F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 235 There Will Be Another Rain

As Ferrari's TR was played, viewers realized that the race might turn into a rain-soaked battle.

Jonathan stuck his head out and looked at the sky outside the pit room; it was still blue sky and white clouds.

However, the wind speed is increasing, and the weather forecast shows that thick clouds are indeed being blown over.

He immediately informed Wu Shi of this situation and also broadcast the difference between him and Hamilton:
“你和刘易斯的秒差是2.321秒，上一圈他1分37秒344，你上一圈1分37秒301。”

"Sizzle!!"

After a crackling sound, Jonathan's voice continued:

Two laps ago, Mercedes told Lewis he needed to control his speed, and he did.

"However, the team just told him to keep his distance from you, and he should speed up later."

Massa, having lost the DRS provided by Wu Shi, was being chased down by Rosberg to within 0.4 seconds and was struggling to keep up.

However, Rosberg's several attacks were unsuccessful.

Kimi and Vettel, on the other hand, had both returned to their starting order, sitting in fifth and sixth place respectively.

Kvyat remained in seventh place, while Hulkenberg moved up one place from the start to eighth.

Sainz has moved up to ninth, and Pedro has entered the points zone.

Outside the points zone, only four drivers remained on the track at this point: Ericsson, Alonso, Stevens, and Mersey.

In the following laps, the focus of the race was on Massa.

However, Rosberg still has not made any effective progress.

On lap 27, the director showed a shot of the sky, where clouds had covered the entire southwest side of the track.

On the other side of the track, although there were some holes in the clouds allowing sunlight to peek through, it would eventually be obscured by the persistent wind.

"I still think it's a real shame that Wu Shi lost his leading position. The team should have let him take the lead back then."

There was no intense conflict on the field, and the soldier's words bounced back to Wu Shi.

“Indeed, the situation might have been different, but no one can predict the outcome. That’s how cruel the competition is. Even a small misjudgment can lead to a loss of position. Wu Shi should learn from this lesson,” Fei Ge said.

“How can this driver learn his lesson? Williams should learn his lesson,” Bingge immediately retorted with a smile.

“Why can’t the drivers learn from their mistakes? They need to learn to develop their own strategies,” Fei Ge immediately retorted.

The comedy duo continued their conversation, while the situation on the track remained unchanged.

The teams began to pay closer attention to the weather, as no one knew when the rain would start.

With more than 20 laps left in the race, if it doesn't rain, the front row lineup, except for Massa and Rosberg, is basically set.

However, if it rains, then there are too many variables.

第29圈，汉密尔顿以1分37秒093创下最快圈，依然领先吴轼2.3秒。

Mercedes TR: "Nico, it's going to rain in about 15 minutes."

On lap 30, the sky grew increasingly dark, and it seemed as if heavy rain was about to fall at any moment.

When the broadcast camera focused on the starting straight, it seemed that rain could already be seen falling from the clouds behind.

The team gradually informed the drivers that it would rain, but the rain would last for 15-20 minutes.

However, different teams had different predictions about the rain; some said it would be heavy rain, some said it would be torrential rain, and some said it would just be a light drizzle.

After Hamilton ran his fastest lap, his speed stabilized at around 1 minute 37.3 seconds.

There wasn't enough time difference between them and Wu Shi.

"If it rains in fifteen minutes, there should be about 10 laps left in the race. Is it necessary to switch to rain tires?" Fei asked.

"Didn't you hear the Manor team radio? It's going to rain very heavily!"

“That’s just what they said was very heavy; Williams thought the rain wouldn’t be too heavy.”

During their discussion, Perez and Sainz both got locked out.

Perez eventually slipped and went off the track, but thankfully he managed to turn back.

On lap 33, McLaren informed Alonso:

“There are already sparse raindrops on the expressway in the maintenance area, and the rain is expected to start from the maintenance area exit.”

These words caught the attention of the other teams, and many engineers sitting on the command wall reached out to sense the situation.

Shortly after, Jonathan informed Wu Shi via TR:
"Yellow flag in the first three seconds. Sainz has stopped the car in the run-off area of ​​Turn 18. Please be aware."

He added as soon as he finished speaking, "It's a virtual safety car. A virtual safety car has been released."

"Copy".

The pace of the game began to be controlled, and Wu Shi saw Hamilton swaying left and right on the straight ahead.

He knew that with him watching the old man from behind, the old man must be having a hard time too.

And most importantly, it's going to rain soon, and the slower you go, the more likely it is to rain.

At this point, Dave tells Massa in the TR: "Whether it rains or not, you're going to run to the end with one set of tires and hold your position."

Jonathan remained silent, although the strategy team believed it would be better for both drivers to execute the same strategy.

