F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 304 Life is impermanent
After a day of relaxation in Italie, Wu Shi quickly returned to the team.

The defeat in Monaco is not a big problem for Wu Shi now.

He won five out of six races, and even in the one he didn't win, he still stood on the podium. His points total is now unmatched.

This terrifying stability makes Wu Shi's reign seem more boring than any other season.

Faced with this question, Toto and Lauda could only say that Wu Shi's absolute consistency is what has allowed Mercedes to achieve its current results.

Moreover, Wu Shi's path to victory in the six main competitions he has already participated in was not smooth sailing.

This explanation did not satisfy the audience, after all, most people are not seasoned researchers, they only saw Mercedes' lead in qualifying and their victory in the race.

Both the FIA ​​and F1 are somewhat worried about this phenomenon, especially Liberty Media, which believes that this will make the races less exciting.

After seeing FOM's statement, Toto had no choice but to speak frankly in another interview:

"Wu Shi is the most consistent driver I have ever seen. Compared to other top drivers, he can execute strategies better, which is the secret to his success and an important reason for our achievements."

This answer was unexpected and seemed to imply some kind of teammate status.

Therefore, some reporters inquired about Toto Hamilton's situation, and Toto did not avoid the question, but instead said:
"Hamilton has excellent technique, but his performance fluctuates a lot, and we need to help him solve this problem."

Such discrepancies in statements before and after will naturally be highlighted by reporters.

However, those who actually watch the races know that in recent years, there have been no absolutely consistent drivers in the paddock.

Hamilton's poor performance in the first half of the season is nothing new.

Even the young four-time champion Vettel often makes blunders, making small mistakes while cruising. These may seem insignificant, but they can affect the outcome of the game at crucial moments.

As for Alonso, no one believes he still possesses the driving ability he had at his peak.

But the main problem is that McLaren has continued to underperform this year, and even with a world champion sitting inside, they are still easily overlooked.

As public opinion was steered towards a comparison of driver consistency, people truly overlooked Wu Shi's top-notch driving skills and ignored the fact that the discussion should have focused on Mercedes' dominance this year.

To be fair, Toto is quite the schemer.

Fans always love to debate which driver they think is the best, and these discussions are always the most intense and lengthy.

With the Canadian Grand Prix approaching, public opinion seemed poised to return to discussions about Wu Shi's dominance, but then he made a rare starting mistake in the main race—

He admitted after the game that he had lost focus.

Hamilton seized the opportunity, not only playing a fearless defensive game in the first few laps but also pulling away from the pack later on.

Wu Shi didn't really intend to fight to the death; otherwise, given Hamilton's condition, there was a real possibility that both cars would retire from the race.

That would cause a huge commotion.

However, he still finished as runner-up, without suffering any major losses.

On the other hand, Storl's first home game didn't go well.

Even renowned Canadian driver and F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve expressed his dislike for Stroll.

They believe that the young man is the worst rookie in F1 history.

This criticism wasn't just his opinion; it reflected the views of most people.

It's worth noting that before Stroll entered the paddock, his father pulled out all the stops, hiring the Ferrari youth training program director and spending a fortune to conduct private tests on the F1 track with an older model car.

With such excellent conditions, the young master's performance was mediocre, which naturally made people look down on him.

However, these are just episodes in the development of F1. F1 has never lacked paying drivers, but there are few businessmen like Stroll's father who are willing to spend a lot of money.

Anyway, when Storr was racing F3, the old Storr bought a racing team.

So some people joked that if he were to get to F1, would old Stormoll buy an F1 team so that his son could continue racing?
The Canadian victory lifted Hamilton's spirits considerably, but the changes came too quickly.

Ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the FIA's official magazine interviewed Hamilton.

Hamilton seemed to subtly hint at wanting to retire during an interview, telling reporters:
"My destiny is in my own hands, and I can say that I will retire at the end of the season."

"Does this mean that if I retire in five years, I'll leave behind even less? Who can say for sure?"

His last sentence was somewhat puzzling, but the key point was in the first part.

His poor performance this year has certainly made people feel that this black world champion is no longer as optimistic as before.

Therefore, the release of this interview did indeed spark a wider discussion.

Because of Hamilton's uncertain future, rumors have also circulated in the paddock that Vettel will join Mercedes.

Ferrari's attention has also turned to Ricciardo, Verstappen, and Sainz, as the 38-year-old Kimi is clearly retiring.

As for why Wu Shi wasn't considered? Well, it's because Mercedes-Benz's contracts aren't something you can just poach from anywhere.

Amidst the turmoil in the paddock, F2 driver Charles Leclerc remained in the hospital.

After June, his father's health deteriorated rapidly. He sat by his father's bedside, looking at the man who had worked so hard to support him.

