Car Racing without Money-Chapter 225 - 118: Officially Signing with the F1 Team (Double Release)
More importantly, you need experience driving an F1 car, as well as logging at least 300 kilometers for the Super Driver’s License application!
"Xiangbei, welcome to Brown GP Team."
Ross Brown stood up and willingly extended his hand to Chen Xiangbei.
Even just from watching Chen Xiangbei do a few laps on the racing simulator, intuition and years of experience told Ross Brown that this Chinese kid was more than capable of being a test driver.
As for how high his potential could go, that would depend on his track performance!
"Xiangbei, congratulations on being the sole survivor from Huasi Sports in the Honda camp."
Staler’s tone was filled with emotion. After a roundabout journey, the Chinese kid became the last inheritor from Huasi Sports and the Honda camp.
"Thank you."
Faced with this welcome and congratulations, Chen Xiangbei was also a bit overwhelmed.
If Honda Group hadn’t withdrawn from F1, Chen Xiangbei could have progressed through the trainee mode and directly become the reserve youth driver for Honda and Super Aguri’s F1 teams.
However, Chen Xiangbei insisted on cooperating with Suzuki Aguri, not only to cultivate a Chinese team of technicians but also considering the possibility of joining an F1 team in advance.
The cooperation model allows him, through additional terms, to become a driver for both Super Dream and Brown GP Teams without restrictions!
After all, since Honda Group has exited the F1 paddock, being tied down to the Super Aguri team leaves little room for advancement.
This dual-team driver model is not uncommon in the F1 paddock. Many youth drivers can actually join or substitute for multiple teams within the same camp.
No need to mention Red Bull and Toro Rosso, the "Great Shift of Heaven and Earth" has been perfected. Apart from the Red Bull seat occupied by Verstappen being fixed, the other three drivers can be moved up and down.
Comparatively, the Ferrari camp, which people are less familiar with, theoretically trains their youth drivers to also simultaneously serve as reserve drivers for Ferrari, Haas, and Sauber Teams.
Even beyond drivers, team leaders might change roles within the same camp. For example, former Sauber leader Vassell directly advanced to becoming the current leader for Ferrari.
Even more absurd, under perfect conditions meeting various prerequisites, the Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu could also play as Ferrari’s reserve driver and go back to his old team Sauber to race!
Of course, meeting these conditions is quite stringent and almost impossible.
Chen Xiangbei was prepared early to jump out of the Honda camp at critical moments and sign with the dual-team driver mode.
Yet unexpectedly, after a roundabout journey, he ended up at Brown GP Team, part of the extended Honda camp.
Perhaps this is fate...
After signing, they chatted a bit more in the conference room. With great excitement, Staler originally intended to invite Chen Xiangbei over to his home for dinner to celebrate officially becoming a member of an F1 team.
However, Chen Xiangbei politely declined because he had a Renault main race to run tomorrow that required him to have ample rest time.
Staler understood this and with some regret, they agreed on next time.
As it was getting late, they bid farewell to Ross Brown and moved to the parking lot. Just as Staler was about to drive Chen Xiangbei back to the Super Dream Base, a Ford Focus RS suddenly parked in front of the old Jaguar, and a curvy blonde woman stepped out from the driver’s side.
"Xiangbei, let me introduce you. This is my granddaughter Emily, a trainee in Ford’s rally training program."
Before the blonde woman even approached, Staler had already introduced her identity.
"Emily, this is the Chinese driver Xiangbei I’ve mentioned before."
Meeting Chen Xiangbei, the blonde woman looked him up and down with curiosity. Her grandfather had praised this Chinese driver multiple times in front of her or at home. She was very curious about what made Chen Xiangbei exceptional.
"Hello, Emily."
Since she was Staler’s granddaughter, Chen Xiangbei maintained politeness and greeted her proactively.
"Hi, Xiangbei."
Emily finally realized and smiled, waving at Chen Xiangbei.
After greeting each other, Emily turned to Staler and said, "Grandma called you multiple times and you didn’t pick up. She told me to hurry to the team headquarters to find you, and sure enough, here you are."
"Grandpa, you’re no longer young; such behavior is worrying!"
Faced with Emily’s "scolding," probably because Chen Xiangbei was present, Staler replied awkwardly and quietly, "Forgot my phone in the car, I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen next time."
"Then hurry home now; Grandma is still waiting for you."
"I need to take Xiangbei back to the hotel first."
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiangbei quickly shook his head and replied, "No need, I can just take a taxi back myself."
Staler was indeed already past seventy and not young anymore. Chen Xiangbei could understand the family’s concern when the phone was unreachable.
"It’s not easy to get a taxi here, Xiangbei, no need to be courteous."
Staler gestured, noting that F1 team headquarters are often built in industrial zones far from the city, making it difficult to catch a cab at night.
"I’ll drive Xiangbei back to the hotel."
Seeing the old and young pair declining among themselves, Emily proactively offered the solution.
Driving from here to the Donington Park Circuit hotel and then back to his London residence would take at least two or three hours, which indeed might keep his wife waiting too long.
Staler thought for a moment and nodded, "That’s best, Xiangbei, let Emily take you back."
"Thank you."
Chen Xiangbei thanked her without further politeness.
After exchanging farewells, Chen Xiangbei got into Emily’s Ford Focus RS and headed back to the hotel near Donington Park.
