F1: In Ferrari, Schumacher at the start.

March 2024, Jeddah Coastal Circuit, Saudi Arabia.

The evening breeze blowing from the Red Sea carries saltiness and heat.

This is the F1 paddock, the most expensive, most extreme, and most brutal arena in the world.

However, this has little to do with Lin Feng, who is currently squatting in the fire lane behind the Ferrari pit truck, showing off his food.

"Slurp—"

Lin Feng skillfully used a plastic fork to scoop up a clump of spaghetti coated in tomato sauce, stuffed it into his mouth, and then took a big gulp of the ice-cold cola next to him, letting out a satisfying sigh.

"Awesome! As expected of Ferrari, the food here is a million times better than the boiled chicken breast in junior races."

Lin Feng, male, 20 years old, born in 2004 in northern Beijing, China, has been in this parallel universe for half a month.

In this parallel world, which is no different from his previous life on Earth, he is the official reserve driver for the Ferrari F1 team in the 2024 season, and the first Chinese driver in F1 history to wear that bright red coat.

Doesn't that sound awesome? Pretty cool and stylish?

However, reality is harsh.

The so-called reserve drivers are basically just water dispenser managers, P-room mascots, and simulator testing consumables.

With both driver Leclerc and Sainz in good health and full of energy, Lin Feng's only task was to walk around the paddock, occasionally flashing a bright smile at the broadcast cameras to prove that the Ferrari team still had extremely high political value in the Asia-Pacific region.

"Sigh, you're living the good life. I'm struggling with that tractor up front and my back is aching, while you're hiding here eating all by yourself."

A voice filled with envy and helplessness came from the alley entrance.

Lin Feng looked up and saw a young man wearing a fluorescent green racing suit, his hair flattened by his helmet, walking towards him with a wry smile.

He is Zhou Guanyu, the only Chinese official driver in the F1 paddock, who drives for the Kickboxer team.

"Hey, Guanyu, finished practicing?" Lin Feng quickly shifted to the side, making room for him, and handed him an unopened bottle of mineral water. "Come on, sit down and rest for a bit. What trouble did that C44 cause you today?"

Mentioning his race car, Zhou Guanyu rubbed his temples in pain, sat down next to Lin Feng, and gulped down a mouthful of water: "Don't even mention it, this car is absolutely terrible. It can't go straight, it can't hold on to corners, and during the third practice session just now, I felt like the car was going to lock up at any moment in the high-speed corners! And the team's tire changers... I really suspect they're just apprentices temporarily pulled from some auto repair shop. They just couldn't get the left front tire nut in, and they managed to make me stop for ten seconds during a practice session!"

Seeing his fellow villager's utterly dejected look, Lin Feng patted him on the shoulder with sympathy.

As a seasoned F1 fan who had traveled through time, Lin Feng knew all too well what Sauber's style was like this year.

This team, which will be acquired by Audi next year, has completely given up this year. Not only are the cars outrageously slow, but pit stops for tire changes are so frustrating that they can give drivers high blood pressure. The super long stops of twenty or thirty seconds in the paddock have become a joke.

"Take it easy, Guanyu. At least you're one of the starting twenty, competing on the track alongside Hamilton and Alonso," Lin Feng said carelessly, taking a bite of the pizza he'd swiped. "Unlike me, even though I'm wearing this red jersey, I'm basically just a low-paid driver. I just got my super license, and it's uncertain whether I'll ever be able to touch a real car's steering wheel in my lifetime."

"Don't take your good fortune for granted," Zhou Guanyu said with a laugh. "Being a reserve driver for a Ferrari is already a starting point that many people dream of. Who knows, after this old man retires in a few years..."

Before Zhou Guanyu could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly broke out from the direction of the Ferrari team's rest area.

"Emergency! Call a medical officer immediately!"

"Stretcher! Quickly, bring a stretcher!"

"Carlos has fainted! Good heavens, he's writhing on the ground in pain!"

The silence of the paddock was shattered by a piercing scream, followed by the shrill siren of an ambulance blaring across the Jeddah circuit.

Lin Feng and Zhou Guanyu exchanged a glance, their expressions changed simultaneously, and they suddenly stood up and ran towards the Ferrari pit garage.

When Lin Feng pushed through the crowd to the outside of the lounge, he saw Carlos Sainz, the main driver, with a pale face and covered in sweat, being carried out on a stretcher by several medical personnel.

Sainz curled up in agony like a shrimp, clutching his lower right abdomen with both hands, his groans becoming incredibly weak.

"What's going on?" Lin Feng grabbed a passing mechanic and asked urgently.

"Appendicitis! The doctor said it's a sudden onset of acute appendicitis! He needs to be taken to the local hospital for surgery immediately!" The mechanic ran anxiously toward the control panel.

boom!

This news came like a bolt from the blue, sending the entire Ferrari team into chaos.

Acute appendicitis!

Surgery is needed immediately!

What does this mean? It means that Sainz will absolutely not be able to participate in the qualifying session in a few hours! And even tomorrow's main race is completely ruined!

At this critical moment, Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vassell, who looked like a chubby French baker, was standing in the middle of the garage, frantically grabbing at his already sparse hair like an ant on a hot plate.

"Putain! God! Qualifying is about to start, where am I supposed to conjure up a driver?!" Vassell roared in heavily accented French English. "Am I supposed to put on a racing suit and race against Red Bull and Mercedes?!"

The team engineer timidly reminded him, "Fred, we...we have reserve drivers."

Vasser paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping wildly across the crowd like a searchlight.

Finally, his gaze cut through the crowd and locked onto Lin Feng, who was standing in the corner, holding half a pizza in his hand and with a little ketchup on his lips.

That look in his eyes was like that of a starving wolf that hadn't eaten for three days and three nights seeing a plump little lamb.

"Forest!"

With a roar, Vasser unleashed a speed far beyond his physique, rushing to Lin Feng in a few steps and grabbing his shoulder.

"Wa...Wa, Team Leader..." Lin Feng was startled, almost dropping the pizza in his hand. "Is Old Ka alright?"

"He went to have his appendix removed! But whether he's alright or not isn't important right now. What's important is that you're in trouble!" Vassil's eyes were bloodshot, and his spittle splattered all over Lin Feng's face. "Did you wear a helmet? Did you have your super license with you?"

"I...I brought it. Isn't that a daily requirement for reserve drivers?" Lin Feng nodded, looking completely bewildered.

"Excellent!" Vassell waved his hand, like a general issuing a battle order. "Immediately! Right now! Go to the locker room and change into your fireproof underwear and racing suit! The engineers are already adjusting your seat and pedals! From now on, you will replace Carlos and drive car number 55!"