Chapter 64 - 28: Manche 1

Chapter 64: Chapter 28: Manche 1

For the La Conca Track, Wu Shi had driven direct-drive karts here many times, but his experience with shifter karts was limited to a brief practice session.

A massive swarm of karts flooded onto the track, weaving left and right to warm up their tires.

VROOM! VROOM!

After one lap, the front-row karts began pushing for their lap times, gradually stretching out the pack.

WHOOSH!

The first to cross the line was kart No. 127, Dante Massimo, clocking in at 45.897 seconds. Close behind was No. 128, Lundberg Douglas, who posted a 45.599 to bump No. 127 down the leaderboard. Kart after kart crossed the line, constantly shuffling the standings. No. 131, Fuoco Leonardo, set a 45.460, holding the fastest lap for a considerable amount of time. That was until No. 141, Lennox Lamb Jordan, knocked him off the top spot with a blistering 45.309.

"Lunloks’s speed is indeed quite impressive. That’s essentially the pole position pace from previous years."

The CRG Team principal, engineers, and mechanics gathered together to discuss the times.

"Is it possible for Wu Shi to surpass him?" a mechanic asked.

"I think so. Back in his KF3 Level days, that guy secured the fastest lap with an absolute advantage every single time. Even though this is his first year with shifter karts, there’s no way his speed will be slow."

"It might be a long shot. Wu Shi hasn’t shown his previous dominance when driving shifter karts. Rosa, wouldn’t you agree?"

Everyone looked at Rosa. As Wu Shi’s race engineer, her judgment would undoubtedly be the most accurate.

Noticing that the team principal was also looking her way, Rosa’s heart began to pound. THUMP THUMP. Everyone was waiting for her to give an affirmative answer. After the 2010 and 2011 seasons, everyone’s expectations for Wu Shi had far surpassed those for a normal prodigy.

"I believe in him," Rosa said, turning her gaze back to the track. She had seen firsthand just how hard Wu Shi had been practicing recently. Even though Jos claimed that Wu Shi wasn’t as formidable now as he was in the past two years, she still firmly believed that he was the strongest driver in his class.

WHOOSH! 45.295. Kart No. 160, Charlie Bizarion, pulled off an astonishing lap. His massive lap time flashed at the very top of the leaderboard.

"Hiss, faster by 0.014 seconds. What a shame!"

The CRG Team mechanics sighed in pity. Although setting the fastest lap in qualifying didn’t guarantee a front-row start in the final, it was still a prime opportunity for a driver to showcase their skill. Having the top spot snatched away was ultimately a disappointment.

"It should be Wu Shi’s turn soon, right?" someone mentioned.

Because Wu Shi’s registration qualification review had been delayed, he was assigned kart No. 164. Starting from the very back of the pack meant he wouldn’t get clean air, but the racing line would be in much better condition. The leftover rubber and debris had already been cleared away by the drivers ahead of him.

At this moment, he approached Turn 10. Turn 11 followed immediately after, with no straightaway in between to act as a buffer. Therefore, he couldn’t take this section using standard single-corner techniques. He had learned this principle back during the Mini 60 races. The current challenge lay in gear selection and throttle control.

During daily practice sessions, he usually entered this corner in second gear and began accelerating as he clipped the apex of Turn 11. Since the big guys practically all took it this way, Wu Shi had no choice but to follow suit. To prepare for the upcoming Great Straight, he had to execute a "slow in, fast out" approach.

VROOM!

Downshifting from fifth to second gear with the clutch half-engaged, the engine let out a low rumble. Right before reaching Turn 11, Wu Shi fully engaged the clutch and stepped on the throttle, immediately picking up speed.

SCREECH!

The tires squealed, but he calmly maintained steering control, keeping the kart from skidding out.

THUMP!

As the kart bumped over the apex of Turn 11 and briefly went airborne from the vibration, he couldn’t apply the throttle or upshift. Doing so would guarantee a spin-out. He waited until the chassis firmly hit the ground before slamming the gas pedal down again.

ROAR! CLUNK-VROOM!

The kart accelerated fiercely. He quickly shifted up to fifth gear, pushing the speed past one hundred kilometers per hour. After flying through the false corner at Turn 12, he hit sixth gear. However, the approaching hairpin turn demanded an immediate downshift.

"A remarkably smooth operation," the CRG Team principal remarked. It seemed the team’s decision to sponsor Wu Shi’s promotion to the KZ2 class was perfectly sound. Before Wu Shi actually raced in a formal, official event, no one knew what level of performance he could deliver. After all, a shifter kart introduced a lot of new risks. It would be a complete joke if he ended up stalling halfway through a race.

SWOOSH! 45.256.

CLAP CLAP CLAP!

