F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 330 Five Years in a Hurry
Wu Shi straightened his suit and then sat down in his seat.

The interviewer was a full 4 meters away from him, and the entire environment had been disinfected.

Even so, Wu Shi still wore a mask.

The interviewer paused for a moment before speaking:
"Wu Shi, hello, this year has truly been an extraordinary year."

"We saw you win your fifth drivers' championship in an unstoppable manner."

"You won 16 out of 17 Grand Prix events, a winning percentage of 94.11%, which is simply a miracle."

"Could you share with us what the past year has been like? Your performance has been so phenomenal, it's truly amazing!"

Wu Shi nodded, picked up the microphone, thought for a moment, and said:
"Well, first of all, I need to thank my team. Mercedes has built a fantastic race car this year."

"W11 is so perfect."

"Although high drag and high downforce make tire management difficult, it allows the whole car to be driven exactly as I want."

"We haven't encountered any real challenges in most of this year's Grand Prix races."

Wu Shi paused here, seemingly recalling the seventeen matches.

The interviewer laughed and chimed in:

“We saw it in the competition; you also achieved 17 pole positions in 17 races.”

"Haha, I wonder if you're sad about that game you lost? You had the chance to achieve a 100% win rate."

Wu Shi tapped the bridge of his nose, which was a little itchy from being covered by the mask for so long, and laughed:

"Of course it's a bit of a pity, but that's how competitions are."

"During the British Grand Prix, both Lewis and I experienced tire blowouts."

"This situation did not improve at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, because the two races were too close together."

"You know, the enormous downforce of our race cars makes the tires very fragile."

"Red Bull is very smart. They made tactical adjustments specifically to counter us. This was a smart victory."

The interviewer nodded, expressing strong agreement:

“Yeah, the FIA ​​has even issued regulations requiring that next year’s cars cannot have such a huge amount of downforce.”

Wu Shi nodded and said:
"That's right, many of the advanced and innovative design elements in our race car this year will disappear from next year's race car."
"Because of the new technical regulations issued by the FIA."

Wu Shi carefully considered his words. He couldn't criticize the FIA, nor could he discuss the details of Mercedes-Benz, so he simply changed the subject:

"If I were to look back on the whole year, I probably wouldn't have many impressions."

"Even though we set so many records throughout the process, we don't know how long those records will last."

"I think having one car in F1 that can compete for the championship is half the battle won."

“I’m glad that the team and I were able to work together so well to do the other half of the job as well.”

"I cannot forget that these achievements stem from the efforts of everyone, and that is our belief."

The interviewer listened attentively, even though there wasn't much substance in what he said.

After Wu Shi finished speaking, she glanced at her inscription book again and continued to ask:
"Everyone is very concerned about one thing right now: in September, the Williams team was acquired."

"As far as we know, an investment company from China won the bid, and you should have been involved in pushing this project."

How should we view your relationship with Williams now?
Are you his investor? Or his major shareholder? Or perhaps the actual controller?

Wu Shi nodded slightly. This question had been discussed in the hunting grounds for a long time, and the fact that it was being asked again at the end of the year clearly showed that the outside world was still paying close attention to it.

He had to say it again:

"The team has nothing to do with me commercially, and the capital required to operate a team is not something I can mobilize."

"Moreover, I don't have the energy to devote to any team affairs such as management, operation, and research and development for the time being."

"I'm in one of the greatest teams in F1 history, and I know how many difficulties and things there are in running a team. Now I also need to focus on my racing."

"I think you can understand this acquisition as a normal investment, except that the acquiring party is a Chinese investment company, it's that simple."

Wu Shi gave the same answer as he had given in previous attempts.

The situation with the Westbrook team is currently quite complicated, as 90% of its shares are held by a company called Shunteng Investment.

This company is actually controlled by Longteng Group, and Wu Zhenlin happens to be in Longteng Group as well, so there has been a lot of speculation about it.

However, this was not entirely driven by Wu Shi, but rather a natural result that arose over time.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the FIA ​​has introduced stricter budget caps and further reduced R&D costs, resulting in lower operating costs for F1 teams.

Combined with Wu Shi's current achievements, which have led to increasing popularity of F1 in China, they believe that the sport has a vast market in China.

This means that even disregarding technical aspects, F1 teams are highly likely to become profitable in the future.

In addition, Longteng Group itself has certain connections with motorsports – they currently supply the kart chassis for the Italie market.

Therefore, their further development in this field is also aimed at expanding their business empire.

Moreover, the R&D personnel of the Wei team still have some expertise, and Longteng Group also intends to take over these technologies and patents.

As for the remaining 10% stake, it brought Daimler back.

Williams has been working with Mercedes in the hybrid era, and this move is essentially a case of learning from Racing Point, which is about to be renamed Aston Martin, and developing a closer partnership with Mercedes.

After the acquisition, the management of the West Bromwich Albion team underwent significant changes immediately.

The Williams family naturally withdrew from the management ranks, and the senior management was basically filled by people from the Longteng Group.

The Westbrook team's R&D center remains in the UK, and it's basically the same team.

However, Longteng will send people to the UK's R&D center to take over the technological R&D legacy of the Wei team.

