Car Racing without Money

Chapter 730 - 294: Recognition from Schumacher (Part 2)

"Great, I’ve always looked forward to hearing the national anthem play at the South Korea Circuit."After bidding farewell to Cheng Long and leaving the driver’s lounge, Chen Xiangbei quickly adjusted his attire and joined the other twenty-something drivers to board the parade float.

Unlike the other drivers who received cheers and applause, Chen Xiangbei had to face boos and jeers from the entire crowd.

Yet, Chen Xiangbei acted as if he hadn’t heard any of it, maintaining a smile as he waved to the audience, always remembering what Odetto once said.

"During the race, don’t let any external factors affect you; focus only on the track and your opponents!"

Indeed, once the race truly began, the only sounds left were the team orders and the roar of the engines.

His calm demeanor naturally earned admiration from many Chinese fans and European and American spectators.

It’s easy to say "to wipe the spit off one’s face," but it’s hard to actually do, especially for a young person in their prime.

"Chen Xiangbei has such strong mental resilience; I couldn’t bear the pressure if tens of thousands of people were booing me."

"Nonsense, if you can’t handle the pressure, what business do you have being an F1 driver? Even a slight shake of the hand can lead to car destruction."

"Bei has always been like this; he’s long accustomed to it."

A nearby European and American spectator explained awkwardly.

He too was once a critic of Chen Xiangbei, believing this Chinese driver was extremely pretentious and even hurling insults from the stands, much like the scene today.

But over time, he had been won over by Chen Xiangbei’s prowess and performance, becoming a staunch supporter.

"I’ve also heard that Chen Xiangbei faces much critique on European tracks."

"That’s right, from the moment he stepped into the F1 Paddock, he became the public enemy and antagonist."

"Even as the antagonist, he’s still the protagonist, proving Car God Bei has always been the focus of the paddock!"

"Go, Car God Bei!"

The flags began to wave at the scene; perhaps the supporters were small in number and their voices weak, but they believed Chen Xiangbei would surely notice.

"You seem in good form."

A casual voice reached Chen Xiangbei’s ears; it belonged to Schumacher, the King of Cars.

Contrary to the hostile sentiments many drivers had for Chen Xiangbei in the paddock, Schumacher, who once had the strongest competitive streak, treated this Chinese rookie with equanimity. Influenced by figures like Ross Brown, he even acknowledged and appreciated Chen Xiangbei somewhat.

The reason was simple: this kid had done things similar to his own past actions.

At Silverstone Circuit, Schumacher openly humiliated home driver Damon Hill, and the boos there weren’t much less intense than today’s scene.

His motive was to retaliate against the home fans’ mockery, akin to Chen Xiangbei’s middle-finger gesture mindset.

You don’t like me? Well, I’ll make you uncomfortable too!

"It’s okay, I’m used to it."

Chen Xiangbei replied indifferently.

"I’ve encountered this scene many times; there’s really no need to care too much."

"Once the helmet visor is down, a driver’s world is only about the car and the track."

Schumacher spoke sentiments similar to Odetto, though one from the driver’s perspective and the other from the team leader’s perspective.

"I understand."

Chen Xiangbei nodded; the King of Cars was indeed very experienced in such matters.

After all, he had done many unscrupulous things for the championship and had drawn the anger of many fans in the paddock.

Upon hearing Chen Xiangbei’s response, Schumacher didn’t say much more.

He wasn’t one to socialize heavily within the paddock; giving a rookie some advice was already a rare occurrence.

Chen Xiangbei was the second young driver other than Vettel to earn his admiration, even though German compatriots and teammates like Rosberg didn’t receive such treatment.

The parade lap ended quickly, and the HRT Team’s pit had already prepped the car, ready for the main race.

Meanwhile, the Mercedes Team’s pit welcomed a rare old acquaintance—current FIA president and former Ferrari team leader and one-third of the iron triangle, Jean Todt.

Being South Korea’s first F1 Grand Prix, the FIA naturally wanted to show respect and also allowed Jean Todt to catch up with old friends.

Although Schumacher had no driver friends in the paddock, Jean Todt was one of his few industry friends, and after the later skiing accident, Jean Todt was among the few who could directly visit Schumacher, showing their close relationship.

For Chinese people, the familiarity with Jean Todt came not only from his FIA president and Ferrari team leader roles but also from his romance with Hollywood’s Asian actress, Michelle Yeoh.

As a generation’s kung fu movie star, Michelle Yeoh gained fame domestically and internationally with films like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Reign of Assassins," and "Memoirs of a Geisha," later earning an Oscar for Best Actress.

After their warm embrace, they began discussing events within the paddock, and the broadcast footage had just captured the interaction between Schumacher and Chen Xiangbei, piquing Jean Todt’s curiosity: "Schumacher, you seem to regard the Chinese rookie quite highly."

Others may not understand Schumacher’s nature, but Jean Todt certainly does.

A rookie worthy of Schumacher’s attention can definitely be described as promising.

"Yes."

Without denying it, Schumacher nodded in response.

"I think he has great potential, even reminding me of Senna during rain races."

"Especially with his aggressive driving style, where many times he relies on luck to rescue the car at the brink of losing control. The true test will come when he no longer has divine favor."

While recognizing him, Schumacher expressed his perspective on Chen Xiangbei.

Which is that luck won’t always be on his side; Chen Xiangbei’s seemingly extraordinary performance often teeters on the edge of danger.

If a disastrous failure or tragic accident ever occurs, can he maintain his determination and confidence?

It’s worth noting that many rookie drivers have broken hearts, caught in a vicious cycle between breakthroughs and crashes, until they’re "cut down" by the team.

Only drivers who withstand the troughs can reach true peaks, or else they’ll merely be "a flash in the pan."

The racing world has seen too many drivers who fall short, and Chen Xiangbei still needs a trial by fire.

"So what do you think of the Chinese rookie’s resilience?"

"For now, it’s strong."

Schumacher initiated the dialogue with Chen Xiangbei because he was curious about the Chinese rookie’s resilience.

Chen Xiangbei’s emotional stability was on par with veteran racers.

"How does he compare to Hamilton and Vettel?"

"Seems on par with Hamilton, stronger than Vettel."

Jean Todt’s expression shifted upon hearing this response.

Schumacher’s claim that he’s stronger than Vettel was indeed unexpected, considering that Vettel is the flag bearer for German racing!

"It’s not just that you seem to, you truly regard the Chinese rookie highly."

Jean Todt ultimately replied with this comment; Schumacher’s judgment is definitely trustworthy, although the notion of being stronger than Vettel still involves some uncertainty.

Their conversation concluded as the main race commenced; twenty-four cars drove out of the pit according to qualifying order, heading toward the starting grid on the track.

Among them were several cars severely damaged during qualifying, restored overnight, showcasing the interchangeability of Formula car parts and the expertise of the repair technicians.

The starting area at Lingyan Circuit is quite close to Turn 1, lacking the long straight starting track of other circuits, and the pole position is on the clean side of the track. As long as the driver doesn’t make a starting error, overtaking the pole sitter is quite difficult.

But starting isn’t just about the driver’s control; it also involves reaction time, car power response speed, and the crucial tire formula.

Front-row drivers are almost all using two-stop or three-stop strategies, uniformly opting for the soft red tire to start, aiming to secure their starting positions and ideally make a starting overtake.

Only the HRT Team is using a one-stop strategy, with Chen Xiangbei starting on medium yellow tires.

This means that at the start phase, holding his position will be very, very challenging!