Speed ​​God

Chapter 162: Head held high
"Damn it! Damn it! What the hell is that idiot doing?"

With a burst of angry words, Vettel lost control, his rage completely uncontrollable, the radio filled with all sorts of foul language.

Adami was caught in his throat. He hadn't expected Lu Zhizhou to actually launch an attack. Not only did Lu Zhizhou execute the same exquisite line control that Schumacher used to overtake Alonso in the second spiral compound corner, but he also completed the overtake cleanly and decisively, leaving no chance for the other driver to catch up.

Indeed, they all knew that Luzhizhou Tires had the advantage, and Vettel couldn't hold on for long if he continued to struggle, but this scene was still very impactful.

So, what to do?
It is true that they were preparing to give Lu Zhizhou the green light to attack Vettel; however, it is another matter that Lu Zhizhou attacked without giving the order.

Everyone knows that Lu Zhizhou is not a kind person, but when you actually see Lu Zhizhou show his sharp edge to defend his beliefs, the shock is still overwhelming.

Instinctively, Adami looked at Aliwabene: Things are getting complicated now.

Arivaben felt a lump in his throat, his mind still churning with indecisive thoughts. Three or five seconds later, the situation had completely reversed.

then--

There was complete silence; no sound came from the radio, and only emptiness responded to Vettel's furious outburst.

However, the live stream room was already buzzing with excitement.

"Lu Zhizhou!"

"Beautiful! A clean overtake, a top-notch attack, a perfect understanding of the car and the track, a grasp of timing, and control of details."

"Wow!"

“At the start, Vettel squeezed Lu Zhizhou’s lane, causing Lu Zhizhou to get caught up in the chaos and lose his position repeatedly; now Lu Zhizhou is launching a counterattack on the track, overtaking Vettel in an unparalleled manner, and issuing a challenge to his teammate with his actions.”

"This year's Ferrari is definitely the biggest surprise!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's not forget that on the GP3 track, Lu Zhizhou conquered all his opponents with his relentless, sharp, and powerful attacks."

"Unbelievable! Lu Zhizhou has decisively surpassed Hamilton and Vettel in two different ways, bringing home hope back to the podium!"

The air was burning, and Russell's heart was pounding wildly in his chest, almost bursting out of his chest. He clenched his fists and stared intently at the screen.

He also longed to stand on the track, compete with top players, and challenge Lu Zhizhou; that longing had never been so intense.

The commotion had just reached a peak, and before it could even catch its breath, it surged to a completely new height, plunging the entire track into a sea of ​​fire.

Adami immediately became alert, "Seba, watch out behind us. Verstappen is closing in, 0.8 seconds."

Everything is as expected—

First Ricciardo, then Lu Zhizhou—the cars on soft tires are putting on an incredible show, and Verstappen has no reason to remain silent.

Moreover, before the switch to soft tires, Verstappen was in third place, but he lost his position due to his overeagerness, and he was unwilling to give up.

Verstappen didn't care who was in front of him, whether it was Lu Zhizhou or Vettel, they were all the same, and he launched an attack without hesitation.

One climax after another—

At this moment, Vettel displayed the style of a four-time world champion. Facing Verstappen, who also came from the Red Bull system, Vettel gave Verstappen a good lesson in defense. Despite insufficient tire grip, Vettel managed to hold on for a full lap by relying on his racing line control.

Unfortunately, Verstappen lacked the patience to continue the "lectures".

Hamilton had already learned his lesson, and now, facing the Red Bull veterans, Verstappen is showing youthful energy, launching a strong attack.

After all, the situation is completely different now; Vettel's medium tires are running out of steam, while Verstappen's soft tires are at the peak of his working range.

At Turn 14, after a 1.2-kilometer straight, Verstappen prepared to adopt Ricciardo's strategy, using DRS and late braking to force an overtake.

Ricardo used this strategy to surpass Hamilton and Vettel in the same position, and now it remains to be seen whether Verstappen can replicate this feat.

result!

Verstappen braked late at Turn 14 and cut the inside line in an attempt to overtake, but his control was slightly lacking, and his left front wheel collided with Vettel's right rear wheel.

Dual-cycle gyroscope!
The live stream chat erupted in gasps, and the Red Bull repair area was instantly plunged into despair.

