Speed ​​God

Chapter 161 Clash of Geniuses
Chaos, noise—

Hamilton was trying to get a feel for the situation over the radio. He noticed the cars behind him speeding into the pit lane and needed to check on them.

Toto Wolff frowned, his mind racing. He knew Horner was a gambler, always ready to take risks and often making surprising moves; but what was going on with Ferrari just now? When did Albane develop such decisiveness and courage, seizing the opportunity in three seconds?
The key point is that in the previous races today, Ferrari missed several windows due to hesitation, but this time they showed decisiveness and ruthlessness.
unusual.

They must investigate to find out what happened inside the Ferrari repair wall.

But right now, "Lewis, you need to be careful with your tires, it's all about defense." Wolff quickly regained his composure and returned to the game.

The safety car is currently in the lead, but Mercedes has already missed the pit window. If Hamilton pits this lap, he will likely drop to outside the top 15. Attacking and chasing all the way might be a waste of energy, so it's better to stay on the track and compete with the younger players.

Wolff once again demonstrated his composure and decisiveness at the strategic level.

Not only Mercedes-Benz, but Red Bull's repair wall is just as noisy.

Horner crossed his arms, glanced briefly at Lu Zhizhou, then quickly refocused on his two race cars and made a decision immediately—

The opportunity has been created; now it's up to Verstappen and Ricardo to see who can seize it.

Although Ricciardo is currently Red Bull's nominal number one driver, Horner must give Verstappen a chance due to power struggles within the team.

As for that baby rider now eyeing Ricciardo, let him see just how good this guy really is. Not in GP3, but in F1.

The opponent is busy; so is Lu Zhizhou.

The race standings have changed again. Bottas, Vettel, and Hamilton are currently in the top three, but they are all using medium tires. Verstappen, Ricciardo, and Lu Zhizhou are close behind, and they are all using soft tires.

In addition, behind Lu Zhizhou were Magnussen and Hulkenberg, both of whom were also neutral.

In other words, in terms of tire advantage, Lu Zhizhou's main rivals are the Red Bull duo. If Lu Zhizhou wants to reach the podium, he needs to face the Red Bull drivers before attacking Bottas, Vettel, and Hamilton. Unfortunately, Red Bull is now also using soft tires, so Ferrari's advantage is limited. To launch an attack, he must be patient and look for opportunities.

However, from another perspective, Red Bull's two cars are unlikely to stay put and behave themselves; they will inevitably launch an offensive, which may disrupt the situation.

Therefore, when should Lu Zhizhou launch his attack, and how should he allocate the resources? This is a science.

After all, there are still 25 laps left in the race, and the soft tires have a lifespan of only 20 laps. If you don't want to face a terrible situation of having no grip at all during the sprint, you have to be flexible and make careful calculations.

He is like that, and Red Bull should be too.

Now it's time to see the drivers battle it out on the track; that's the most exciting moment in competitive sports.

On lap 35, the race organizers announced that the safety car would be pitting on the next lap.

The race resumed on lap 36.

The vehicles were almost all lined up end to end, and someone pulled the trigger immediately.

Vettel attacked Bottas, Verstappen attacked Hamilton, Alonso attacked Hulkenberg, Grosjean attacked Sainz, and Ocon attacked Vandoorne. Fires broke out everywhere, and they were overwhelmed.

With smoke signals flying everywhere, the live stream cameras were completely overwhelmed!
Ricardo was highly focused and on edge, keeping a close eye on Verstappen ahead for an opportunity to overtake, while also being wary of Lu Zhizhou's potential attack from behind.

With wolves in front and tigers behind, Ricardo was fully in form.

However, there was no movement behind him—

To everyone's surprise, Lu Zhizhou remained inactive. At this moment, Magnussen, who was behind Lu Zhizhou, had virtually no ability to launch an attack. This meant that Lu Zhizhou could concentrate on attacking Ricardo. However, after the safety car returned to the repair area, Lu Zhizhou did not make any further moves.

shudder!

