F1: The Making of a Racing God

Chapter 201 Bearing the Thickest Skin, Taking the Heaviest Slap
"We cannot accept this verdict!"

At 13:07 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, an angry roar came from the event administration office.

If anyone dares to go in and join the fun at this time, they will probably see Horner banging on the table and kicking the chairs inside.

"But Mr. Horner, we can clearly see from the footage that both of your team's drivers still chose to cross the finish line at full speed under the double yellow flag, didn't they?"

"That's because you yourselves canceled the yellow flag, damn it! Didn't you see the indicator light on the right change from yellow to green?"

"Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that they still didn't slow down under the double yellow flag signal."

"No buts! We have evidence to prove that Long did react to your yellow flag; he loosened his grip!"

As he spoke, Horner began pulling out various in-car screenshots and throttle curve data charts from the table, then shoved them all under the noses of the race officials.

Hamilton naturally secured pole position in yesterday's qualifying session.

Because of Verstappen's high-drag setup, the team's strategy for the final flight lap was to let the lower-drag swivel break the wind in front, hoping to compensate for some of the Honda engine's power disadvantage.

The final result was pretty good, with Verstappen taking P2, while Shulong fell behind considerably due to that loose kick, eventually starting in P4 behind Bottas.

But before the stewards dealt with Red Bull, they also spoke with Bottas. All of them were fellow sufferers who had been caught up in this sudden, inexplicable yellow flag incident.

As a result, Bottas did not slow down significantly under a single yellow flag, and was penalized with a one-point deduction from his super license, as well as a three-place penalty for starting the race.

Verstappen's complete lack of deceleration from start to finish is indeed hard to deny, meaning that under normal circumstances, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Shulong could have been moved up to P2 to start.

But just like the topic Horner discussed with the two this week, the team wants to at least keep Shulong's right to start from the front row.

If Verstappen can defeat Hamilton at this race, then as long as he doesn't fall behind by more than 6 points in the next two races, his championship title is practically secured!
"See that? Here and here! Long clearly slowed down after realizing the yellow flag, and then you guys reverted the game to the green flag state yourselves, and that stupid flag bearer was still waving it!"

“Mr. Horner, we must remind you to watch your language. Every track worker deserves respect! And Gasly was parked on the side of the starting straight. I think even if it was just for the safety of the drivers, it would have been perfectly fine for the flag bearer to continue signaling the double yellow flag!”

"That means your management has a problem! Why can't you coordinate the traffic lights and flag signals properly? Do you really expect the drivers to be able to distinguish between flag signals and traffic light instructions under such pressure?!"

Hmm—a very strong and compelling reason.

However, after comparing the evidence provided by Horner and having a not particularly heated discussion, the race officials still shook their heads at the Red Bull team with serious expressions.

"I'm sorry, everyone, Mr. Shu eased off the throttle at the exit of Turn 16. We can't determine whether he eased off the throttle because of the flag signal or simply adjusted the car's posture by lifting the accelerator. Did you ease off the throttle because of the yellow flag?"

Everyone in the office focused their attention on Shu Long's face, but what could he possibly say at that moment?

Whether it's for the benefit of the team or to secure a better starting position for himself, he can only describe it in a way that benefits him.

In fact, he did notice the double yellow flags and traffic lights on the side of the road at the same time, and it was the greening of the traffic lights that made him decide to follow the traffic light instructions.

After all, it's quite possible that the flag bearer might not receive the information in time. In that crucial moment that determines the final result, any driver would probably choose to take a gamble.

But this reason obviously failed to convince the event organizers; instead, they seized on it and used it to their advantage to accuse the organizers of wrongdoing.

"So you see, Mr. Horner. Perhaps neither you nor I can fully comprehend the capabilities of these world's top drivers, but our judgment is clearly not unfounded. They obviously had time to make the appropriate assessment of the situation at that time."

"But."

"No buts! As for your team's other driver, he clearly showed no intention of slowing down at all. That's it!"

No one expected that Shu Long's dynamic vision and reaction ability, which he had always been proud of, would become the last straw that broke the camel's back, directly leading the organizers to conclude the matter.

Both Shu Long and Verstappen have had their final flight lap results cancelled, resulting in a starting penalty of 5 places in the race.

Verstappen's super license was also penalized with two points, and Shu Long received "some" leniency for his suspected throttle-lifting action, but was still penalized with one point.