In an instant, the situation was reversed.

Hamilton successfully overtook the car and moved up to fourth place; Verstappen was the first to return to the track and continue moving forward, ranking fifth; Vettel slid down to sixth place in a sorry state.

The nightmare is not over.

Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg, ranked seventh, seized the opportunity to quickly close in and activated DRS at the end of the starting straight, easily overtaking the other driver.

Hulkenberg and Vettel switched positions.

"Almost!"

"So close! Verstappen was about to join the podium battle, but missed his chance by a hair's breadth!"

“Verstappen tried to keep up with Ricardo and Lu Zhizhou’s pace, but ultimately missed. After this match, the gap between Verstappen and Lu Zhizhou will become more and more obvious. Those who are trying to use Verstappen as a reference model for Lu Zhizhou can now shut up.”

Subsequently, after an investigation by the FIA, Verstappen was found guilty of a foul while overtaking and penalized with a ten-second penalty, which essentially means that Verstappen is out of the running for a podium finish at this race.

What should have been a dazzling display of talent from Lu Zhizhou and the Red Bull duo, a trio of stars, against the world, was dashed by Verstappen's two mistakes. Now, the match is turning into a two-horse race, with only Mercedes' last hope standing between Lu Zhizhou and Ricciardo.

Bottas.

Number 77 said he was under immense pressure.

Clearly, Bottas never expected to face such a situation. After successfully becoming the race leader by pitting undercut, he became a target in the final stages of the race, facing the strong pursuit of two young riders on an old, weak, and ineffective medium tire after 25 laps.

Normally, at this point, all the neutral tires should be about equal in strength, with no energy left to launch a full-scale attack, but the situation is completely different now.

Nevertheless, Bottas gritted his teeth and proved with his actions that his becoming Hamilton's teammate was definitely not just luck.

Bottas' biggest advantage is that he took the lead after changing tires on lap 19, without the interference of dirty air, and continued at his own pace. Therefore, his tire wear should be the least among the top ten neutral tire runners.

It was this slight difference that allowed Bottas to successfully hold off Ricciardo for a full lap, fending off two of Ricciardo's DRS attacks and keeping the race close.

But Ricardo had no time to waste, as Lu Zhizhou was chasing him at full speed.

"Ricardo! Ricardo!"

"Hairpin turn number six! No DRS!"

"Late braking! Ricciardo's signature hairpin turn: late braking, cut inside and hug the apex!"

"Cross line! Position! Exit speed!"

"Ricciardo successfully overtook Bottas, he has no chance!"

"Unbelievable! With ten laps to go, Red Bull's Ricciardo has become the race leader!"

However, Bottas still couldn't catch his breath, because the number 22 car was closing in relentlessly, and he could barely breathe—

Damn it! Do you have to push me so hard?
One wave after another, each higher than the last, leaving absolutely no room to breathe.

At this moment, Bottas revealed his true colors.

Logically speaking, his tires are about to give out, and it's basically impossible for him to catch up with Ricciardo and turn the game around. Instead of wasting energy on offense, he should focus on defense. He might be able to hold off Lu Zhizhou for another lap or two. If the race changes again, he might still have a chance if he continues to defend until the end of the race.

More importantly, by choosing to defend, even if he loses his position in Lu Zhizhou's attack, he can still withstand the attacks from Hamilton and Verstappen behind him.

Tires must be used sparingly; planning and strategy are essential.

However, Bottas did not. He immediately launched a counterattack, relentlessly chasing Ricciardo and quickly closing the gap between the two cars to only about 0.2 seconds.

Ricardo was taken aback. One second he was celebrating over the radio, the next he immediately focused on the rhythm and widened the gap.

Lu Zhizhou in the back: ?
A question mark slowly emerged in Lu Zhizhou's mind. He hadn't anticipated Bottas's choice, but upon reflection, it made sense:

With only ten laps left in the race, the chances of Hamilton and Verstappen attacking Bottas are slim, as they are now five and eight seconds behind respectively. In other words, given their podium finish, it's better to go all out than suffer a frustrating, slow death.

Perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope for second place; Bottas's attempt to suppress Hamilton's competitiveness within Mercedes-Benz is not just empty talk.