Ricardo didn't relax; instead, his hair stood on end immediately. In Melbourne, Lu Zhizhou had already demonstrated his ability to keep up with Hamilton's pace and seize opportunities. He didn't believe that Lu Zhizhou, who had just changed to soft tires, would obediently stay behind. So what was Lu Zhizhou planning?
Ricardo didn't bother to think and followed the pace without hesitation, using offense as a defense.

The best defense is offense!

As long as he surpasses Verstappen, then Lu Zhizhou will not be a problem for him.

Ricardo, full of confidence, completely forgot about Lu Zhizhou and relentlessly closed in on Verstappen, trying to reduce the gap to within a second.

Clearly, Verstappen shared the same idea, quickly closing in and showcasing his sharpness as soon as the game resumed.

However, the time is not yet right!

Verstappen's soft tires have just reached operating temperature, but the grip is not yet at its best; Hamilton's medium tires are in their optimal operating range after fifteen laps. Perhaps the tire performance will decline in a while, but not now, he can perfectly hold the line.

As a four-time world champion driver, Hamilton is good at both offense and defense, and especially at his peak, he is indeed the top driver in the paddock.

Therefore, Hamilton did not reveal any openings, firmly blocking the line and position. Although Verstappen was only about 0.6 seconds behind him, within the DRS range, Verstappen was stunned and could not find an opportunity to attack.

In fact, this is also why Lu Zhizhou did not rush to launch an attack.

The tire advantage they just gained from their extreme pit stop hasn't materialized yet, so there's no need to rush things. If they're not patient enough, they might just waste their advantage.

really!

One lap, two laps, three laps... a full four laps!
Hamilton, relying on his neutral tires in his work zone, managed to hold off Verstappen for four laps, with the gap hovering between 0.6 and 0.7 seconds. It was like he was juggling on a high-wire, but he just didn't give Verstappen any chance.

at last!

On lap 39, Verstappen lost patience and, after the first compound corner, attempted to force his way through from the outside at Turn 5. However, Hamilton held firm in his line, leaving no opening. After the hairpin turn 6, Verstappen immediately launched his second attack.

This time, it's the inside!
However, Hamilton accurately predicted that the flawless line left little room for adjustment. In the high-speed corner, Verstappen lost control, veering straight through Turn 7, leaving the track, and plunging into the gravel pit, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The live stream chat erupted in gasps of surprise!
A chorus of groans erupted from the Red Bull repair area.

Ricciardo seized the opportunity without hesitation and overtook Hamilton, while Verstappen immediately returned to the track and blocked Lu Zhizhou's path.

After losing a position, stop the bleeding promptly to prevent further losses.

However, Lu Zhizhou refused to let Verstappen have his way and thrust out his sword without hesitation.

"Verstappen VS Lu Zhizhou 2.0", after the first lap, the two highly anticipated young drivers clashed again on the thirty-ninth lap of the race.

Lu Zhizhou remained calm and focused throughout, noticing the billowing dust at Turn 7 immediately. Verstappen quickly returned to the track, but Ricciardo still sped through the inside of Turn 8. Dizzy and terrified, Verstappen immediately cut back to Turn 8 and entered Turn 9 without hesitation.

However, due to his deviation from the driving line, Verstappen's current defensive stance is riddled with holes.

Without hesitation, Lu Zhizhou cut into the inside line, closely following the apex of Turn 9, cutting off the lane and attempting to overtake from the inside.

Verstappen also demonstrated his top-notch ability to adapt and act decisively amidst chaos.

Although the car line was slightly off track and on the outside, the quick coordination of braking and steering brought the car back to the line. The ability to adjust and control at the last minute was absolutely top-notch, allowing the car to get ahead of the inside line before entering Turn 10.

Turn 9 is a right angle, and Turn 10 is also a right angle. It is quite similar to the Mahone Bend at Spa, a horseshoe bend with different lane combinations depending on the situation.

Verstappen lost his advantage at Turn 9, but immediately regained his line and position at Turn 10, getting half a car length ahead of Lu Zhizhou and biting into the apex of Turn 10.

If Lu Zhizhou were to force his way into the apex of the bend at this moment, it would be an offensive foul. Even if he gained the line, he might face a time penalty.

So, did Verstappen withstand Lu Zhizhou's attack?

of course not.

