F1: Absolute Car Feel

How many records are there in Chapter 168?

"Fantastic! They really got second place! This will be the first time a Chinese person has stood on the F1 podium!"

In the Six Star Sports studio, the soldier shouted excitedly.

Compared to the scene in Australia, the situation in China was indeed much more exciting, with countless viewers sitting in front of their televisions unable to resist standing up from their sofas to cheer and shout wildly.

Within just three minutes, the news was published on sports news platforms across major social media platforms.

Then, F1, which was originally a niche sport in China, unexpectedly became a trending topic again, attracting a lot of onlookers.

What is F1?

"What level of competition is this? Everyone seems so excited."

"I've never even heard of this competition before [laughing and crying emoji]"

At this point, enthusiastic car enthusiasts began to explain that this is "one of the world's three major sporting events, on par with the Olympics and the World Cup."

Some say, "Since the competition began, no Chinese contestant has ever been qualified to participate! Wu Shi is the first!"

Some even said, "These are the 20 fastest drivers in the world racing! Becoming an F1 driver is far more difficult than becoming a pilot!"

The fans were naturally venting their emotions that had been building up for over a decade, or even several decades. Without exception, they were all expressing how difficult it was for Wu Shi to stand on the podium!
Of course, there are many rumors about F1 racing, but the general public doesn't care about that. They just know that another Chinese person has reached the forefront of the world's top racing event!
As a result, many passersby began to spontaneously search for related information to satisfy their curiosity and perhaps feel a sense of pride in participating.

With the deliberate promotion of various social media and new media platforms under the Tianyan Group, this news has swept across the country.

This is like a New Year for F1 fans!

"Please don't get too excited, everyone! Standing on the podium is certainly a cause for celebration."

One seemingly rational commenter deliberately typed only half of their comment and then added the rest in their own comment section:

"But it's even more gratifying for a rookie to stand on the podium in their very first game!"

This kind of commentary, which uses a technique of praising before criticizing, often attracts some unknown individuals first.

But most fans still played along with the jokes, with comments like "It's over, they're allies, the knife's already out of control, just bury them on the spot."

"Everyone, don't get too excited! It's certainly great that a rookie reached the podium in their first game, but it's even more gratifying to have them take second place!"

"Everyone, please don't get too excited! It's certainly great that the rookie got the runner-up title, but it's even more gratifying to get the runner-up title at the age of sixteen!"

While people are making fun of the memes, more and more car enthusiasts are realizing the significance behind Wu Shi's podium performance this time.

How many records did Wu Shi set in this competition?

The youngest F1 race car driver!

The youngest race leader ever!
The youngest person to achieve the fastest lap!
The youngest points earner!
The youngest person to ever stand on the podium!
Rookie of the Year takes the stage as runner-up in his first game!

These records have surpassed those of Hamilton, Vettel, and some legendary figures from the past, and the title of genius will truly belong to this Chinese driver who will only turn 17 at the end of this year.

When the match result garnered significant media attention, relevant departments of the State General Administration of Sport also realized that another sports figure worthy of vigorous promotion might have emerged.

At the event, commentator David couldn't help but chuckle.

The race broadcast just now showed Rosberg's conversation with the team and Wu Shi's conversation with the team.

Both of them said, "It's all thanks to the team," but the meaning behind their statements was completely opposite, and the contrast was indeed funny.

David, being quite professional, said, "Clearly, both drivers understand that achieving good results depends on cooperation with the team."

After making a tactful remark, he began to comment on Wu Shi:
"When this young man from China crossed the finish line, we should realize that the youngest ever runner-up in F1 history has emerged, and I dare say that he will also be one of the most promising WDC drivers in the world right now."

"It's unimaginable that a rookie driver could achieve all of this."

As Hamilton lapped back on the track, he slowed down, waved to the stands, and then saw Williams running up from behind.

He stretched out his hand and gave a thumbs-up in enthusiastic approval.

Wu Shi smiled, waved, and thanked him for his praise.

The two drove the car back to the top three parking spots in the repair area. On the blue and white checkered ground, the Mercedes No. 44 was parked behind the No. 1 license plate.

Then Williams, number 59, came in and stopped behind number two.

