Speed ​​God

Chapter 111 Puppet on a String
Chaos, noise, commotion—

Even before the start of the GP3 Austrian Grand Prix, the tense atmosphere was palpable. Everyone was sharpening their knives, not only to defeat Lu Zhizhou, but also to prove themselves. They were determined to fight their way through the fiercely competitive paddock, with no one willing to back down.

Moreover, the Red Bull Ring is a track that encourages competition and aggressive play, with a very fast pace of offense and defense, offering opportunities everywhere.

It was foreseeable that the competition would be exceptionally intense.

However, the reality exceeded expectations. These young people clearly all brandished knives, but due to their youthful impetuosity, hot-bloodedness, and lack of experience, a single mistake triggered a chain of accidents, with Turn One becoming the starting point of the disaster.

Collision. Crowding. Leaving the track.

Everything is available.

But surprisingly, there was no yellow flag.

Because no cars retired, although Turn 1 was in complete chaos, miraculously, all the cars regained order from the chaos and continued on their way.

The race organizers were prepared to display the yellow flag, but hesitated upon seeing this scene. There was some debris near Turn 1, which they had to clear according to the rules to prevent accidents. At this point, the yellow flag was needed to control the race, limiting the speed of all drivers and prohibiting overtaking.

The problem is that the debris is not on the track, but in the adjacent buffer zone, so it has not affected the race for the time being; moreover, no cars have stalled and stopped on the side of the road, and the fierce competition is still going on. The accident at Turn 1 has created more opportunities, and the drivers are all fighting tooth and nail.

Technicians are busy discussing whether to issue a yellow flag to control the game, but at the same time, the fierce competition on the field is in full swing.

Thus, we witnessed a spectacular clash between Lu Zhizhou and Russell, even more exciting and thrilling than the start of the Spanish Grand Prix.

The fierce competition continued, with the intense rivalry pushing the limits of the cars. The effects of the accident at Turn 1 gradually became apparent, and the three cars, led by Pulcioni, ultimately failed to complete the first lap and retired from the race one after another at different positions.

Not only that, Bokolaci, who started fourth, had a run of bad luck. He was forced off the track by Han Se-ryong, and his tires, which had not yet reached operating temperature, clearly lacked grip. After returning to the track, he had no competitiveness whatsoever and could only watch helplessly as his opponent easily bypassed and overtook him.

The price has been falling again and again.

If it weren't for the chaos caused by Pulcini's subsequent collision, which limited the power of the cars behind him, his ranking might have continued to drop.

Currently, it is temporarily ranked eighth.

It's a delicate position. If we hold onto eighth place, we can start from pole position in the sprint race, and we don't need to go all out to catch up today. But if we don't hold on and drop to ninth, then today's race will be meaningless, and we'll also ruin our chances in tomorrow's sprint race.

Bokolać once again stands at a crossroads of fate—

It's all Lu Zhizhou's fault.

Since Lu Zhizhou joined GP3 in the new season, Bokolaqi's terrible luck has never stopped; he's practically been possessed by the god of bad luck.

Then--

The yellow flag finally appeared.

Furthermore, because Pulcini's car went off the track, the race organizers needed to deploy a crane to remove the car from the track, and the safety car was also deployed.

The race leaders had only entered the second lap when the atmosphere of battle was already palpable. These young men were all fiercely competitive, and the ordinary spectators who weren't closely following the paddock were completely stunned by what they saw.
Is the GP3 really that powerful?
This is not a good thing for Lu Zhizhou.

Having finally surpassed Russell to take first place, Lu Zhizhou knew that Russell would not surrender, and the subsequent offensive and defensive confrontations still could not be taken lightly.

Originally, he planned to run at his own pace, slightly increase his speed and create a little distance, not too much, just avoid the area Russell was always ready to attack, get rid of the sense of crisis that felt like a thorn in his back, bring the game under his control, and win another official match victory.

Now, it's all over. They have to run with the safety car and can't create any distance; and after two or three laps, the tires will start to reach operating temperature, and when the safety car leaves, Russell, with DRS, will inevitably launch a fierce and relentless attack, pushing the pressure to the limit.

This means that Lu Zhizhou must rethink his strategy and adapt his approach.

Of course, this is also a characteristic of the Red Bull Ring: short, fast, compact, intense, and wild, with all-out offense and defense, making it an absolute stage for young people to showcase themselves.

Borrepeller reminded via radio, "Don't be nervous after the safety car enters the pit lane. You can slow down the car and only overtake after crossing the starting line. There is no DRS for the first two laps after the safety car leaves, so it is crucial to create a gap."

Lu Zhizhou remained calm. "Received."

Borrepell tilted his head, sensing a hint of excitement in Lu Zhizhou's voice. Was this normal?

Yes, everything is normal.

Borrepeller trusted his judgment, and a slight smile crept onto his lips.

Previously in Maranello, they had been trying to simulate unexpected events and chaos, from simulators to practice matches, and now they have finally entered the real-world practice.

Lu Zhizhou was indeed quite excited. The Red Bull Ring is indeed a track that requires all your adrenaline to be pumped up, and he was adjusting his state.

Finally, on the fifth lap, the race organizers announced that the safety car would return to the pits on the next lap, and the race would resume as normal.

Lu Zhizhou followed the safety car at a safe distance, controlling his speed from the straight after Turn 8 and checking the situation through his rearview mirror.

Traffic jam. Crowded.

Like a train, the race cars were linked together, each one eager to move. Russell had even emerged, almost running parallel to Lu Zhizhou.

In the 2017 season, the FIA ​​still allowed this behavior, permitting actions that tested the limits of danger as long as there was no actual overtaking or disruption of the rankings.

Despite the drivers' protests that allowing cars to run side-by-side would be unfair to the leading car, the relevant rules are currently only under discussion and have not yet been implemented. As a result, some daring drivers have simply merged in, constantly testing the limits within the legal scope of the rules.

Not only Russell, but Han Se-ryong, currently in third place, is also showing no signs of weakness.

A deafening roar filled the air, and it was clear that Russell and Han Shilong had drawn their weapons, preparing for a direct confrontation with Lu Zhizhou.

Lu Zhizhou was sandwiched between two cars, one on the left and one on the right, like the filling of a sandwich.

However, Lu Zhizhou remained calm and composed. Not only did he not panic, but he also kept the pace of the car within a safe distance, suppressing the rear and stimulating Russell and Han Shilong's nerves.

According to the rules, overtaking under safe conditions can result in penalties ranging from a ten-second penalty to being forced to stop in the pit lane, or even being disqualified from the race.

Therefore, the closer Russell and Han Shilong pressed, the more room Lu Zhizhou had to maneuver. Like a master puppeteer, he manipulated a puppet, constantly challenging the nerves of the two drivers, continuously provoking and tug-of-war, testing Russell and Han Shilong's braking skills.

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense and intense, to the point that people involuntarily held their breath.

However, at that very moment, as he left Turn 9 and entered the third and final DRS zone on the track, and saw the safety car enter the pit lane with the green flag waving, before he could even pass Turn 10, Lu Zhizhou had already started moving and sped away without warning.

Suddenly, the balance is broken.

　First update today.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)