Speed ​​God

Chapter 170 Hardcore and Realistic
Start, cut inside, move closer—

Swift and decisive, Lu Zhizhou had already secured his position, his right front wheel overtaking Ricardo's left rear wheel, and it looked like the two cars were about to run side by side.

Wheel to wheel!
However, Lu Zhizhou wasn't the only one making these plans.

Ricciardo also had his own plan, not defense. He firmly believed that the best defense was offense. Even though he was in pole position and had the advantage, he still launched an attack without hesitation.

As he started, Ricardo also cut outwards along the small diagonal line towards the middle lane, blocking the middle lane, a strategy that coincided with Lu Zhizhou's.

The result is--

"touch!"

"Ricardo! Lu Zhizhou!"

A gasp rippled across the golden terrace. The race had only just begun, not even reaching the first corner, yet the two drivers at the front of the grid had already displayed their prowess.

Ricardo's left rear wheel and Lu Zhizhou's right front wheel lightly touched, and the two race cars, which had not yet fully accelerated, were immediately pushed apart by the reaction force.

One cuts inward, the other flares outward, and the middle lane is reopened!

However, the narrow space still couldn't accommodate a car, and because cars number three and twenty-two drove to the sides, the overtaking space on the outside was also blocked. The cramped street space in Monaco seemed to be filled instantly, leaving Vettel and Hamilton behind helpless.

Vettel: Damn it!

Not only Lu Zhizhou, but Ricciardo had the same idea. The two front-row drivers launched a confrontation at the same time, which was also a tacit cooperation. They successfully nipped the second-row drivers' attack in the bud before they could even emerge, firmly defending their positions, while all the other cars were left behind.

Crowded! Traffic jam!
A vivid recreation of Monaco's daily rush hour cityscape! The track is a cacophony of noise on both sides!
However, Ricardo and Lu Zhizhou were completely focused and unwilling to give an inch, scheming and attacking each other, both knowing that this confrontation was not over.

Lu Zhizhou was calm and clear-headed. He understood very well that Ricciardo had the advantage of pole position and would make full use of it. Ricciardo would definitely choose to brake late and make the most of the track. Naturally, this would lead to sharp turns in the car, compressing Lu Zhizhou's overtaking space.

Furthermore, let's not forget that Lu Zhizhou and Ricciardo were using the same strategy in Q2 of qualifying: their ultrasoft tires gave them the same advantage over the other drivers behind them.

The only way is to fight head-on with real weapons.

Therefore, Lu Zhizhou did not resist the reaction force from before. Instead, he followed the force of the wheel-to-wheel collision and cut to the outside, completely ignoring the influence of the dirty side. He made a larger angle and a gentler direction, following the outer curve into the No. 1 St. De Vault turn, in order to ensure the speed of exiting the turn.

It was clearly visible that Ricciardo and Lu Zhizhou approached Turn 1 in their own distinct styles.

Ricciardo braked late and made a sharp turn, entering the corner first and firmly grasping the advantage of pole position. The No. 3 car was now completely ahead of the No. 22 car.

Lu Zhizhou, on the other hand, pushed forward along the outside of the corner in a subtle and gentle manner, successfully avoiding the sway of the No. 3 car's rear wing. He did not lose his line or position, nor did he lose speed. Although he entered the corner behind Ricciardo, he was only close to the tail of the No. 3 car when he exited the corner.

Accelerator, floor it.

—Close combat! Sparks fly!

As Sepplayton stood by the track, his heart stopped for a moment. The area after Turn 1, which appears to be a straight road on the track map, is actually a narrow, wavy straight road with a series of false turns on both sides when you actually drive or walk on the streets of Monaco.

Although no turning is required, the entire second turn can be treated as a straightaway, but the small waves on both sides mean that it is impossible to overtake from the left or right sides like on a real straightaway. The space is really too cramped, and you will make intimate contact with the wall if you are not careful.

Although! But!
It was in this area that Lu Zhizhou relentlessly pursued Ricardo's tail, and two streaks of light, one blue and one red, sped past down the street.

It was clear that Vettel and Hamilton had fallen almost a car length behind, and the two world champions had absolutely no chance; but Sepplayton had no time to cash in his bet at this moment, his heart was pounding as Lu Zhizhou's car continued to climb, and he was about to explode.