Applause erupted in the CRG Team pit lane. Sid and Rosa simultaneously let out sighs of relief. Back when this kid did his hot laps in the past, they had never felt this nervous.

As the two karts drove back into the pit lane, Wu Shi took off his helmet. Rosa ran over and gave him a massive hug. "That was fantastic! Your performance today was absolutely incredible! Jos is always just fearmongering!"

"I am not fearmongering!" Jos’s voice suddenly rang out. Verstappen trailed right behind him.

During the KF2 race just prior, Verstappen had clocked a time of 45.803—a fastest-lap record that would remain unbroken for over a decade.

"I said it before: Wu Shi has the ability to win the championship without issue. But he shouldn’t have to fight so hard to secure a victory. He should be winning as effortlessly as an adult fighting a child!" Jos argued.

Wu Shi stayed silent. Even though this stressful old geezer was incredibly annoying, he wasn’t wrong. Hearing this made Wu Shi feel a twinge of impatience. He thought to himself, "I can’t panic! Damn it, now I know just how insane Verstappen’s mentality really is. Getting pressured like this every single day and still managing to race with a calm head."

The rest of the CRG Team was long accustomed to Jos’s tirades. The strict standards he imposed on Verstappen and Wu Shi were simply outrageous.

Just then, Lunloks walked in, his expression even sourer than before. A mechanic opened his mouth to say something, but Wu Shi held him back. There was no point paying attention to someone like that; interacting with him would only ruin their mood.

Next up were Manche 1 (Heat 1) and Manche 2 (Heat 2). These two preliminary rounds would determine the starting grid for Finale 1.

Thanks to his lap time in the qualifying session, Wu Shi secured a front-row start, which brought him a slight sense of relief. During the formation lap, he glanced over his shoulder. Everyone was following closely behind. No one was risking a penalty by backing up the pack.

Soon, all the competing karts lined up on the starting straight. Manche 1 was on the verge of kicking off.

Kart No. 164 steadily picked up speed, with No. 160, Charlie Bizarion, biting tightly at its heels. Right behind him was Wu Shi’s teammate, Lunloks.

All three karts had an excellent start, but as they approached Turn 1, Wu Shi tightly hugged the centerline. The two drivers behind him seemed to share an unspoken understanding—one took the outside line and the other the inside line, waiting to see what choice he would make.

Yield the inside or the outside?

The thought flashed through Wu Shi’s mind, and he immediately squeezed toward the inside. There was no need to defend the outside to the death. Since Turn 1 was followed by a straight, and Turn 2 was also a right-hander, the driver on the outside wouldn’t be able to pull off a crossover move to overtake him. By taking the inside, Wu Shi would maintain a firm grip on the optimal line.

SWISH!

He tenaciously defended the inside and maintained his lead. Bizarion, who had tried to overtake him from the inside, was forced to decelerate and yield.

"Wu Shi’s defense is absolutely spectacular! He wisely chose the inside to secure his racing line! His corner exit is incredibly swift, and his traction control is superb!

"But his teammate, Lunloks, is no slouch either! He actually squeezed past while Bizarion was forced to slow down!

"Whoa! Lunloks has stolen Bizarion’s position! A brilliant overtake! We see him heading straight for Wu Shi—are we about to witness an internal battle within the CRG Team?!"

Commentator John fired off his words at a blistering pace, the syllables practically blending together.

"No! Lunloks can’t get past! Wu Shi’s racing line is too sharp! He’s firmly blocked the entry point, completely ignoring Lunloks’s feints!

"Turn 3—Wu Shi’s entry and exit speeds at Turn 3 are simply too fast! A gap is opening up! Does Lunloks still have a chance?

"Wow, he’s pulled away!"

Commentator John sounded almost disappointed that the dogfight hadn’t lasted longer.

"Wu Shi once demonstrated absolute dominance in the KF3 Level, and now, stepping up to KZ2, he remains a championship-caliber driver! We are witnessing the rise of a racing genius with our own eyes!" John continued his passionate commentary.

"Yes, indeed. According to previous data, Wu Shi’s driving talent is extraordinary," commentator Tom chimed in. "However, I think the audience might feel a bit of regret, as they won’t get to see him completely dominate the competition like he used to."

"Let me check—we have an incoming message from the audience. A viewer from Lecce Province says: ’Wu Shi is just taking it easy. He’s been leading for so long that he’s grown bored. If he went all out, the drivers behind him wouldn’t even be able to see his taillights,’" John read out.

"That must be one of Wu Shi’s fans. What I want to point out is that Wu Shi’s performance over the past two years has been riddled with suspicion. I even suspect he was using a kart that exceeded CIK standards," Tom blurted out, successfully sparking a controversial discussion.