Geely did hesitate on this issue, but it was also related to the fact that they had spread their operations too thin.

The interviewer nodded, seemingly skipping over the question, and continued with:
"Okay, one more question: how do you feel about missing out on the Laureus World Sports Award?"

"Well, each award has its own judging criteria. I'm not a judge, so I have no opinion on this."

"For me, the honors I have achieved are already quite remarkable. I will focus on my F1 racing career and just keep doing that."

Wu Shi smiled and nodded. Even though the other person couldn't see the smile under the mask, they could still tell from the movement of his face.

"You are a very open-minded person, and I think it is precisely because of this mindset that you have achieved these successes."

"Is your goal for the upcoming 2021 to win your sixth world championship?"

After praising him, the interviewer asked a question.

"Of course, this issue does not need to be denied."

"When I won my second world championship, I was definitely fighting for my third world championship."

"When I won my second world championship, I was definitely fighting for my third world championship."

"And so on, we are always striving for future honors, otherwise I should leave the track."

Upon hearing this, the interviewer smiled and said:

"You are so young, we could very well see you make history in F1, and we look forward to your performance next year!"
Thank you for your answer today.

Wu Shi politely thanked her and left the interview room, where Louise was carrying a coat.

Upon seeing him come out, she immediately stepped forward and draped the shawl over his shoulders.

"Time to go home and get some rest."

Wu Shi finished dressing, put his arm around Louise's shoulder, and walked out into the corridor.

Louise smiled sweetly and shared with him the interesting things she encountered while taking online classes.

Following the release of the interview with the world champion, media outlets from various countries followed suit with their reports.

There are all sorts of titles.

Wu Shi: Aiming for the sixth crown, creating another miracle!

Wu Shi: Not receiving the Laureus Award is Laureus's problem.

"Another five-time F1 champion! Equaling the legendary Fangio!"

"Unveiling the Secret: Why Did Wu Shi Drive So Steadily and So Fast?"

"Shocking! Wu Shi is already married! And his spouse is...!"

"Wu Shi, the Chinese ruler of F1, the Great Demon King"

"F1 needs saving; it's a disgrace that a Chinese person has won all the titles."

Wu Shi admitted that the carriage was fast!

With so many honors bestowed upon him, Wu Shi no longer needed to care about most of the negative comments.

Fans on social media went wild, and all sorts of highlight reels sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

There are also more and more videos that create fun and entertaining content.

Domestic fans are very disappointed that the Shanghai station was cancelled this year, missing the opportunity to witness Wu Shi's five championships in person.

However, some people still managed to send back a lot of footage they captured on-site to China, but since most of the matches were held behind closed doors, there wasn't much useful information available.

2020 was an unexpected year, full of variables and extraordinary events.

The pandemic has changed many people and caused many things during this period.

But just like the closed-door races of F1, the glory, regret, joy, and sorrow were not kept out of the world.

These emotions are like the indistinct sounds of tinnitus, or the emotionless face hidden behind a mask. In the end, everything is borne silently by each individual.

For many people, 2020 may have ended in the blink of an eye.

Because of the daily routine at home, it seems as if time hasn't moved. It's not until you look at the calendar that you realize a year has passed.

Wu Shi traveled to various places as a driver, but he didn't really go very far.

As in previous years, he stayed in Italia for Christmas, unable to return home.

He would need 7+7, or even 14+14, and various procedures could potentially prevent him from making it to the next season's work schedule.

At their home in Modena, the three of them sat on the sofa watching television after a satisfying meal.

Louise leaned against Wu Shi as usual, then looked at her phone.

"Huh, Max got a new girlfriend?" she suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

“Yeah, it’s changed again.” Wu Shi nodded.

"Wow, that's fast! There are already several," Louise remarked.

“This might be the last one,” Wu Shi said with a smile.

"Really? I don't quite believe it. She seems to be Koviat's ex-girlfriend?" Louise asked again.

"Yes, she is the daughter of Nelson Piquet, a three-time F1 world champion."

Wu Shi leaned closer to look at Louise's phone screen, the faint scent of Louise's hair wafting into his nostrils.

“Look, he just broke up with Dila last October.” Louise flipped through another inquiry.

"Let's see what Max has to say."

Wu Shi scrolled back to the previous post, where Pan Zi had added a picture and captioned it:

Happy New Year everyone! Let's make 2021 a memorable year in all sorts of ways! I hope you all find true love and happiness, just like me.

Kelly Piquet responded with a simple heart emoji, saying:
Love makes the world go round, Happy New Year! Overflowing with love!

"Time flies so fast!"

Martina, who was standing nearby, seemed to have noticed this and suddenly spoke up:

“2015年你加入F1夺得世界冠军，16、17、18、19、20这五年真的是一晃眼就过去了。”

"Yes, that's too fast!"

Wu Shi sighed, feeling as if the moment of winning the championship in 2015 was still fresh in his mind.

"Soon?"

Louise raised a question, saying:

"I feel like this is going to be so hard! Waaah, the professor is still assigning us practical activities during winter break."

"Of course it will be soon, Louise. Think about it, you only have two years left before you graduate. Are you ready?" Wu Shi asked with a grin.