After a long while, the Mercedes-Benz No. 6 finally drove in and stopped behind license plate No. 3.

The camera first focused on Hamilton, then on Wu Shi.

After Hamilton removed the steering wheel and headrest, he didn't seem particularly excited. He touched the side cases of the car, then got up and walked to the paddock to high-five the team, media, and fans.

Wu Shi got out of the car very slowly, even slower than Rosberg.

He didn't feel it when he was running the race, but now that he's stopped, he feels incredibly tired. If it weren't for the excitement of receiving the award, he would probably want to take a shower and go to sleep right away.

With difficulty, Jonathan placed the steering wheel and headrest aside, walked over, and reached out his hand.

"Hi! You did a fantastic job!"

"Thank you."

After Wu Shi was helped up, he hugged Jonathan tightly, and the middle-aged man seemed extremely excited.

“Go out and show your face,” Jonathan said.

As is customary, all three podium members must make an appearance in the fenced area outside the podium.

After Wu Shi walked out, the cheers indeed came from the convoy. He went over and high-fived them one by one. Some of the more excited ones even hugged him and kept patting his helmet.

Williams and his teammates are thrilled!
Even though everyone saw Wu Shi's stability during the winter testing, today's race showcased more than just stability from this youngest driver in the paddock.

And then there's that incredibly fierce aggression!
Wu Shi saw Rosberg, who was in low spirits as he greeted the team members, without even turning on his goggles.

After weighing, the three went up to the second floor. In the room behind the podium, Hamilton handed the second-place hat to Wu Shi and said;
"Wu Shi, I never expected it would be you next."

"Haha, but I knew it was you up ahead." Wu Shi laughed as he took the hat and put it on.

"On March 18, 2007, right here, I drove a McLaren and finished third," Hamilton said, the implication clear.

"It was just luck today." Wu Shi's modesty prompted Hamilton to pat him on the back.

On the other side, Rosberg kept pulling his hair back.

At this point, the staff reminded him to go on stage, and Rosberg, who was in third place, went out.

The area below the stage was already packed with people, all pointing their cameras and microphones at the small, square table.

More than 300 kilometers, an hour and a half of driving, just to get here.

Once on the podium, Rosberg still flashed a professional smile, waved to everyone around him, and then adjusted his hat.

The commentator introduced the German driver, and applause erupted from the audience. "Next up is Wu Shi in second place!"

Wu Shi had little desire to perform. He slowly walked out, and there was another round of applause. He then climbed onto platform number two, which was near the exit.

"The champion is Lewis Hamilton!"

Hamilton, all smiles, ran out with these bouncy movements. After climbing the highest step in the middle, he shook hands with Wu Shi beside him, completely ignoring Rosberg.

Now it looks like Rosberg was being subjected to the silent treatment by the two of them.

Wu Shi actually wanted to greet Rosberg, as he had a good impression of the German, but it didn't seem like a good time to do so.

Not everyone can put aside the emotions generated by the intense competition after leaving the field.

As Hamilton took his place, "God Save the Queen" began airing abruptly, catching everyone off guard.

On the podium, the three athletes simultaneously removed their hats, and behind them, on the electronic screen, from left to right, were the Chinese national flag, the British Union Jack, and the tricolor flag.

Wu Shi listened quietly to the music, his eyes slightly narrowed, while Hamilton beside him kept waving in all directions, making many small gestures.

Rosberg, like him, stood motionless, seemingly lost in thought.

Suddenly, Wu Shi saw someone carrying a huge red flag and waving it in the crowd.

He waved and smiled in greeting.

The broadcaster was quick to react, immediately turning the camera on them.

A red flag waves against the backdrop of "God Save the Queen".

After the national anthem finished playing, the awards ceremony began.

This year's Australian trophy is a disc with a shiny silver center. The champion's trophy has three raised areas on its shiny surface, somewhat resembling the Mercedes trident.

The award was presented to Wu Shi by Sir Jackie Stewart, a three-time world champion, who handed the medal to Wu Shi with a smile.

This is a living legend. When Jackie was racing, F1 was incredibly brutal, and fatal accidents were commonplace.

After the awards ceremony, people sprayed each other with champagne.

After spraying Wu Shi's face for a while, Hamilton suddenly burst into laughter and said, "You're not an adult yet! I'm sorry that doing this will make you drink alcohol."