However, contrary to his usual behavior, Lu Zhizhou did not compete with Verstappen for the apex of the corner—or rather, he obeyed the rules and gave way, shooting straight from behind Verstappen's rear wing toward the peak of Turn 10.

To the astonishment of the entire audience, the two race cars actually crossed a line!

Car number 22 had pushed the track to its limits, with its right wheel even leaving the white line that marked the track's boundaries, as if it were standing on the edge of a cliff, and any further and it would have completely veered off course.

Amidst the raging wind and rain, the blade dances wildly, yet with precise and exquisite braking, relying on directional control, it traces an indescribable arc, speeding along the outer edge of the curve at its limit.

Speed, no slowing down!
Visibly, car number 22 overtook car number 33 from the outside with incredible speed in the corner, but before it could even think, the red car had already gained a better exit speed, leaving the blue car behind the moment it left the tenth turn, and floored the accelerator to plunge into the straight.

The outcome is decided!
"Wonderful!"

"Pretty!"

"Everything happened too fast. From the moment the opportunity arose to the moment he realized his advantage, Lu Zhizhou overtook Verstappen in just three turns."

"Unbelievable! That calmness, that composure, that ability to seize opportunities!"

"Clearly, Verstappen had just left the track, his tire condition was fluctuating, and his grip was temporarily poor. However, he was about to face the test of consecutive right-angle turns number nine and ten. Lu Zhizhou used an inside attack to draw Verstappen's attention, but in reality, he was using his grip advantage to overpower Verstappen from the outside."

"From timing to tactics to execution, everything was perfect."

"Lu Zhizhou has sounded the horn of counterattack! Don't forget, Lu Zhizhou fought his way through in the GP3 sprint race with his unparalleled offensive ability."

In the blink of an eye, the dust settled. Verstappen, whose tires lacked grip, couldn't keep up with the speed when exiting the corner. Right in front of him was the longest straight on the Shanghai International Circuit. The loss of speed when exiting the corner meant he could only watch helplessly as Lu Zhizhou instantly widened the gap, giving Verstappen no chance to fight back.

Verstappen couldn't help but swear.

If given another chance to breathe on the curve, he would be able to stop more effective and tougher defenses, instead of giving up his position so pathetically as he is now.

Verstappen was extremely dissatisfied.

"Lu Zhizhou VS Verstappen 2.0" only lasted for three corners before it came to an end. The so-called duel of geniuses was far less exciting than imagined due to that little accident.

But Lu Zhizhou's attention was no longer on Verstappen; he continued to aim ahead.

Although Lu Zhizhou overtook Verstappen at lightning speed, almost completing the overtaking maneuver one after the other with Ricciardo, Ricciardo didn't exert any effort. Lu Zhizhou still managed to get entangled in three corners, and in that short time difference, Ricciardo had already widened the gap between the two of them a little more.

It's about one second now.

Of course, the gap wasn't completely widened, but that still meant Lu Zhizhou would need to spend time chasing after them.

Ricciardo seemed to realize this as well. He didn't want to face the pressure from Lu Zhizhou. Both cars were on soft tires, and Red Bull's setup was basically at a disadvantage against Ferrari, and might even be at a disadvantage. So Ricciardo launched an attack on Hamilton on the next lap without stopping.

Just now, Hamilton bravely withstood Verstappen's four-lap attack; but when facing Riccardo again, Hamilton seemed unable to catch his breath.

On the 1.2-kilometer straight connecting Turns 13 and 14, Ricciardo activated DRS, caught the slipstream, pulled away and changed lanes, and cleanly completed the overtake. Then, he braked at the last second at Turn 14 to consolidate his advantage, leaving Hamilton behind without any lingering problems, and drove off.

The Red Bull service area and the Mercedes-Benz service area are located on either side of Ferrari, one a paradise and the other a hell.

The Ferrari service area was the same, experiencing both extremes: on one hand, the joy of surpassing Verstappen on the mainland, and on the other hand, the worry that Ricciardo's next target would be Vettel.

For Lu Zhizhou, Hamilton is all he sees now.

In Melbourne, Lu Zhizhou personally experienced Hamilton's ability to control the pace and defend, and he has always wanted to challenge him on the track.

