F1: The Making of a Racing God

Chapter 204 This is the final ripple.

With the Qatar Grand Prix concluded, Hamilton's total points have reached 316, currently trailing Verstappen by only 12 points.

This level of lead is indeed not very optimistic.

If Verstappen fails to win the next two Grand Prix, even if he sets the fastest lap in both, the final result will be a tie.

Currently, both Hamilton and Verstappen have 6 titles each. If Hamilton fails to win the last two matches, he will win the world championship with a 8-title advantage over Verstappen's 6-title advantage.

Based on the current competitiveness of the two teams, this is probably the most likely outcome.

Horner would even like to stage a double retirement if the possibility were to be made.

Whether it's Shu Long or Verstappen, either of them would be a shoo-in for the championship if they had the chance to take Hamilton down with them.

However, the methods were indeed a bit dirty. Shu Long probably didn't want to tarnish his professional reputation just to become the team's front man and do the dirty work.

I recently heard that some movie project is interested in Shulong, and with Hamilton as the producer acting as a go-between, Horner is indeed a little hesitant to bring it up.

Red Bull is also interested in investing and getting involved.

However, the film's producers are not short of money; what they value more is the brand effect brought by Hamilton's status and reputation as a seven-time champion.

Although Red Bull once had a four-time champion dynasty, the four-time champion Vettel has now retired to Aston Martin, so his appeal is inherently inferior to that of the former.

Comparing the two, it's clear that they would prefer to cooperate with Mercedes-Benz.

However, at least Shulong currently has a very prominent Red Bull label. As the brand that loves to join in the fun most in Weichang, the board of directors showed considerable approval when the feedback indicated this intention.

So when Shu Long openly approached Hamilton after the match, Horner could only smile and see him off.

Leaving aside these painful memories, Horner tidied his things, straightened his tie, and, accompanied by Whitley, went to find the event organizers to get a scolding.

The incident began when Horner himself made disrespectful remarks to the flag signaling staff member on that day and made many comments in the media that damaged the FIA's image, finally pushing the staff member to the breaking point.
The boss got scolded, so I threw a party.

After the race, Shu Long didn't have much to worry about. His P4 finish was almost the same as a podium finish, and according to Horner's agreement, the prize money was calculated as a P3.

The old man probably wanted to build relationships off the field and smooth things over for his next two matches, so he hosted a dinner party after the game.

At that time, I won't ask you to show mercy during the competition, but please don't resort to dirty tricks on the track.

They didn't call anyone else, just Shu Long, Alonso who is now both an agent and a two-time world champion, and Iren Kruger who has been frequently seen in the Mercedes pit garage recently, taking photos up close.

"That's exactly right. When Mr. Hamilton relayed this to me, many parts of the plot that had been stuck due to my limited perspective suddenly became clear!"

"Hahaha, is it that good?"

Alonso was flushed with drink. At 40, being able to drive an Alpine back on stage was more than just an old tree blossoming again. He was showered with praise and compliments, and I almost wanted to tie myself to a chair so I wouldn't drift off into a stray corner.

Hamilton gave Shu Long a "I can't stand it" look, shrugged, and continued sawing the piece of vegetarian meat on his plate.

So why insist on so-called vegetarianism while torturing yourself with this meat-like but not-quite-meat food? Doesn't it clearly show that deep down you still crave normal meat?

The good thing is that Hamilton is a vegetarian himself and doesn't intend to impose these rules on others. The meals he prepared for Shu Long and the others were all normal meats, which is quite good.

After quickly finishing the main course on his plate, Shu Long listened with great interest to Kruger and Alonso's conversation while waiting for the next dish to be served.

"What we want to make is a pure F1-themed movie. The core purpose is to allow all F1 fans and non-fans alike to directly experience the charm of F1!"

"But what does this have to do with the two sentences I said?"

"It's a victory! We need to lay out the most suitable logical chain for the final victory in the story!"

"But I didn't win."

"That's not important. What's important is that this is a great victory for both you and Alpine, and your feelings and thoughts in this situation are what matter most!"

Seeing that these roughnecks who seemed to only know how to drive were still confused, the screenwriter, who was a little tipsy, patiently explained it to them from the beginning.

The allure of F1 is multifaceted. Drive to Survive has already shown the intrigue and everyday life within the paddock in great detail, so there's not much value in repeating similar content in the movie.

Therefore, the core theme of the entire movie is very clear: to present the audience with the most original and captivating aspect of F1 racing.

It's all about speed! It's all about passion! It's all about exhilaration!
However, the sense of enjoyment is built upon a foundation of human emotions. The screenwriter's task is to find a perspective that allows the audience to immerse themselves in the story and to lay out a narrative that evokes the audience's empathy.

It's not about the messy politics and backstabbing within the team, but rather the shared growth trajectory of the team, crew, and drivers.

The key is "growth"!
It's a classic, it's old-fashioned, but it's also very easy to use!

When creating and filming based on real-life themes, the first premise is that the lead actor cannot replace the real-life race car driver.

Even if a team is willing to cooperate, it won't work. If no team is willing, then everyone might be willing. But if anyone is willing, then all the other teams are not willing.