Faced with the inability of the medium tires to keep up, Bottas chose to fight with his back against the wall, which put Ricciardo and Lu Zhizhou on the soft tires at a slight disadvantage.

After all, they've already run fifteen laps on soft tires and have been attacking the whole way. If they're not careful, their grip might drop even faster than on medium tires.

It must be said that Bottas's grasp of the fighter jet was accurate and sharp, and he inexplicably found a breathing space in the gap between two powerful opponents.

Bottas was keeping up with Ricciardo with great difficulty, and with the advantage he had built up earlier, he was not in any immediate danger. The distance between him and Lu Zhizhou was about 1.6 to 1.7 seconds.

Lu Zhizhou didn't rush things and maintained his own pace. According to Greenwood's feedback, he was about 0.6 seconds ahead of Bottas on average per lap. It took him two laps to close the distance to Bottas's DRS range while maintaining tire stability.

Actually, Lu Zhizhou was somewhat worried about Ricardo.

To be more precise, the concern is with Horner and Ricciardo. Given that Bottas has absolutely no chance of overtaking Ricciardo, Ricciardo could have used slipstreams on Bottas to reduce his tire wear, increase his competitiveness on the defensive end, and then use Bottas as an obstacle to block Lu Zhizhou, making it more difficult for Lu Zhizhou to overtake.

In this way, Ricciardo would win the championship and Bottas would finish second, meaning Mercedes and Red Bull could easily team up to sabotage Ferrari.

However, Lu Zhizhou's worries did not come true.

Ricardo remained vigilant and observant, waiting for Lu Zhizhou to approach Bottas before accelerating and using Bottas as bait to lure the sharks behind him.

Bottas: ? Am I some kind of toilet paper, used and then thrown away?
"Zhizhou, Ricardo has widened the gap to 1.1 seconds." Inside the repair wall, his heart pounded like a drum, and Greenwood became unusually tense.

Who could have imagined that Ferrari's entire hope rested on Lu Zhizhou? Vettel locked up his tires twice, losing position, and his grip plummeted. It was uncertain whether he would continue to lose position. Had they known Vettel's tires couldn't hold up, they should have decisively forced him to relinquish the position. If, because of a hesitation of one or two laps, Lu Zhizhou lost the opportunity to overtake Ricciardo, then...

Unfortunately, there is no regret medicine in the world.

Over the radio, Lu Zhizhou displayed his decisive and ruthless side, saying, "Leave me alone."

With that one sentence, Greenwood fell silent.

Lu Zhizhou needs to focus now. His attention must be on Bottas. If he starts paying attention to Ricciardo before he can overtake Bottas and takes overtaking for granted, he may make a mistake while speeding at 300 kilometers per hour.

Making a mistake at this point would be a fatal error, and there might be no way to salvage it.

Back in GP3, Borrepeller already knew this, but now Lu Zhizhou doesn't have time to explain to Greenwood; he must surpass Bottas as soon as possible.

Furthermore, it must be done cleanly and decisively, leaving no room for future problems.

On the starting straight, he caught the slipstream, pulled right, activated DRS, and gave Bottas no chance, catching the apex of the corner a car ahead of time.

They firmly maintained their advantage in the driving line and overtook the other vehicle before even entering the curve.

Bottas had been waiting and mentally preparing himself. Just now, Wolff had given instructions over the radio to stall car number 22 as much as possible.

Mercedes' main rival this season is Ferrari, and they will stop at nothing to take them down. If Bottas can hold off Lu Zhizhou for a while, Hamilton will be right behind him. With the two Mercedes forming a pincer movement, Lu Zhizhou, this rookie, may not be able to find a way to escape.

Unfortunately, ideals are often grand, but reality is often harsh.

Bottas tried to hold his position, but he was outmatched in speed, tires, and timing. The cars were simply not on the same level, and he lost his position before he could even blink.

Bottas watched helplessly as the No. 22 car transformed into a streak of light and swooped into Turn 1, firmly securing its position and leaving no room for a counterattack. It then surged out along the spiral compound bend, gradually widening the gap, until it was a car length's width away from Turn 4.

A sense of powerlessness gripped Bottas's throat.

Ahead, Lu Zhizhou had already driven off, not only without relaxing or clearing his head, but with his focus even higher, his eyes fixed only on Ricardo ahead.