"Ah! No!"

Louise immediately wailed, the strict entrance and exit system of the university made university life a torment!

"Haha, let's not talk about sad things on such a happy day," Martina laughed.

Although Louise was just shouting, she was really just joking around. She browsed a few more posts and then said:

"Why is someone taking pictures of us without our knowledge?!"

Wu Shi glanced at it and realized it was from the interview after they won five championships, when the two left the interview room intimately.

Louise continued scrolling down and soon saw that someone had dug up photos from 2014 and 2015.

"Are all these your car fans?" Louise asked.

"Maybe?"

Wu Shi chuckled, "Don't underestimate the twisted, exploratory mentality of some chefs."

"There are so many highlight videos of you now."

“Then don’t look at it for too long, it will hurt your eyes,” Martina said.

“No, they’re all adults now, their eyes are fully developed, they won’t be nearsighted!” Louise said.

The cozy winter holiday was uneventful yet revealed the essence of life. Day after day, time came to the end of January 2021.

Wu Shi also returned to the Mercedes factory headquarters in the UK.

Mercedes' dazzling performance in 2020 came at a price; they were almost crippled by the FIA.

More importantly, due to the impact of the 2020 pandemic, all teams froze their research and development early on.

Therefore, the team will use last year's chassis this year, and the FIA ​​has also gradually frozen development as it takes into account the financial situation of each team.

The hard-shell chassis, gearbox, cooling system, rear bumper box, and front structure were all frozen last spring.

Last September, the DRS, brakes, front bumper box, and internal suspension were also frozen.

This year, the FIA ​​"froze" the wishbone, driveshaft, gearbox ratios, steering wheel, and steering column.

Needless to say, the DAS system is on par with active suspension.

Meanwhile, because Mercedes was the 2020 world champion, aerodynamic research and development was limited, with wind tunnel and computer-aided calculations used for only 90% of the full time.

That's roughly equivalent to 40 times a week.
Meanwhile, the bottom-ranked team, Wei, enjoys a 112.5% ​​advantage. It remains to be seen whether the Sino-British joint research and development team can produce anything of value.

Wu Shi met Arsen, who was looking very worried.

“The aerodynamics director told me that the missing kit here would be a huge loss for us,” Allison said.

Wu Shi looked at the spot he was pointing to, which was the triangular section in front of the rear tire of the race car.

"How much downforce was lost?" Wu Shi asked curiously.

"7.3%-12.6%, that's our conservative estimate," Allison said.

"Hiss!" Wu Shi felt a sense of dread.

"We'll have to wait and see how it goes when we do the winter test," Alisen said, sounding rather pessimistic.

Wu Shi nodded and examined the details of this year's W12 design.

The internal combustion engine is made entirely of new alloy casting, and the turbocharger and ERS have also been completely changed.

The situation with the transmission seems to be somewhat complicated.

Wu Shi still remembers that Hamilton mentioned the gearbox problem when he was chasing him last year.

He initially thought it was due to driving too aggressively, but later in the actual race he discovered that it was due to the inherent fragility of the gearbox structure.

Too much bumps will cause the gearbox gears to vibrate, leading to gradual damage to the gears.

This is a huge problem!

Wu Shi was already very careful not to drive on the road shoulder during the subsequent cruise to avoid excessive shaking.

In fact, this was also to protect the pregnancy.

As we approach mid-March, the winter testing has entered its final preparation stage.

This year, the team has undergone significant changes, with changes to the driver lineup, team name, and team management to varying degrees.

First up was Ferrari; after Vettel left, Sainz squeezed right in.

Meanwhile, Louis C. Camilleri, the former head of Ferrari, chose to retire.

It is said that after he was on the verge of death from the disease, he suddenly realized that life is only a few decades long and that some time should be reserved for family and life.

Elkann was in a real bind and temporarily took over as Ferrari's CEO.

Renault was renamed Alpine due to changes in its management.

Secondly, Match Point was renamed Aston Martin.

Lawrence Storr bought Aston Martin and subsequently used the somewhat historic name to compete.

Meanwhile, Vettel will join them as their main driver, alongside Stroll.

People don't quite understand Vettel's behavior. After all, why would someone with so many honors join a second-rate team?
However, Vettel had nowhere else to go.

He had a falling out with Ferrari, and Red Bull now has a new favorite, Verstappen.

Even though Marco still loves him, Vettel doesn't have the ambition to compete with Verstappen.

As for Mercedes-Benz?

Vettel was surprised that Hamilton was still able to stay, having been suppressed by Wu Shi for four years and losing four world championships.

He himself would never go to Mercedes, because he knew Hamilton's level, but even Hamilton couldn't get the better of Wu Shi.

It will be even more difficult for him if he goes.

Ultimately, he joined the Aston Martin team.

Because of Vettel's arrival, Perez lost his seat and spent a long time lingering in the driver market.

Until Red Bull finally decided to acquire it.

Williams is still making adjustments and there have been no personnel changes—even the car they're using in 21 is the same B version from last year. Any real changes will have to wait until next year.

Finally, the 2021 roster was finalized.

(End of this chapter)