Car Racing without Money-Chapter 597 - 235: I Haven’t Let You Down
Strength can be denied, but achievements and fighting spirit exist objectively.
No matter how prejudiced or racist the Westerners are, they must admit that Chen Xiangbei is fulfilling his pre-race boast and proving that he is a historically top rookie driver comparable to Raikkonen.
"Putting aside prejudice, Driver Xiangbei is really strong."
A spectator from Australia said this sincerely.
On the track, Hamilton, under attack pressure, has already exhibited multiple lane changes, "snake-like maneuvers" in the braking zone.
Had he easily blocked him, Hamilton wouldn’t have resorted to such controversial blocking tactics.
In the future, tightly regulated F1, Hamilton would have received a five-second penalty.
"Today’s rain race was spectacular. I admit that a new star from China is rising!"
"FUCK, even though the Chinese guy targeted my favorite Raikkonen, this kid is really strong!"
"Overtake, Chen Xiangbei; this race will establish you as a world-class driver!"
"Come on, Xiangbei the Racing God!"
Countless voices erupted from the stands. At this moment, the attention on Chen Xiangbei even surpasses that of the leading Schumacher.
Lap fifty-seven, lap fifty-eight...
At the front, Schumacher can already see the black and white checkered flag waving at the finish line.
Chen Xiangbei is still stuck behind Hamilton.
One must admit, Hamilton’s defensive ability is no less than Alonso’s. Plus, McLaren’s absolute performance is stronger than HRT Racing Car. All these unfavorable factors make it extremely difficult for Chen Xiangbei to overtake.
But the root cause lies in Hamilton’s overly aggressive defense, which could be considered "illegal."
Repeatedly changing lanes on the track to "block," also squeezing the racing line within corners, always displaying a stance of mutual destruction.
Honestly, in a Renault-level race, Chen Xiangbei wouldn’t stand for it, and the two might end up crashing and withdrawing together.
But this is his first podium in his career!
Chen Xiangbei cannot bear the loss of crashing with Hamilton and both cars retiring.
This is not only about ranking and reward but also about personal honor and the team’s belief.
It’s understood that a "new army" team built on a bottom-ranked foundation desperately needs achievements to provide confidence and cohesion to team members.
Why do the "Big Three" and large teams have deep roots?
Besides the lead in wealth and technology, they have a "superior" mindset.
They naturally have an edge over small and medium-sized teams, able to present a stance of decisiveness, which boosts teamwork and cohesion, adding a 0.2-second advantage to pit stops!
Small and medium-sized teams often fear before fighting.
Chen Xiangbei reaching the podium will undoubtedly inject a strong motivator into HRT, letting team members subconsciously believe in their capability to challenge and become a large team.
HRT Team is not a weakling; drivers can reach the podium and even become champions.
This is the psychological advantage and foundation of a championship team!
Compared to Senna and Schumacher, Chen Xiangbei grew up in an era more familiar with the personalities and habits of drivers like Hamilton and Verstappen.
Chen Xiangbei has no doubt that if he forcefully overtakes, Hamilton will intentionally crash.
Odetto once said that gambling often arises from a weak position, needing to bet on a gain.
A strong person doesn’t need to gamble.
Chen Xiangbei is not yet an absolute strongman, but he’s no longer the penniless gambler betting on Hamilton’s chance to yield.
The team needs this podium, and Chen Xiangbei himself needs it. Staring at the finish line so close, he ultimately suppressed the fervent impulse inside him and followed Hamilton across the line.
Secured third place, the race’s podium!
"What a pity, just missed by a little!"
"Damn it, Hamilton is really shameless, with that kind of lane-changing to block!"
"Relax, Chen Xiangbei’s career is just starting; he definitely won’t stop at being a race’s podium finisher."
"That’s right, Chen Xiangbei will one day be a champion, Hamilton can’t stop him!"