"David, what's the difference?" Lu Zhizhou asked.

"1.8 seconds."

"Rhythm?"

"Ricardo, 0.985; you, 0.795."

Currently, Lu Zhizhou and Ricciardo are the only two drivers on the track whose lap times can break 1 minute and 36 seconds, giving them a clear advantage.

Lu Zhizhou quickly calculated that he was now about 0.2 seconds faster than Ricciardo per lap. There were nine laps left in the race, which was why Ricciardo had just accelerated. He had hoped that Bottas would block Lu Zhizhou again so that he could further extend his lead, but unfortunately, Lu Zhizhou's decisiveness prevented Ricciardo from succeeding.

"The pace isn't fast enough, I'll speed it up a bit. David, keep an eye on the tire and brake temperatures. There are some bubbles coming out of the front left tire."

"receive."

The back-and-forth was concise and efficient. Lu Zhizhou had completed the communication, refocused his attention on the track, and entered pursuit mode.

Jiang Mo noticed it immediately in the live stream—

Fast, but steady.

The live broadcast cameras also noticed this. Lu Zhizhou was not in a hurry, averaging about 0.3 seconds per lap to catch up. The exact number may fluctuate, and he was approaching Ricardo in a steady and efficient manner.

Although both drivers were using soft tires, the pressure from Lu Zhizhou's lap time was overwhelming Ricciardo.

The pressure accumulates layer upon layer.

Thump, thump, his heart pounded faster and faster, the roar of the engine surged through his blood. Jiang Mo stared intently at the screen, his whole body tense, almost forgetting to breathe.

"One second!"

"On lap 52, with four laps left in the race, Lu Zhizhou has officially entered Ricciardo's DRS range. Unbelievable! The suspense of who will win the Shanghai Grand Prix will be revealed at the last moment."

"Now, all eyes are on the leading cars, number three and number twenty-two! Ricciardo has entered Lu Zhizhou's attack range!" The twists and turns, the roar of the engines burning in their blood, the eyes of thousands on the Shanghai International Circuit were all focused on the leading cars, number three and number twenty-two. Their hearts were choking, and no one could remain seated. They all stood up.

The start was unexpected, the process was unexpected, and the result was also unexpected; the championship battle actually continued until the very end of the competition.

"0.4 seconds! 0.3 seconds! Lu Zhizhou is looking for an opportunity!"

"Straight line! Wakewave! Dive! DRS!"

The commentary abruptly ended, and in the live broadcast, the rear wing of car number 22 remained firmly pressed against the wall, not deployed.

"God, the Ferrari No. 22 race car's DRS has malfunctioned and can't start. What's wrong?"

Without hesitation, Lu Zhizhou immediately cut inside, gripping the apex of the corner, his tires screeching as the red and blue race cars entered Turn 1 side by side.

"Wheel to wheel!"

"Ricciardo! Daniel Ricciardo! Extreme braking! Incredible maneuver! Ricciardo pushed Turn 1 and his Red Bull car to their absolute limits!"

"Ricciardo withstood Lu Zhizhou's frenzied attack! Unbelievable! Ricciardo is the first to leave the first compound corner!"

"Lu Zhizhou's attack was brilliant! Ricciardo's defense was superb! This Australian driver from Perth once again demonstrated his talent and energy to continue leading the race!"

The people in the live stream were all different.

The entire Sky Sports channel was on edge, raising their arms and shouting; CCTV Sports was so tense that it briefly fell silent; and Five Star Sports was filled with regret and remorse.

The Ferrari maintenance team even pressed the pause button on everything inside the wall—

The DRS is stuck. At such a critical moment, the DRS malfunctioned and failed to function, but the service area was helpless and unable to help at all.

Greenwood was tense to the extreme, his fists trembling slightly from the force of his grip. He tried to say something, but couldn't find the words.

Should he apologize? Should he offer comfort?
Before Greenwood could even speak, Lu Zhizhou's calm voice came through the radio, "David, brake temperature!"

Greenwood immediately snapped his attention back to the present. "Roger that! We'll handle it right away!"

It's not just DRS; during extreme maneuvers involving continuous attacks and overtaking, the braking system also faces severe challenges, with brake temperatures becoming excessively high.