This is Verstappen's fourth penalty in 12 months, and Shu Long's second penalty in his career. The last penalty was when he knocked Verstappen out of the race at the 19 German Grand Prix.

But with only three games left in the competition, and the opening game next year not being until half a year later, this point deduction is really nothing to worry about.

The cancellation of lap times is actually insignificant; Red Bull and Mercedes have such a large lead over the other teams that canceling them won't really have much of an impact.

This penalty is a bit annoying, as it means Verstappen will start from P7 tomorrow, while Shulong will start from P9.

If the goal is simply to finish in the same position, it won't have much of an impact. The problem is that Red Bull's goal for each race is to ensure that at least one car wins.

While most people dislike spoilers, the vast majority also don't want to hear their name from the teacher at the last minute when exam results are released.

Knowing he had made a slip of the tongue and messed things up, Shu Long touched his chin somewhat embarrassedly after leaving the house.

"I'm sorry, boss, if I had explained it differently, things might not have turned out this badly."

"No, no, this isn't your problem! No matter what, they'll find a way to find fault with us. They hold all the power of explanation in their hands. Those idiots at the FIA ​​are deliberately trying to keep the suspense of the championship race until the very end, so they can ensure the ratings for the competition!"

“Mr. Horner—! We can hear you!”

Fxck you!
Horner forcefully flicked the middle finger at the stubborn old men inside through the door, his angry mouth movements undoubtedly conveying a similar meaning, likely mixed with a lot of swear words that Shulong had hardly ever heard before.

Regardless of how resentful Red Bull may be, for F1 fans, this result is undoubtedly the dramatic effect they most wanted to see. Perhaps only Verstappen's fans are hurt and anxious.

Because Shulong, Verstappen, and Bottas all received varying degrees of retirement penalties, Gasly, who suffered a tire blowout on his last flight lap, actually benefited from the misfortune and will start from P2 in the front row for the first time in his career.

In addition, Alonso will start from P3, which is his best starting position since the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix.

During the racers' parade, Shu Long was given a severe beating by his own manager.

This veteran rookie has been away from the podium for who knows how long, and Alpine's pace at this race is actually quite similar to that of Toro Rosso. If they're lucky, they might actually be able to dream of it.

But to compete for a spot on the podium, he would inevitably have to contend with Red Bull's two little monsters, and just thinking about that gave Alonso a headache.

"What bad luck! I genuinely want you to be kinder to older people, but my pride won't let me say it! Ugh!"

"Hmm, is it possible that you've already essentially spoken up?"

"Don't you understand social etiquette?! Wouldn't it be better to just pretend to be confused at a time like this? You little brat, I think you still have a lot to learn from me!" So Shu Long got another beating from the old man.

However, there wasn't much awkwardness at all. They were all so open and honest in speaking their minds, which indirectly meant that they had all made their attitudes clear.

Regardless of off-field relationships, when it comes to a real showdown, no one will hold back.

However, it was clear that dwelling on this topic was not a good idea, so Alonso used his position as his agent to steer the conversation to another point.

His decision to become Shu Long's agent was entirely driven by a fleeting interest after they took a liking to each other.

But Shulong's success showed Alonso a new business opportunity. He recently decided to consolidate his previously scattered equity and business under the A14 brand to seriously develop the brokerage business.

He has recently been looking for young drivers with outstanding potential, and some people even tried to contact him back in Brazil.

Perhaps in the near future, Shu Long will have many more "junior brothers," and as the biggest name in Alonso's agent affairs, it seems that TouGe wants Shu Long to act as a mascot for his business expansion.

After all, the generational gap is quite large. Many young drivers of the new generation are not particularly interested in these old guys. On the contrary, Shu Long's young fans in the racing circle are growing in number recently.

You don't need to do anything else. Just let Shu Long stand to the side with that face, and countless young racers will be tempted.

Compared to Alonso's past help, this request was a small matter, so Shu Long readily agreed.

However, he won't have much free time after the season ends this year, as there are a lot of projects to complete both domestically and with the team at the end of the year.

Alonso also expressed his understanding, saying that since his side is still in the early stages, there's no rush.

The race was scheduled to start at 17:00 PM, which looked like dusk.

But winter was approaching, and by the time the drivers were on their parade, the sun was already almost setting, and the sky was practically nighttime.

Although the sky was pitch black, the racetrack was illuminated as brightly as day.

