F1: The Making of a Racing God

Chapter 250 Intricate Connections
As they passed each other at the weighing station, Shu Long and Verstappen simply shook hands, each deliberately avoiding eye contact with the other.

I really want to argue about something.

For example: "You at least need to leave me some space on the track!"

And so on.
But before the collision, both of them were equally bad, and neither of them expected the other to be good. They had been hurling insults at each other on TR, and now neither of them could say anything against the other.

Moreover, as the party responsible for 70% of the collision, Shulong suffered far greater positional damage than Verstappen.

The main problem was that the tire blowout significantly impacted the speed of getting back to the pit lane. The high tire wear at the Circuit de Catalunya made Shulong overestimate the durability of his tires, and by the time he was further damaged by the gravel, it was too late to regret it.

Red Bull watched the situation on the sidelines nervously for a while. Several tall and burly mechanics were already on high alert, ready to rush in and break up the fight at the slightest sign of trouble.

Verstappen was punished for pushing Ocon before; it's all internal team issues, and it's not worth getting the FIA ​​involved and stirring up trouble.

Fortunately, although the two of them went a bit crazy on the track, they seemed relatively calm after getting out of the car, though their complexions were certainly not good.

Alonso, who had been whispering to Shulong, seemed to be in a good mood.

After suffering five mechanical failures in a row, he finally ended his points drought in the 2022 season today, and scored 4 points in one go, which is quite good for a car that was penalized to the back of the field due to engine overload.

After the match, he surprisingly refrained from using his sarcastic and sarcastic tactics in TR, instead chatting with his game engineer about the gossip that had happened on the Red Bull side of the field.

to be frank.

Alonso's first reaction upon hearing the news was not to feel indignant for his driver, but rather a little proud.

In his opinion, the new generation of drivers lacks temper. In their time, no one tolerated anyone else. The racetrack was more interesting with more conflict.

He always felt that Verstappen had the right style, and there was a hint of a connection between Leclerc and Vettel. This year, when it was time to be ruthless, he was able to stand up for himself.

As for Shu Long, he only showed his talent occasionally. Alonso saw the fierceness hidden beneath Shu Long's good-boy appearance. Coupled with the regret and unwillingness that he hadn't yet changed his mindset when he first decided to retire, Alonso suddenly had the idea of ​​treasuring his talent.

However, Shu Long is a bit too laid-back off the field. He rarely asks his agent to help him get anything done, which makes Alonso sometimes feel like he's not really the agent.

Now that's great, we finally have a chance to argue!

Before the interview, Red Bull sent several press officers who quickly pulled Shu Long away to check and unify their statements to the media. It took a lot of effort to put Alonso's almost fully charged battlefield enthusiasm on hold.

After all, it was a direct dispute between two people on the same team on the track. If they didn't prepare properly, it might cause a public relations disaster.

Even Marko and others just wanted the drivers to compete with each other, and didn't want the two to completely fall out over such a small matter, as it wouldn't benefit either the team or the individual driver.

"Congratulations. It seems a bit inappropriate to use that word now? Hmm—we noticed that your battle with Max on the track was quite intense. Does this indicate that your relationship has reached a critical low point?"

"I do not quite understand what you mean."

"Just like Vettel and..."

Whoever comes can come.

This week, Uncle Tilted Head, who was only one place away from the points zone, suddenly appeared behind Shu Long. Upon hearing his name, he promptly came up to get on camera, patted Shu Long's shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "Well done!"

Before leaving, he didn't forget to throw a rather flirtatious wink, which almost made Shu Long flick his forehead and knock him to the ground.

"Uh--"

"It seems you two have a pretty good relationship? Then you should know what I meant earlier, it was..."

"I know I know!"

Shu Long quickly interrupted the reporter's somewhat provocative and nonsensical ramblings. "The person in question hasn't even gone far yet, and you're already talking badly about him to his face. What are you trying to do?"

It was simply a recounting of past events, but Shu Long subconsciously categorized it as "crazy talk," indicating that he himself felt that Uncle Wai Tou's past behavior was indeed disgraceful.

