Chapter 73 - 5: Here Comes Montezemolo

Chapter 73: Chapter 5: Here Comes Montezemolo

After the main straight, T1 was a wide, sweeping corner. Wu Shi knew the car’s grip like the back of his hand, so he only downshifted once. With a tap on the brakes and a slight lift off the throttle, he entered the apex and quickly cleared Turn 1.

Next was a sequence of corners. The entry and exit were two wide turns, while the section in between was less of a corner and more of a slightly winding road.

But the less obvious the corner, the more it tested a driver’s judgment.

After four hours of practice yesterday, Wu Shi had already found an excellent racing line. In clean air, with no cars ahead to block him, he attacked the corner with utmost precision.

SWOOSH!

The car swayed, gliding through the S-shaped sequence of corners like a mythical serpent. Then, it entered a wide, sweeping bend that was practically a straight. There wasn’t much technique required here; you just had to floor it.

VROOOOM!

The car sped on, soon reaching the hairpin turn.

"His timing and accuracy in the corners are still so impressive," Jos said, clapping his hands.

"Is he planning to go all-out on his first flying lap?" the engineer asked, hanging his headset around his neck.

"Looks like it," Sid nodded.

"He’s just jumping right into it."

The engineer was confused. A flying lap set before the track had rubbered in would always be compromised.

Besides, rookie drivers rarely got into the zone on their very first hot lap. They usually didn’t go all-out right away to avoid excessive tire wear. If they made a mistake and locked up, it would ruin the entire set.

"He’s so fast! He’s already 0.3 seconds quicker than the previous three drivers in just the first sector." One moment the engineer was confused, the next he was exclaiming in amazement.

While they were talking, the second sector time came in. Wu Shi was another 0.4 seconds faster.

"Whoa! Is he going to put a full second on them?" the engineer couldn’t help shouting, causing the other drivers’ engineers to glance over.

However, since this was the first year of the series, no one really had a baseline for the car’s true pace. Seeing his time, they just figured Wu Shi was showing his hand early, while the other drivers hadn’t started their serious attempts yet.

WHOOSH!

Wu Shi shot past the checkered flag, his time naturally bumping the others down as he claimed the top spot.

But he didn’t let up at all, immediately starting another flying lap.

’Two flying laps in a row?’ The engineer quickly put on his headset and spoke over the team radio: "Wu Shi, be advised. Antonio Focca is ahead in Turn 4, and he’s on a slow lap."

"Copy."

After his reply, Wu Shi quickly rounded Turn 1, and the rest of the sequence unfolded just like before.

Until he reached Turn 10 and saw the slow car ahead.

Wu Shi (TR): "Tell him to move."

Engineer (TR): "Will do."

SWOOSH!

As Wu Shi rapidly closed in on Antonio Focca and prepared to turn in, the car ahead suddenly swerved for no apparent reason.

"What is he doing?!"

Wu Shi, his focus absolute, instantly jerked his car toward the outside of the track the moment he saw Antonio Focca’s car weave.

RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE!

The car mounted the curb and got a mouthful of Florida grass.

"Was he doing that on purpose? Doesn’t he know how dangerous that is?" Wu Shi demanded over the team radio.

"Wu Shi, are you okay?" Verstappen, who was behind him and saw what happened, also asked over the radio.

"He’s okay," the engineer replied.

Back on the track, Wu Shi felt a wave of frustration. A wasted lap. ’That guy has zero track etiquette, doesn’t he?’

Engineer (TR): "Wu Shi, bring the car back in. We’ll change tires and you can try for another clean lap. There are still thirteen minutes left, plenty of time."

Wu Shi (TR): "This set of tires is good enough for another flying lap."

Engineer (TR): "I recommend you come back for a tire change. We can save this set for the main race."

Wu Shi (TR): "And I recommend that guy gives me an explanation."

Engineer (TR): "Okay, we’ve gotten word. He had some engine trouble. It was a mistake in his controls that caused the car to swerve."

Wu Shi (TR): "Understood. Starting my next flyer now."

The engineer was left speechless. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and said to Sid, who was standing behind him, "This kid is too headstrong. No team is going to like a driver like that."

"Are you his team?" Jos immediately shot back.

"Of course not."

"Then he’s not listening to *you*, not the team. That makes it your problem, not his," Jos said bluntly.

The engineer’s expression soured.

And you couldn’t really blame Wu Shi. In his mind, a lap on these used tires would be half a second slower than his last one, at worst. Based on the times posted so far, the other drivers’ fastest laps were probably in that ballpark anyway. He didn’t need to change tires at all!

’Wouldn’t it be better to save a fresh set of tires for the second qualifying session and secure pole position for the third race?’

Just then, a stir went through the pit lane. Everyone turned to look at a group of people who had just walked in. The man in the lead wore a gray suit, his short hair was slicked to the sides, and his eyes were piercingly sharp.

Luca Di Montezemolo!

The current chairman of Rafa!

Even Jos’s eyes went wide. ’He must be just passing by, right? There’s no way he came here specifically to watch the kid race, is there?’

He didn’t say a word, but someone by his side led him straight to where Wu Shi’s engineer was standing.

"What’s his situation right now?" Montezemolo asked directly.

"Um, he just finished one flying lap, then got blocked during his second. He backed out of that lap, and we were going to have him pit for new tires and go again, but he stubbornly refused. He’s insisting on doing another flying lap," the engineer said.

"So, you’re telling me in all those words that he’s on his third flying lap right now?" Montezemolo demanded.

The engineer started sweating. He’d never felt it before, but with this top executive standing next to him, the pressure was crushing. He nodded and said, "Yes, he’s on his third flying lap."

"Good."

Montezemolo looked at the screen. Wu Shi had just passed Turn 16 and was setting up for another flying lap.

His gaze was sharp as he scanned the various data on the display. Grasping the situation, he said to Martina, who was standing to one side, "It seems he’s quite a strong-willed child."

"He’s been like that since he was a child."

Martina smiled slightly. Wu Shi’s precociousness had always left a deep impression on her. ’But why is he making such a scene today? A driver who defies team orders won’t be popular, especially not with a team like Rafa.’

She couldn’t help but glance at Sid.

Sid shrugged. ’You said you were coming for the main race this afternoon! You didn’t say you’d be here in the morning.’

Montezemolo paid no attention to the small gestures and expressions of those around him. He just kept his eyes fixed on the driver out on the track, setting a flying lap on old tires.

No one knew what he was thinking.

But the engineer, seemingly still angry about being defied, muttered, "With that much tire wear, his time for this lap won’t be good. It’ll probably cost him pole position for the second race."

"You shouldn’t be telling me that. You should be telling him over the radio," Montezemolo said with a frown.

"Yes, sir." The engineer realized he was done for. He reluctantly said into the team radio, "You’re not following the team’s advice. You’re very likely going to lose pole position for the second race."

KSSSHH~

After a burst of static in the earpiece, Wu Shi’s shout came through:

"Enough with the chatter, man! You’ll see who’s right after I finish this lap!"