F1: The Making of a Racing God

Chapter 166 What is not a sin for men?

With a gap of 15 seconds, unless Shu Long crashes into the wall on the last lap, the cars behind him have no chance of overtaking.

The Hungaroring circuit is inherently a track with high fuel consumption. Towards the end, even Shulong was trying to save fuel by releasing the accelerator before the braking zone and shifting gears earlier.

If the results are cancelled because not 1L of fuel can be extracted from the tank, then there's no one left to cry to.

It can be said that from the moment Hamilton was blocked by Alonso, he basically had no chance to challenge for the championship.

There wasn't even a need to wait for the car to cross the finish line; the race had only just entered the penultimate lap when the Red Bull pits were already buzzing with excitement. In contrast, Shu Long, sitting in his car, remained quite calm.

This isn't the first time Shulong has crossed the finish line in first place. Strictly speaking, today's championship doesn't feel as real as the previous one that was canceled. At least that first place was won through real competition on the track.

Today's competition was so chaotic that this championship was more due to luck than skill.

But that's it.
“You did it, man! You did it! Did you hear that? I think David Croft wrote a poem for you right here and now.”

[At least he's a champion, isn't he?]

Thinking of this, Shu Long, who had originally planned to remain silent and pretend to be an expert, couldn't help but slowly grin inside his helmet, seemingly with some pride, biting down on the Red Bull drinking hose with his front teeth, from which he could still suck out some Red Bull.

"I think I only heard a sentence or two. If I heard correctly, it was something like 'a great fire broke the chains that bound the dragon,' and something about 'baring its fangs and claws,' blah blah blah."

"We've recorded it for you. You can listen to it later in your bedroom."

"Hey! Please~ I want to clarify that I wasn't being aggressive, and I'm quite surprised they could even understand what my name means in Chinese."

"Anyway, we are proud of you, and welcome back!"

Following them were Ocon in P2, and Vettel, who had been away from the podium for a long time after joining Aston Martin.

Shu Long, who was parked in the starting grid for the championship, seemed a little lonely. He waited for a while, intending to congratulate Ao Kang and Uncle Wai Tou, but after waiting for a long time, he didn't see anyone. Instead, a large group of people came over and took turns rubbing him through his helmet.

Alonso stood in front of Shulong, who was a head taller than him, and held the profile of the young driver he had accompanied almost all the way, looking at him again and again. Even through the helmet and goggles, Shulong felt a little embarrassed by his gaze.

"Good lad! Good lad!"

"I feel like you want to kiss me."

"Yeah, why don't you take off your helmet?"

"what?!"

Shu Long pretended to be terrified and jumped back a step, then took advantage of Alonso's inattention to pull back and give his agent a heavy bear hug, squeezing the old man's bones in his forties with a "crackling" sound.

"Thank you for blocking me during those last few laps."

"There's nothing to thank me for. I just sparred with an old friend on a whim. It wouldn't have affected your championship even without me. But—thank you for the hug. To be honest, as I get older, a match can make my back ache, but I'm much better now."

According to the interview order, Vettel and Ocon should have been interviewed first, but the two were late, so Alonso ended up chatting with Shu Long for a while longer.

According to information brought by Alonso from their team's TR, they seem to have stopped outside because they were worried about failing the post-race fuel test, and are now running back from the track.

"So, how does it feel? Champion?"

"Want me to tell the truth?"

"Of course, I'm not a reporter, so whatever you say won't be reported."

"To be honest, it's a bit boring. I almost fell asleep during cruise control. I was hoping my first game back after all that hard work would be more exciting."

Some of the arrogant answers made Alonso burst out laughing. Just then, Hamilton, who had just lost a championship due to a stupid strategy, was in a bad mood and arrived late to offer his congratulations. However, he was caught by a senior rookie.

"You've come at the perfect time, Lewis. Do you remember what you said after you won your first championship?"

"What?" Hamilton was clearly taken aback for a moment, then quickly recovered with a laugh, "Oh no! Don't say that here!"

"You said it felt even better than sex!"

"Oh my God."

Hamilton looked helpless. Back in his rookie season, he was teammates with this paddock legend at McLaren, and now he had no way to deal with this disrespectful old man.

Speechless, he rubbed his temples, trying to push the camera that was trying to get closer away. Seeing that he couldn't stop the curiosity of these hunting hyenas, he bumped fists with Shu Long one last time, then simply picked up his helmet and left, not wanting to see them anymore.

"I knew right then and there that he was still a virgin!"

So Shu Long heard Alonso quietly add this sentence in his ear, with a teasing smile on his face. Seeing that Ocon and Vettel were almost there in the distance, he didn't plan to talk about anything more.

"Boredom is a good thing. You should get used to winning championships, but I hope you don't forget your yearning for them. Now it's time to show them what you're capable of!"

"I will. Also, I'm sorry this birthday wish is a little late, happy birthday!"

"It's not too late. I feel this is the best birthday gift."

Back when they were vying for the championship, everyone knew that Alonso was a hothead with a temper that was more impulsive than anyone else's. Now, even Alonso himself might be surprised by the change in his personality.

