Chapter 694: Chapter 277: Starting from Zero on the Track (Part 2)

"Slow?"

Odetto was puzzled, where did this "slow" label come from?

"Hmm, this track has a lot of corners, and I’ve never managed the best lines."

"Maybe my ability to adapt to new tracks isn’t as good as I thought."

Chen Xiangbei knew well that weakness and ignorance are not the barriers to survival, arrogance is the true roadblock.

From beginning to end, youthful arrogance was just his facade, while inside he always maintained a humble and studious attitude.

But winning the F1 Chinese Grand Prix inevitably inflated Chen Xiangbei’s confidence a bit, making him believe that his talent and control level were no less than those of the legendary GOTA drivers.

After all, he had defeated the likes of Schumacher, Alonso, and Hamilton!

Even cheating needs a foundation, doesn’t it?

Facing South Korea’s track, a layout truly starting from scratch, without the previous life experience and foundation of cheating, Chen Xiangbei found that mastering it was far more difficult than he anticipated.

Even though he prepared in advance, trying every method to transport the racing simulator, he still couldn’t bridge the lap time gap with Vettel.

Frankly, in Chen Xiangbei’s heart, the evaluation standard for Vettel’s strength was not as high as that of contemporaries like Schumacher, Hamilton, or Alonso.

The reason being that Vettel is too picky about his car!

Adaptation ability is also a reflection of a driver’s hard strength, and Vettel’s performance dropped dramatically after leaving Red Bull Racing Team, with his career end making such poor results that led to suspicions.

Thus, the nickname "Water Wa" persisted.

In contrast, Raikkonen’s career-ending performances were dismal but no one ever doubted his peak powers.

The difference is that Raikkonen could drive McLaren single-handedly against Schumacher and in Ferrari, he defeated Alonso, his two world second-place finishes, and one world championship were undeniably high in value.

If you can’t even match Vettel’s weaker adaptability, then the perception of being a super genius might need a downgrade.

"Is 1 minute 37 seconds 770 not good enough? What’s your ideal lap time?"

"1 minute and 35 seconds."

"Why do you have this standard?"

Odetto asked.

With a track nobody’s run, it means there are no strict benchmarks.

Yet Chen Xiangbei’s tone seemed so fixated on 1 minute 35 seconds, how did he come to this conclusion?

Chen Xiangbei didn’t answer this, nor could he.

It’s impossible to say that historically Vettel’s pole position was just over 1 minute 35 seconds, right?

Chen Xiangbei could only turn and say, "Has the team equipment been assembled?"

"Hmm, currently it’s just missing the track wiring, but today is only Tuesday, plenty of time, it’ll be all done tomorrow."

"Once equipment assembly is complete, you can use the central computer to simulate the ideal lap. I believe the fastest lap time for Lingyan Circuit is around 1 minute 35 seconds."

Every track, besides the driver’s fastest lap, has an ideal lap simulated by computer.

Back in Suzuka Racing School, Chen Xiangbei’s lap times were compared to the ideal lap figures produced by the central computer.

Since Vettel’s lap couldn’t be explained, the computer’s ideal lap was used as the justification.

"Okay, I’ll have Mizutani Sho simulate the ideal lap first."

Odetto nodded and turned to call over engineer Mizutani Sho to run the ideal lap on the computer and then compare it with Chen Xiangbei’s lap time.

In just ten minutes, the software simulated data came out, the central computer’s ideal lap for Lingyan Circuit was 1 minute 34 seconds 331.

Typically, the computer’s ideal lap is about 1 second faster than the driver’s live lap, within a reasonable range.

But as a driver’s proficiency increases, and in cases of exceptional performance, the live lap gradually approaches the ideal lap time, sometimes even narrowing to within 0.5 seconds.

For example, in the later years, Verstappen at Monza Circuit in season 25 ran a pole position time infinitely close to the ideal lap, breaking F1’s fastest lap average speed record at 264.682 km/h.

As a new track, it’s naturally impossible for Lingyan Circuit in its first year to produce a time infinitely close to the ideal lap, Vettel’s 1 minute 35 seconds 585 lap time is essentially the benchmark!

