F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 300 Drunk
The wind on the evening of April 9th ​​carried the scent of champagne. The honor of being a world champion is precious, but winning a home race is even more significant.

Tonight is a time of celebration for major domestic sports media and social media platforms.

The prepared press release was issued the moment Wu Shi crossed the finish line.

The first wave of traffic immediately took off.

The casual observers who had been following F1 since Wu Shi won the world championship two years ago, but then returned because Wu Shi failed to win in 2016, have also come back to watch.

This is true of any sport; the strong naturally attract favor and attention.

Photographers captured the image of Wu Shi holding the national flag as he drove across the track, and this photo became the header image of the page and appeared in various posts.

The edited video on Bilibili was also released very quickly, compiling Wu Shi's highlights and adding energetic music before releasing it directly.

"Three years have passed, who else but me!"

"The first person to have the national anthem played at an awards ceremony!"

"Give me a good car, and I can conquer the world!"

How did Wu Shi win the home Grand Prix?

However, the online uproar did not reach Wu Shi, who was holding a celebration party at the time.

Verstappen had a few more drinks and was in a great mood, immediately putting aside his disappointment at falling behind due to the car's performance on the track.

However, not everyone was happy that night.

Hamilton attended the party but felt increasing pressure.

He was unwilling to admit defeat, but the consecutive losses in two Grand Prix races had already drawn the media's attention to him.

When things are going smoothly for you, any criticism is just a passing breeze, harmless and insignificant.

But when you encounter setbacks, even the slightest damage feels like a blade piercing your heart.

Hamilton has already lost two World Championships at Mercedes, and if he loses the WDC again this year, it's conceivable that he should retire.

However, he was unwilling to leave the paddock.

He splashed cold water on his face and looked at himself in the mirror.

Next stop: Bahrain Grand Prix.

He wants to prove himself.

Standing in his current position, Hamilton has already forgotten everything that happened in 2015.

If we don't ignore the miracle of 2015, then even he would find it difficult to recover.

Wu Shi was also forced to drink some wine that night. He staggered to the bathroom and happened to see the old man.

"Lewis, are you drunk too?" Wu Shi asked, sounding intoxicated.

“I haven’t had much to drink, but you look drunk,” Hamilton said.

"Yes, I am a little drunk. I told you I can't drink alcohol." Wu Shi shook his head.

"Tonight belongs to you, and such a wonderful moment should be celebrated."

Hamilton smiled, patted Wu Shi on the shoulder, and then turned and walked out.

Wu Shi opened his hazy eyes, his pupils reflecting the old man's back. He felt that this unruly driver was somewhat lonely at this moment.

In fact, the old man had always maintained a relatively isolated position in the paddock. He used to have a good friend, Rosberg, but after their relationship broke down, he always seemed to be alone.

Wu Shi turned on the tap and washed his face. He couldn't stay out too late tonight; he had activities tomorrow.

And because it's a back-to-back Grand Prix, he needs to prepare to head to Bahrain immediately after finishing his business on Monday.

The time in between was very tight, with almost no free time.

Actually, there are always spare moments if you squeeze in some time, but Wu Shi felt that it was a waste of time, so he preferred to run more simulators in the factory and experience racing more.

And so, Wednesday arrived.

McLaren has suddenly announced that Alonso will miss the Monaco Grand Prix on May 28.

The reason for his absence was also unexpected: Brother Tou was going to participate in the 500th Indian event!

This news immediately sparked speculation both inside and outside the paddock: Could it be that Alonso has lost interest in F1?
Horner, however, believed that McLaren's actions were completely insane, and that sending their driver to Invictus Gaming (IDG) was utterly irresponsible.

However, some hold a different view, believing this to be further evidence of F1's declining appeal.

This view was quickly refuted, as F1 achieved great success in China this year.

Then some people pointed out that this was because Wu Shi was in F1.

Those who disagreed immediately pointed out that Wu Shi was an F1 driver, which also demonstrates the influence of F1.

Wu Shi and the other drivers, caught in the whirlwind, weren't too worried.

This is widely believed to be due to the upheaval caused by Liberty Media's complete acquisition of F1 in the first quarter of this year.

Perhaps it was this unstable situation that led Bernie Ecclestone, the former F1 boss who had been dismissed for three months, to be invited back by the current head, Chase Carey.

Even the independent media have to admit Bernie's influence with racetrack organizers in various countries.

Just like the contract renewal issue for the Bahrain Grand Prix, Bernie still needs to participate.

When Wu Shi and Martina were having dinner together, Martina told him directly:

Bernie will not willingly give up his power in F1. He just wants to sell it for a good price, which does not mean he is willing to relinquish power.

