F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 181 I really wish you could broadcast the scene to me.

On lap 45, Vettel was blocked by Grosjean and Hulkenberg, who were battling ahead, while Hamilton and Wu Shi had already passed Perez and Nasr.

At this point, there were no other vehicles left between the top three.

"Rosberg, with his new tires, set the fastest lap time of 1 minute 42.062 seconds, and he's closing in on you," Jonathan reminded him.

"it is good."

Wu Shi nodded in response. On the straight road, the constant shaking of the car made him realize that he was sitting in a race car that could travel at speeds of over 300 kilometers per hour, and there was no room for carelessness.

After getting past the annoying slow train, he bit his tongue, letting the pain stimulate his brain, and then began the most physically demanding running style.

All the conditions of the car body were fed back to the brain: the car was much lighter than when it started, the track line was cleaner, and the tires were medium after five laps.

After he had sorted out all the circumstances, he began the pursuit.

To close the gap while preserving the tire as much as possible, the driver needs to have more stable and precise control.

Every braking distance during tracking braking, every turning angle in every corner, and every smooth throttle input all require precise control.

Such maneuvers require extreme concentration. Wu Shi felt a bit suffocated. He forgot everything before and after each bend, his mind focused only on the speeding race car.

After entering the No. 3 curve, you need to move outward continuously. This movement should be spread as evenly as possible throughout the entire course. Then, when approaching the No. 4 curve, apply the tracking brake at 23% first and then gradually advance.

Before the bend, the gearshift knob needs to be adjusted to balance the different pressures and travels of the inner and outer wheels on this near-right-angle bend.

This meticulous operation is particularly demanding on the forty-fifth lap.

After rounding Turn 15, Williams #59 sped across the checkered lines, completing a perfect lap!
“GOOD！很好！这圈的速度在1分42秒376，汉密尔顿速度在1分43秒125，维特尔的速度在1分44秒225。”

Wu Shi had no energy to reply to the team. He only knew that he had to control the vehicle well and not make the slightest mistake, otherwise he might not have a chance to turn the tide in the next ten laps!

On lap 46, Vettel improved his speed again, setting a time of 1 minute 43.648 seconds, which actually cut Hamilton's time by 0.213 seconds.

There's no doubt that Vettel's pace is consistent between 1 minute 43 seconds and 1 minute 44 seconds, which is bad news for the veteran.

Mercedes quickly realized this as well; they couldn't catch up with Vettel ahead, and now the key was to deal with the threat from behind!

“刘易斯，刚刚维特尔的圈速1分43秒6，我们需要以1分42秒3的速度去追近！”

"No." Hamilton's single word indicated that hard tires couldn't do that.

The team anticipated this situation, so they said what they had prepared in advance: "Wu Shi's lap time was 1 minute 42.3 seconds, he's closing in on you at lightning speed!"

"Why is he so fast!" Hamilton exclaimed.

The team did not respond further. If Hamilton cannot achieve a time of 1 minute and 42 seconds, he will soon be overtaken.

Meanwhile, Jonathan was also keeping a close eye on the situation and would inform Wu Shi of any developments, regardless of whether Wu Shi needed the information at the moment.

"You just closed the gap to Hamilton by 1.4 seconds, that's fantastic! Rosberg behind you is on medium tires, but his speed is similar to yours at 1 minute 42.5 seconds. It would be best if you could maintain that lap time, but you need to watch your tires. We still have a full ten laps to go."

"it is good."

Wu Shi simply replied, "The effect of two laps of full-focused acceleration is quite amazing!"
However, it's impossible to maintain that speed in the later laps. Higher speeds will inevitably accelerate tire wear, and no matter how he tries to protect the tires, he can't change the outcome!
"Wu Shi's speed on the neutral tire is quite astonishing. He closed the gap on Hamilton by more than 2 seconds in two laps. At this rate, he will probably be able to launch an attack on Hamilton on lap 48."

"At this moment, Hamilton was in trouble from both sides. He couldn't catch up with Vettel in front, and he had to face Wu Shi's pursuit from behind."

"OH! On the forty-seventh lap, Wu Shi's lap time is still very stable at 1 minute 42.488 seconds. Do you know how incredible that is?!"

"On lap 45, when he got off the slow train, his speed had reached 1 minute 42.376 seconds. I thought this was just a lap of full push and wouldn't last long."