But how to say it?

Human nature is ultimately complex, and Vettel has been particularly friendly to younger drivers in the paddock in recent years.

As a driver who, like him, came from the Red Bull lineage, Shu Long's bloodline was even purer than that of Verstappen and Vettel. At the time, they felt that the kid's abilities and personality were a good match, so they helped and took care of him a bit.

One thing Shu Long knew was that Vettel had privately asked Marco to speak well of him.

Shu Long understood the reporter's question perfectly from the beginning; however, this particular point wasn't in the outline the press officer had given him on the spot, so he simply found a pretext to rearrange his words.

Has his relationship with Max become strained?
It's not quite to the level of Vettel and Mark Webber back in the day. In the first few days after arriving at the track early this week, Verstappen even made a special appointment with Shu Long to run the Circuit de Catalunya for two nights on iracing.

Although the two were driving a Porsche and a Ferrari respectively at the time, many similar fights and physical contacts had already been staged countless times in simulators.

At the time, it was all just a matter of laughing it off, and now that it's just moving from the virtual world to reality, it doesn't seem so hard to accept.

Right?
“I don’t think my relationship with Max has changed. We just did what we were supposed to do on the track as drivers and as Red Bull drivers. It just so happens that we both had the goal of winning the championship this week, that’s all.”

"So, what are your thoughts on the rulings made against you by the FIA ​​and the tournament officials?"

This is another typical trap question. These drivers have just come off the track full of energy, and this kind of question that deliberately stirs up conflict is something that veterans have been doing. This is often how classic quotes are passed down online.

However, Shu Long was well-prepared, as this was also a key area of ​​question that Red Bull's public relations department was closely monitoring.

"I don't know if that level of penalty is reasonable, since I haven't specifically studied the replay yet. But when you're at close to 300 km/h on the track, some risks are simply unavoidable."

Just as Shu Long himself answered, the moment he made the choice, he was prepared to bear the consequences. The defeat caused by this collision was not so unacceptable to him.

However, when the team held a special meeting after the race to discuss the actions of the two players, Verstappen's question, "You knew that Max's strategy was different from yours, so why did you choose to fight head-on in that position?" completely ignited the anger that Shu Long had been suppressing.

"You have the nerve to bring this up here?! What do you mean by different strategies? Why don't you go ask your son if he can manage 42 laps on a set of yellow tires?"

Max opened his mouth, wanting to say that he was really capable, because there were indeed some bizarre cases of people running to prevent miscarriage during this race.

Magnussen pitted on the first lap due to a collision with Hamilton, but for the next 65 laps he essentially employed a one-stop-on-yellow-and-white strategy, with each formula lasting over 30 laps.

In addition, Bottas and Mick also adopted the rare two-stop strategy throughout the race, and in the last set of yellow tires, both of them completed 32 and 35 laps respectively.

In other words, with more meticulous tire management, it is not impossible to run a full 42 laps with a brand new set of yellow tires.

However, each section has its own characteristics. The three cars listed above are all more than 2.5 seconds slower in terms of lap time over long distances. The average lap time of the two Haas cars is even nearly 3.5 seconds slower than that of Red Bull, which also means that the load on the tires is relatively lower.

But this also proves something from another perspective.

That means even if Shu Long tries to save his tires by doing two pit stops, his lap rhythm will definitely collapse significantly later on. Not only will he not be able to make up for the time lost during the pit stop, but he will also be like a lamb to the slaughter when facing Verstappen with new tires.

After thinking it over, he realized that even if he said it, it would be almost the same as talking nonsense, so Verstappen just murmured a few words and then fell silent, lowering his head and lying back on the table.

This kind of meaningless debriefing is really boring.

Since his son didn't stand up for him, Pao's father seemed to feel somewhat guilty, so he prepared to steer the conversation toward Shulong's overly aggressive defensive actions.

It would have been better if we hadn't mentioned this, but bringing up Shulong only made me angrier.

"So what do you want me to do? I'll just invite you into my cockpit for the next race. Monaco is hard to overtake anyway, so you can try to get a good result in qualifying and I'll let you have your way!"