She knew Lu Zhizhou would launch an attack—

Ricciardo knew this, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly where it was. The tires weren't fully warmed up, resulting in significantly insufficient grip. Forcing an overtake in a low-speed corner would likely lead to a complete loss of control. Therefore, the best opportunity to overtake was…

"coming!"

Ricardo's heart skipped a beat as the casino plaza area saw a high-speed S-curve!

It is indeed a curve, but the space here is relatively open, with some space on both sides of the driving lane. It is limited, but it is indeed a narrow gap.

In his rearview mirror, Ricardo could see the number 22 red race car decisively turn and veer to the right.

Why did Lu Zhizhou cut to the right and outside when Turn 3 is clearly a left turn?

Oh no, Lu Zhizhou's target wasn't Turn 3, but rather the two consecutive right turns, Turn 4 and Turn 5 – one a high-speed turn and the other a right-angle turn.

In the blink of an eye, Ricardo demonstrated his abilities. Despite his usual carefree and unserious demeanor, his style is both rough and meticulous, bold and tough, daring to take risks and confront others.

Instead of recklessly cutting in to block him, Ricardo tenaciously held his lane, maintaining his position in the S-curve and not wavering despite Lu Zhizhou's attack.

Although Ferrari did have an advantage in the first phase, Ricciardo's pole position advantage, combined with the natural advantage of the narrow and crowded Monaco circuit, and his defensive play in conjunction with the track conditions, allowed him to firmly control the situation and forcefully keep Lu Zhizhou behind him.

Wheel to wheel!
Point to point!
Car No. 3 and Car No. 22 engaged in a hard-fought battle in the casino square. Lu Zhizhou's attack was strong, but Ricardo's defense was equally impressive!

Turn 3, a clash of titans.

At Turn 4, we won't give an inch.

With Turn 5 looming large and close in, Ricciardo maintained his positional advantage and, without hesitation, cut slightly inside to block the shot.

Then, brake at the last possible moment!

Refuse to give up your spot!

At this moment, Lu Zhizhou was stuck on the inside and had no chance to cut to the outside. If he did not brake, the incident of Verstappen crashing and retiring in Bahrain would happen again. Ricciardo made full use of the advantage he had and forced Lu Zhizhou to brake.

Red Bull, unstoppable!

"Verstappen started in twentieth place and has already overtaken Haas's Magnussen and Grosjean!"

"Ricciardo had a perfect start, with quick reflexes, correct choices, and tough defense. His choice of braking point was like a knife's edge. But facing Lu Zhizhou's three consecutive aggressive attacks, Ricciardo made an incredible performance to maintain his position and stubbornly hold onto his pole position lead."

"I must say, Lu Zhizhou's opening was absolutely brilliant, with fierce attacks and smart choices that made the most of the track and the car; but Ricciardo's response was equally brilliant, finishing the defense with an absolutely tough stance. Red Bull had an impeccable start in Monaco."

However, the fierce competition in the first round has come to an end. Will Lu Zhizhou give up like this?
the answer is negative.

After passing through the tunnel and entering the new port area from the port area, the persistent Lu Zhizhou once again turned left—

Aiming at Ricardo!
"Oh no, Zhizhou, don't do this to me! How can you bear to hurt me?"

Over the radio, Ricardo was joking around. Despite withstanding the first wave of attacks, Lu Zhizhou's oppressive presence remained constant throughout the second time slot.

Ricardo was still wondering when Lu Zhizhou would launch his next attack when it came right away. The only area in Monaco was best suited for overtaking.

Leaving the tunnel and entering the deceleration curve of the new port area, it is a "凸" shape that bulges to the left, connecting two straight sections, and is specifically used to control speed.

After all, city streets are different from professional racetracks; they cannot allow F1 cars to keep pushing their speed to the limit here.

Complaining is one thing, but controlling your hands and feet is another. Don't let Ricciardo's unserious demeanor fool you; his reaction time on the track is incredibly fast.

Maintain speed and stay on course. Even though he could see Lu Zhizhou turning to the left to prepare for an attack, Ricardo remained unmoved, holding his position.