“结果没想到他第46圈的速度竟然只慢了不到0.1秒，是惊人的1分42秒388！

"If maintaining a lap time of 1 minute and 42 seconds for two consecutive laps is due to excessive pressure on the tires, then being able to maintain that lap time for a third consecutive lap is a testament to the driver's individual skill!"
"I'm really looking forward to seeing what Wu Shi's lap time will be next! He's only a little over 2 seconds behind Hamilton!"

"If Wu Shi were to look into the distance at this moment, he would be able to see his childhood idol right in front of him."

"This is undoubtedly a very significant moment for Wu Shi. Only eight years have passed since 2007. He has just grown from a child into a teenager and is now able to challenge his idol, the one who once won the world championship!"

As David spoke, he got excited and became very animated, his voice full of emotion and passion.

The audience was also moved by these words. Not only were there countless unfamiliar car enthusiasts sitting in front of the TV, but also family and friends who came specifically to see Wu Shi.

They were unable to come to Malaysia for one reason or another, and could only cheer for Wu Shi silently from across the screen.

On lap 48, Wu Shi crossed the checkered line again, with a time of 1 minute 42.688 seconds!

"OH MY GOD! CRAZY! This is insane! His lap time only dropped by 0.2 seconds! How can he be so consistent!"

David couldn't help but shout that both Hamilton and Vettel's lap times fluctuated within a 0.8-second range, sometimes faster and sometimes slower.

And what about Wu Shi? Although it seems like his pace is getting slower with each lap, it looks exactly like the natural rate of tire wear in theory!

David, who has a deep understanding of F1, was able to see the extraordinary nature of the data even without complete data from the teams.

"The forty-ninth lap will be Wu Shi's chance! Can Hamilton stop this roaring young man charging towards us?!"

Wu Shi could already clearly see Hamilton's taillights, and the front wing seemed to be touching the heat left by the No. 44 Mercedes race car.

Despite the intense heat that was making him irritable, the moment he smelled that warmth, his heart instantly calmed down.

After a brief period of calm came excitement! My heart rate, which had been stable at 170, began to soar, and adrenaline was activated by the competitive spirit in my brain and began to be secreted in large quantities.

"I'm going to start trying to surpass it."

After Wu Shi finished speaking, he slightly increased his speed and caught up with Hamilton's tail after Turn 14.

At the DRS detection point, the difference between the two was 0.978 seconds!
"They're here!" That's what almost all the commentators shouted.

With DRS activated, the whole car felt lighter and more agile. Wu Shi noticed that the tires were wearing out faster, but this was a necessary loss!

The first DRS segment ended, but the distance wasn't enough; his eyes were already firmly locked on the Mercedes that had passed him earlier.

“How far apart are we?!” Hamilton asked in TR.

"The difference is now 0.691 seconds." The team's millisecond-precise announcement made Hamilton feel uneasy.

The two passed by Turn 15 one after the other.

Wu Shi stepped into the DRS area again. The moment the front antenna of the race car passed the detection point, he activated DRS. The accurate prediction was almost without delay!

Vroom! The racing car engine roared, following closely behind Mercedes. The heat wave hit us, but it was nothing compared to the burning sensation in our blood at that moment.

As Wu Shi crossed the grid line, the distance between him and Hamilton narrowed to 0.514 seconds.

The DRS zone on the starting straight is very long, ending just before Turn 1.

At this point, the difference between the two was only 0.347 seconds!
Wu Shi was very patient. It was only the fiftieth lap, and catching up with Vettel was hopeless, so he could use the remaining laps to torment the old man.

While following the car, he constantly put pressure on the old man.

Every time Hamilton glanced in the rearview mirror, he felt the guy behind him was about to attack. His extensive experience told him that he wouldn't gain anything by making a move in these places.

But he still needs to defend, and defense is like wearing out tires.

Wu Shi certainly didn't intend to attack. Moving to the offensive line was partly to put pressure on the old man, and partly to get away from his exhaust fumes.

This process inevitably resulted in the accumulation of rubber particles outside the track lines, which would affect grip, something Wu Shi had to pay attention to.

"Very good! Wu Shi is quite composed!" the soldier said.

"Yes, it's not advisable to take action now. It would be best to wait until the DRS area is cleared up cleanly and efficiently!"

"His experienced demeanor doesn't seem like that of someone driving F1 for the first time."

"Have you ever seen a driver who overtakes Mercedes in his first year of F1?"

The two men watched the race and joked around until the two cars passed Turn 13 one after the other. Their expressions turned serious, and their hands on the table clenched tightly.

Before turn 14, Wu Shi did not change his entry line and entered the turn at a slightly slower pace.