Seeing your best friend and your dad yelling at each other is honestly quite infuriating and embarrassing.

But for some reason, Shu Long's words just now tickled Verstappen's funny bone, because he actually chuckled twice while lying there.

Did you substitute it in your mind?
I felt that even if I were in Shulong's position, I would never obey the team's instructions to give way or anything like that.

That's right, let the car pass!
Listen to what outrageous decisions these are! Last year, when he decided to tactically sacrifice himself to help his teammates win the annual championship, Shu Long felt that he had never suffered such a great injustice.

The focus then shifted to the convoy.

Shu Long doesn't know what the strategy team was thinking. Maybe they felt that he was at a disadvantage in terms of tires at the time, so they temporarily shifted the focus of their strategy to Verstappen.
The problem is that, judging solely from their positions at the time, Shulong, which was actually ranked P1, should undoubtedly have had a higher strategic priority.

Or perhaps they simply followed Verstappen's decision to pit for a three-stop, without considering the impact this decision would have on Shulong, subconsciously thinking that it was only natural for a yellow tire that was trying to maintain its position to give way to a red tire that was sprinting at full speed.

Unfortunately, this is a problem that any team, especially a major team vying for the championship, is bound to face when its drivers cannot clearly distinguish between primary and secondary drivers.

Perhaps conflicts are usually hidden in the cracks between bricks and stones, and everyone is trying to keep their own strategies in mind so that no one gets in anyone else's way.

However, if a chaotic situation with multiple stops like this race occurs, and the team's strategy team is unable to respond in a timely and appropriate manner, then the conflict will eventually surface.

Such discussions are destined to be fruitless. Horner, as the team's manager, cannot single out one or two people to hold accountable and take the blame. Otherwise, if this happens a few more times, the team's morale might be torn apart by a small conflict.

The team kept making ambiguous statements and trying to smooth things over, while Pao's father kept adding fuel to the fire.

Shu Long, who already had a lot of complaints about the game, felt even more irritable. He put on his hat and ignored everyone. He grabbed the baseball cap in front of him, put it on, nodded, and got up to leave.

What does it mean?
Perhaps this is a good sign?
If Shu Long really has irreconcilable opinions about the team, his first reaction to seeing the Red Bull hat should be annoyance, not putting it on his head, right?

The team leaders exchanged glances, and before they could even finish their sighs, a loud "bang" from outside the corridor startled them so much that they jumped up from their seats.

Whitley quickly gave René a look, signaling him to go out and see what was going on, but soon all that arrived on his phone was a photo of the door to the Shulong lounge. A pitiful photo of a door that looked as if it had been punched and cracked open.

"If anyone tries to disprove that not all Chinese people are Bruce Lee next time, I'll throw this photo in their face!"

Horner leaned back in his chair with a look of dejection, instinctively clasping his hands to protect his nose. He was deeply relieved that the punch hadn't been aimed at his face, but could only contact Shu Long's physical trainer to have someone check his hand for any damage.

Oh right, I need to send this photo to Joss Verstappen.

If you're planning to get involved in a similar situation again, think twice before you speak. Make sure you're as strong as a door before you start.
When Shu Long came out of Red Bull's motohome after changing into casual clothes, he found Alonso already waiting outside.

He didn't come to help with the argument, and Shu Long didn't ask him to come either.

TouGe's current role is no longer just Shu Long's agent. As an active Alpine driver, he also needs to handle his team's post-race affairs, and it is indeed inappropriate for him to appear in Red Bull's meeting room in this capacity.

However, Alonso has made up his mind to make good use of his agent's role. He plans to have a good talk with Horner and Marco during this period and try to put some pressure on Red Bull from the sidelines.

It's not just about Shulong; there's also the situation in Alpine and Piastrie.

Before that, Alonso, being a native of Spain, decided to take Shulong out for a nice meal to relax first.

Shu Long himself doesn't drink, and he doesn't really recommend Alonso drink either. At his age, he wants to see Alonso drive for a few more years.