Shu Long sat in the race car, slightly raising his head to look up at the bottomless abyss behind the dazzling halo. For some reason, this atmosphere subtly revealed a strange sense of familiarity.

It felt as if the sky was clear and the stars were few, yet I was sitting in a bright classroom studying for the evening.

Shu Long didn't dislike this feeling; he liked the dreamlike atmosphere of the night race, as if he were experiencing a life that didn't belong to him.

After graduating from junior high school, he entered Red Bull's youth training program and began his solitary journey in a foreign land, so he never really experienced high school life.

Perhaps it is because the more you lack something, the more you yearn for it. Shu Long often heard his friends and Gan Mengning talk about their high school days. Although the adjectives were full of complaints, their expressions were full of reminiscence, like enjoying the mellow taste of coffee despite its bitterness.

He also wondered if he would have faced the same academic struggles as them if he hadn't chosen racing.
Perhaps his grades will also be among the best, and naturally he will want to pursue a more prestigious university.

Perhaps he will gradually realize his mediocrity, watch helplessly as the gap between him and his classmates widens, and finally resign himself to ordinariness and fade out of the social circle he once knew.

What kind of busy, fulfilling, yet confused feeling is that?
Could it be the same feeling he had during those two years with Toro Rosso and Haas?
"Long, we have 30 seconds left to start the race. Remember to switch the clutch mode to 3."

"Copy. Sorry, I was just momentarily confused."

"It's alright. I imagine you're very familiar with this starting position. We'll try to improve our position as quickly as possible in the early stages."

I hate you! You always bring up unpleasant memories!

"Haha~"

Is it really not good? Perhaps not entirely.
The track light turned green, and Hamilton, along with the inexperienced Gasly and Alonso, began their warm-up lap.

This situation is incredibly favorable for the old man. Not only is he feeling much better, but he also feels like he's become several years younger, as if he's had some kind of magic trick added to his fuel tank.

This pleasant mood lasted until the five red lights went out, and then it came to an abrupt end after Bono reported the location of the two Red Bulls.

Bottas had a disastrous start, dropping directly from P6 out of the points zone.

Meanwhile, as Mercedes crippled itself, Red Bull's two cars rose several places from the start.

Verstappen's fighting spirit for the championship should not be underestimated. His rapid clutch response, combined with his ultimate control of traction during acceleration, propelled him to P4 after Turn 1.

Shulong was immediately attacked by Uncle Waitou and Aokang, but thanks to the extremely wide road conditions of the Qatar circuit, he made a feint and caused the two cars, Martin and Alpine, to fight each other. Then he took an ingenious "inside-inside-center" route to P7.

Alonso, who was known for his ability to start a rocket in his youth, also came out strong and squeezed Gasly out of position 2.

Given the relationship between Red Bull and Toro Rosso, it's hard to say that Gasly will become another stumbling block for Red Bull after qualifying, and Verstappen is essentially already at P3 in some respects.

Sure enough, Verstappen complained to the team on lap 3, "I'm a little stuck here." Toro Rosso immediately responded, sending a message in the radio: "Max is closing in fast, you can let him through."

This is a podium spot; if it were Shu Long when he was with Red Bull, he wouldn't even give it a second glance.

But Gasly, whether lacking the confidence he had at the time or simply making an accidental mistake, went too far at Turn 16 on the same lap, allowing Verstappen to overtake him on the starting straight using DRS.

On the contrary, the Perez in front of the dragon seems a bit hard!
Is it that he's unwilling to compromise any longer as he's nearing his departure from the team? Or is the driver, who is about to become a Mercedes customer team, already disloyal?

It's hard to say, but judging from Perez's walking style alone, he was quite rude to the dragon behind him.

Toro Rosso wasn't slow at all this week; if it weren't for Gasly's "social skills," Verstappen wouldn't have had an easy time overtaking them.

In addition, given the similar characteristics of racing cars, it's not an easy task for Shulong to overpower Perez, especially since he found that his cut-down tail wing seemed to be struggling in dirty air.

But after laying the groundwork for several laps, Shulong finally found an opportunity on the 9th lap.

The DRS detection line on the starting straight is not far after turn 15. Shulong quickly approached and first took the right to use the DRS. Then, he took full advantage of the long straight after the turn to accelerate and then brake hard before turn 16 to force his way over.

He then used DRS to discharge at full power, quickly widening the gap between himself and Perez.

As for the next target—Norris!

(End of this chapter)