How Did I Become an F1 Driver?
Chapter 996 - 388: Hamilton Will Always Be My Big Brother (Part 2)
Qin Miao ate a little less even compared to the perfect flying lap in Q2.
This was to add an extra layer of security for himself, to ensure he wouldn't waste the slipstream Hamilton provided. ๐ฏ๐ป๐๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ท๐๐ฟ๐๐.๐๐ธ๐ข
However, after the T9 right-angle corner, Qin Miao took the curb at the limit, right at the spot where he could hit the curb without hitting the high curb.
The car brushed against the left wall as it exited the corner, and small sparks could be seen falling, but it was just a light touch with no signs or sounds of collision, which didn't affect Qin Miao's car's overall balance.
Full throttle through Monte Carlo's most famous tunnel, the exit's lighting didn't affect Qin Miao at all, as he had developed muscle memory on this track.
And honestly, if Qin Miao ran a bit slower, he could complete a lap with his eyes closed.
At the brake zone of T10, Qin Miao barely touched the curb. This one was a high curb; eating too much would affect the car's aerodynamic balance. Qin Miao's degree of curb entry was such that a little more would destroy aerodynamic balance, and a little less would not provide a wide enough entry angle.
There's nothing much to say about T10; Qin Miao had practiced countless times in the team simulator for an extreme corner exit here.
With Qin Miao's perfect entry angle, it was yet another perfect corner exit, with less than 1 centimeter between the front wheel and the wall.
T11 can't touch the yellow curb, and Qin Miao precisely navigated this corner at the limit.
Exiting the corner again brushing against the wall, this time the distance between the tire and the wall was less than 0.5 centimeters.
If Qin Miao's tires had emotions, seeing this kind of pressure applied, they would definitely blow out on the spot just to show Qin Miao.
Through T12, entering the Monaco circuit's most testing section for driver adaptability, filled with iconic scenes.
At this moment, Qin Miao had only set a purple sector in the first timed zone and a green in the second, yet his combined speed was still 0.08 seconds faster than Leclerc. Whether this attempt would challenge Leclerc's pole position depended on how Qin Miao performed in the third timed zone.
After T15, Qin Miao, due to pressure, entered the corner slightly early, resulting in the outer wall of the right front tire lightly grazing the wall.
Fortunately, it was a gentle touch, causing only a slight shudder in the car, and didn't disrupt Qin Miao's car's overall balance.
It was a bit of a tribute to last year's Leclerc.
Then, he passed T16 at the limit, straight through Monte Carlo's rare full-throttle corner T17 to T18.
Qin Miao remained at the limit in both entry and exit, leaving no room for error.
Full throttle all the way to T18.
The brake point brake, apex curb press, exit again at the limit brushing the wall, yet Qin Miao didn't even correct afterward, smoothly exiting the corner, then opened DRS, full throttle towards the finish line.
After crossing the line, Qin Miao set a purple sector in the last timed zone!
Time: 1:11.267.
0.109 seconds faster than Leclerc.
Qin Miao's placement on the broadcast's left side ranking also shifted to first.
Qin Miao now temporarily stands in first. Seeing his time faster than Leclerc, Qin Miao let out a sigh of relief; regardless, with Hamilton's help, he once again broke through the qualification stage's limit.
Meanwhile, Hamilton, having returned to the team's P room to rest, had just been pushed inside.
He happened to see Qin Miao's three sector times: purple, green, and purple, respectively.
Despite wearing a helmet, where the team's staff couldn't see Hamilton's expression, his face bore a smile.
"This is right."
Despite four minutes remaining until Q3's end, this was already Qin Miao's fastest lap in the qualification round.
Qin Miao was exhausted, not a drop left.
On the return lap, Qin Miao replied in the team TR: "That's all I've got."
Frankie replied: "Received, that was a perfect flying lap, we are proud of you, now come back."
"Received."
After responding, Qin Miao began his return lap.
Meanwhile, the three commentators at Five-Star Sports were completely thrilled.
Not only because Qin Miao's last flying lap was exceptionally stunning, but because right after finishing, the director didn't provide camera time to other drivers preparing to start their laps on the track, instead fixating on the billboard Qin Miao passed.
At this point, what they saw was the mark left on the Rolex advertisement at T4's apex, caused by Qin Miao's car.
Soon, the director also provided slow-motion playback of Qin Miao's flying lap.
Basically, every corner, Qin Miao was at the utmost limit position and angle, brushing against the track walls as if dancing on the edge of a sword.
Yet this near-impossible dance was completed by Qin Miao flawlessly.
As professional commentators who had been in the racing industry for so many years, seeing Qin Miao's flying lap, the Five-Star Sports commentators had to marvel at Qin Miao's terrifyingly artistic control over the car.