Car Racing without Money-Chapter 470 - 186: The Next Superstar Driver (10K)

Chapter 470: Chapter 186: The Next Superstar Driver (10K)

Honestly, during the European period, Odetto often doubted whether Chen Xiangbei had raced on some tracks, as he didn’t seem to have the usual rookie skill level, everything appeared to be under control.

Only at Sakhir Circuit did he see the appearance of a true beginner.

"Hmm, very unfamiliar."

Chen Xiangbei nodded in agreement.

"There’s no point discussing driving skills here, we’ll adjust things like cornering during practice sessions."

"I’ll only tell you three points to watch out for on the track: first, the ground temperature is extremely high, which will accelerate tire degradation. You must prepare for tire management right from the start of the race."

"Secondly, there will be sand and dust on the track, reducing grip and causing significant differences in lap times between early and late qualifying sessions."

"Third, the asphalt surface is very rough under the sand, significantly increasing tire wear, especially on the rear wheels, which is not advantageous for our car’s characteristics."

Odetto was very concise as he explained three points of caution, primarily focusing on tire management.

Achieving a good result means the driver must preserve the tires and control the race pace. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

If Chen Xiangbei adopts his style from lower-level formula racing, constantly pushing for the fastest lap times, the tires wouldn’t last three laps at Sakhir Circuit.

And the entire race spans fifty-seven laps!

If you don’t want to pit for new tires over a dozen times, you need to comply honestly with the track’s characteristics.

"Understood."

Chen Xiangbei replied.

Although he hadn’t raced at Sakhir Circuit, it didn’t mean he hadn’t done his homework.

He never fights unprepared battles, a consistent style of Chen Xiangbei.

"Moreover, Sakhir Circuit seems wide and safe, but it is actually quite dangerous if you crash into the wall, the danger lies in the barriers."

Odetto finished speaking and pointed to the barriers around the track.

Compared to normal tracks with tire walls and other cushioning materials, Sakhir Circuit uses steel barriers, similar to highway median barriers, offering virtually no absorption space.

In 2020, Grosjean collided with the steel barrier at 200km/h, the entire car was instantly split in half, with the front half bursting into flames as in movie special effects.

Unluckily, Grosjean was driving a Haas car.

One could say the Haas Team is quite unfortunate, repeatedly encountering major accidents with "two" Haas cars.

Although the accident hadn’t happened yet in this era, it didn’t prevent Odetto, a professional strategy group member, from identifying the track layout hazards early on.

"I know."

Before Odetto could explain the reason, Chen Xiangbei responded in advance.

"You know?"

"Yes, if the crash angle is incorrect, the steel barrier won’t provide any cushioning."

Chen Xiangbei had witnessed Grosjean’s crash live, and coupled with the absence of the "G-string" dubbed HALO protection system at this time, he was more aware of the consequences than Odetto.

"Good."

Facing Chen Xiangbei’s answer, Odetto could only shrug.

The Chinese Kid never disappoints in pre-race preparations.

After walking a lap of the track, Odetto didn’t let Chen Xiangbei stay longer on the track; on the contrary, he allowed him to return to the hotel early to rest.

Compared to relentless effort, a relaxed state during the race is more emphasized, Chen Xiangbei needs to maintain a vibrant mental state to handle the upcoming F1 new season press conference and the Friday practice race.

The next morning, Chen Xiangbei wore the HRT Team racing suit, with the bright red national flag sewed around the waist along with the name’s pinyin initials.

Standing in front of the mirror, Chen Xiangbei organized his attire and smoothed the wrinkles on the racing suit, his actions were particularly careful.

This was his first public appearance as an F1 Driver, and also the first time a Chinese F1 Driver stood on the press conference stage, Chen Xiangbei had to present his best image.

Wearing a team baseball cap with Huaxia Petrochemical imprint, Chen Xiangbei stepped out of the room along with team members, heading to the Bahrain Circuit press conference venue.

At this moment, the media center of the Bahrain Sakhir Circuit was already crowded with media reporters, every time an F1 Driver or management appeared, the flashlights almost made one unable to open their eyes.

As one of the world’s three major sports events, the influence and popularity of the F1 opening race is evident here, not to mention this year marks the entry of three new teams, adding freshness and suspense to the season.

Looking across, Chen Xiangbei saw the number of reporters was no less than five hundred, a scale far exceeding his previous race experiences.

With twelve team drivers gathered, everyone arrived at the center position of the release stand, lining up for media photos.

Theoretically, the center position should be last season’s champion Jenson Button, but it was occupied by Mercedes driver Schumacher, showcasing the King of Cars’ absolute status and influence, with no one able to compete.

As a rookie from a new team, Chen Xiangbei naturally stood at the most peripheral corner position, described in modern language as "leavings."

Despite Briatore boasting about the super star pre-race, when it came to the collective appearance day, the spotlight shone on renowned drivers, while Chen Xiangbei stood like a sidekick...

With media photos finished, the new FIA President Jean Todt arrived at center stage, addressing media reporters about FIA’s new season rule changes and future plans and aspirations.

After completing a series of procedures, the conference entered the routine media Q&A time.

The journalists, already eager, began their questioning, mainly targeting stars like Schumacher, Alonso, and Button.