F1: Starting with a Simulator Master

Chapter 130 The Weichang Ecosystem

On race day, the Jeddah coastal circuit in Saudi Arabia was completely filled with more than 40,000 enthusiastic fans.

Thousands of drones, seemingly drawn from a mysterious Eastern force, formed a giant F1 logo in the sky.

The routine pre-race show, the drivers' parade, has begun.

Twenty top drivers, representing the pinnacle of human racing today, boarded a covered tour bus and waved to fans along the racetrack.

The track, devoid of engine noise, felt exceptionally spacious, but the top deck of the open-top bus felt somewhat cramped.

Luo Xiu stood at the edge of the guardrail at the rear of the bus.

Compared to the European veterans in the front row of the bus who were skillfully using their cameras and microphones, Luo Xiu deliberately shrank to the edge of the back half of the bus.

When there are other people around, he doesn't like the feeling of being the center of attention and being chased by cameras.

Zhou Guanyu changed into a stylish casual outfit, waved to the spectators in the stands, and unknowingly squeezed past the other drivers to get closer to Luo Xiu.

He already knew Luo Xiu's P2 qualifying result yesterday, and he also heard Luo Xiu's honest statement in the post-race interview, "Even if I drive a Sauber, I won't be faster than Zhou Guanyu."

The first Chinese F1 racer simply patted the railing, like a business traveler meeting a fellow countryman in a foreign land.

"Are you settling into the RV? The sea breeze is strong in Jeddah at night, do you sleep well?"

A simple Chinese sentence acted like a filter, instantly blocking the clamor of 40,000 people from a meter away.

"The accommodation is alright."

Luo Xiu didn't put on airs of a genius; he honestly rubbed his stomach to show his dissatisfaction.

"I can manage the salads and pasta here, but after not having a decent meal of rice or stir-fry for several days, I feel like my stomach is empty."

Zhou Guanyu smiled upon hearing this.

"I felt the same way during my first few years in Europe, longing every day for the delicious food back home."

Zhou Guanyu's Chinese pronunciation was as fluent as ever, but there seemed to be some minor issues with the vocabulary section.

"—Later I got smarter and kept some Chinese condiments like Lao Gan Ma in my RV. After the competition, I'll let you come and get a couple of bottles from me."

A hint of longing for Lao Gan Ma flashed in Luo Xiu's eyes. Without any formalities, he nodded in agreement.

The two stood in the aisle of the bus, surrounded by a deafening roar of cheers, but their conversation revolved around the mundane details of daily life in the kitchen.

But it was precisely this kind of casual conversation, devoid of any technical skill or pressure, that brought the two of them closer together.

Even their tone of voice became much more casual.

Zhou Guanyu patted Luo Xiu's arm muscles with a firm pat before withdrawing his hand and turning his gaze back to the cheering spectators beside the track.

Luo Xiu didn't respond further; he simply placed his hand on the railing and looked at the crowd in the distance.

There was no need for polite thanks, nor any emotional expression.

Both are Chinese drivers who have worked their way up in the century-old European F1 paddock.

Here, only they truly understand the pressure and loneliness each other carries.

The parade bus slowly passed by several stands.

Amidst the rising cheers of the crowd, the unique and authentic ecosystem of the fame and fortune arena in Weichang gradually came to light on this narrow parade bus.

Seeing that Zhou Guanyu and Luo Xiu were chatting casually, some other drivers also gathered around to join in the conversation.

Those gazes, though seemingly friendly, were secretly filled with the purest scrutiny and fear of this newly emerged monster.

Even when Ferrari's official driver, Charles Leclerc, who is known for his handsome and elegant demeanor, smiled and praised the driver for "a good performance in qualifying," a hint of sharpness flashed in his eyes.

Hamilton of Mercedes was wearing sunglasses, hunched over, and resting his hands on the railing, looking thoughtful.

Beside him, Williams' Sargent was whispering to Hiroki Kakuta, occasionally raising his chin in Luo Xiu's direction, his eyes filled with a uniquely American arrogance.

Most people are just watching coldly.

They were wary of his inhuman performance in qualifying and hoped that this kid, who came from a simulator background and had no F1 racing experience, would show his true colors in the upcoming real races.

Faced with this round of social interaction that offered no real value, Luo Xiu simply used the most concise and repetitive English words to brush it off.

As the parade drew to a close and the crowd gradually dispersed, Verstappen stepped back from the front row and leaned against the railing alongside Rosiu.

The defending champion was no longer the carefree big brother he had been last night, standing in front of Luo Xiu.

"Enjoy these few minutes of applause, because the match is about to begin—"

Verstappen maintained his confident smile, expertly waving to the enthusiastic fans in the stands, without even glancing at Roximan.

But beneath that almost perfect professional expression, his voice remained completely flat. Every word he uttered carried a chillingly dangerous undertone.

"Once the five red lights go out and you're on the track, you won't have any chance."

There was no hint of jest in this; it was a pure declaration of battle.

This relentless sense of pressure awakened Luo Xiu's muscle memory.

Over the past few months, they have been showing no mercy in online simulator competitions, battling it out head-to-head.

This time, however, the cost of losing control is no longer as simple as just typing on a keyboard and choosing to restart.

Instead, they might speed into a narrow, blind bend at 300 kilometers per hour, and if neither side gives in, the result could be that the car and its occupants crash into the concrete retaining wall.

But Luo Xiu was not deterred by the warning; in fact, he didn't even change his posture.

"I will beat you—again."

After all, he was already tired of hearing this level of pre-match trash talk during the past few months of endless online ranked matches.

Less than two hours before the start of the race.

Deep inside the Ferrari pit crew quarters, in a closed meeting room, there was no pre-race pep talk.

The intricate telemetry charts on the screen cast a stark white reflection on everyone's faces, while the chief strategist's projector pen marked several key points on the Jeddah circuit.

Ferrari's strategy team is usually very meticulous and hesitant, only wanting to secure a top-three finish.

But Luo Xiu's incredible pole position lap time last night ignited the crazy side of Iron Buddha Temple within them.

They didn't want to just finish as runners-up; they wanted to take a gamble and crush Verstappen.

"This is the second fastest track after Monza in terms of average speed."

The strategist stared at the data on the projector.

"Red Bull, which is in first place, will most likely choose the safest option to start on yellow tires and adopt a yellow-white stop strategy — and I might as well tell you some bad news."

"Over the past six hours, our factory's match analysis team has simulated countless possibilities, but unfortunately, our highest win rate has not exceeded 20%. In Jeddah, we have no advantage whatsoever."

"Red Bull has an advantage in long-distance tire maintenance and straight-line top speed. If our car adopts the same strategy as them—"

At this point, the strategist gave Luo Xiu a meaningful look. He regretted not having misheard Luo Xiu's request to adjust the aerodynamic balance before the ranking match.

But what's done is done, and now is not the time for regrets.

"If we try to replicate their strategy of playing it safe, Roche will probably not even be able to beat Verstappen's DRS and will be left behind within two laps."

He paused for a second, looking around the entire top-secret P-room conference room.

"Therefore, we need to proactively seek change!"

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