Focused, calm, and with precise braking at just the right moment, almost until the very last second of the limit, this is Ricciardo's specialty; while Lu Zhizhou on the left had anticipated this scene, he also did not relax, persisting until the very edge of the limit before braking precisely, and the two cars faced off head-on again, one after the other!

Wheel to wheel!
Left rear to right front!
The track is about to burst!

In the extreme position, there was very little room to maneuver. Ricciardo tried to follow the "U" shape to make the turn, but his line of sight was blocked by Lu Zhizhou's front wing. He was unable to turn completely, so that Ricciardo's right tire left the curb and he did not complete the course prescribed by the track.

Lu Zhizhou, meanwhile, smoothly navigated the bend by using the coordination of the throttle and steering wheel, following the outer apex of the curve, and watched as his front wheels caught up with Ricardo's.

Huh!
Jan-Plass stood on the highest point, looking across the sea and gazing into the distance at the scene unfolding in the port area. His heart leaped into his throat.

Speechless, I doubted my own eyes.

However, Ricciardo refused to back down in the predicament, flooring the accelerator. His car once again made slight friction with Lu Zhizhou, and they squeezed against each other. He floored the accelerator again and took the lead to leave the deceleration curve in the new port area. Lu Zhizhou, which was going through the second right-angle bend of the "convex" shape, could not keep up.

Ferrari was immediately left behind.

Jan-Plass jumped to his feet, not even realizing it, and reflexively defended car number 22, "That was to gain an advantage by leaving the track!"

In Formula 1 racing, the track has strict rules, with white lines on both sides. If a car leaves the white lines and tries to gain an advantage by taking a shortcut, it is a violation.

In particular, overtaking or holding onto a position by doing so violates the principles of fair competition and should result in either a time penalty or the loss of the position to the opponent on the track.

For example, right now.

Instead of taking the conventional "U"-shaped deceleration corner, Ricciardo cut across the area, using the shortcut to hold his position.

Therefore, Ricardo must voluntarily allow Lu Zhizhou to overtake him and relinquish his position, otherwise he will have to accept the penalty time.

Not only Jan-Plus, but the entire track was completely buzzing with excitement. Everyone was looking forward to a thrilling race, but no one expected it to be this exciting.

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to explode.

On the yachts docked in the harbor, the music was still playing loudly, but everyone on the deck was frozen in place, staring intently at the scene before them.

The FIA ​​immediately launched an investigation, using slow-motion replays to determine whether Ricardo had violated any rules.

However, on the track, Lu Zhizhou didn't have time to pay attention to these things.

With little time remaining in the second time trial, Red Bull had a clear advantage in the third time trial. The strategic advantage that Lu Zhizhou had created through risky gambles in qualifying was completely neutralized by Ricardo.

This means that Lu Zhizhou's only chance now is to seize the brief window when the grip is not fully in place, and to go all out in the first and second timed periods, creating opportunities through his own abilities in the face of the impossible.

Therefore, Lu Zhizhou must find another opportunity to attack before passing the swimming pool area, otherwise the overtaking window on the first lap will close.

Sure enough, it was non-stop, with no room to catch one's breath—

"Turn 12!"

"Lu Zhizhou! Outside! Brake now! Car number 22 is about to crash into the barrier!"

"Danger!"

"Ricardo, hold your position! Lu Zhizhou, don't give an inch!"

The sweltering heat wave froze instantly.

The golden terrace seemed to be frozen in time, everyone staring intently as two beams of light, one blue and one red, swept through the swimming pool area.

Chaos and panic ensued, with attacks coming in waves. This was the third wave of attacks in Lu Zhizhou's first lap, leaving Ricardo no time to think.

At this moment, even the usually talkative Ricciardo's radio went silent, as the Australian driver displayed an absolutely tough and determined attitude.

Then--

At turns 13 and 14 in the swimming pool area, Lu Zhizhou's car slightly scraped the guardrail on the right, sparks flying. A gasp erupted from the golden terrace, as if it might crash into them at any moment. The sweltering heat made the guests' hearts pound. Meanwhile, Ricciardo's car also slipped slightly on the right rear wheel, causing the steering wheel to sway. He seemed to be losing control of the car in the high-speed corners, and a gasp erupted from the poolside.

Grip!
Both Lu Zhizhou and Ricciardo were pushing their limits, but clearly, the tires weren't at their best, resulting in insufficient grip.