Now, the opportunity has arrived—

At this point, with fifteen laps remaining in the race, Lu Zhizhou's soft tires had entered the working zone, while Hamilton's medium tires were beginning to show signs of degradation.

Although it wasn't immediately obvious, Lu Zhizhou knew that if Hamilton wasn't planning on a second pit stop, he would have to control the pace of the car and wouldn't be able to push the tires to their limits.

In the past lap, Lu Zhizhou's lap time was a full 0.6 seconds faster than Hamilton's. Originally, there was a gap of about 1.5 seconds between the two, but now that they have entered the DRS zone, the pressure is overwhelming Hamilton.

Of course, Lu Zhizhou could have remained patient, like Ricardo, waiting for the opportunity on the straightaway DRS, and then overtaking by braking late.

However, based on Lu Zhizhou's limited understanding of Hamilton's two races so far this season, Hamilton is a driver who relies heavily on intuition. His predictions and feelings are often very accurate, and when he is in a state of absolute confidence and comfort, he can always find the simplest way.

This means that if Lu Zhizhou doesn't want to be caught out by Hamilton's tactics like Verstappen just now and be blocked behind him, he must break the routine.

Emerging from Turn 4, without waiting for the DRS area, Lu Zhizhou subtly steered before entering Turn 5, making a preemptive maneuver.

Hamilton immediately sensed the approaching murderous intent.

murderous look!
The cold, sharp edge pierced through the engine roar and the surging heat, aiming for Hamilton's nape. The four-time world champion instantly became alert.

Reflexively, Hamilton went on high alert.

He knew that neutral tires were no match for soft tires, but he also knew that surrendering was impossible; he had his own pride and principles.

He glanced at the rearview mirror out of the corner of his eye and noticed that Lu Zhizhou was trying to break through from his right side.

However, Hamilton didn't miss the slight sway of the front of the Lu Zhizhou car, which meant—

A feint.

It's all a mix of truth and deception. It seems Lu Zhizhou is preparing to break through from the left side, the dirty side of the perimeter, just like he did with Verstappen, relying on the tire's grip to overpower him. The so-called slight swaying to the right is just a smokescreen.

Just a fleeting moment!

Hamilton and Lu Zhizhou reacted almost simultaneously, their rapid-fire offensive and defensive maneuvers leaving no room for respite.

Hamilton veered slightly to the left, not much, and did not deviate from the driving line. However, if Lu Zhizhou was preparing to overtake from the outside, the arc of his line would need to be widened. This meant that in the upcoming hairpin turn number six, Hamilton would be able to block the inside line, take control of the apex, and gain the advantage.

Lu Zhizhou paused almost imperceptibly, but instead of turning left, he continued to turn right, resolutely leaving Turn 5 and plunging into the inside line. Although Hamilton's left turn was not significant, the inside space still expanded, and Lu Zhizhou squeezed in without hesitation.

A shocking turn of events! In the non-DRS zone, just as the gap between the cars was closing, and as they left the vortex-like compound corner, Lu Zhizhou launched an attack in an unexpected manner.

Unconventional tactics! A complete disruption of the balance!
Hamilton: We've been tricked!

Lu Zhizhou cleverly used Hamilton's reliance on intuition to set a trap, feinting a shot, but then honestly and resolutely cutting into the paint!

In a split second, Hamilton held firm to his lane, showing no mercy, and entered Turn 6 first with an absolutely aggressive stance.

Wheel to wheel! Shoulder to shoulder!
The gap between car number 22 and car number 44 was so small that a piece of paper could be inserted between them; any slight deviation could lead to friction and collision.

The tires are rubbing together! The air is roaring, and waves of heat are pouring down with menacing force!

At this moment, Lu Zhizhou had already gripped the apex of the corner, his front wheel had passed Hamilton's rear wheel, and was almost touching Hamilton's front wheel.

The two race cars engaged in a fierce close-quarters battle, neither giving an inch. In front of the live broadcast camera, Jiang Mo clenched his fists tightly, sweating profusely, completely forgetting to breathe.

Lu Zhizhou is holding on, and so is Hamilton.

Neither driver braked, playing with fire on the edge of the cliff. Despite neither giving way, Lu Zhizhou still used his line advantage to gradually erode Hamilton's driving line.