In today's race, the shortest pit stop for tire changes was Kvyat's 28.347 seconds on lap 18.

In other words, pit stops would result in a loss of at least 29 seconds. The rain was originally expected to fall around lap 40, so with only 12 laps left, could the pit stop riders make up for the 29-second gap?
However, with the introduction of the virtual safety car, the overall speed is very slow, and rain is expected to fall before lap 40.

Will the extra laps help drivers who have switched to rain tires to make up for lost time?
Wu Shi turned through Turn 18 and entered the starting straight.

The bright text "VSC" in the yellow frame kept flashing.

How long until the virtual safety vehicle is ready?

It was already the 35th lap, and his mind started working. He asked Jonathan a question.

In a 52-lap race, the timing, intensity, and duration of the rain will now be crucial in influencing the outcome.

Just as Wu Shi was making wild hopes, Jonathan said in TR:
"I will tell you when the virtual safety cars will disappear, but ultimately you still have to look at the virtual safety car signs on the roadside."

"I know, I'll pay attention."

At this moment, Sainz's race car had just been lifted up by the crane.

When Wu Shi reached Turn 11, the VSC logo disappeared.

Jonathan's voice rang out almost simultaneously: "Virtual safety vehicle over."

Wu Shi and the old man seized the opportunity very quickly, both reacting swiftly.

The difference in seconds between the two remained within a fairly stable range.

Massa, however, was clearly a step behind, but no matter, Rosberg still couldn't find a chance to overtake him.

Entering lap 36, Wu Shi clearly felt that the light on the south side of the track had decreased significantly.

When he and Hamilton returned to Turn 15, they could see the bright reflections on both sides of the racing line in the middle of the corner.

It's raining!
pat.

The rain hit the front of the nose and was then carried away by the relentless wind.

"It started raining as we approached Turn 15, and it felt like it was raining the whole way," Wu Shi said immediately.

“Received, we are monitoring the rain,” Jonathan replied.

After passing through the rain zone, the wheels were covered in water, making it even harder for the temperature, which had already been lowered by the virtual safety vehicle, to rise again.

Wu Shi had to focus more on the tire's grip.

The track started to become difficult to drive.

As we entered lap 37, Jonathan's voice rang out:

“你上一圈1分37秒485，刘易斯1分37秒6，你们现在的秒差进入2秒内。”

slow!

Tire wear? Or discomfort in the rain?
"Where am I?" Wu Shi asked immediately.

“Third time slot,” Jonathan asked.

"Okay." Having just entered the rainy area, anyone would need to adapt and rethink the grip, so it's understandable that it might be a little slow.

However, being excusable does not mean that everything is alright.

Wu Shi's pursuit put Hamilton under tremendous pressure.

This guy is closing in too fast!
Hamilton knew it would definitely rain, but he had no idea exactly how.

"Is anyone coming into the station now? Is anyone coming in to change a tire?"

He asked urgently.

As the leader, the pressure of decision-making power is now on his shoulders.

Just like in the Monaco race, the team chose to let him lead the race into the pits, thinking it would be safer, but they ended up losing a championship.

The situation is similar now; he has to keep an eye on the front row drivers.

Wu Shi goes without saying; he's less than two seconds away. If he makes even the slightest move, he'll be overtaken immediately.

Massa was significantly behind, but only by about 7 seconds.

Kimi, who finished fifth, and Vettel, who finished sixth, were 25 seconds and 26.7 seconds behind him, respectively.

It wasn't until Kvyat, who was in eighth place, that the difference was reduced to 28.4 seconds.

Because the rain has affected the condition of the maintenance area, getting to the station will definitely be slower.

So once he enters the station, he will most likely land directly behind Kvyat when he comes out.

“No vehicles are currently changing tires; they remain on the track,” Bono said.

However, he then looked at the broadcast screen and saw that the Ferrari crew was all standing next to the semi-wet tires, seemingly ready to change the tires at any moment.

"The road surface is still not wet enough," Wu Shi said to the convoy.

"Copy".

However, at this point, the rain was so heavy at turns 16-18 that Vettel was almost unable to take the corners and had to make several corrections in the middle of the turns.

By lap 38, raindrops were already wetting the goggles.

As soon as he entered Turn 15, Wu Shi felt that the wheels were intermittently covered with a film of water, and he almost completely lost his grip.

He and Hamilton both went for a drift, but both managed to recover.

The next three bends will look even wetter.

Wu Shi's heart was pounding even faster; he wanted to surpass them.
laugh!
Okay, it's too slippery, I can't overtake.

Both players then simultaneously drifted out of Turn 18.

Hamilton, who was in front, clearly knew what Wu Shi was thinking, so he was pushing with all his might.

This thrilling turn immediately attracted the attention of the broadcast cameras.

