Car Racing without Money-Chapter 239 - 121: Overtaking Like Slicing Melons and Chopping Vegetables (Double-Length)
Dixon knows very well that he was overtaken not due to Chen Xiangbei’s "unfair advantage," but because of his grasp of the racing limits!
"Team, brake lock has caused severe tire wear, I request a pit stop to change tires."
Dixon communicated the pit stop request to his team via TR, knowing his tires could only last two or three more laps.
Now it’s the yellow flag phase, which can save half of the pit stop time, and with some luck, he might catch up to the points zone.
"A pit stop will lose position, continue blocking after the race resumes, creating a slipstream gap for Vergne."
The team unhesitatingly rejected Dixon’s pit stop request.
"But in that case, my tires won’t hold up and might burst."
Dixon is well aware he can’t block Chen Xiangbei, and another lock-up might even blow his tires on the spot.
Even as an expendable driver, at least previously Dixon had the chance to compete for points after having served his value.
The outcome he’s facing now is highly likely to be retiring from the race!
"Dixon, execute team orders."
The ART Team leader intervened via TR, he doesn’t have time to explain to Dix.
The stronger Chen Xiangbei performs, the bigger the threat he poses to Vergne.
Compared to Dixon, team interests come first!
The buffer zone at Turn 1 on the track is generally the largest, and the damage to the cars that went off chasing there isn’t too severe.
After three laps led by the safety car, a green flag appeared beside the track, indicating the incident is cleared and the race will resume on the next lap.
With Magnussen at the front accelerating, the roar of the engines echoed across the sky, each driver ramping up speed wildly.
Following the ART Team’s plan, Dixon should be slowing down now, trying every means to block ahead of Chen Xiangbei’s car, seizing the critical moment as the race resumes, potentially pulling away a second gap for Vergne.
But Dixon did no such thing. He went full throttle, then frantically shifted gears to catch up with Vergne in the front.
Keep in mind at this moment drivers are akin to standing at the starting line again, plus Vergne had no guard against Dixon, who amazingly succeeded in cutting inside to seize the best cornering line!
At this moment Vergne was stunned; to him, Dixon was crazy.
Not following team orders to block Chen Xiangbei, but launching an attack on his teammate.
The corner was right ahead, Vergne didn’t have time to press the communication button to seek answers from the team; since Dixon wanted to steal the line at the corner, he had no choice but to regard him as an enemy!
Two ART cars thus engaged in internal conflict at the corner, a scene often only seen within the F1 Paddock, yet unfolded on the Renault junior formula track.
As the two tangled, another Renault car caught up from behind, it had no intention to take the inside line, instead executed a late braking from the outside, pulled a violent overtake, straight through the corner passing both!
That’s right, this car was Chen Xiangbei’s number 13.
The three laps led by the safety car had brought the tire temperatures and grip on the racing line nearly to peak levels.
Chen Xiangbei didn’t know what was happening with the ART Team, he just knew this was a great opportunity to overtake.
This moment’s occurrence left the paddock silent except for the roaring engines.
Four laps overtaking three cars, and in the notoriously hard to overtake Donington Park Circuit, Chen Xiangbei was damn crazy.
The front Costa and Magnussen, can they hold off this Chinese driver Xiangbei in such a state?