However, considering that the older generation of drivers had quite a wild time when they were young, Shu Long thought that taking a couple of sips of wine wouldn't be a big deal, so he just sat there with his cheek turned to the side and listened to Alonso rambling on and on.

He said that although it was inconvenient to examine Shu Long's behavior on the track in detail, he believed it was very correct.

Team management may not differentiate between drivers based on their status due to various factors, but there will be a hierarchy of importance among drivers. Being firm when necessary will make the team value their opinions and ideas more at crucial moments.

Moreover, Shu Long's performance in the meeting room was remarkably calm and mature for his age.

He conveyed his anger and dissatisfaction in their entirety without creating conflict with the team's management and ruining the relationship, thus avoiding an embarrassing situation for everyone.

This is good!
It's worth noting that Alonso suffered from youthful arrogance in the past, which caused him to lose McLaren's support and a world championship.

Of course, that's all in the past. Some situations involved considerable controversy and implications. Even though many years have passed and many things have faded away, Alonso is not at liberty to reveal all the details to Shulong.

But there are some things that you can safely confide in Shulong about.

For example.
“That old man Marco seems to be making a lot of moves lately. Our new team leader, Ottmar, has been bothering me every day, insisting on finalizing the contract renewal issue as soon as possible.”

"Uh—you haven't decided to renew your contract yet?"

Alonso playfully raised an eyebrow at Shulong, shrugged his shoulders, and gave a sweet, downturned smile.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. Before scoring points in this game, Alonso rarely managed to finish a race properly in that beat-up Alpine.

Should we renew the contract?
It's only recently that he's gotten older and his temper has calmed down a lot; otherwise, given his old temper, it would be a miracle if he didn't damage Alpine's car to the point of turning it into a blue trash can.
Recently, many things have gone quiet, and Shu Long thought that many of them had fallen through. Moreover, since these things were largely unrelated to him, he didn't spend much time paying attention to them.

Unexpectedly, there are actually unexpected changes on Alonso's side!

"So, are you planning to keep driving it?"

Alonso didn't give a direct answer. He picked up his glass, swirled it a few times, and then asked if Shu Long would choose to stay with Aline in the end, or seek another path if he were in Shu Long's position.

That means they probably still want to be open-minded.

There's no way to not open it.

At Alonso's level, whether or not he leaves the paddock is no longer up to him alone. For example, the A14 business empire that is gradually being built behind him also urgently requires Alonso to stay in the paddock.

Of course, there are many other complex factors behind this, but ultimately there is one important reason: Alonso himself is genuinely passionate about motorsports.

Hearing Brother Tou's statement, Shu Long relaxed a lot. He licked the tip of his fork and scratched his brow, trying to put himself in the situation where his manager had appeared.

But frankly, given his current age, top clubs like Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes are unlikely to be interested in taking him on.

Although Alpine has lost out in various aspects, it is still one of the few factory teams in the paddock, with history, heritage, and commercial value. Even if they leave, there may not be a better option than here.

Could it be that I'm going back to McLaren?
Alonso and McLaren have maintained a good relationship, and McLaren might not mind making room for Alonso. In the past two seasons, the expensive Ricciardo has not really lived up to his price tag.

But McLaren is broke; they were so broke before that they sold their headquarters to raise cash, so they probably can't offer Alonso the terms he wants.

Wait a minute!
So, it's a money issue?
"Have any racing teams already contacted you?"

"This is information that cannot be made public, since the other side has not yet made a decision, but we have indeed had several conversations that have made significant progress."

Shu Long slumped back in his chair, completely letting go of all his burdens and appearing incredibly relaxed. Just now, he had even thought he was about to participate in the most crucial life decision-making process for Brother Tou.

Then it doesn't matter.

“Guanyu might want you to stay at Alpine. There’s a saying in our culture, ‘Returning to one’s roots,’ but if it were me, I might consider Alfa Romeo.”

"Oh~ I heard that a car company in your country is in talks with them, right?"