Just now, the braking response was not timely or adequate enough, forcing Lu Zhizhou to adjust his driving and launch an attack while avoiding going off the track; the skilled and daring Ricciardo, on the other hand, did not hesitate to push the Red Bull car to its limit, thus thwarting Lu Zhizhou's attack.

That's how F1 racing works. In the pursuit of ultimate speed, everything is pushed to the limit. Ninety minutes of high-speed racing puts every part of the car to a severe test. Developing a high-speed and stable car is no easy task, so every race is a race on the edge of a cliff.

In today's race, Lu Zhizhou faced challenges from the very first lap, constantly adjusting between offense and defense. Compared to Ricciardo, who started in sixth place and patiently waited for the safety car to pit before launching an attack, there was no comparison in terms of car performance.

So, are we just going to surrender and give up like this?

No, that's not Lu Zhizhou's style.

Upright and honorable, all-or-nothing, a final all-out effort, refusing to leave any regrets on the track—that's Lu Zhizhou. What he hates most is "if only" and "what if".

Be patient!

Lu Zhizhou knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and missing it meant the end.

Ricardo remained focused, closely monitoring Lu Zhizhou's movements. He knew he should concentrate on himself, but the pressure from Lu Zhizhou was truly overwhelming.

"God, is this really only his third F1 race?"

Lap 56! The final lap!
The Shanghai Grand Prix has entered the final sprint stage, but the outcome is still undecided. More importantly, Lu Zhizhou remains calm and refrains from rash actions.

That calmness and focus almost stung Ricciardo's neck. For the entire lap, he was focused and tense the whole time, constantly worried that Lu Zhizhou would attack but there was no movement at all. The tension of the moment when it could happen but not happening made the entire Shanghai International Circuit hold their breath.

The finish line is approaching, and the closer it gets, the more tense I become. My whole body is stretched to the limit, on the verge of exploding. It feels like even a slight breeze could snap my taut nerves. Before I could even blink, the two leading cars have already entered the third timing phase.

Turn 13, out, car number 22 followed, biting the slipstream, Ricciardo noticed Lu Zhizhou's movement in the rearview mirror immediately.

Alarm bells ringing!

The 1.2-kilometer straight plus the 14th hairpin bend is a paradise for DRS and late braking. It was here that Ricciardo overtook Hamilton and Vettel!

Ricardo: This is it!

With his focus pushed to the extreme, Ricardo concentrated all his nerves on the soles of his feet—

The late-night braking maniac completely squeezes out all the potential of the race car, the hairpin bend, and himself, braking to the limit to firmly lock himself in position.

however!
"be cheated."

Ricciardo exclaimed in surprise, because Lu Zhizhou did not launch an attack. He was biting the slipstream and cutting across, not to attack, but to find the perfect angle to enter the corner.

Lu Zhizhou abandoned his plan to overtake on the inside and instead chose the outside, smoothly navigating the hairpin bend. Although he did not threaten Ricciardo's position, he relied on his excellent cornering rhythm to find a better rhythm. He planned to use all the remaining grip of his tires on the last sixteenth turn.

Ricardo, "That madman!"

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Ricardo didn't even have time to panic; instinct kicked in, and he reacted reflexively.

The line is blocked, the location is blocked.

I absolutely will not move!

A splash of blue and a splash of red sped past the fake turn number 15 one after the other, and the right-angle turn number 16 was already looming ahead.

Without hesitation and decisive action, Ricciardo braked late for the second time in a row, pushing the No. 3 Red Bull race car to another extreme within the extreme.

Holding onto the apex of the corner tightly, the overwhelming G-forces surged down, leaving him drenched in sweat. But Ricciardo gritted his teeth and refused to relax, completely unlike his usual carefree self. A murderous glint flashed in his eyes as he made the most of the angle and space of Turn 16.

In the rearview mirror, Ricardo could see that red figure, moving slowly and calmly, displaying incredible composure and calmness in the face of life and death.

With a flick of his wrist, Lu Zhizhou cut to the outside. He didn't intend to compete with Ricciardo for the inside line by braking late. Instead, he relied on the coordination of steering and throttle to make the car glide in the gale, smoothly entering the outside of the right-angle turn. Despite the longer driving line and greater arc, he was able to maintain his speed as much as possible.