This is, after all, a film intended to promote F1 as a whole, and it shouldn't be mixed with too much personal content or become a promotional video for a particular team.

Therefore, the team is a fictional 11th team, and the drivers are also two fictional drivers who do not exist in reality.

To emphasize the film's overall "growth" theme, the racing team cannot be a top-tier team that starts at the top, and the drivers cannot be invincible Martian robots from the beginning.

So the team is at the bottom of the paddock, and the main storyline is the team growing alongside the driver, from being at the bottom to scoring points, and finally winning the championship.

In reality, winning a championship is determined by many factors, including the speed of the car, the driver's ability, and, most importantly, luck.

If all you want is for a bottom-ranked team to win, that's easy to film. Last year, Shulong, driving a Haas that was practically at the bottom of the paddock, managed to get a P2 at best, and with a bit more luck, he might even have won at Monza.

But stories are not reality. Reality may not need logic. Established facts that have already happened will not disappear no matter how much you deny them.

A story needs logic, and it needs to be a logic that most ordinary people can understand.

Alonso's post-race comment, "Sometimes losing is winning!", is precisely the key that can connect all the seemingly illogical chains into a closed loop.

Alonso hadn't realized how important he was, and, emboldened by the alcohol, he spoke in a half-serious, half-joking manner:

"So, are you going to give me the title of consultant as well?"

Ellen was taken aback; clearly, as an editor, he didn't have that much decision-making power.

However, this topic was quickly moved on, and there will be an online agenda later, in which the chief producer Jerry Bruckheimer will also participate, as he is the one with real influence.

The meeting took place on the second day.

Bruckheimer agreed to include Alonso on the list, but a single sentence of inspiration wasn't enough to warrant a higher priority, so he would be lower than Shu Long in the priority list.

Shu Long was presented with two choices.

Alternatively, he could work on set long-term to assist with filming. Given Shu Long's current fame, if he makes a significant contribution to the final film, Bruckheimer wouldn't mind having him participate in box office revenue sharing.

Of course, the percentage will be much lower than Hamilton's, a symbolic share that probably won't be much higher than his fixed salary. After all, Hamilton is a seven-time champion, and he personally invests in film projects, so his status is definitely different.

Without even needing Alonso's advice, Shulong chose the other option on his own.

That means simply holding the title of consultant and receiving a fixed fee to assist in the film's character development and provide guidance during the competition. It's like getting paid to do a part of the work within one's capabilities, while also using the film to increase one's own fame.

This part of the function actually overlaps somewhat with Hamilton's role.

But the old man has never driven a slow car since he started out, so if you really ask him to come up with a way to make a slow car win, he's probably a complete novice.

Shu Long, who has experienced both highs and lows and repeatedly created what Alonso calls "Miracle!" while driving a beat-up car, is clearly more authoritative in this regard.

As for the rest, I'm afraid I won't be joining in.

A racer's main job is racing, and it's fine to join in the fun in his spare time. He wouldn't be happy to let Shu Long waste a lot of energy accompanying the crew's nonsense.

Bruckheimer was relatively easy to talk to, and at the end, he even made a bet-like promise to Shu Long:

"Anyway, the film production cycle will definitely not be just one or two years. If you can win the world championship during this period, then we can also consider letting you participate in the box office profit sharing."

There was no signature or fingerprint involved; it was merely a verbal guarantee. Whether it was genuine or not, Shu Long himself didn't really care.

If that time really comes, it might not be him asking for payment, but the production company taking the initiative to negotiate in order to capitalize on his fame.

The most important thing is to win the world championship.

After the Qatar Grand Prix, it was a rare exception that there weren't two consecutive race weeks, allowing Shu Long and his team some time to catch their breath from the packed schedule. However, given the intense competition at this time of year, the team clearly wouldn't let them have an easy time.

Shu Long and Hamilton traveled back to England together, hitching a ride on the private jet provided by the old man's sponsor.

Jeddah is a completely new track, and even Hamilton himself is not sure about it. He plans to study the simulator and cram for the time being.

Shu Long naturally had to return to Red Bull's headquarters in Milton Keynes to report for duty. As soon as the game ended, Newey returned to the base overnight to work overtime, and it seemed that he had already come up with some initial ideas for a solution.

With the help of the simulator, Verstappen and Shulong will be able to help Newey run a lot of test data while practicing on the Jeddah circuit.

Despite the fierce rivalry between the two teams, their headquarters are actually not far apart, less than 40 kilometers apart as the crow flies.

After waving goodbye after getting off the plane, Shu Long was surprised to find that someone had come to pick him up—his 991.
"Boss?! Oh right, I gave you the car keys last time."

Horner deliberately put on a wary look and beckoned to Hamilton, then put his arm around Shu Long's shoulder and led him to the car before getting into the passenger seat.

"They probably didn't give you any candy, did they?"

"If we don't count the consulting contract for that movie, there shouldn't be any."

"That's a good thing. But if I asked you to deliberately try to take Hamilton down with you in the next match, would you still be able to do it?"

Shu Long stared dumbfounded at his team's boss, looking both surprised and delighted that he had finally seen him in his true colors. He then pointed to Horner's already fastened seatbelt, implying that if he continued to say such things, he would have to ask him to walk back.

