Car Racing without Money-Chapter 352 - 152: This Is What It Means to Amaze the World with a Single Feat (10K)
The corner before the long starting straight, T1, is an extremely challenging V-shaped hairpin, and it’s also downhill. Drivers need to start braking a hundred meters before entering the corner; otherwise, they can’t steer the car properly.
What’s even more challenging is that it’s the first corner after the start, meaning that drivers have to give it their all to fight for the line.
If the speed on the straight is too slow, opponents will overtake.
If it’s too fast, you won’t be able to brake in front of the V-shaped corner.
If you brake too hard, the tires will lock up, greatly affecting their lifespan.
If you brake too lightly, you’ll just charge off the track without any meaning...
In formula racing, cornering is not just about controlling the line but also about the ultimate sense of distance and force applied while braking.
Why can Verstappen handle the extremely difficult Red Bull RB21? It’s because he can sense the grip changes of each tire and knows the car’s limits, reducing corrections.
The same onboard footage, when switched to Lawson or Kakida Yuuki, shows them having intense "struggles" with the car, with almost every corner requiring slight corrections in the racing line.
This is similar to a novice driver on the road, unable to keep the steering wheel straight.
Of course, the concept of correction in F1 is far different than simply driving straight.
But each correction means a reduction in speed, even if it’s only a fraction of a second’s difference.
Cumulatively over a dozen corners, teammates might end up slower than Verstappen by as much as several tenths to a whole second!
The skill level of an F3 Formula driver often doesn’t need to be tested at the iconic Red River Bend at the Spa Circuit; the T1 corner can suffice as a "validator."
At 70 meters from the T1 corner, Chen Xiangbei steps on the brake pedal to fully apply the brakes, exerting force close to the brink of tire lock-up.
The acceleration and top speed of an F3 car are far less than those of an F1 car, so there’s no need to brake as early as 100 meters. Chen Xiangbei’s distance of 70 meters precisely hit the threshold of braking force!
As the F3 car smoothly enters the apex, Chen Xiangbei releases the brake pedal and applies throttle before exiting the corner. The track surface temperature at the Spa Circuit in August exceeds 30°C, and the seven-kilometer long warm-up lap ensures the ultra-soft tires have reached their peak grip.
Chen Xiangbei knows the tires can grip the road, so he reapplies throttle to increase his exit speed.
Because the next segment will be a two-kilometer full-throttle stretch, including the most renowned Red River Bend.
The theoretical top speed of an F3 car is only 280 km/h, and in most scenarios, it doesn’t reach this speed, similar to how the speedometer on a regular car often exceeds 200 km/h, but many people never max out their speedometer in their lifetime.
However, during this two-kilometer full-throttle segment, combined with the long downhill stretch of the Red River Bend, Chen Xiangbei’s car might break the 280 km/h barrier.
This time, the throttle is truly welded to the foot, fiercely "stepping into" the engine!
The engine squeezes out its last ounce of potential, with the tachometer needle at its limit, unable to increase any further.
Tire pressure, fluid levels, cylinder pressure, and other data indicators are all pushed to the limit by Chen Xiangbei.
If this wasn’t a brand new engine, there could be a risk of cylinder blowout.
km/h, 260 km/h, 280 km/h...
Just when everyone thought the speed had reached its peak, and the speed numbers on the steering wheel screen had stabilized,
The downhill acceleration at the Red River Bend caused the track sensors to detect a new number.
km/h!
Even the onboard ECU reached its limit, no longer displaying the exceeded speed.
Yet, Chen Xiangbei used the full-throttle stretch on the long straight and downhill acceleration to achieve a speed beyond the limits.
But the Dream Team members at the Campos Team’s pit room didn’t have much joy on their faces; they were watching the various racing data on the screen with anxious expressions.
Breaking through the speed limit is not only a challenge for the driver but also for the car itself.
Just the aerodynamic downforce on the tires has exceeded one thousand kilograms, which is an extreme pressure for the smaller-sized F3 tires. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
If a blowout happens, it’s not just a matter of crashing into a wall for Chen Xiangbei’s car; exaggeratedly speaking, it could fly!
Even Odetto was dumbfounded at this moment. The racing simulator might allow full-throttle cornering because there’s no car damage or risk involved; crashing is no big deal, just restart the next round, which can be seen as a game.
But life doesn’t have a restart.
Chen Xiangbei’s way of challenging really doesn’t fear death.
This race is meant for the Chinese Kid to make a remarkable impression, not to let him "fly into the sky!"
In fact, Chen Xiangbei also wasn’t feeling relaxed at this moment. The Red River Bend can generate massive longitudinal and lateral G-forces, further exacerbated by the downhill stretch, causing a great deal of physical pull on the driver’s body.
Drivers passing downhill at high speeds are aware of the floating and fall sense it brings; the faster the speed, the more pronounced this feeling becomes.
Even at a meager 70-80 km/h, one can experience it, but now Chen Xiangbei’s speed is close to 300 km/h, feeling as if he’s "floating," while having to maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel to turn through the corner!
Racing simulators can simulate some acceleration and G-force sensations but can never fully replicate real-life realism.
Chen Xiangbei is now furiously battling against various "forces!"
In fact, the "shock" to the team members is not over yet; 287 km/h is not the ultimate tail speed. After full-throttle through the Red River Bend, there’s still a long straight stretch.