A DRS zone allows him to close the distance by 0.3, and at that point he was about that close to Hamilton, so this DRS zone was clearly not the right time to attack.

Racing cars roared past on the sweltering straightaway.

Before Turn 15, Hamilton suddenly moved his car sharply to the outside, giving Wu Shi the entire overtaking area on the inside.

Wu Shi was not going to be foolish enough to overtake here. The DRS on the starting straight was far more important than a temporary lead, so he immediately followed Hamilton's line.

The old man had no choice but to drive past the DRS detection point, at which point the difference between the two was only 0.127 seconds.

After receiving the DRS, Wu Shi, who was behind Mercedes, immediately turned to the left side of the track shortly afterward.

The lower drag and softer tires are fully unleashed at this moment.

Ho ho ho! ! !
The engine roared, the battery discharged rapidly, and the top speed reached the highest value of the race!
Before reaching the checkered line, Wu Shi's car had already taken the lead, and he drove into Turn 1 while keeping his distance from the outside line.

The situation then reversed, with Hamilton trailing by about 0.2 seconds.

The old man had some ideas about this gap, so he braked even later and entered Turn 1, with a lot of white smoke billowing out as he braked hard.

Wu Shi almost instantly "smelled" the rubber rubbing against the ground, and without hesitation, he moved to the outer edge of the shoulder to let the road pass.

But Hamilton was relentless, displaying a torpedo-like determination to completely force Wu Shi off the track.

This is certainly not a good place to leave the track. The grass outside the shoulder will instantly disrupt the balance of the race car, and even Wu Shi would not be able to control such a vehicle.

So, is giving in the only option?
Of course not. Wu Shi suddenly stepped on the gas pedal hard, instantly pulling up the speed that had been reduced, and rushed forward at a speed that was too slow to get through the corner. In an instant, he overtook Hamilton slightly, and then he decisively cut into Turn 2.

Whoosh!
He crossed the turf and returned to the track, far ahead of the old man—the old man had entered Turn 1 with a speed exceeding that of the cornering speed, and after squeezing Wu Shi out, he was braking hard.

"Whew! He pushed me off the track! Whew! Why did he do that? I was in the lead!"

Wu Shi shouted in TR, his heavy breathing indicating that he was extremely exhausted.

Then, disregarding everything, he accelerated wildly toward Turn 3.

Even if he has to be penalized, he won't give up this position!
"Calm down! Calm down, we are investigating the situation. Please control tire wear!" After saying this, Jonathan immediately contacted the race organizers.

At this point, the race organizers will still remind drivers to give up their positions if they gain an advantage by cutting corners or overtaking, so the team communicated with them immediately.

On the other side, Hamilton didn't say anything. He knew perfectly well what Wu Shi had just done. This kid was even more ruthless than him!

He came up with a solution in that instant and put it into action; this intuitive driving style should never be seen in a rookie.

On lap 50, Wu Shi drove with extremely poor tires and managed to pull ahead by a second just before turn 14.

Clearly, Hamilton's lock-up at Turn 1 had severely damaged the tires, leaving them powerless to resist.

"Will we be required to return the position after this bend?" the soldier asked.

"I think Hamilton's car was out of control just now. Wu Shi cut the corner to avoid him, not to gain an advantage."

"I want to see this! Oh! The replay is here!"

In the replay, the camera was focused on Turn 1, and you could vaguely see that Wu Shi was in the lead before he drove off the track, and Hamilton's relentless pressure forced him to leave the track.

"It seems they won't ask for the location to be returned."

"Definitely not, we've already run a lap."

Several shots were played alternately, and the final broadcast showed at the top that there would be no investigation into what happened between Wu Shi and Hamilton at Turn 1.

"it is good!"

The six-star duo clapped in unison.

The last few laps were uneventful.

On lap 52, Vettel asked the team, "What's going on behind me? Is Hamilton still chasing me?"

"Oh no, I'm sorry I didn't tell you the situation sooner. Hamilton has been surpassed by Wu Shi, but it seems he can't catch up with you now."

"Wow! They must have had a great fight. I really want you guys to broadcast the footage to me."

Vettel's lighthearted joke made the commentators laugh.

　I was originally going to post the 2k chapter on time, but I felt it would be better to finish writing it, so I wrote for an extra hour and here's the 4k chapter!

　　P.S.: There are so many rumors about Ferrari lately, it's really hilarious. Lock & Lock even posted them on the wall during practice sessions, hahaha.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)