Amidst the howling wind, the two riders turned their heads, their eyes seemingly meeting briefly through their helmets, amidst the billowing smoke.

Then, Hamilton braked.

If he doesn't brake soon, he'll understeer, and the loss won't just be the loss of this race; once he leaves the track, he might even lose his position.

Just as Hamilton braked, Lu Zhizhou also braked, but his steering control was so smooth and seamless that he drew an arc around the apex of the bend.

Not only did he show no signs of distress, but his car gripped the ground firmly, his dynamic balance in the hairpin bend was incredibly smooth, and he overtook Hamilton at a speed visible to the naked eye, completely dominating car number 44, leaving everyone speechless.

Isn't it said that Ferrari's rhythm in low-to-medium speed corners is not as good as Mercedes-Benz?
Before his eyes, Lu Zhizhou relied on his soft tires to overtake on the hairpin bend, visibly overtaking by half a car length. At the moment of exiting the bend, he coordinated with the throttle to demonstrate his grip advantage, forcefully squeezing Hamilton slightly to the outside, quickly finishing the race and exiting the bend at high speed, immediately releasing his speed.

Next!

At high-speed corners 7 and 8, Ferrari fully unleashed its advantages, leaving the No. 22 car with no chance after a full car body and a half car body.

One fatal blow! Swift and decisive!

There was a chorus of groans in the Mercedes-Benz service area, and Wolf almost threw his headphones away.

In response, cheers erupted in the Ferrari service area, with everyone standing up and raising their arms in celebration.

"1.7 seconds. Ricardo up ahead, 1.7 seconds." Greenwood's voice came over the radio. "Seba needs your help. Please put pressure on Ricardo."

Before Lu Zhizhou could even see what was happening ahead, he could already sense the immense pressure Vettel was under from the radio.

Clearly, Red Bull's service area is also aware of this—

Ricciardo gave Ferrari no chance to sandwich him. Shortly after Lu Zhizhou overtook Hamilton, on the same lap, in the third period, before Lu Zhizhou could close in, Ricciardo used the same tactic he had just used to overtake Hamilton, and decisively overtook Vettel.

Vettel was at a loss.

Then, what lay across the land in front of Lu Zhizhou evolved into the Ferrari No. 5 race car.

The situation suddenly became clear, but it also became tricky.

"Should I continue pursuing Ricardo?" Lu Zhizhou asked over the radio.

The real subtext is that, if necessary, car number 22 and car number 5 should switch positions now. In order to protect Lu Zhizhou's soft tires, Vettel should give up his position to prevent Lu Zhizhou from wearing out his tires. Then Lu Zhizhou can focus on chasing Ricciardo.

In fact, the current situation is already very clear. The medium tires can't withstand the attack of the soft tires. Hamilton and Vettel were unable to hold on. It's only a matter of time before Ricciardo overtakes Bottas. It will take at most five laps, or at least two laps. There should be no doubt that Red Bull will become the race leader.

Currently, the only drivers who can challenge Ricciardo are Lu Zhizhou and Red Bull's other driver, Verstappen.

The key point is that they have already run fourteen laps on soft tires, and there is not much of their optimal working range left. If Ferrari still wants Lu Zhizhou to challenge Ricciardo, they cannot afford to waste time and must get Lu Zhizhou to catch up with Ricciardo's pace as soon as possible, otherwise their attack window will gradually narrow.

After all, there's still the variable of Bottas ahead.

Lu Zhizhou really couldn't afford to waste time on Vettel.

Sure enough, Ferrari hesitated again when it came to repairing the wall.

"Just a moment," Greenwood replied, clearly seeking Arivabené's opinion.

Arrivabene was completely stunned. Vettel was the number one driver and Lu Zhizhou was the number two driver, a decision that had been made before the start of the season.

In a race, only the second driver yields to the first driver; how could there be a situation where the first driver yields to the second driver?
But the reality is that Lu Zhizhou's soft tires are Ferrari's only hope for the championship. Continuing to follow Vettel's medium tires is just a waste of time and watching the opportunity slip away.

How should one choose Arivabene?