"Chen Xiangbei~~! Chen Xiangbei~~! Chen Xiangbei~~!"
From chaotic discussions initially, to the entire crowd echoing Chen Xiangbei’s name, in some aspects, he’s already won recognition through a miracle.
Opening his helmet visor, Chen Xiangbei’s heart was immediately filled with regret.
After all, the runner-up was right there, just a little bit more to surpass Hamilton!
Yet when he heard the entire crowd calling his name, for a moment he felt as if something struck his heart, a wave of complex emotions surged, his eyes unwittingly turned slightly red.
Taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, Chen Xiangbei extends his hand out of the cockpit to wave, acknowledging the audience around the track during the cooldown lap.
This action rekindled the audience’s enthusiasm, and their cheers for him even temporarily surpassed those for the champion Schumacher!
"Hamilton, congratulations on achieving runner-up."
The congratulations from McLaren’s leader Whitmarsh were transmitted to Hamilton’s ear through the team’s radio.
But this time, he didn’t feel the expected joy.
As the race’s runner-up, the spectators on-site only shouted for Schumacher and Chen Xiangbei, which felt more like doubt and denial!
Even if Hamilton was reluctant to admit, in the last two laps of the race, Chen Xiangbei’s attacks put unimaginable pressure on him, forcing him to defend with double lane changes.
This maneuver currently sits in a gray area of FIA rules; penalizing it would need team appeals and stewards’ adjudication, likely not changing the final ranking.
However, the spectators’ eyes are sharp; they see the foul play in the defense.
"Thank you."
Hamilton replied plainly, wishing he could win more decisively.
Feeling Hamilton’s emotional shift, Whitmarsh chuckled nonchalantly.
Young people’s hearts still harbor some naivety and fantasies; after gradually getting used to the Paddock, they’ll understand that the process doesn’t matter at all, only the final victory does.
Indeed, with events like "Spygate," "Crashgate," "Bar-gate," exploding, Hamilton became increasingly "dark," turning into a standard iron-hearted champion driver.
And his tactics often applied the rules to the extreme in corners.
For example, using top-notch spatial awareness, Hamilton could precisely judge how much space to leave for opponents, then close the door perfectly, forcing them off the track and shifting full responsibility to them.
Today’s immature continuous lane-changing block maneuver, peak Hamilton wouldn’t bother, it’s too basic!
Chen Xiangbei obviously didn’t know Hamilton’s emotional changes; he waved while driving the car into the exclusive parking area for the top three.
This wasn’t Chen Xiangbei’s first experience in the exclusive parking area, but it was his first within the F1 Paddock, creating history for a Chinese driver!
All three cars steadily parked, with Hamilton’s Mercedes in the center front, highlighting his championship status. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
Meanwhile, outside the parking area’s ropes, already packed layers deep, stood track workers, waiting media reporters for interviews, and team members waiting to celebrate with the drivers.
Even in the outermost layer stood countless fervent fans hoping for a close encounter with their idols.
HRT team members also lined up at the ropes, waiting to celebrate with Chen Xiangbei.
Faced with all those familiar and excited faces, Chen Xiangbei’s emotions, previously restrained, felt a rush of sourness.
The journey was filled with cold stares and mockery and so many twists and challenges.
But finally, Chen Xiangbei proved his talent and ability; in only his second race, he made it to the top three on the podium.
After a brief stupor, Chen Xiangbei spread his arms and lunged at the team members, embracing them all closely.
At the same time, Chen Xiangbei no longer restrained his emotions, shouting excitedly, "I did it; I fulfilled my pre-race promise by reaching the podium. I didn’t let you down!"
Often, Chen Xiangbei didn’t show it, but it doesn’t mean he was without pressure.
Through his journey, countless people placed their hopes on him, and even his entire nation’s fans had high expectations.
He wasn’t fighting alone, nor was he advancing alone.
Today, Chen Xiangbei can finally shout this phrase: He didn’t let those who follow him down!