However, as the mindset shifts from fighting for honor to enjoying driving and racing, seeing the new generation of drivers able to recreate or even surpass the glorious era of god-like competition may still evoke feelings of resentment and envy, but more than anything, it brings a sense of satisfaction.

Today's interviewee is Johnny Herbert.

As a former F1 driver, he also suffered a major accident. In 1988, during the F3000 race at Bratshatch circuit, he crashed into a roadblock, resulting in multiple fractures in both legs. After several months of rehabilitation training, he returned to the F1 circuit.

In the opening race the following year, Herbert, who still had trouble walking at the time, drove a Benetton car and finished fourth, just three seconds behind second-place Prost, which was a miracle that year.

I wonder if that's why we arranged for him to be the post-race interview host today. Herbert is probably the official F1 commentator who understands Shu Long the most.

"Good boy, what a magnificent comeback performance! Now can you share your feelings with us?"

“Of course, it’s always a pleasure to stand on the top podium! It’s not just about this championship, I’m happy to be back in the familiar cockpit, happy to work with so many familiar friends again, and happy that the team and Pierre lent me such a great car.”

"Yes, I'm sure Gasly, who's watching the game right now, will be happy for you."

are you happy?
Seeing that Shu Long hadn't touched F1 for more than half a year, and then came back and won a championship in Toro Rosso, which had been missing the podium all year, Gasly's feelings were really complicated. It was as if the psychological shadow of being completely dominated in the past was about to return.

But you should say you're unhappy.
Holy crap, expecting Shulong to win the championship before the competition was just a joke!
Who would have thought that by simply taking a leave of absence, Shu Long would actually let him take home a $100 million bonus.

It's also thanks to the fact that drivers' salaries are not included in the budget cap, otherwise even if Red Bull wanted to be generous, the FIA ​​would have kept their wallets tightly under control.

Of course, none of that matters. The most important thing is that if Shu Long hadn't been there, that kid Aokang might have actually gotten the championship!
Ultimately, they were childhood friends who had completely fallen out. Gasly was now too lazy to dwell on those past squabbles, but seeing Ocon win a championship like this would probably still make him feel uneasy. While he understood that Ocon's situation was more difficult than his own back then, the conflict, from the sponsorship dispute to the falling out, was entirely Ocon's own doing. Gasly wasn't going to give him a friendly look until Ocon apologized.

On TV, Herbert first asked Shu Long for his opinion on the accident at the beginning of the race, praising Shu Long indirectly for a long time, and then asked the question that everyone was most concerned about on behalf of the fans.

"Is there anything you'd like to say about your current situation?"

"Um, thank you all for your continued concern and expectations, and I'm also very grateful to my family for their understanding and support. They probably have the most mixed feelings about me participating in this grand prix."

"I can totally understand that. When I insisted on returning to the track, my mother and my wife were the most unhappy. So are they here now?"

"I guess not? I didn't dare tell them before I came. I only sent the message quietly a couple of days ago because I had to appear in front of the camera."

"Hmm—if I were you, I probably wouldn't be so sure."

Herbert's words made Shu Long pause for a moment, vaguely recognizing a somewhat familiar sniffing sound coming from the crowd.

Turning around, he noticed that the wall of little red cows, which he had just hugged one by one, had torn open, slowly revealing Shu's mother with red eyes, Shu's father who was somewhat flustered but still pretending to be strong, and the little one at the front who, although still covered up tightly with a hat and mask, was still recognizable at a glance.

Sometimes tears are something you can't control.

I didn't shed a tear when I crashed last year, I didn't shed a tear when I was constantly enduring the stinging pain from the burns, and I didn't shed a tear when I doubted that my racing career might be over.

But now, he can no longer see anything in front of him.

She stumbled forward, almost collapsing, and embraced the tiny person tightly, burying her mouth in the small shoulder as if afraid of making any embarrassing noise.

Zhang Xin, the mother, wiped the corners of her son's eyes from behind. Shu Xiong, the father, didn't know how else to speak so as not to lose his composure in front of the camera. He just forced a straight face and gently patted his son's shoulder a few times.

The broadcast cameras captured this scene on a global scale, and commentators in different languages ​​all chose to remain silent at that moment.

Perhaps Shulong has a completely different symbolic meaning for many car enthusiasts. Many people regard him as a source of pride, many regard him as an idol, and many regard him as a hero and a symbol of hope.

But at the same time, the person surrounded by these many halos is actually just a child in someone else's family who has received all the love and care from their parents, and a lover to whom they are willing to devote their whole life.

The increasingly bright red burn marks on his neck are precisely the medals that prove he deserves all of this.

This was probably the longest post-match interview in recent years, but no one tried to fast-forward it until Shu Long gradually calmed down and stood up to take the microphone that Herbert handed him again.

"Thank you, but I feel like I don't know what else to say. Anyway, I'm ready to face more challenges!"

"We look forward to more amazing performances from you in the future. Now go and enjoy today's victory to the fullest!"