His once tall and imposing body was now frail and weak, and his gray hair was scattered and disheveled.

“Charles.” His father’s weak voice rang out.

Leclerc knew he couldn't show his sadness in front of his father, so he forced a fairly sunny smile.

"Well, I'm here."

"Don't take the Monaco game to heart; there will always be difficulties in a match."

Leclerc grabbed his father's hand, somewhat surprised that his father hadn't scolded him severely this time because he had completely lost the game.

"Yes, I know. I'm not upset about it, and I've already proven myself at the opening game and in Spain."

Leclerc said the two wins kept him in the lead in points.

Sure enough, upon hearing his son's words, Hervé smiled and said:
"But you need to be even better. You know, I stopped at F3, while you made it to F2. You're already so much better than me. You have a much brighter future. It's a pity."

This unfortunate remark made Leclerc's heart skip a beat.

Hervey looked at his son's handsome face; the little boy from back then had grown into a young man.

He felt a little regretful, as there were some things he might not see. He didn't know if Charles could make it into F1; he didn't have time.

He knew his physical condition was very bad.

Leclerc felt a vague unease upon seeing his father's appearance.

He felt a lot of discomfort in his eyes, but he couldn't cry.

He pinched and kneaded his jaw, turning his head left and right in a panicked manner, looking around the room. He blinked frantically many times before saying:
“No, Father, I’ve already been signed. Ferrari told me they’ll give me a seat next year.”

Hervé's smile brightened upon hearing this, but his face remained expressionless. He simply kept repeating:
"Good! Good! Very good! I know you are so excellent, you can definitely do these things."

Although she kept praising her son, she couldn't even lift her hand to stroke him.

"Focus on preparing for the competition. Don't become arrogant or complacent just because you've got this opportunity. You don't need to come see me all the time; you have a lot to do too. Be dedicated."

Hervé's weakened body meant he couldn't speak for long before needing to rest.

Leclerc left the ward and leaned against the door; the pain was something he couldn't share with outsiders.

On June 20th, the devastating news arrived.

Hervé Leclerc's condition worsened, and he died shortly afterward.

Upon receiving the news, Leclerc rushed over and stared blankly at his father's body.

When his relatives arrived, he stood in the corner, saying nothing and not crying, just quietly staying there.

"Dad, I love you. Thank you for everything you've done. We will miss you."

On June 22, less than 48 hours after Herve's death, the Baku station in Azerbaijan began.

No one knows how Leclerc arrived at the stadium on time; he seemed no different from anyone else.

However, the bumps and bruises he encountered in practice matches revealed that his mind was not at peace.

However, in the qualifying session on June 23, he still secured pole position with a time 0.568 seconds ahead of second place.

In the main competition the following day, they finished the competition as champions.

Charles Leclerc, who had remained calm throughout, looked up at the sky as he stood on the highest podium.

His eyes were unfocused, as if he could see Hervé praising him.

He laughed, and then tears welled up uncontrollably.

For the past five days, the suppressed emotions have been like an out-of-control storm, raging through my brain and destroying everything.

"Dad, I lied to you, I haven't gotten an F1 seat yet."
"But Dad, I won another victory, did you see that?"
"They were cheering for me from the sidelines, Dad."
"Dad, I miss you so much."

Wu Shi and Bianchi watched from below the podium as this young man, who would not turn 20 for another four months, had to endure the greatest sorrow of his life.

After receiving the trophy, Leclerc stepped down from the podium, wiped away his tears, and embraced Bianchi.
-
The F1 race only begins after the F2 race ends.

Wu Shi shook his head, trying to calm himself down.

He was repeatedly disrupted during yesterday's qualifying rounds and almost got eliminated in Q2.

Fortunately, he managed to achieve a fast enough lap time despite being blocked, which allowed him to advance with a low score.

Otherwise, he would become a Mercedes driver joke like Hamilton.

However, misfortune never comes singly. In Q3, he made another mistake while pushing his limits, but fortunately it only affected his lap time and did not damage the car.

It has to be said that the Baku circuit is really something, as he ultimately started behind Hamilton.

Even when the main competition started at 5 o'clock, Wu Shi was still very unlucky and miserable.

Hamilton's start wasn't particularly fast, and Wu Shi didn't even hesitate to overtake his teammate.

As it turns out, the old man's current style is at its most ruthless, doing everything he can to stop Wu Shi. If Wu Shi doesn't intervene, it will definitely be a double defeat!

Wu Shi was also furious; this was Hamilton's usual tactic, which he used to destroy Rosberg in 2015.

So at turn 1, Wu Shi still launched a very aggressive attack, and the old man let the car crash into him without any regard for the consequences.