The frenzied dance on the high-altitude steel cable was followed by a terrifying scene. By the time Lu Zhizhou and Ricardo recovered, the attack window had already closed.

Chance--

It’s fleeting!
Jan-Plus's entire shoulder slumped down, his heart pounding, and he collapsed onto the ground, unable to describe whether he was disappointed or ecstatic. Lu Zhizhou had almost overtaken him, if it weren't for Ricardo's godlike defensive performance...

He thought he had no interest in racing, but at that moment, his heart, pounding wildly as if it were about to explode, was filled with an unbelievable sensation.

Before them, the two children stood up, exclaiming, "Ahhh, they're here!"

They knew nothing, they just watched the red Ferrari speeding closely behind race car number three, jumping and waving their hands vigorously.

Jan-Plass was taken aback; he was flustered and disoriented, but car number 22 displayed incredible willpower, quickly regaining its footing and remaining completely unaffected. It closely followed car number 3, holding its position, seemingly making a statement through its actions—

This is not the end.

Uncontrollably, Jan-Plus's heart began to pound wildly again.

Lu Zhizhou took a deep breath to stay calm. In the rearview mirror, he could clearly see that Ferrari red car relentlessly chasing after him.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault. I was too hasty." Lu Zhizhou apologized immediately via radio. It was his fault, and there was no room for excuses.

There's no need to defend yourself.

Launching three attacks in one lap was too much of a stretch, especially with Ricciardo's tires being just as good as his own; he couldn't afford to take any more risks.
On one hand, Vettel and Hamilton are eyeing the race, and on the other hand, they need to consider the long-term implications for the main race.

But that's okay, the race has just begun, everything is different now, the strategy must be reconsidered, if there is no chance at the Monaco circuit, then we will create our own chance.

Frustration? How could that be!

Let our fighting spirit burn brightly!

At this moment, the frenzy and heatwave on both sides of the track have been fully ignited. The first lap alone has already been a great show!
"Wow!"

"That number twenty-two is absolutely insane!"

"Brilliant attack, beautiful defense!"

"The same tires, how did he manage to push Ricciardo to his limit?" "Who said that guy was a baby?"

"If it were a different track, the leader might have to change now."

High-fives, cheers, and toasts filled the air in Monaco, where the oppressive heat was completely uncontrollable, and excitement and passion erupted uncontrollably.

Once again, it was proven that Monaco is the most difficult track to overtake on the F1 schedule. Even though Lu Zhizhou performed to the best of his ability, Ricciardo still managed to hold his position firmly by relying on the car's performance and the track's advantages. However, the back-and-forth battle was truly exciting.

The film gets straight to the climax without any preamble.

The crowd went into a frenzy, reason vanished, and they collectively entered a carnival mode!

Seppleton clenched his fist, his passion surging. Although it was a little regrettable that Lu Zhizhou was unable to overtake on the first lap, his brilliant performance spoke for itself.

She glanced at the now subdued fans of car number 44, but didn't kick them while they were down. She simply reached out and took the bag of croissants.

Croissant's owner stared at him with wide eyes.

Sepreton ignored him and glared back defiantly—

Anyway, that's her gamble, isn't it?

Sepplayton took out a croissant, slowly popped it into his mouth, took a bite, tore it open, and savored it leisurely.

The next second, the fans looked at the track with grief and indignation, and screamed at the top of their lungs, "Lewis! Lewis!"

The FIA ​​investigation did not last long.

The contact between car number 3 and car number 22 at turn 11 on the first lap will no longer be investigated.

In other words, there was no violation and no punishment.

The slow-motion replay showed that Ricciardo's left front wheel did not leave the white line, meaning he did not violate any rules and therefore did not need to be penalized.

A single ruling ignited a conflict.

Iron Buddha Temple believes that the FIA ​​is biased towards Red Bull, and that Ricciardo's four wheels were clearly off the white line, giving him an advantage on the track, yet they are blatantly lying.

Red Bull fans, however, believe the FIA ​​is biased towards Ferrari. They argue that Lu Zhizhou's contact with Ricciardo during his overtaking attempt at Turn 10 constitutes a violation by Lu Zhizhou and warrants a time penalty.