Even if he chooses Lu Zhizhou, how should he approach Viter?
One lap!
Arrivabene hesitated for a long time, watching Ricciardo closing in on Bottas and preparing to attack, while Verstappen suddenly surged forward and overtook Hamilton. If he continued to hesitate, Verstappen would start attacking Lu Zhizhou, and Ferrari would not have much time left.

"Seba, switch positions with Zhizhou." Arrivabene ultimately showed his "Eagle Uncle" side, choosing the team over the driver and issuing the order.

However, there was silence on the radio; there was no response.

Vettel: ...

Silence fell. Vettel made no response. His race engineer, Adami, frowned and glanced helplessly at Arrivabene.

Arrivabene looked grim and felt a burning sensation in his stomach.

difficult!
If possible, Arrivabene would not want to order Vettel and Lu Zhizhou to switch positions. Vettel is not only the number one driver, but also the person he relies on, and the bargaining chip for him to maintain his voice in front of Marchionne. He hopes to see Vettel lead Ferrari to the world championship.

However, this is the current situation.

Moving forward, Lu Zhizhou still has a chance to catch up with Ricardo and even win the championship.

Going forward, Verstappen's aggressive approach and subsequent attack on Lu Zhizhou could render Ferrari's strategic advantages completely meaningless.

In the interest of the team, it is the most reasonable and wisest choice for Lu Zhizhou and Vettel to switch positions.

With his hands clasped across his chest and his back muscles taut against the chair back, Alivabene gently raised his chin in a gesture to Adami.

Adami turned on the radio, "Seba, switch positions with Zhizhou, this is the team's order."

There was still no response from the other end of the radio, raising suspicions about the extent of the radio malfunction, but Adami knew Witter.

This German man was probably exerting all his strength to control the urge to swear and refused to respond.

Adami is right, Viter disagrees.

They refused to respond and refused to give way; it was that simple.

How could he possibly give up his spot for that baby? How could he possibly relinquish his position? Being behind in the drivers' standings is embarrassing enough; for him to refuse to lose to his teammate for the second time this season, especially by voluntarily surrendering the initiative, is a pipe dream, impossible even in a hundred years.

It's impossible!

The atmosphere remained tense, with time ticking away second by second, yet the repair team was at a loss.

Adami felt a headache coming on; they really didn't have time to waste any longer. "Seba..."

“If he wants a spot, he can come and get it himself,” Vettel finally spoke, his tone firm and unyielding.

Adami glanced quickly at Aliwabene, his mouth full of bitterness, "Seba, we're a team..."

Vettel retorted directly, "Don't treat me like Rubens Barrichello."

The air instantly tensed.

Adami had to look to Arivabene again to see if Arivabene was willing to signal through Greenwood that Lu Zhizhou was allowed to attack.

Arivaben... did not respond.

However, at this very moment, the situation suddenly changed—

"Lu Zhizhou! Launch the attack!"

"Two Ferraris are going head-to-head!"

In the live broadcast, car number 22 was launching an attack. The Ferrari pit crew collectively gasped in shock, with Greenwood clenching his fists and staring dumbfounded at the small screen.

At this moment, Lu Zhizhou was calm and rational; he knew what he was doing.

There was no response from inside the pit stop for a long time. Hesitation and indecisiveness meant that the opportunity was slipping through his fingers. Moreover, Vettel's neutral tires were indeed deteriorating, and Lu Zhizhou's pace was significantly better than Vettel's. While he was hovering around inside the pit stop, the gap had already narrowed to 0.6 seconds.

For Lu Zhizhou, things were very simple. If he continued to follow Vettel, it would not only be a waste of time, but also expose him to polluted air and cause serious tire damage. He would also have to face Verstappen's relentless pursuit. The choice before him was crystal clear.

He has to coordinate with the team on pit lane strategy; but there's another saying about track strategy—

You will be outside, and your orders will not be accepted.

then!

Lu Zhizhou has made his move.

Turn 11, the spiral compound corner in the third timed section of the Shanghai International Circuit, is slightly different from the first compound corner. Here, it is narrow in and wide out, with the spiral slowly unfolding. The right turn connects to the left turn and then follows the arc to complete a 360-degree spiral arc to leave Turn 13, a classic corner.

