Car Racing without Money-Chapter 526 - 205: Only the Weak Make Excuses
Speed means danger, Schumacher knows this well.
Although Chen Xiangbei’s words were somewhat inexplicable, at least he was concerned.
So he nodded and said, "OK, I will."
This time, Chen Xiangbei didn’t say much more, turned around, and walked out of the weighing room towards the HRT Team pit.
Seeing Chen Xiangbei return, the HRT crew members erupted into a frenzy, a group of them surrounded him and directly tossed him into the air.
"NICE, Bei!"
"Brother Bei is unbeatable!"
"For Bei’s victory!"
"For HRT!"
Various cheers resonated continuously, and standing to the side, Trulli, witnessed this scene with a complex expression.
He had joined HRT with great ambition and had extensive experience handling Toyota cars, yet his teammate finished fifth in the season opener, while he had an on-track incident, earning no points.
For an F1 veteran, this was undoubtedly a blow to his pride and ego.
But in the paddock, results are supreme; a driver who scores points not only earns the adoration of the crew members but also the reverence of the team management.
Just like Verstappen in the future, who could directly intervene in the internal struggle between Horner and Marco in the team.
Whomever he sided with would become the winner of the internal battle.
"Trulli, you were too impulsive and shouldn’t have tangled with Sutil."
The race engineer, Sote, couldn’t help but remind Trulli, seeing his despondent expression.
Now Trulli was no longer the rookie he once was, especially with his grudge against manager Briatore. If he didn’t outperform his teammate this season, differentiating between the first and second driver positions wouldn’t be as simple.
It’s almost certain that Briatore would use every means to kick Trulli out of the team!
No longer young, without the luxury of being reckless.
"I’d rather leave the paddock than bow to Sutil!"
Trulli replied with firm determination, characteristic of his personality.
Last year’s "slandering" incident with Sutil and Alonso was a blatant insult to Trulli.
You can lose a race, but not a grudge!
Faced with Trulli’s response, Sote didn’t know what to say, so he just let out a silent sigh.
After celebrating, Chen Xiangbei was put down when Briatore appeared out of nowhere, giving him a bear hug and a peck on the cheek.
This "cheesy" action by the Italian old rogue made Chen Xiangbei shiver involuntarily.
He immediately held up his hand to stop him, saying, "Manager, calm down!"
"Bei, you’re too serious, loosen up a little."
"How about I throw a big party for you tonight to celebrate and let you experience some exotic customs."
Briatore understood Chen Xiangbei very well now; this kid has a traditional Chinese side and also a completely different side.
Using a term from future internet slang, he’s described as "introverted yet wild."
He planned to broaden Chen Xiangbei’s horizons and release his true nature a little.
Faced with Briatore’s invitation and his playful expression, Chen Xiangbei instinctively wanted to refuse.
He was indeed different from the traditional image of a Chinese person but not in the way Briatore imagined.
At least he wasn’t interested in various parties or gala events.
But now Chen Xiangbei was not alone; behind him was an entire F1 team of hundreds, who needed ceremonies to celebrate and unwind, and he, as the protagonist, couldn’t be a party pooper.
"Alright,"
Chen Xiangbei nodded in agreement.
Instantly, cheers erupted in the HRT Team pit louder than before.
Clearly, everyone was looking forward to a grand event.
Car weighing went smoothly, though the race had many twists and turns, it stayed within the team’s three-stop strategy, and the remaining fuel calculation was very precise.
Just like the famous saying goes, reaching the peak in racing is more like a mathematical competition.
But just then, a group of reporters gathered at the entrance of the HRT Team pit.
The post-race interviews with the top three drivers had ended, and they headed to the drivers’ lounge to wait for the upcoming awards ceremony.
So the reporters shifted their focus to the hot drivers of the race, like Schumacher, Button, and the unfortunate Kubica, as well as Rosberg, who was overtaken twice by Chen Xiangbei.
Although these were all normal procedures, some of Rosberg’s words directly ignited the journalists’ interviewing fervor!
"Mr. Chen Xiangbei, Rosberg just accused you of dangerous driving in a post-race interview, what do you have to say about that?"
"Bei, it’s heard that the Mercedes Team has already filed an appeal, claiming your overtaking maneuver was improperly gained. Do you agree with this view?"
"Driver Bei, Kubica went off track and had an incident, was this something you expected or just an accident?"
"Bei, your teammate Trulli had another collision with Sutil, does this mean there’s an issue with the overall driving style of the HRT Team?"
The journalists bombarded Chen Xiangbei with questions, and he instantly felt like he was being "besieged" as he was in the Renault Formula.
Moreover, these questions all had a certain suggestiveness, implying that he engaged in dangerous driving.
While bringing in Kubica and Trulli’s incidents, it was obvious they were pointing fingers at the HRT Team strategy group, especially the "notorious" Briatore, and making it look like an intentional act!
"Did Rosberg really accuse me?"
Chen Xiangbei didn’t answer directly but instead asked back.