It sped past like mercury spilling onto the ground, its tail wing swaying almost imperceptibly, seemingly on the verge of losing control in the gale, yet inexplicably it remained stable under Lu Zhizhou's control, continuously pushing the limits of its limits. The car's right rear wheel was completely gripping the curb, teetering precariously on the edge of a cliff.

As they entered the bend, car number 22 was still behind car number 3, but inside the bend, it rapidly closed in and drew closer to the other car at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Tail speed!" Ricciardo immediately realized that this was Lu Zhizhou's plan: to put all his bets on the last corner and decide the winner at the finish line.

Millions of eyes were fixed on the finish line. The heartbeats of the entire stadium collectively stopped. Before anyone could even catch a glimpse, two streaks of light had already crossed the finish line, transforming into streaks of light chasing the ultimate speed. The red and blue shadows swept across the entire starting straight, and the clamor of the main grandstand froze and stopped in its tracks.

Everything, frozen in time, transforms into eternity in an instant—

First, Ricardo. 1:35:36.380.

Second, Lu Zhizhou. 1:35.36.591.

With a mere 0.211 seconds, the championship was decided.

hum-

All was silent, utterly still. Words lost their luster in the face of this clash of titans, and even the exclamation of admiration was forgotten.

Standing there dumbfounded, the game... was over...?

"incredible!"

"Incredible!"

"Lu Zhizhou, oh God, Ferrari's number 22 baby driver has just delivered the most exciting moment of the season. The race went down to the last second. DRS failure, brake overheating, tire degradation, car imbalance, Lu Zhizhou still did his best to fight to the end despite all the difficulties."

"It even gave Ricardo a fright."

"0.211 seconds! The two cars crossed the finish line side by side, with Ricciardo winning the Shanghai Grand Prix by a hair's breadth. This is the narrowest gap between first and second place since Schumacher led his teammate Barrichello by 0.011 seconds at the 2002 US Grand Prix. We are witnessing history."

"But! What I mean is! Lu Zhizhou!"

"He fought to the very last second and the very last meter without a doubt! We couldn't even tell the outcome with the naked eye; we had to use slow-motion replays to confirm it. Just like the 100-meter sprint at the Olympics, Lu Zhizhou gave it his all under extremely difficult circumstances. He confirmed that Riccardo was covered in a cold sweat, and the entire Red Bull repair wall looked like it had survived a disaster. This baby rider shocked and stunned everyone inside and outside the paddock."

"If there were two more laps, no, one more lap, the outcome of the race might have been very different."

"Let's give a round of applause to Lu Zhizhou!"

"This young driver can proudly accept all the flowers and applause—he deserves them!"

"He displayed the temperament of a champion and the courage of a warrior, facing numerous difficulties throughout the race and fighting relentlessly until the very last moment. He was in trouble from the start, but he relied on his composure and courage to turn the tide and single-handedly saved the race for Ferrari."

“Vettel… disappointing, being overtaken by McLaren’s Alonso in the final stages of the race, starting from pole position but finishing only eighth.”

"If it weren't for Lu Zhizhou, Ferrari's race at the Shanghai International Circuit would have been a complete disaster. But this young man carried the Ferrari flag and turned the tide. It wasn't just about fighting for the championship; it was about his resilience in the face of adversity and setbacks, reigniting his fighting spirit."

"Incredible!"

"How long has it been since we've seen such an exciting and thrilling match in the paddock?"

Stand up and applaud!
Croft stood up straight, even though the audience couldn't see the live stream, he still insisted on showing his respect with this gesture.

Not only that, but why were his eyes filled with tears, and why was the surging passion in his chest completely unable to be calmed?

Inside race car number 22, the roar of the engine gradually subsided, but the surging adrenaline still boiled in his blood vessels. A breath caught in Lu Zhizhou's throat, and his rapidly working brain went blank for a moment, briefly losing the ability to think and becoming completely empty.

"Second, Zhizhou. Second!"

Greenwood's voice came through the radio, trembling slightly, the lingering effects of the game clearly felt. He paused, then added.

"A fantastic match. Really. An absolutely fantastic match." He paused again. "Thank you."

Lu Zhizhou understood the reasoning.