Every man has his own reasons, and every woman has her own reasons!
Fans of both sides instantly turned hostile, engaging in a war of words on social media, even breaking the fourth wall and spreading to every corner of the Monaco circuit.

Everyone has their own stance and perspective, and everyone is eager to express their opinions. When Verstappen fans started to speak out, everything began to fall apart.

"Double standards."

“When Max makes such an offensive attempt, he’s a madman; when Lu Zhizhou makes the same offensive attempt, he’s a genius.”

"hehe."

A storm swept across the entire area.

As expected of Monaco, the topic generated a completely different level of buzz. The level of popularity was clearly felt both online and offline. It seemed that overnight, countless F1 enthusiasts emerged from every corner of the world, and a bunch of unfamiliar faces appeared on the timeline, pushing this wave of enthusiasm to a whole new climax.

Unfortunately, it didn't last long. After a brief period of excitement and commotion at the start, the Monaco Grand Prix entered a period of calm.

In fact, the competition in the back row is fierce. Verstappen is constantly trying to overtake and fight his way out to break into the points zone from 20th place. Although Monaco has very few chances to overtake, the misalignment of the rhythm between the slower cars can still create some attacking space.

However, the formation in front remained calm and composed, with each convoy keeping a watchful eye on the others and observing each other closely.

After weathering the crisis of the first lap, the tires entered their working range, and the Red Bull car's advantages gradually became apparent, especially in the third time slot.

At this point, Ferrari's weakness in low-to-medium speed corners, which was inferior to Red Bull's, was inevitably exposed.

According to Pirelli's official recommendations, the purple Extra Soft tires should be used for approximately 20 to 25 laps, while the red Super Soft tires should be used for approximately 30 to 35 laps.

Monaco is a track that causes very little tire wear, mainly consisting of low-to-medium speed corners. Furthermore, because there are few opportunities to overtake, the offensive and defensive battles are confined to a limited space, which reduces tire wear. Of the six races so far this year, it is the most tire-friendly. Although the race consists of 78 laps, one pit stop is a perfectly reasonable tactic.

Ricciardo and Lu Zhizhou, who are currently in the lead, have both only completed one flying lap in Q2. This means that Ricciardo's ultrasoft tires are fully capable of pulling away from Lu Zhizhou in the first half of the race, which is why Lu Zhizhou took advantage of the lack of grip on the first lap to launch a fierce attack.

Once Ricardo held his position, he got into his rhythm and tried to widen the gap.

However, the pace was slightly different from Hamilton's lead in Melbourne. Monaco didn't have many high-speed sections, which wasn't Red Bull's forte. So Ricardo didn't pull away and force a gap, which gave Lu Zhizhou some room to adjust and he was able to stay close as much as possible.

It is foreseeable that the key will be the strategic contest that follows.

Currently, Ricciardo is about three seconds ahead of Lu Zhizhou, and the gap between Lu Zhizhou and Vettel is also hovering around two seconds. However, Hamilton and Bottas, both Mercedes-Benz cars, are struggling a bit and can't keep up with the pace in the long-distance race. Hamilton is already more than six seconds behind Vettel.

Ferrari were on high alert throughout the repair process, realizing that their strategy team was at a disadvantage in the last two seasons and they had to be wary of Red Bull and Mercedes-Benz.

Greenwood kept Lu Zhizhou close to Ricciardo's pace, partly to allow Vettel to shake off Hamilton while avoiding the dirty air ahead, and partly to be wary of Red Bull's movements. They had to be alert should Horner try to order Ricciardo to speed up and create a pit stop window.

Arrivabene is observing the entire field—

Normally, drivers using ultrasoft tires in Q2 should pit around lap 19 or 20 of the race, which is the most reasonable pit stop range.

But what makes Monaco special is that overtaking is difficult; even when the three top-tier cars have significantly superior performance, it's not easy to overtake slower cars.

Therefore, the starting position after entering the pit is extremely important. If you fall into a group of slow cars that have not yet entered the pit, it will take a lot of time to overtake them one by one. This means that the time lost from entering the pit is far more than the time spent changing tires in the maintenance area.

The importance of the timing of entry into the station is obvious, and the ability of the maintenance wall to assess the overall situation and grasp the timing is further amplified.

In Monaco, the normal entry time is 20 to 23 seconds, while it is 12 to 15 seconds under safety car or yellow flag conditions.