"He has been in charge of F1 for over forty years, and Liberty Media's decision to bring him back will cause a lot of trouble."

On the afternoon of Thursday, the following day, Wu Shi met Leclerc in Bahrain.

The two met next to the Ferrari's pit garage, where Wu Shi had just finished talking with Martina about some things related to the paddock.

After winning the GP3 championship last year, Lock & Lock has now been promoted to F2.

Even though he performed exceptionally well in the lower classes, most people did not believe that Lock & Lock could win the F2 championship back-to-back.

However, as the most outstanding young driver in Ferrari's youth academy, some people have already regarded him as the second Wu Shi or the second Verstappen.

It's quite reasonable that each of the three racing teams has a prodigy.

However, Lock & Lock's growth trajectory is slightly slower compared to those two freaks, Wu Shi and Pan Zi.

Or rather, it should be said that Wu Shi and Verstappen were too fast, so fast that the FIA ​​has banned such promotions.

"How is Uncle's health?"

Wu Shi asked with concern that he and Bianchi had visited Herve before when Herve was unwell.

"Hmm, not bad, the hospital says the condition is stable." Locke smiled.

Last year, he replaced Gutierrez in F1 practice sessions.

If he performs well in F2 this year and obtains a super license, Ferrari will promote him to F1.

"That's good."

Wu Shi did not breathe a sigh of relief. Some things can be changed, but some things are destined.

Seeing Lock & Lock's sunny smile, he didn't know what else to say.

"You seem a little worried? I didn't expect someone who's been called the Great Demon King by four champions to make this kind of expression," Locke laughed.

"Haha, no, I was just thinking about other things. Saturday is your F2 debut, good luck!" Wu Shi also shook off the gloom in his mind.

“Of course, it’s a pity you’ve never driven an F2, otherwise you could teach me some tricks,” Locke said.

"Hey, what a coincidence! I've never driven an F2 before, but I'm familiar with Bahrain!"

Wu Shi smiled.

The two chatted for a while before Lock & Lock left because of the team's affairs.

On the other side, Martina also came out and said:
"Charles Leclerc, a young man whom Marchionne also values."

“If our agency hadn’t opened so late, we should have brought him on board,” Wu Shi said with a smile.

“But I think it’s difficult, because he’s been seeing Ferraris since he was a child.”

Martina shook her head. As an insider at Rafa, she had also participated in Lock & Lock's interviews.

Wu Shi understood that when Leclerc first visited Ferrari headquarters with Bianchi in 2010, the young man already had his heart set on Ferrari.

If childhood dreams are a kind of obsession for him, then for Lock & Lock, childhood dreams are a true childhood dream.

Lock & Lock will never forget the ray of sunlight shining through the wire mesh when he was a child, looking at the Fiorano circuit (Ferrari's professional test track).

The Bahrain Grand Prix came sooner than expected—time always seems to fly when you're busy.

On Friday, F1's first practice session began after the F2 free practice session concluded.

With the change of track, the previous setup needs to be modified to adapt to the new track.

Mercedes' racing car still has a clear advantage, but engineers need to find ways to improve its speed.

During the first practice session, both Wu Shi and Hamilton were looking for better performance, and the car's engine power was also limited, so the speed was not fast.

Vettel took first place.

In the second training session, Wu Shi's speed improved, bringing him close to Vettel's, but he still couldn't surpass him.

Mercedes doesn't really care. The real problem facing racing right now is the conflict between understeer and tire management.

The better the steering, the more difficult tire management becomes.

Hamilton even stated after the second practice session that this type of steering is very difficult to drive and will result in slower lap times!

However, since Australia, Mercedes has been facing problems such as tire overheating and excessive tire pressure. Currently, the only way to quickly alleviate this problem is to adjust the steering and suspension settings.

Wu Shi was not used to it either; he preferred agile steering because it allowed him to brake later and gain position.

However, the driver needs to be able to adapt to the car, so he simply offered his opinion and continued to work with his team to figure out how to improve lap times.

Because he needed to change his driving style, even he couldn't find his limits quickly. He could only rely on data provided by his team to gradually solve the problem on the track.

Mercedes' poor performance in the two practice sessions allowed Ferrari to take the lead in both.

This should have been a time of celebration for car enthusiasts, but the optimism didn't spread.

This, coupled with Vettel's public referendum of Wu Shi as "the Great Demon King" after the previous race, led many to believe that Vettel lacked confidence in defeating Wu Shi.

On Saturday night, Wu Shi took a break from his busy schedule and watched Lock & Lock's qualifying matches with Pan Zi.

Lock & Lock secured pole position with remarkable skill, and their outstanding performance pleased Ferrari.

After the F2 qualifying match, the three of them had a late-night snack to celebrate.

The following Saturday, something heartbreaking happened at F1.