He has given his all, meticulously planned and exhausted every ounce of his strength, leaving his soul and energy on the track without reservation. He has no regrets and will not repent. He was just a little bit short. This is F1, this is competitive sports. Not every gamble will yield the desired result.

He can accept the result of the competition with his head held high.

But... why am I so unwilling to accept this?
Then, the radio crackled to life again, and an unfamiliar voice came through, "Xiaozhou, this is Mom."

"Mom?" Lu Zhizhou was taken aback and blurted out the question subconsciously.

"Well done. A fantastic game, absolutely fantastic. Mom is so proud of you," Jiang Mo said.

Caught off guard, the blow struck Lu Zhizhou hard. He was somewhat flustered and quickly took a deep breath to control himself. "Ah, I was so close to winning the championship."

Jiang Mo: "Mom knows. But you gave it your all, leaving no regrets, right? You fought to the very last moment, and this is the result of your hard work. Hold your head high, face the result with confidence and pride. This second place is something you earned, and it's what you deserve. Xiaozhou, you're really amazing."

"Haha, let's come back next year. Keep some expectations in mind. Next year, we'll turn second place into first, and then we'll put the trophy at home." Lu Zhizhou laughed heartily.

Wang Lin stood in the vast sea of ​​people in the stands, took a deep breath, and held it for a long, long time. Then he straightened his back, opened his shoulders, and stared intently at the end of the track, waiting for that splash of red to appear.

"...Just a little bit more. Just a tiny bit more."

A voice came from behind him, and Wang Lin immediately turned around, glaring angrily at the person behind him. "What did you say? You dare say it again!"

His fierce appearance immediately frightened the other party, and he raised his fist, as big as a bowl, even more threateningly, and the noise disappeared instantly.

Li Miaomiao tugged at Wang Lin, trying to dissuade him.

Wang Lin, however, was like a firecracker, ready to explode at any moment: "What do you mean by 'almost there'? It's as if the boss didn't try hard enough."

"This second place was earned by the leader. He left all his energy on the track. If Vettel hadn't pushed him at the start, if the Ferrari repair wall hadn't been holding him back, and if the car's DRS hadn't malfunctioned, the result of the race might have been completely different. But even in the face of such difficulties, the leader still fought without reservation until the very end, and was still going all out for the championship right up to the finish line."

"To reach the podium in their first home game, and to make history with such a brilliant performance!"

"No one has the right to criticize the boss! Anyone who dares to say another word will be my enemy."

His eloquent words flowed forth, his syllables carrying a passionate and stirring spirit, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of the main stands, which erupted in a chorus of agreement.

Then, car number 22 appeared before us and slowly came to a stop in front of the podium. Wang Lin was the first to lead the way, shouting at the top of his lungs.

The home crowd could no longer contain their joy and excitement—

"Lu Zhizhou!"

"Lu Zhizhou!"

Vast and boundless, the vibrant red stretched as far as the eye could see, instantly spreading across the entire Shanghai International Circuit.

Witness history!
Indeed, how could they forget that they were just witnessing history? Not only did they witness the first Chinese driver step onto the F1 race stage on home soil, but they also witnessed this young driver reach the podium in his first home race and deliver an unparalleled performance for the home crowd.

Do not!
This is not the end, nor is there any need for regret or sorrow; it is the beginning! This novice, who sprang from the cracks in the rocks, has turned the entire hunting ground upside down with his antics. After this battle, people should realize his existence. In just three games, that little baby has already rightfully earned a place in the hunting ground!
Therefore, they should cheer! Revel! Celebrate wildly!

The moment Lu Zhizhou emerged from the car, the entire crowd erupted in a frenzy, breaking free of their restraints and losing all control.

Looking at Wang Lin, who was shouting and crying with tears in his eyes, and then at the raging heatwaves all around, Li Miaomiao's heart was stirred.

Just then, Li Miaomiao and Su Tong's eyes met, and they both smiled and joined in the frenzy.

One sound. Then another.

At first, there was a bit of unfamiliarity and shyness, but after shouting it out, one could feel the exhilaration and unrestraint. Smiles broke free from restraint and burst out of the chest. Reason was completely abandoned, and one joined the carnival. An energy lingered under the blue sky for a long time, sweeping across the battlefield like a volcanic eruption.

"Lu Zhizhou!"

(End of this chapter)