Although there is no DRS to help, this is where the driver can demonstrate his control over the line, grip, and vehicle dynamic balance.

But then Lu Zhizhou was seen clinging tightly to the slipstream on the straight ahead. With a quick turn, he cut to the left, released the throttle, and braked, getting ahead of Vettel and taking the apex of the corner first.

At this moment, Vettel, whose car was already in the curve, immediately noticed the bright red shadow squeezing in in his left rearview mirror. He felt annoyed and angry, mixed with a little shame and frustration.

How dare he!
There was no time to discern the details. With his hands tightening and his knuckles on the steering wheel turning slightly white, Vettel instantly got into the zone. Instead of risking squeezing or colliding, he firmly held onto his lane and took the lead into Turn 12, a right turn. He effortlessly took the inside line and hugged the apex of the corner.

In an instant, Lu Zhizhou was pushed to the outside dirty side.

Vettel glanced in the rearview mirror; clearly, this rookie was still too inexperienced, and that attack had been truly reckless.

Just as Vettel had predicted, despite Lu Zhizhou holding onto the apex of Turn 11, he was immediately pushed off the line when facing Turn 12.

However, Lu Zhizhou drove at a leisurely pace, relying on the coordination of the throttle and steering, skidding along the outer arc of Vettel's rear wheels and tail wing.

The complex bend unfolds and blossoms little by little, like a flower in full bloom.

Vettel took the lead through Turn 12, gradually moving towards the outside of the track along the curve. Because his medium tires had unstable grip, he tried to avoid making large directional adjustments in the corner, instead sticking to the curve to maintain his rhythm in the corner as much as possible.

As he entered the bend, Vettel couldn't see car number 22 in the left rearview mirror, so he immediately glanced at the right rearview mirror.

Sure enough, they found that red spot, but Vettel's heart immediately clenched.

Lu Zhizhou made full use of the space as the curves widened and the characteristics of the compound curves, turning right from behind the rear wing of car number five to cut from the outside to the inside.

Silky smooth, flowing like clouds and water—

He even took into account the difference in grip between the two race cars!
Then, inexplicably, car number five and car number twenty-two swapped positions in the corner, and Lu Zhizhou pushed Vettel to the outside again.

Immediately afterwards, Lu Zhizhou hugged the extended curve of Turn 13, holding the apex of the corner tightly, and surprisingly gained a better rhythm in the corner by relying on the grip.

Little by little, Vettel watched helplessly as car number 22 drew closer, caught up, ran alongside, and overtook him.

At this moment, the exit of Turn 13 was already in sight. He corrected his direction, cutting from the inside of the curve to the outside of the straight. Relying on the exquisite control of his driving line and the strong support of his grip, Lu Zhizhou firmly maintained his positional advantage. His unparalleled operation and control kept him one step ahead of Vettel.

Furthermore, Lu Zhizhou is further squeezing Vettel's driving space. Is he trying to force Vettel off the track?
Vettel could no longer contain himself, "Damn it!"

Unfortunately, Lu Zhizhou was a beat too late. He squeezed out of the curve, instantly blocking the way and getting ahead of Vettel onto the straight.

It was clearly visible that the two race cars were almost touching end to end, separated by a hair's breadth, and seemed to be in imminent danger of colliding at any moment.

The hearts of the entire audience suddenly caught in their throats!

But Lu Zhizhou, who was risking his life, remained calm and composed, seizing the opportunity perfectly. He floored the accelerator, and the slightly wobbly rear wing quickly touched the ground, firmly gripping the track. Car number 22 had already become a blur.

Vettel, in a similar situation, tried to make a quick correction, sticking close to Lu Zhizhou. He activated DRS at the end of the straight to fight back and regain the position, but the grip of the medium tires did not help. The rear wing wobbled slightly, and Vettel quickly adjusted, but his exit speed was still a full step slower.

The gap widened instantly.

boom! Boom boom boom!
The engines roared as they sped along the starting straight, sending shivers down the spines of the main grandstand. Everyone stood up, arms raised, and cheered, creating a deafening roar that seemed to reach a tidal wave.

Lu Zhizhou, you've successfully overtaken!

(End of this chapter)