Given Monaco's long history of deploying safety cars for eleven consecutive years, waiting for the safety car is a pit stop strategy, but should Ferrari wait?

Ferrari currently holds second and third place, with Ricciardo leading the pack and Mercedes-Benz widening the gap behind. This means Ferrari has a slight advantage, so should they take the initiative?

If a Ferrari pulls into the pits now, they could face two outcomes.

First, Ricciardo immediately followed into the pits to avoid Ferrari undercutting, but after exiting the pits, Ricciardo is likely to follow Hamilton or even Bottas, slowing down the pace.

Secondly, if Ricciardo stays on the track and continues racing, then Ferrari, which is pitting, can focus all its efforts on getting an undercut.

So, should we take the risk?
If Ferrari is going to take a risk, which company should they choose?
On lap twelve, Mercedes' instructions came over the radio: "Pit. Pit. Pit. Lewis."

Adhesive, taut—

The maintenance walls and maintenance area are just as busy as the track itself, with the strategy and technical teams closely monitoring track changes and preparing to meet any challenges that may arise.

This is especially true for Ferrari.

Arivabene took all the criticisms leveled against the Shanghai station's maintenance wall strategy team.

Although the opinions of those keyboard warriors are completely worthless, and outsiders condescendingly offer their opinions without understanding the ever-changing situation in a real race, it is undeniable that Ferrari is facing incredible public pressure.

Arrivabene needs to lead the team to a firm foothold and keep a close eye on Mercedes.

In Monaco, overtaking was difficult due to the track's inherent conditions, further highlighting the importance of the strategy team. Ferrari should have fully capitalized on their current second or third-place position. Arrivabene's thoughts raced, only to be unexpectedly interrupted—

Hamilton pitted on lap 12.

Without any warning, Mercedes-Benz made the first move, causing an uproar in the paddock. There was a reason why Wolff was able to lead Mercedes-Benz to victory in the paddock for four consecutive years!

But this time, wasn't Wolf a bit too aggressive?
It was only lap 12, and the pit window for the ultrasoft tires was still a long way off; Hamilton switched to supersoft tires, which meant he would have to run 66 laps with those tires.

Even if Monaco causes minimal wear and tear on the tires, this is still a very risky move.

Is this really not a problem?
Or is Mercedes-Benz preparing to implement a two-stop strategy?

Wolff's move sent ripples outwards, especially affecting Red Bull and Ferrari, whose minds immediately began to race.

Arivaben is thinking—

What are the chances that Hamilton's pit stop at this point would not be a two-stop, but rather an undercut to overtake Vettel, Lu Zhizhou, and Ricciardo, and to complete a super comeback using an extra-long stop?

Although the undercut and overcut strategies have been tried multiple times so far this season, this strategy was actually designed specifically for tracks like Monaco where overtaking opportunities are few and far between.

When Hamilton pitted early, Vettel was the first target facing the undercut crisis. Mercedes' unexpected move broke the balance, and Ferrari suddenly felt the pressure of being caught between a rock and a hard place.

However, Red Bull remained inactive.

Horner remained calm and collected, knowing that Mercedes Undercut's primary objective was to acquire two Ferraris. Ricciardo could continue leading the pack, waiting for Ferrari's strategy before adapting accordingly.

All the pressure rests on Arivabene's shoulders.

"Ricardo is picking up speed. Should we push forward or maintain the pace?" Lu Zhizhou's voice came through the radio; he had also noticed the change in atmosphere.

If Ferrari wants to undercut Red Bull, or avoid being undercut by Mercedes, there are very few opportunities left. Otherwise, once Ricciardo starts to accelerate, especially in the third period, Lu Zhizhou will not be able to keep up with the pace, and the difficulty for both him and Vettel to be the first to pit and complete the undercut will continue to increase.

At present, Lu Zhizhou is only three seconds behind Ricciardo, while Vettel is five seconds behind, and Ferrari still maintains the strategic initiative.

Therefore, Lu Zhizhou asked immediately—

If Ferrari is prepared to attempt a strategic overtaking maneuver, he must start pushing now, sticking close to Ricciardo, squeezing the tires, and creating as much space as possible.

Conversely, if Ferrari is not prepared to attempt strategic overtaking, it needs to maintain its pace, reduce tire wear, and hold onto its position on the track.

