Car Racing without Money-Chapter 142 - 98: Flamboyant Super Dream Team Leader
To be honest, unless it’s like the broadcast of a race with real-time lap time comparison, it’s hard to perceive with the naked eye whether a car is faster or slower by one second.
After all, when you convert it in a lap of about two minutes, the increase of one second is less than one percent. Human eyes aren’t machines—how could they precisely recognize fractions of a second in each corner?
But the ART Team has managed to train so many F1 Drivers, so naturally, they have their own tricks!
If intuitive judgment doesn’t work, let’s take several different drivers’ videos at the same corner, perform trajectory comparison and speed analysis using software, and thus get a rough idea of who’s faster.
As long as Chen Xiangbei can run faster than the ART Team’s drivers at corners, it means this Chinese Kid’s speed is astonishing!
"FUCK, the corner trajectory of the Chinese driver at T9 actually overlaps with Hamilton’s?"
"The line at T4 corner, it feels like Xiangbei’s line is even better than Vergne’s."
"At T7 corner, the Chinese rookie used a U-shaped line instead of a simpler V-shaped line, which requires a high level of trail braking skills!"
Engineers of the ART Team were discussing Chen Xiangbei’s cornering characteristics, with surprise evident on everyone’s face.
Due to distance, the DV camera could only capture the closer side’s cornering lines; the farther side was too blurry for even computers to analyze.
Yet, just from half the track’s lines, Chen Xiangbei’s driving skills were already impressive.
Many people were thinking of one question: just where did this guy come from?
China’s current racing foundation cannot cultivate top-notch formula drivers. Even with Japan’s complete racing system, their overall strength still lags far behind Europe.
The genius chosen by Honda, Kobayashi Shuji, wasn’t trained in Japan but was directly sent to Europe for training. How could they have anything better to train Chen Xiangbei?
Logically, it’s incomprehensible, puzzling!
"Philman, find a way to get the data on the Chinese driver Xiangbei. We need to target him."
Tod interrupted everyone, instructing the data analyst Philman.
Initially, when the track walk happened, Tod virtually ignored Chen Xiangbei’s existence, his indifference was palpable.
From his perspective, a Chinese rookie running in the Renault European Cup was destined to be insignificant, not worth the attention.
However, Tod had a virtue: he "acknowledged mistakes and learned," his arrogance targeted only at the gap in capability, not at nationality or personality.
Now that Chen Xiangbei has demonstrated extraordinary skills, he can’t be ignored anymore.
Experience and instinct told Tod, this Chinese Kid would be a major threat to Vergne!
Chen Xiangbei naturally didn’t know that the Carlin Team had begun researching him. He returned to the Super Dream Base and was receiving massage therapy from Lu Xiaoman.
Yes, it was the very professional kind of massage therapy!
According to Lu Xiaoman, athletes should undergo soft tissue massage after high-intensity training to relax muscles, tendons, and fascia, allowing them to restore to a relaxed state.
Chen Xiangbei will have the qualifying race tomorrow, and the Renault race the day after.
With three consecutive days of intense driving, Lu Xiaoman was worried his body couldn’t withstand it and might experience muscle knots or fascial spasms, which would be devastating for driving precision needed in racing sports.
As the part-time trainer of Chen Xiangbei, Lu Xiaoman had no choice but to step in.
"Sister Xiaoman, personally, I don’t think the driving intensity is that high, not quite to the point of needing a massage."
Chen Xiangbei lay on the yoga mat, letting Lu Xiaoman stretch his limbs. Even though he had years of professional driver training, possessing a steel-like concentration and willpower.
At this youthful age, he still couldn’t control some physical reactions. The close contact between the two was indeed a bit awkward.
"Do you know how expensive a personal therapist is?"
"If it weren’t for the first race of Renault, I wouldn’t bother to ease muscle pressure for you."
Lu Xiaoman retorted bitterly. Normally, athletes wanting this "team-accompanied" therapy service wouldn’t get anyone without a five-figure US dollar monthly salary.
She juggled multiple roles for just one salary, and Chen Xiangbei was being hesitant.
"I understand, I understand, I’m very grateful."
Of course, Chen Xiangbei understood the value. Even among the rich kids of F2 teams, few could afford personal therapists; Lu Xiaoman was truly thoughtful.
He just felt if Lu Xiaoman kept "working on him," he would hold back no longer...
Luckily, Liang Chi came in at that moment. Seeing Lu Xiaoman "laying" on Chen Xiangbei, he cleared his throat to interrupt their muscle relaxation therapy.
Chen Xiangbei was relieved by now and finally understood why, aside from particular news officers, there were hardly any females among F1 drivers.
If a team had several like Lu Xiaoman, despite the work being proper and serious, the drivers probably wouldn’t focus on driving.
Or should we say, they’d only think about driving...
"Uncle Liang, is there something up?"
Chen Xiangbei asked.
"Nothing major, it’s just that old Zhang from Hong Kong Island called. Former co-founder of the Huasai Base, Mr. Oliver Staler, will come to Silverstone Circuit tomorrow to watch the race. You should perform well."
"Staler was once an investor in the Williams Team and is a friend of Sir Frank Williams. Building a good connection with him would greatly help you in securing an F1 spot in the future."