Yes, the old man's actions were just that outrageous!
This isn't a wheel-to-wheel race; it's a gamble that Wu Shi will definitely give way!

Forced to move aside, Wu Shi was surprised to find that Hamilton hadn't considered the consequences at all and still bumped him with his rear wheel.

This scene instantly made Toto furious, slamming his fist on the table and even reaching for his headphones.

With this change, Wu Shi's position was naturally in jeopardy.

Hamilton pulled away beautifully from the corner, Vettel followed, and Wu Shi and Kimi got tangled up together.

Fortunately, Mercedes' car was fast enough to allow him to hold onto third place. Totto finally calmed down, but he was still furious.

After taking the lead, Hamilton perfectly utilized the advantages of the Mercedes car and quickly established his advantage.

Wu Shi's side skirts and side boxes were affected, greatly disrupting the vehicle's balance and rendering him unable to challenge Vettel's position.

I thought the race was over, but this was the Baku station, one of the toughest street races.

First, Renault engines started causing problems, with three teams using the engine—including their own team—all having to retire a car due to engine failures.

Panzi, who was eager to try behind Kimi, lost all motivation and had to withdraw from the competition.

On the other side, Kvyat, who was at the back of the team, was startled by Sainz when he returned to the field. He slipped and spun around on the spot, and then scraped against the guardrail with a "bang".

The front wing was damaged, and a large amount of debris landed on the track.

Now, the safety car is coming out, and Wu Shi will be recalled on the next lap after Hamilton pit stop.

As a result, the damage to the side box was difficult to repair, so only a tire was replaced and any loose debris was removed.

When he came out again, he had fallen to ninth place, just behind Ricardo.

Because the damage to the race car had not been repaired and its speed was still reduced, Wu Shi knew that he could only run as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, Hamilton was overjoyed upon hearing the news!
So what if Rosberg was in the lead last year? There's still a chance to catch up!
Although he lost WDC last year, it was because he didn't have a familiar crew and the car kept breaking down. There won't be as many problems this year!

Full of confidence, Hamilton had already figured out a way to shake off Vettel.

He started accelerating early, and Vettel naturally couldn't keep up.

Vettel knew that Mercedes drivers loved to play brake tests, and having been tricked by Wu Shi before, he wouldn't let Hamilton trick him again.

However, Hamilton is such a shrewd driver. He checked the situation in his rearview mirror, estimated the distance, and knew that Vettel was waiting for him to slow down before accelerating.

Since that's the case, he didn't slow down at all and went straight to the accelerator.

Such a reckless maneuver almost caused him to cross the safety line before the safety car could return.

But all of this was worth it!
Vettel was caught off guard and couldn't keep up with Mercedes at all!
Toto, sitting in the P room, smiled.

"Hamilton is really cunning!" the soldier couldn't help but exclaim.

"All's fair in war," Fei Ge laughed.

But after running a few steps, Kimi and O'Connor's struggle produced more fragments.

Before he could even pick up his thermos, Uncle Melander had to work overtime again.

The race somehow ended on lap 19.

Vettel, who was tricked by Hamilton, is now following Hamilton very closely.

Before the safety car was withdrawn, Hamilton suddenly slowed down before the bend, and Vettel, caught off guard again, rear-ended Hamilton.

The fore wing exploded into a pile of debris.

Well, it looks like Uncle Melander will have to work overtime.

But then, an astonishing scene unfolded!
Suddenly, Vettel turned and walked directly to Hamilton's side.

Like any driver who rear-ends another car because the car in front suddenly slows down for no apparent reason, Vettel was furious at this moment!

After he got to the side of Hamilton, he turned right and crashed into Hamilton, risking a broken right front suspension!
This astonishing move left the commentators in awe.

"Oh! What's going on here! What's going on?!"

"How could you deliberately crash into another driver!"

Clearly, Vettel's behavior was completely beyond everyone's comprehension.

Anyone can have road rage, but this is F1, the highest level of circuit racing. How could Vettel so openly vent his anger over his rear-end collision?
This situation caused an uproar throughout the entire venue!

Hamilton did not argue, but simply stated that he had been hit.

At the same time, with the safety car removed, he accelerated and restarted the race.

However, Baku remains Baku, and before the lap was even over, another accident occurred.

Ocon, who defended his teammate like a lion, collided with Perez while defending him.

The Perez's front wing was damaged, and the Ocon's right rear tire was slashed.

But the unlucky ones were yet to come. Wu Shi and Kimi both ran over the debris left by the two men, and both of their tires blew out.

Wu Shi's situation was slightly better; he only had a flat tire.

Kimi's right rear wheel was completely torn apart, and the rubber pads slapped the rear wing repeatedly as the wheel rim rotated, directly damaging the rear wing.

The complicated situation prompted the safety vehicle to be deployed again.

