he gets on the field, the nervousness seems to be instantly swallowed up by the desire to push his limits, which makes him always perform with unparalleled determination on the field.

When the competition ends, he will accept whatever the result is, because he has done all he can and there is no need to dwell on past achievements—whether they are dazzling or shameful, they are all in the past for him.

On the morning of the 20th, Wu Shi woke up.

Both the third training session and the ranking matches would be held in the evening, giving him free time to stroll around this country known as the Garden City.

After he finished washing up, Toto called and told him to put on his team uniform and go to the P room.

Wu Shi didn't complain. That's just how it is for drivers. During race week, there's not much of a rest to speak of.

Arriving at the back of the P room, Rosberg was also there.

“Not only are you unlucky, but I also seem to be unlucky,” he said to Wu Shi.

"The gearbox problem hasn't been resolved yet?" Wu Shi asked.

"After working on it all night, the mechanic told me that I could drive it for now."

Rosberg smiled helplessly. He was now leading Hamilton by 22 points, which seemed like a big advantage, but in reality, he couldn't afford to lose any of the games.

The 2014 F1 racing rules granted double points for the final race, with the first-place finisher receiving a full 50 points, while the second-place finisher, although also receiving 36 points, had a 14-point difference!
Wu Shi noticed the word "temporarily," which sounded unreliable, so he could only sigh and say, "There is still room for improvement in the problems with this year's cars."

"Haha, there's no need to be so subtle. Everyone knows the car's instability is a fact. We don't need to cover it up. As long as we can resolve the issue later, that's fine."

Rosberg seemed to be smiling very easily.

Standing beside him, Wu Shi could sense the anxiety emanating from him.

Yes, which driver could remain calm when faced with the temptation of a world championship? If there is one, then he is definitely not a driver capable of competing for the championship.

"By the way, I didn't come here to get my car repaired today, did I?" Wu Shi asked. After seeing him come in, Tuo Tuo told him to wait a moment, but then he disappeared.

“Look, the simulator. He’s going to have you as a simulator test driver, to contribute to the team in the future,” Rosberg nodded.

"Oh? That's great!" Wu Shi licked his lips excitedly, though he currently lacked knowledge about F1 racing in this era.

"Alright, I'm done chatting with you. I'll see if I can help my crew; they're facing a really tough problem right now." Rosberg patted Wu Shi on the shoulder and left the rear area.

Wu Shi waited a little while longer before Toto came in, with Nikki Lauda also there.

"Wu Shi," Toto called out, his expression terrifyingly serious.

Wu Shi was startled. Why did he suddenly become so fierce? He looked at Toto and also lost the relaxed feeling he had when chatting with Rosberg.

"After reviewing and analyzing the investigation results, we determined that the engine lost power because it entered a protection mode," Toto said.

Wu Shi nodded. The F1 engine system is very complex, with many smaller systems nested within the larger system. So, when it malfunctions, even the engineers who designed it don't know why.

Toto's point is simply that the engine problem may involve a design flaw, thus denying the possibility of human error.

He didn't rush to argue. As a driver, he needed to strictly control his behavior in this kind of situation. If there was anything to argue about, that was something Sid and his management team should do.

Once you enter the paddock, establishing a persona is very important; Hamilton, for example, did it quite successfully.

Sure enough, even Toto was surprised to see Wu Shi so calm. What he just said could be explained to the others, but to the driver sitting in the car, it was utter nonsense.

His admiration deepened, but some things cannot be changed by one person's will.

Although Daimler Group, as the major shareholder, lets him do as he pleases, it doesn't mean they won't interfere in anything.

However, he then changed the subject and said softly:

"This protection mode can be activated manually."

"!"

Wu Shi was surprised. Could such a statement be made?

He had no idea what Toto was up to, so he remained silent.

"I'm so sorry," Toto apologized sincerely, then said, "The results can't be changed, and there's no second chance."

Upon receiving the review results, he immediately proposed to the board of directors that Wu Shi be given another chance.

But why did Daimler agree to let Toto and Wu Shi sign this agreement? Wasn't it because nobody thought Wu Shi had a chance to compete for pole position?

As a result, Wu Shi's current display of strength has made them dare not give him another chance.

As for why they are so conflicted, unwilling to give him a seat but still wanting to involve Wu Shi.

This is probably the norm in the paddock. For example, almost ten years later, Piastri won the F3 and F2 championships, but the Alpine team was unwilling to promote him to F1, which eventually led to the departure of this talented young man.

Ultimately, the team was greedy, always wanting both ways.

Mercedes was in a similar situation. With two strong drivers, Hamilton and Rosberg, Daimler was unwilling to risk using Wu Shi – one or two excellent performances by a new driver were not enough to convince everyone.

Most importantly, Hamilton is a world champion, and Mercedes needs him; Rosberg is German, and a German team naturally needs a German driver even more.

Wu Shi nodded, understanding what Toto meant.

"We bear a great deal of responsibility for this matter, and in any case, we will give you an acceptable result."

Nikki Lauda also spoke up, saying he felt it was a great pity.

However, even Toto, a minor shareholder, couldn't refute Daimler Group at the board meeting, and as a non-executive director, it was even more difficult for him to change the board's decision.

“Alright, as Mercedes’ reserve driver, how about we try out the simulator first?” Toto changed the subject.

"of course."

Wu Shi did not refuse. He knew very well why Toto and Nikki Lauda spoke to him alone—wasn't it because they wanted him to relay their message to Sid?

He is not yet an adult, and many decisions need to be made by his management company. Therefore, he cannot give the results on-site and can only take the message back with him.

This provides a buffer period.

Mercedes doesn't want, at least neither Toto nor Nicky Lauda want, to fall out with Wu Shi.

Wu Shi sat down in the simulator, which was even more powerful than the one Hamilton had at home.

(End of this chapter)