Shu Long shook hands with this inspirational senior in the racing world with mutual respect, then glanced at Gan Mengning and rolled her eyes at him with her red, tear-filled eyes. He couldn't resist giving her a quick kiss on the cheek through her mask.

So tender!

On Sunday, the national anthem rang out on the podium for the first time in two years. But this time was different from the last. This time, the championship trophy could finally be held securely in one's own hands.

Immediately afterward, the cheerful Carmen Overture began. Before Shu Long was even ready, the tilting-headed uncle next to him poured champagne over him. However, he still carefully found a safe corner to put the large porcelain bottle-shaped trophy down before slamming the bottle on the ground and launching a swift counterattack against the two people next to him.

But one person can't water as many people as three.

Seeing that Hamelin had also joined the ranks of the Dragon Expedition, Shu Long simply gave up struggling and let the three people behind him treat him like a car. He then turned his attention to the Toro Rosso team below the podium and Gan Mengning, who was watching him expectantly.

Isn't this the part you look forward to most every time you go up to the podium?

It's said that men are boys until they die, so who can resist the temptation of a water fight?

Everyone was in high spirits, but afterwards the race organizers suddenly announced that Vettel's result was cancelled due to insufficient fuel, and Hamilton was promoted to P3.

Some are happy, but many are sad. Hamilton has inexplicably gained another three points, which is certainly not a good thing for Red Bull.

The two Red Bull teams met for a meal, during which Horner and Marko sat in a corner and began discussing with Perez's team where they would go after the summer break.

With one player earning zero points and the other securing a championship with a perfect 25 points, it seems likely that Perez will have to leave after the summer break.

But Perez certainly had his objections, because this race was purely a matter of bad luck and misfortune. Bottas had both damaged the gearbox and power unit, leaving him with no choice but to retire from the race. He certainly couldn't accept such a comparison.

Moreover, Perez can only be considered as Red Bull's number two driver, barely keeping up with the pack. In reality, he still has many shortcomings compared to Mercedes' Bottas.

The biggest problem is that Perez's lap ceiling is not high enough. Although he has excellent tire maintenance ability and can put strategic pressure on Mercedes in the race, his too far starting position in qualifying often puts Verstappen in a disadvantageous situation of one against two at the front.

Now, not only has the suspense of Verstappen's championship been brought back, but Mercedes is also about to overtake Verstappen in the team standings. If they hurry up and bring Shullon up to compete with Hamilton, they might be able to retain the team championship in time.

After a round of wrangling, both sides had no choice but to put the issue aside for the time being and discuss it in detail during the summer break.

Another thing is that Williams seems to be preparing to change its operating strategy after changing team owners, intending to no longer rely on paid drivers.

This means that drivers like Latifi, who relied on their fathers to get into F1 but haven't achieved any decent results in two years, will no longer be popular in the F1 scene.

After Russell's outstanding performance as a pinch hitter at Mercedes last year, Mercedes, which has no immediate plans to participate in the bidding for the Shulong franchise, seems to intend to promote Russell next year. This means that Williams will likely have two available spots available next year.

While Tatum no longer expects Alben to give them an advantage in terms of influence, they still have no intention of completely giving up such a ready-made brand and are preparing to move him to Williams through the Red Bull team.

Bottas' situation is a bit precarious. Although taking down two Red Bulls in one fell swoop was a great achievement, it looks like Mercedes' seat for next year is probably out of reach.

Of course, none of this was relevant to Shu Long at the moment. He was sitting with Verstappen in a corner on the other side of the restaurant, discussing the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.

"I think that would be really fun. Don't you want to come and join in the fun?"

"Please~ Of course I'd love to come, but we've already planned a cruise for the summer break. We'll definitely come and cheer you on if we can find the time."

"Oh, I almost forgot to say hello to Little P for me."

Last year, when Shu Long was still driving for Haas, there were rumors in the paddock that Kvyat was dumped by Kelly for having an affair during his pregnancy. Already lacking competitiveness, he also lost the protection of his father-in-law, the champion Piquet. Naturally, the Torpedo Brothers will miss out on F1 seats this year.

To Shu Long's surprise, not long after breaking up with Kvyat, Max, who had also recently broken up with his ex, seemed to have hit it off with Kelly Piquet, who was with her son P. At the beginning of this year, they officially announced their relationship.

Despite their significant age difference, Kelly and Max seem to be a very good match.

They've only been together for a short time, and even Shu Long feels that Verstappen's personality has matured a lot this year. He seems to be developing from last year's naive young man into a qualified father.

Verstappen has taken advantage of his summer break to become a good family man, while Shu Long is sacrificing his limited vacation time to leave his girlfriend behind and pursue his racing dream. Thinking about it, I suddenly feel a little guilty.

However, there seem to be some rule changes in the Le Mans GT class, which will now allow professional drivers to team up with amateur owner drivers.

So if there's another chance next year, could we just give Gan Mengning the title of a female boss of a sponsor, and then let her experience the pure atmosphere of racing?
(End of this chapter)