In the third training session, Verstappen topped the table with a time of 1 minute 32.194 seconds.

Hamilton finished second with a time of 1 minute 32.304 seconds.

Vettel, on the other hand, came in fourth.

The results were not very optimistic. However, the track conditions on Saturday were different from those on Friday, and the speed of the third practice session was not as fast as that of the second practice session.

可下午的排位赛立马将铁佛寺们仅存的希望碾碎。    吴轼以1分28秒633再夺杆位，而这次，汉密尔顿发挥出现了失误，堪堪跑出了1分28秒792的成绩。

Regardless of who wins or loses the battle between Mercedes and Ferrari, Ferrari has lost.

Despite his best efforts, Vettel only managed a time of 1 minute 29.247 seconds, 0.455 seconds behind Hamilton.

The huge gap in the rankings cast a shadow over Ferrari.

Therefore, in internal meetings, Ferrari never considered taking the normal strategy from the beginning, but made special arrangements instead.

Martina was present at the meeting, but she did not reveal a single word about these confidential matters.

Wu Shi naturally wouldn't ask about these things.

Everyone says that Mercedes-Benz has been a Martian machine from 2014 to 2021. If that's the case, and Wu Shi still insists on competing illegally, then he might as well give up the world championship.

Before the main competition began, Toto held a brief meeting.

In a rare move, he reminded Hamilton during the meeting to focus as much as possible on the game.

Hamilton did not refute this, and he did indeed try to minimize his time outside the track.

However, compared to Wu Shi, he still appears "lazy".

Wu Shi basically never leaves the factory during competition week.

However, having spent so many years with Hamilton, Toto understands the habits of the two-time world champion and isn't overly critical of him.

He just wanted both drivers to perform at their best.

After all, according to telemetry data, although Ferrari's absolute lap time is not as good as theirs, its tire management is superior in all aspects.

If both drivers maintain their lead, they will have more tactical flexibility.

As for why Ferrari's tire management is so excellent, Mercedes-Benz's current information is—

Ferrari has adopted a softer aerodynamic kit.

Their base plate and front wing bend downwards, which is a new type of carbon fiber process.

As for whether there are any violations of technical regulations, that awaits the FIA's review.

“Lewis, the team will make sure you compete fairly, but I don’t want that to happen again at the start of the race,” Toto reiterated.

“Yes, I understand the team’s interests.” Hamilton nodded.

Wu Shi smiled, completely disbelieving the old man's words. However, as long as there were no problems at the beginning, then there would be no subsequent issues.

Bahrain's dirty side is even dirtier than Shanghai's dirty side, with sand blowing in the wind reducing the usable space of the track.

On Sunday afternoon, Lock & Lock won the sprint race, earning 17 points, which somewhat made up for his loss in Saturday's main race.

When Wu Shi took the stage, Lock & Lock also came over to watch the game and cheer him on.

Compared to the competition in Shanghai, Wu Shi was truly calm here.

Even when the train was departing, his mood was far from what it had been two years ago.

Perhaps because he was too relaxed, his reaction was not as terrifying as before.

However, the old man reacted slower than him, allowing Vettel, who had a quick start from behind, to seize the opportunity and squeeze into the paint.

Hamilton was forced to stay on the dirty side all the way to the first corner from the start.

Then, Vettel surpassed the past.

Seeing this, Toto opened his mouth, wanting to speak but not saying anything.

Fortunately, Wu Shi managed to maintain his position, but the disadvantages of tire management became apparent at this moment.

"Do I need to increase the speed? The steering is a bit understeerable, and the tires are wearing out a bit too quickly."

Wu Shi said that he could feel Vettel following closely behind, with no difference in time.

He wasn't worried about being overtaken, because even with DRS, it wouldn't be easy for Ferrari to overtake him.

Moreover, the difference between the two is now maintained at around 1.5 seconds.

“If possible, increase the speed,” Jonathan said.

Wu Shi did as instructed, but the Mercedes team soon discovered the problem.

Vettel is able to keep up with Wu Shi!
"Protect the tires." After two laps, Jonathan gave the new instruction.

Wu Shi continued to do as instructed, but Vettel's speed did not decrease.

This made everyone somewhat nervous.

However, after Vettel entered the area affected by the dirty air, his speed slowed down, and several attacks using DRS were easily neutralized.

This allowed Mercedes to relax a little, and the situation in the front row remained deadlocked.

On the other side, Red Bull's Verstappen displayed a starting ability far exceeding that of his teammates, overtaking Ricciardo and Kimi to move into fourth place.

Such ferocity is astounding.

Verstappen was also going all out at this point, and on lap 9, he said directly in the radio:

“I’m much faster than him, but I’m stuck here.”