In contrast to Chen Xiangbei’s anticipated outcome, seeing the computer simulation’s ideal lap time made Odetto even more surprised.

Chen Xiangbei’s mention of just over 1 minute 35 seconds meant he knew the real limit for Lingyan Circuit!

To know where the limit lap time lies entails deep understanding of the track.

Otherwise, how would you know such a nonexistent lap time is the limit of Lingyan Circuit?

"Mr. Xiang Bei, Lingyan Circuit was only completed this year, but you already know such close to ideal lap limit data?"

Mizutani Sho couldn’t help but ask.

At East Sea International Circuit, Chen Xiangbei showed extraordinary proficiency and mastery, which could be explained by being on his home track.

After all, the F1 Chinese Grand Prix has been hosted seven times, with countless track historical data and driver’s line videos, as the home track driver, Chen Xiangbei could indeed achieve a level of proficiency beyond norm if he cared.

Lingyan Circuit is entirely different, with only design blueprints as paper data, without any live experience.

Even the ideal lap time was temporarily computed on a computer.

Chen Xiangbei’s foresight ability is a bit too exaggerated!

"I don’t know, 1 minute 35 seconds is just my goal."

Chen Xiangbei denied without any hesitation.

"Really?"

Listening to Chen Xiangbei’s answer, Mizutani Sho seemed obviously somewhat skeptical.

But with such things, even skepticism finds no direction, so he could only let it go.

Odetto didn’t dwell too much, he approached and patted Chen Xiangbei’s shoulder, saying, "Bei, go back to the hotel and rest, we’ll export the simulator results for analysis tonight, train tomorrow again."

From borrowing Bell in the morning, then taking the bus to Lingyan Circuit, and finally training with the simulator during the assembly period.

Chen Xiangbei had barely paused throughout the day.

Even if there was no mental pressure, the body surely felt inevitable fatigue.

Especially since both the South Korea and China F1 Grand Prix belong to back-to-back events, leaving drivers with hardly any rest time.

"You all can handle the data analysis, I’d like to run a few more laps."

The two seconds gap is too large, and there are less than three days left until Friday’s practice session.

Chen Xiangbei must find the root of the problem, understand why Vettel could record just over 1 minute 35 seconds, and where his own gap lies with him.

Otherwise, at this lap time, Chen Xiangbei can’t make it to Q3 in Lingyan Circuit’s qualifiers.

If in the Chinese Grand Prix, Chen Xiangbei gave it all for the pole position to avoid disappointing the nation.

Then in the South Korean Grand Prix, Chen Xiangbei wanted to outperform simply because he couldn’t stand the happy faces of the Koreans!

Pleasuring oneself and annoying others are both parts of competitive nature.

"The simulator and the actual track differ greatly, especially for a new track lacking adequate reference data."

"Mr. Xiang Bei, your talent lies in your car feel, live laps might perform better."

Mizutani Sho advised again, unaware of Chen Xiangbei’s mindset, mistakenly assuming it was an overwhelming desire for success that made him so strict with himself.

If he knew Chen Xiangbei was merely aiming to upset others, he’d probably be speechless.

"Mizutani, I’m fine, you all head back."

Chen Xiangbei responded with a smile, and indeed, his car feel was excellent in this lifetime.

But car feel needs support from track proficiency; Chen Xiangbei believes there’s significant room for improvement.

"Mizutani, let’s go, Bei is not a kid anymore."

Odetto never wastes excessive words.

Adults should be responsible for their own actions, since Chen Xiangbei decided to practice, let him.

Thus, the busy crew members left for the hotel at the track’s port for rest, leaving Chen Xiangbei alone in the driver’s lounge to continue simulator training.

Until night fell, Chen Xiangbei finally stretched his stiff body and stood up from the racing simulator seat.

Meanwhile, the top left corner of the multi-screen in front of him displayed the latest lap time. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

minute 36 seconds 418!

Effort may not always be rewarded.

But lack of effort will definitely yield no rewards!

This is a track starting from zero, not only is Chen Xiangbei standing on the starting line, other drivers are as well.

Once without foundation, Chen Xiangbei hoped more not to lose at the starting line.

Now times have changed, he must win at the starting line!