"Even without this incident, I wouldn't deliberately collide with a competitor! Our country has many nice-sounding terms for bottom lines, like 'integrity' and 'moral character'! Also, the cultural atmosphere there is mostly characterized by a kind of spiritual fastidiousness!"

"Come on! Don't look at me like that! As the boss, I have to test whether my employees have been bribed by the competition, right?"

"So you don't trust my morals? Why didn't I bring Alonso along? Looks like I'm in trouble with the contract renewal next year."

"Hey! Hold on! My bad! Let's not talk about that. Let me experience the driving skills of our own driver. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever ridden in your car before?"

Wow~ You really mean it?
With a high-pitched engine roar mixed with sharp tire screech, the black and red 991 sped along the narrow lane, performing a wild 180-degree drift before precisely swerving into a standard parallel parking space at the base entrance.

Not long after, a disheveled figure rushed out as if fleeing, pointing at the chuckling instigator in the driver's seat, about to launch into some grand pronouncements, but instead uttered:
"Huff—!"

"Are you alright, boss? Why is someone throwing up in the car?"

"Me! You! Ugh! You were driving so steadily up front, who would have thought you'd suddenly come out and kick me so hard once we got into the park?! I'll give you your prize money from the last race, assuming you finished fifth!"

"No, no! You're wrong, you're wrong! Didn't you just want to experience my driving skills?"

Horner wasn't in the mood to argue with this little bastard, so he waved him away and told him to get lost.

Just before leaving, he managed to salvage some memories of the important matter from his nearly rummaged-through brain. He said that Newey had something to discuss with Shulong, and that everyone else should rest for the night and start high-intensity simulator work tomorrow.

Once Shulong had disappeared from his sight, Horner straightened up, frowning.

Many of the heartfelt probing questions were expressed in the form of jokes. It seems that taking the dirty line is indeed not going to work with Shulong. In fact, Horner had just suffered a setback with Verstappen not long ago.

On the track, Verstappen may often act impulsively and do some outrageous and reckless maneuvers, but off the track, when he reverts to his calm and gentle self, he also shows considerable resistance to similar suggestions.

Verstappen might not care about outside opinions, but if Little P knew that Maxie's first world championship came about this way, he might not be able to face the disappointed look in the child's eyes.
Horner stopped pressuring him and simply tried to instill a concept in Verstappen.

That means Hamilton can't afford the consequences of a double retirement at the track, so he should be more cautious and timid in close battles. Perhaps Verstappen can try a tougher approach in future races.

Aside from that, all we can do is hope that Newey's latest modifications to the tail wing will work.

Although the Jeddah Coastal Circuit in Saudi Arabia is a new circuit that has just been built over a period of 8 months and is newly added to the racing calendar, the overall design layout and detailed data of the circuit have already been obtained by the teams.

In terms of design and layout, the Jeddah circuit is undoubtedly a very traditional street circuit, and it should be the fastest street circuit in the current calendar.

However, unlike street races in other countries that require road closures, Jeddah's track was a completely new, stand-alone construction, which means that its grip performance cannot be measured by conventional street race standards.

The track has a total of 27 corners, most of which are full-speed corners with full fuel, which is quite different from the stop & go style of typical street races that require frequent deceleration. Normally, this would be more advantageous for Red Bull.

However, precisely because of this layout, the Jeddah circuit, with its 6.175km lap, will also subject the tires to considerable lateral load. Without a suitable aerodynamic kit, Red Bull's tire consumption in this race is expected to be quite poor.

Although the Jeddah circuit exhibits characteristics that are very different from regular street circuits, it is still a street circuit after all, and the same challenges that drivers face in many street circuits exist here as well.

For example.
The track isn't very wide overall, making extreme driving very risky, and there's also Red Bull's biggest headache right now—polluted air!

Overall, this is definitely a track that is quite unfavorable for Red Bull.

If they fail to beat Mercedes in qualifying, it means that Shulong and Verstappen will have to endure the same torment of polluted air throughout the entire race in Qatar.

Even if Hamilton beats Mercedes in qualifying, he will be using the nearly new engine he started in Brazil in the next race. Given that Red Bull's engine has been used in at least four races, it is unlikely to withstand the onslaught of DRS across three sections of the track.

Newey envisioned several options:
One approach is to add two winglets to the rear of the race car to help manage turbulence; the other is to start with the chassis and introduce some concepts from next year's ground effect regulations in advance.

By adding a serrated, gross-like structure to the outermost flaps of the diffuser, including the flaps under the collision architecture, the airflow adsorption effect of the tail plate is increased to counteract the lack of downforce in dirty air.

Of course, if possible, we should use both options together.

Upgrading these small-sized components is relatively convenient, and with the factory's production line as a support, the efficiency is far superior to the previous remote control method from the Americas.

In the end, the performance on the simulator was pretty good. As for how it will perform when implemented on a racing car...
They rushed to finish the work, and by December 2nd, they would have to put it to the test. Shu Long and his team went ahead to the track, while Newey waited for the last parts to be finished before arriving.

(End of this chapter)