Mercedes has already made its move, and Red Bull is eager to join in. Ferrari's group advantage is gradually weakening, and the longer it hesitates, the more passive it will become.

Going forward, Vettel and Lu Zhizhou may no longer be able to coordinate their strategies.

What's needed now is decisiveness.

Greenwood turned to look at Arivabene, held his breath, paused briefly, and finally received the instruction, "Hold on, please hold on!"

At the same time, Adami's command came through the radio: "Enter the station, Seba. Enter the station!"

On lap sixteen, four laps after Hamilton pitted, the Ferrari pit lane finally got busy, taking the lead before Red Bull.

Arrivabene's decision to bet on Vettel is not solely due to favoritism. Currently, Vettel is not far behind Hamilton in the drivers' championship standings, and he remains Ferrari's biggest hope for the title. Moreover, given the current situation, Vettel does indeed have a greater chance.

Firstly, Aliwabene bet that Red Bull would be held back by Lu Zhizhou.

The current Lu Zhizhou is not the same as the one in Melbourne. Moreover, Lu Zhizhou and Ricciardo adopted the same strategy in Q2 of qualifying. They are the real rivals. The pressure and impact he brings to Ricciardo is the real danger, and Horner should be wary.

Horner will not easily let Ricciardo lose his position and allow Lu Zhizhou to lead, in order to avoid a repeat of the Melbourne incident. After all, the probability of the safety car being deployed at the Monaco circuit is much higher than in Melbourne.

Secondly, Vettel's ultrasoft tires really couldn't last much longer.

He needed to handle Hamilton's undercut, and then try Ricciardo's undercut with brand new tires. At this point, he slightly advanced the planned pit stop time, not only to maintain the original plan to overtake Red Bull and win the championship, but also to make a temporary adjustment based on the unexpected situation of Mercedes-Benz.

Thirdly, after Hamilton pitted, Bottas did not pit immediately, which means that Mercedes-Benz had prepared two strategies for the driver.

If Ricciardo hadn't followed Vettel into the pits and instead stayed on the track to keep Lu Zhizhou in the lead, he would have missed his chance. By the time Ricciardo pitted again, there was a very high probability that he would fall behind Bottas, which could have created an opportunity for Lu Zhizhou to take the lead and leave the pack.

Of course, the chances of this happening are relatively small, since they have no way of knowing Mercedes-Benz's strategy; but it is still a possibility.

With a thousand thoughts racing through his mind, Arrivabene also showed his sharp and decisive side, letting Vettel enter the pits first before the peak arrival time.

The live stream immediately noticed the shift in the trend.

"Vettel, stop!"

"Sainz is entering the station!"

"Bottas is entering the station!"

Arrivabe's back muscles tensed instantly. He never expected that Ferrari's seemingly decisive strategy was actually in sync with other teams, not just Ferrari and Mercedes. On lap sixteen, a wave of pit stops swept through the pit area, making it busier than ever before.

This means that the strategy of relying on Bottas to block Ricciardo has automatically failed! The timing of the pit stops for both Mercedes cars was surprisingly early!

Now, Arrivabene can only hope that Lu Zhizhou can restrain Ricardo, and that Horner will be hesitant to let Ricardo enter the pit, giving Vettel time to create an undercut!
"Advance. Zhizhou, advance, keep up with Ricciardo as much as possible." Greenwood relayed the team's instructions immediately.

However, it was too late.

Horner remained alert, even though Monaco had deployed a safety car for eleven consecutive years, mostly at the start of the race, especially at Turn 1.

Today was no exception. On the first lap, yellow flags appeared in both the first and second timing sections, and there were many minor collisions and skiddings in the cars behind. However, none of the yellow flags lasted long, and the crisis was quickly resolved. The race entered a stable phase, and there was no sign of any chaos.

On the contrary, the threat from the maintenance wall was like a thorn in Red Bull's side, and Wolff's cunning and Ferrari's racing performance were both crises facing Red Bull.

So, should Horner worry about Lu Zhizhou's overcut, or guard against Vettel's undercut?

Horner chose the latter.

On lap seventeen, Ricciardo pitted.

The race leader suddenly switched to Lu Zhizhou.

(End of this chapter)