"It's still a tug-of-war. Audi and Porsche both have a very strong desire to enter F1, but they seem to be more interested in McLaren and Aston Martin at the moment. I heard that Mr. Sauber seems to want a third party to intervene and help the teams inflate their bids."

It's no secret that Aro wants to leave the paddock. If Gili and Sober reach an agreement, then the paddock will indeed have another option with strong Shulong sentiments.

Geely's ambition is definitely to develop into a factory team. If Alonso hadn't felt that he was too old to afford to waste time, he might have seriously considered it, and who knows, he might have had the opportunity to be teammates with Shulong in the future.

"As for the rest, I think whichever team pays more is naturally the better choice for you."

"Why are you being so direct?! I thought you'd speak more subtly in your Chinese cultural context?"

"Anyway, with me around, you probably have little chance of becoming a world champion. It doesn't really matter which team you join... Ah, no! I misunderstood!"

"You're paying the bill tonight, you little brat!"

So what if I swipe my card? Pshaw~
However, the meal was worthwhile. The reason Alonso brought up such a distant topic with Shu Long at the dinner table was that he intended to include his future at Alpine in Shu Long's bargaining chips.

As Alpine's reserve driver this year, Oscar Piastri completed his second year of F2 racing, and Alonso had quite a bit of contact with this young man who frequently appeared in the team's pit garage.

He is very talented and ambitious.

After Zhou Guanyu, who was supported by Shu Long from the sidelines, graduated, the only one left in F2 who could barely put up a fight was Drugovic; the others had almost no chance to fight back.

However, Drugovic was consistently suppressed by Zhou Guanyu when they were teammates, and now that he's gone solo and is the leader, he's still not quite up to par when facing Piastri.

If it weren't for the unfortunate timing of its birth, Pia would most likely have been another dragon-level being.
Uh—okay, it's probably hard to replicate the win rate of that little monster, Shulong, in lower ranks.

Moreover, although Piastri is only in his second year in F2, he was born in April 2001, which is less than a year younger than Shu Long. In terms of progress and the level of amazement, he is indeed far behind.

But at least he has the potential to become a pillar of the team, like Russell and Norris.

Although Russell and Norris may seem unremarkable compared to Shulong now, both of them were drivers who showed exceptional talent during their rookie seasons.

A seasoned and skilled enforcer who consistently scores points and has consistently suppressed the team's expensive acquisitions for several years.

After honing his skills at Williams for several years, Toto, sitting in a Mercedes, immediately dominated the seven-time champion. With a current lead of 80 points to 48, Toto's talent selection back then was indeed remarkable.

It can be said that as long as they encounter a suitable and competitive race car, these people have a chance to win the world championship.

Alonso could sense the complex attitude that kid named Oscar had towards the team.

As a French driver, Ocon has already renewed his long-term contract with the team, and his nationality also gives him a secure job.

As an indispensable symbol of Renault's motorsport, Alonso's abilities are not necessarily weaker than during his peak. If the contract renewal conditions can be met, Alpine may not be willing to leave a promotion spot for Piastri.

Everyone hopes to be like Verstappen, Shu Long, or Leclerc, becoming a part of the team's dedicated investment in the future, or at the very least, to receive the same level of attention as Norris and Russell.

Do you have Alpine here?

Really!
After all, they genuinely provided Piastri with all the core resources that youth training teams could enjoy, unlike Zhou Guanyu, who had to subsidize his own youth training and team.

But it seems there aren't many of them.

Even though Pia is currently Alpine's only heir apparent, his position in the team will always be just a backup option in case of emergency.

To be honest, Alpine's extremely snobbish style is indeed easy for young drivers like Oscar, who are arrogant about their talent, to find unacceptable.

Having already invested so much effort and time in Renault's youth training system, Alpine is also Piastri's most promising option to obtain the aforementioned resources. If he decides to move to another system, it means that everything will have to start all over again.

The sunk costs were so high that even if Piastrelli was dissatisfied, he had to be more cautious about future choices.

To some extent, Alonso's decision regarding Alpine's future and the timing of the showdown may be the key to the success or failure of this deal.

PS: Attached is the current points situation.
(End of this chapter)