After Hamilton and Wu Shi'an passed away peacefully, Massa and Rosberg arrived.

Massa was moving very slowly, and Rosberg seemed to see an opportunity, with the front wing almost reaching Massa's rear wheel position.

In an instant, his direction veered sharply to the left, and the drift sent him straight off the track.

"Oh! Rosberg!"

"This mistake has wasted all the effort of the previous ten laps!"

The commentators were moved.

At this point, Alonso entered the pit.

Hamilton did not pit at the end of lap 38.

Wu Shi followed suit, not planning to enter the station, but still mentioned it in TR:
“We should be prepared. It’s already very difficult to use dry tires in the third time slot, but the roads in the first two time slots will cause the semi-wet tires to overheat.”

"Copy".

Jonathan responded that driver feedback on road conditions has become especially important now.

Turning my head, I saw the fifth and sixth Ferraris.

Vettel used the DRS on the straight after Turn 14 to make a spin, and then overtook at Turn 15.

Sure enough, the slippery Turn 15 made it impossible for Kimi to defend effectively.

This drew cheers from the nearby stands, but Kimi, after being overtaken, didn't hesitate and plunged into the pit lane entrance.

We've arrived at the station!
One of the drivers in the front row has entered the pit lane!
The camera immediately focused on Kimi, and sure enough, he had switched to semi-rain tires.

But there are still 13 laps left in the race. If the rain doesn't stop, Kimi's race will be ruined!
Kimi crossed the speed limit line and took a total of 30.397 seconds to enter the pit lane, with a tire change taking 4.4 seconds.

After coming out, he fell behind Hulkenberg, ranking 8th.

As the rain increased on the track, the lap times of the front row also decreased.

"Wu Shi is actually catching up with Hamilton!"

David noticed this and immediately began to explain:

“第38圈，刘易斯的圈速是1分48秒364，而吴轼的圈速1分48秒136，后者又追近了0.23秒。

"At this point, the difference between the two has narrowed to 1.5 seconds, but the rain situation is unclear. Are they going to decide the winner on the dry tire, or do they need to go to the pit to change tires?"
"Four riders have already switched to partial wet tires, so Kimi's lap time will be closely watched!"

Running on a wet, slippery road with bald tires is like placing a stainless steel bowl on a glass surface covered in water.

If it weren't for the tires spinning rapidly and the car having enough downforce, it felt like the car would have slid down a slight incline.

Wu Shi's racing line has changed. The racing line, which was originally dry, is now covered with rainwater brought by other vehicles, affecting the grip.

However, the area outside the racing lines is covered with rubber particles, which make it even more slippery once they get on you.

Therefore, he often has to carefully select the routes with the driest conditions and the fewest rubber particles.

He meticulously manages the tire grip without stopping for a moment.

Hamilton ahead also changed lanes, sometimes taking sharp turns to maintain speed in the corner, and sometimes cutting into the inside line to find a dry and less rubber-covered line.

He saw Wu Shi's car flashing lights in the rearview mirror and felt uncertain whether the guy would be able to catch up.

The broadcast cameras became busy, glancing at Wu Shi one moment and Rosberg the next.

Although Rosberg made a big mistake just now, he became incredibly stable afterward.

On the contrary, Massa's inability to swim was too severe. He didn't make any major mistakes, but his speed in the corners was extremely slow, and he quickly regained his advantage.

On lap 39, after Turn 9, Rosberg slowed down his entry speed and took the inside line, where there was more water than on the racing line.

However, Massa dared not overtake and went to the outside, but he couldn't give it the throttle when exiting the corner, or rather, he simply couldn't control the action precisely.

Susu!

Rosberg controlled the throttle, and his extreme traction control allowed the vehicle to accelerate far faster than Massa's.

Swish!
On the straightaway, a slow start leads to a slow finish, and without the aid of DRS, Rosberg overtook Massa.

Clearly, as the rain intensified, drivers who were not good at swimming were increasingly outmatched by the rain-fighting pros.

By lap 40, the time difference between Wu Shi and Hamilton had narrowed to 1.25 seconds.

"Wu Shi is much faster than Hamilton!"

"How did he do that? It felt like he was giving it too much gas."

"That's young people for you! They're fearless and will trample on anything they can!"

"If he keeps running like this, it won't be long before Wu Shi enters Hamilton's DRS."

As Bingge and Feige were talking, Hamilton's TR started playing.

Hamilton: "I feel like the road surface is a bit dry. Is it not going to rain later?"

Mercedes: "It's drizzling now, and there are clouds drifting over, so there will be another rain, and the rain is expected to get much heavier."

Hamilton: "What is the difference in seconds between Wu Shi and me now?"

Mercedes: "1.423 seconds."

(End of this chapter)