F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 170 Pre-match Press Conference

The initial success did not guarantee a smooth ride in the subsequent legs, and Wu Shi and Masa were not optimistic about the future.

Massa, in particular, believes that Williams is inferior to Ferrari in long distances.

Before the competition began, Wu Shi was invited by the organizers to attend the pre-race press conference for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

He thought it would be his turn at the China Grand Prix, but it happened earlier than expected.

It seems that the runner-up in the first leg has indeed received a lot of attention.

Besides him, the five invited drivers are Hamilton, Rosberg, Vettel, Alonso, and Massa.

Wu Shi sat in the back row, his hands clasped together on the table.

"Well, next up is the Malaysian Grand Prix. This track is known for its unpredictable weather, as I think all of you drivers know all too well. What do you think this next race will be like?" the host posed the question.

First up is Hamilton, sitting in the middle of the front row. His eyes always shine brightly in front of the camera. After a moment's thought, he says:

“I think there are a lot of variables on this track, and to be honest, it’s a challenge for any driver. I remember last year qualifying was chaotic because of the rain, so hopefully it will be better this year.”

Host: "Mercedes has demonstrated absolute dominance at the Australian Grand Prix. Are you confident of winning here this year as well?"

Hamilton shrugged and said, "Well, I don't think we have absolute dominance, after all, it's not like we're the first or second in the world, is it?"

The host listened, chuckled awkwardly a few times, and then turned his gaze to Vettel.

“Well, I think rain might be better for me.” Vettel’s remarks were always so brief.

The host nodded, looked at Alonso, and said, "You missed the last game due to injury. This is your first game of the year. How are you preparing?"

"My injury is recovering well, but I think the engine might be a big problem this year. Everyone saw what happened at the Australian Grand Prix. Sigh, I have to say this is not good news for me," Alonso said helplessly.

He hadn't yet shouted his famous "GP2 Engine! GP2! AHH!", but the start of the season already made the veteran feel uneasy.

The host then looked at Rosberg, and was about to ask a question when Rosberg spoke up himself:
"The Sepang circuit has its unique features, one of which is its unpredictable weather. I think I'll be looking forward to this race."

Alonso glanced back at Rosberg, who had given Wu Shi second place in the previous race, and he had missed such a wonderful race.

The host didn't press Rosberg, and looked at Massa:
"Massa, we see that Williams still seems quite competitive. I wonder if you think he has a chance to stand on the podium this year."

“Everything is unknown. You know, last year we were stopped in Q2 because of the chaos caused by the rain. I just hope we can plan our exits better this year. But I still really like this track,” Massa said.

The host nodded, finally looking at Wu Shi, and asked:

"Hi, Wu Shi, as a newcomer you achieved amazing results in the last stop, I'm sure you have high expectations for this stop as well, right?"

"Although this place is very close to my hometown, it is my first time here. I am not familiar with the track. I will probably need to go through practice sessions to find out the situation."

Wu Shi was unwilling to reveal too much, but what he said was true: Sepang Circuit was removed from the F1 calendar in 2018 due to unpredictable weather and low ticket sales.

Therefore, he really couldn't explain the situation in detail.

“Yeah, thank you all for your answers. Now, does anyone have anything they'd like to say to the younger generation?” The host asked a question that had been raised at the pre-race press conference for the Australian Grand Prix, a question that had been directed at Verstappen.

“I think he’s already a very good driver, and his future is limitless, so he should just enjoy the race. In this great sport, you can experience much more than you can imagine,” Alonso said with a touch of emotion.

“I’ve known him for a very long time. Back in 2007 at the Shanghai Grand Prix, he was just a little kid this tall.”

Hamilton gestured with his hand, and everyone laughed amicably. The old man continued:
"He somehow ended up in the pit lane, right after I had just retired from the race because my car got stuck in the gravel pit."

Hamilton sighed a little as he said this, "It was so close! The rookie won the world championship, such an incredible achievement, and it just slipped through my fingers."

“I saw him skipping and hopping in, his eyes shining, saying that he also wanted to become an F1 driver. At that time, I smiled and told him, ‘That day will come.’ I never thought that day would come so soon.”

Hamilton told the story in a calm voice, and everyone present applauded.

Then Alonso suddenly spoke up: "He also said back then, 'You are the target he is chasing,' and look, he was already chasing you in the last race."

"Hahaha!" Vettel and the host laughed and applauded.

Hamilton smiled and said, "Yes, he has become a competitor that I have to be careful with on the field."

Vettel then said, "He's an exceptionally talented driver, and I don't have any better advice."

The host looked at Rosberg, and everyone else looked over as well.

“Well, he did a great job, didn’t he? We saw his excellent abilities back in 2014, and hopefully he can maintain his excellent driving habits,” Rosberg said.

Finally, Massa frankly stated, "He is truly the most talented driver I have ever seen. If he could sit in a high-performance car, he would undoubtedly be a strong contender for the title."

Only by working with Wu Shi in the same car team could one truly understand how monstrous this guy was.

Sometimes, when various instruments can't measure the data properly, you can ask this guy, and he can give you a general description.

This incredible data feedback ability made Wu Shi a highly sought-after figure among the engineers in the team. Everyone wanted to tell Wu Shi their problems and ask him to help them test them.

Knowing this, Massa didn't have much of a competitive mindset from the beginning. Who wouldn't want to build a good relationship with a data feedback device that's even more accurate than an instrument?

Besides, Massa has lost the drive he had a few years ago and is already considering retiring.

Finally, the host said to Wu Shi, "Please also share what you would like to say to the seniors."

"Yes, when everyone was racing on the track, I was just a kid. Now, being able to race alongside such excellent drivers is not only an honor for me, but also something I've always dreamed of. I will do my best in every race."

After Wu Shi finished speaking, he nodded shyly.

He recalled the press conference Panzi attended the week before last. Panzi was very shy, so shy that he ended up crashing into all five of his seniors on the track.

Thinking about this, he couldn't help but laugh. Pan Zi possessed excellent torpedo skills, which was a blessing for all the senior members of the hunting grounds.

(End of this chapter)