The race was restarted twice, and both times the safety car was brought out before the race was even finished in one lap. This race is truly something else.

Perez was forced to retire from the race due to damage to his blade caused by a collision with Ocon.

After changing his tire, Wu Shi fell to the back of the line and had to start all over again.

Before they had even finished one lap, the race organizers, considering the excessive debris on the track, decided to deploy the red flag because it wouldn't just be Wu Shi and Kimi who were in trouble if they continued running.

The precious time provided by the red flag actually allowed Kimi and Perez's race car to be repaired.

While the return of the red prancing horse to the track is certainly exciting, the performance by the Red Circus is even more unmissable.

The camera quickly panned to Ferrari F1 number 7, and simultaneously played Kimi's TR.

"Gloves! My gloves! Mark, gloves!!"

"Steering wheel! Yes, give me gloves and a steering wheel!"

Soon someone threw the gloves to Kimi, but while putting on the gloves, Kimi faced a serious problem—

He doesn't have a steering wheel!

Hey! Someone give me the steering wheel! The steering wheel!
"Come on! Go get it!"

Kimi, having not gotten her hands on the steering wheel for a long time, shouted it out, which also angered Iceman.

Fortunately, someone eventually took the steering wheel; otherwise, pushing an F1 car without a steering wheel onto the track would have been too absurd!

One big event after another, it was dazzling.

The game resumed after the red flag was raised.

Vettel kept a long distance from Hamilton this time, perhaps out of fear.

Ricciardo started exceptionally aggressively from the 7th start, braking late at Turn 1 to overtake both Williams and Hulkenberg cars.

Wu Shi, who started from 15th place, once again demonstrated his control of the vehicle and his understanding of the track.

Also before Turn 1, he narrowly overtook three cars while almost driving onto the curb!
It jumped straight to 12th place!
The reason it's considered dangerous is because the road shoulders here can cause race cars to bounce and lose traction.

Then, the race car will lose control at the narrow exit of the corner and collide with other vehicles.

Previously, drivers like Ocon had already learned this lesson the hard way; the debris scattered everywhere was caused by their crashes.

Because overtaking usually occurs when driving excessively onto the curb, there are always race cars nearby when the car loses control.

The exciting start and overtaking maneuvers at the beginning and end of the race seemed to indicate that the competition was about to get back on track.

After driving less than 7 laps, Hamilton ran into trouble!

The back half of his headrest was sticking up, apparently because it wasn't properly secured.

This forced the old man to drive while holding his headrest in place.

Due to safety concerns, Hamilton had to have his headrest installed at the station.

"Lewis is coming in for maintenance, P8," Jonathan told Wu Shi.

At this point, Wu Shi had surpassed Eriksson to reach 11th place.

In other words, the current ranking difference between the two Mercedes players is not that large.

At this point, Vettel had taken the lead, but he only led for three laps before being penalized with a "Stop-and-go penalty" for unsafe driving.

This is what racing fans often refer to as a Stop-go penalty, which is usually due to dangerous driving, failure to comply with the rules of the race flags, and the lapped vehicle failing to allow the leading vehicle behind it to overtake.

After receiving a penalty, the driver must immediately enter the pit lane and remain there for 10 seconds.

This can be considered the maximum penalty allowed under time-limit penalties.

Although Vettel asked what was going on, everyone knew that this was the official penalty issued by the referee for Vettel's deliberate collision with Hamilton.

It's worth noting that deliberately causing a car crash would warrant an immediate suspension.

Vettel obediently entered the pit lane, and when he came out, he was still 2 seconds ahead of the old man.

Clearly, the old man's headrest problem couldn't be solved overnight.

So the old man began to complain that Vettel's punishment was too lenient; as the victim, he was now even behind the perpetrator.

On lap 34, Ricciardo was in the lead, Storol was in second, and Bottas was in third.

This is a rare sight, with Red Bull and two Williams cars leading the way.

Well, that's great, first place goes to Ricardo.

On lap 35, Grosjean pitted, and Wu Shi moved into the points zone.

Sainz ahead of him didn't hold him off for long, and on lap 42, Wu Shi once again made a brilliant overtake.

While Sainz was attacking Toge, Wu Shi took the opportunity to slip into the gap, overtaking two people and reaching 8th place.

Hamilton had by then moved up to 5th place.

In the final few laps, Wu Shi made two more overtakes, overtaking Magnussen and Ocon to move into 6th place.

At this point, he was no longer able to pursue the old man ahead.

On the final lap, Bottas pulled off a stunning upset against Storol, securing second place.

The dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix has now come to an end.

Two lucky Williams drivers will be getting to taste Ricciardo's shoe wine.

The end of the match does not mean the end of the controversy.

(End of this chapter)