"Haha, then you can do it to the rest of them."

Wu Shi laughed and said that this is what's funny about foreign countries: they don't regulate other controlled items, but they strictly regulate alcohol.

In all the competitions I've participated in since I was a child, the champagne served was non-alcoholic.

The champagne spraying had just finished when cheers suddenly erupted from the crowd.

Upon closer listening, Wu Shi realized that the person conducting the post-match interview was none other than Schwarzenegger!

Hamilton was also very excited when the tall man walked up.

"You won the championship in the competition just now, how do you feel?" Schwarzenegger asked.

"YES, of course it feels great. The whole weekend was fantastic, both the team and the car."

"I've interviewed many muscular men before, some of the strongest people in the world, but today I'm interviewing the fastest man in the world. I wonder what you usually do to achieve that?" Schwarzenegger continued.

As a racing driver, Hamilton spoke very calmly during the interview, only adding at the end, "I'm also a fan of yours."

After Schwarzenegger laughed heartily, he turned to Wu Shi.

“Oh, I see a brand new face. This may be the first time a Chinese person has stood on the podium in this event. I wonder how you feel about this?” Schwarzenegger asked.

"Of course I'm very happy. I'm honored to have won second place. This is the result of the team's and my joint efforts," Wu Shi said with a nod.

Schwarzenegger then asked two more questions casually, before turning to Rosberg:

"We came in third place today, which is a bit behind our teammates. Will you continue to compete for the championship this year?"

"Well, Hamilton had a great weekend, both in qualifying and in the race. I think it was my start that caused the problems that followed, but finishing third is still pretty good."

Schwarzenegger didn't ask any further questions after hearing this, since celebrity interviews are different from journalist interviews, and they wouldn't dig up old dirt on celebrities.

With the interview concluded, the process of showcasing the competition to the public was officially over.

Wu Shi returned to the team with his first trophy in his hand.

As soon as he returned to the team's pit area, Claire went up to him, gave him a hug, and said:
“Your performance today really surprised me. Now I know why my father wanted to sign you so much, even though he knew you might leave our team in the future.”

"Thank you for the compliment. I think I also need to apologize to you and the team. I shouldn't have acted so impulsively on the track."

Wu Shi seized the opportunity to climb the ladder, but some problems need to be faced. This time, his self-determination brought benefits to the caravan, but what about next time?
Claire shook her head and said, "The strength you've demonstrated makes me think I can grant you some special privileges, but I hope you can communicate well with Jonathan and just do that."

Wu Shi nodded. In TR, there are many things that cannot be said openly. If other teams find out, they will likely be targeted, so it is necessary to prepare coded messages.

Just like Ferrari, they always like to have some kind of Plan I or Plan II.

The team members began packing their luggage.

Wu Shi changed out of his racing suit and came out, knowing that there would probably be more interviews later, but he could decline most of them, as the major media outlets would contact Sid directly.

“That’s great.” Verstappen walked over; he was having a run of bad luck today, as his car’s engine had malfunctioned again.

"Speaking of which, I should thank you a lot." Wu Shi patted Pan Zi on the shoulder; this guy's intervention was also a crucial part of the process.

Pan Zi shrugged and said, "It's Rosberg who was too cowardly. He could have run at a good enough speed and stopped three times like you, even if he had tried his best."

Wu Shi nodded. He didn't know why Mercedes' strategy team would choose to run the remaining forty-odd laps on a set of white tires.

Today's tire wear was indeed low, but such a decision was simply too thoughtless.

“I analyzed it with the people in our team,” Pan Zi said.

"what?"

“They predicted your speed based on Massa’s tires, believing that white tires were the safest option and wouldn’t cause any problems after leaving the pits,” Verstappen said.

"Tsk." Wu Shi shook his head.

The decision-making process of F1 team strategy groups is different from what ordinary people think. It's not just a few people calculating data, but relying on large computers to calculate thousands or tens of thousands of possible outcomes under various strategies, and finally making the optimal choice.

What seems like a ridiculous stunt to many viewers might just be a low-probability event that made the team look foolish.

After talking for a while, the two returned to their respective teams for post-race meetings.

(End of this chapter)