And in front of him was Hamilton.

However, such a fast lap time is also the result of Verstappen pushing himself to the limit.

On lap 10, Vettel suddenly chose to pit, which surprised Mercedes.

They immediately analyzed the cause.

Wu Shi hindered Vettel, so Ferrari believed Vettel would be faster!

Is Ferrari trying to undercut?!

Could Ferrari accurately predict that the other teams would also be pitting?
If not, can Vettel ensure he doesn't get slowed down by the traffic ahead?
Two questions lingered in the minds of Mercedes' strategy team.

Sure enough, Vettel came out in twelfth place, a very bad position.

If the slower train ahead doesn't arrive at the station in time, Vettel will suffer a great loss.

During the opening ceremony, Mercedes demonstrated to everyone just how serious the consequences of misjudging the situation can be.

However, things quickly took an unexpected turn for the better.

While Perez, Sainz, and Grosjean were locked in a battle, Vettel overtook them in just one lap!
This thrilled Ferrari and Vettel fans.

Mercedes responded immediately; they couldn't wait any longer!

Jonathan immediately yelled in TR, "Push! Push!"

Upon hearing Jonathan's tone, Wu Shi knew he had to increase his speed, or he would definitely be in danger!

Verstappen also pitted on lap 11.

The front-row driver, who could potentially have the biggest impact on Vettel, also pitted early!

Vettel is now very likely to use the new tires to close the pit stop gap and pull off an incredibly long undercut!

Mercedes couldn't wait any longer, but before they could instruct the drivers to pit, on lap 12, Verstappen, who was driving very aggressively, suddenly crashed headfirst into the pits.

"The brakes have stopped working!" Panzi's voice rang out in the TR.

Fortunately, the brakes malfunctioned at the last moment, and the race car that hit the buffer pad was not completely damaged.

"Ignition, P1, P0, please pair. P1, ten seconds, P0."

The track engineer directed Verstappen to operate the equipment.

But none of this worked, and the track engineer could only sigh in the TR that he was just unlucky.

However, Mercedes had even worse luck!
Verstappen's actions unsurprisingly triggered a yellow flag, and Wu Shi and Hamilton had to prepare to enter the station.

"20 seconds ahead, BOX."

Jonathan said that even under the yellow flag, this was an extremely narrow entrance window.

Upon hearing this, Wu Shi realized that Vettel had already closed the gap to within two or three seconds in just a few laps!

Who could have predicted that Vettel would be this strong?

He wanted to speed up slightly, but he realized that this would not only fail to gain time, but would also easily result in a time penalty.

Therefore, we changed our approach and realized that we could only save the time-tracking actions for the critical points of entering and leaving the maintenance area.

At the Mercedes-Benz pit stop, a 22-person tire-changing team quickly took their positions.

Silver Arrow No. 59 had also arrived at the entrance to the maintenance area.

Just before the white line, the car's speed suddenly decreased, and it somehow managed to get stuck in the repair area.

Wu Shi slowed down before pressing the PL button.

That maneuver was very risky. If you continue to exceed the speed limit after entering the white line, you could easily get penalized.

Most drivers will press the speed limit button a little in advance as a precaution to reduce their speed.

Wu Shi saw the P-room ahead, took aim, and quickly turned in, stopping steadily within the restricted area.

Click!

The vehicle was lifted and the tires were changed.

Snapped!
Landing.

Buzz!

The silver arrow started spinning and rushed towards the fast lane.

"Wow, that was fast! This tire change only took 2.5 seconds," the soldier exclaimed in admiration.

"That's the advantage of a large racing team's system: more scientific training methods and a more cohesive team both improve tire-changing speed," Fei said.

As soon as Wu Shi crossed the white line in the maintenance area, the speed limit in the maintenance area was lifted, and he accelerated.

Vettel, who was behind, had just reached the exit of the pit lane.

With just a glance, Wu Shi made his decision. He went out and rushed straight to Vettel's side, then pushed him outwards.

Such an obviously aggressive move is bound to attract everyone's attention.

However, Wu Shi knew that in such ambiguous situations, he had to be decisive!
Once you lose your position on the track, it's very difficult to get it back!
This maneuver had an obvious effect; before Turn 1, Wu Shi's car was clearly in the lead.

After watching this scene for a long time, the soldier and the flying brother finally spoke:
"Wu Shi must have been in the lead when he came out."

"I think that's true."

Actually, the footage just now didn't show who was in the lead at all.

Vettel quickly yelled in the TR, "Hey! I was clearly ahead of him, how did he manage to overtake me? F**K*** dangerous driving!"

Wu Shi, who continued to maintain the lead, did not say anything more and quietly waited for the double yellow flag to end.

(End of this chapter)