Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 329 The North Will Never Be Conservative

The initial intensity of the second qualifying round was not as high as expected. Perhaps it was because Chen Xiangbei was not leading the push, or perhaps everyone had figured out the limits of their opponents and knew what kind of results would allow them to advance to Q3. Instead, they all chose to play conservatively and play it safe.

After all, the chances of a crash on the Monaco circuit are too high. Pushing at full speed is like dancing on a knife's edge, with the risk increasing exponentially at every moment.

If a car crashes, it's impossible to repair the car before Q3, which means finishing last in Q2 and being eliminated. Once you have this in mind, you naturally won't take unnecessary risks.

Even so, as time went on, the front row lap time still broke into the 1 minute 12 second range.

"Uncle Liang, how are the brake and fluid temperatures?"

"The warm-up is going well, and we can depart at any time."

"Remaining fuel level".

"Five percent."

After receiving Liang Chi's answer, Chen Xiangbei turned to Oddo and asked.

"What is the traffic situation at the track?"

"The first lap is basically over, and traffic conditions are currently good."

"OK, it's my turn to perform now."

After saying that, Chen Xiangbei's gaze instantly sharpened.

To be honest, no matter how strong your heart or how stable your emotions are, it's impossible to be without pressure.

Even a driver as strong as Senna, a "racing god" level, has made mistakes and lost his composure under pressure.

In a sense, his fatal crash was due to the immense pressure Schumacher put on him, his desperate desire to prove that he still held a dominant position in the paddock.

But so what?
True top drivers must be able to adjust in a short period of time.

So it's true that my hands were shaking, and it's also true that I've calmed down now.

Chen Xiangbei has already entered his competition mode.

"Very well, then let's have a showtime that belongs to the North!"

Briatore next to him clapped and celebrated dramatically.

If Mercedes can celebrate early, then I can also open champagne at halftime.

When it comes to creating hype, no one can compare to the old Italian rogue!
With a press of the accelerator, the HRT race car pulled out of the pit lane. Only then did Mizutani Sho quietly ask Sawano Hiroki, "Sawano-senpai, do you think Mukai-kun has truly calmed down, or is he just putting on a brave face?"

"do not know."

Hiroki Sawano shook his head. He could understand Chen Xiangbei's tension and pressure, but this guy usually hid his emotions too well, so much so that outsiders regarded him as a racing machine without any feelings.

Just like Verstappen in later years, when he was far behind McLaren in the middle of the 25 season and it seemed that the championship was about to be out of reach, he once again exposed his "defense" emotions.

Most of the time, he operates with the meticulous precision of a machine.

However, Hiroki Sawano immediately added, "If you want to get the answer, lap time will prove everything."

It doesn't matter if you're nervous or not, as long as you can run fast enough!

"Oh, driver Bei is doing his warm-up lap. He performed amazingly in the first qualifying session, which fueled fierce competition among all the drivers. I wonder if he can reach another peak in Q2."

"I don't think so."

Henry, the local commentator standing next to him, immediately shook his head in denial.

“I think Q1 lap time is the limit for driver Bei. If he pushes any further in Q2, it will be extremely risky. This can be seen from his final pit exit lap time. He needs good track grip.”

"It's highly likely that Bei will play conservatively this round, focusing solely on advancing."

Henry then gave his reason: the other drivers were conserving their energy, so what did Chen Xiangbei have to boast about?

"Henry, North is not a conservative driver."

Red also smiled and shook his head.

One of the most important factors that led him to set aside his arrogance and prejudice as a white European and gradually accept Chen Xiangbei was that this Chinese kid was never willing to be second to anyone, always yearned for speed and passion, and was always chasing the wind and freedom!

Perhaps from the outside world's perspective, Chen Xiangbei has already pushed himself to the limit, and may even be adding a lot of unnecessary risks.

But Chen Xiangbei will still do it.

This guy seemed to see challenges as a source of enjoyment in life; he relished the thrill and excitement that danger brought.

Before Henry could even refute, a black and orange F1 car shot across the starting line like a rocket.

The narrow bends of Monaco's roads limit visibility, so most spectators first hear the roar of the engines, and before they can fully react, a phantom flashes past their eyes.

At the same time, it also brought a heat wave!
There's a famous saying in the Isle of Man TT motorcycle racing: "The body runs ahead, but the soul chases behind."

Chen Xiangbei's sprint this time had a similar effect, like a black lightning bolt that ripped through the sky!

"Holy crap, Chen Xiangbei's car seems to be going even faster, I didn't even realize it."

"Has he decided to push with all his might this time as well?"

"They must be pushing forward at full speed. That's more like Chen Xiangbei's style. Aggressiveness and risk-taking are his defining characteristics!"

"Go for it, driver Bei! Let the world know who the King of Monaco really is!"

"Conquer the Monaco circuit and become the first Chinese driver to reach the top!"

Chen Xiangbei's speed ignited the passion of the fans at the scene. They waved and shouted continuously, and the sound was no less than that of the cheers for Rosberg earlier.

"Chinese kids never slow down."

Inside the Renault team's pit garage, sporting manager Nelson witnessed this scene and couldn't help but remark on it.

Despite not needing to push himself as hard in the second qualifying round at the pace of Q1, Chen Xiangbei still gave it his all.

"He is indeed a pure driver."

Renault team manager Buril responded quietly.

Although the two teams are rivals, and he also has a personal feud with Briatore.

But setting aside all subjective factors and taking an objective viewpoint, Burrell grew to appreciate Chen Xiangbei more and more.

At the same time, I felt a little envious and jealous of Briatore.

No wonder this old rogue became a legendary team leader. He has courage and determination that I don't have. He is willing to gamble on an unknown newcomer at a high price, betting that the Chinese boy can become a miracle in the paddock.

As it turned out, Briatore made the right bet.

Regardless of whether driver North becomes the world champion, it will further elevate Briatore's legendary status as a team principal.

The team leader who discovered three world-class drivers is unparalleled in the paddock!

While the crowd inside and outside the paddock was more amazed by Chen Xiangbei's courage, he himself was more focused on driving the race car. From Chen Xiangbei's perspective at that moment, the entire Monte Carlo circuit seemed to have become a virtual map.

Every curve, every racing line, even the gradient of each section's incline and the braking point on the track, were deeply etched into Chen Xiangbei's mind.

Countless practice sessions, along with Trulli's guidance and experience, enabled Chen Xiangbei to memorize the track's characteristics to the fullest extent.

At this moment, he was like a reclusive master in a martial arts novel, needing to apply all his "life's learning" to the Monaco circuit to challenge the limits of lap time and to challenge Schumacher's track record!

"The North is moving faster than the Q1. Is it really going to surpass Rosberg?"

Mercedes' chief race engineer, Nick Fry, looked somewhat worried; he hadn't expected Chen Xiangbei to be able to do it so quickly.

"Team leader, is driver Bei's first time racing on the Monaco circuit?"

Upon hearing this, Field, the test engineer standing nearby, also asked Ross Brown a question.

He had witnessed Chen Xiangbei's overflowing talent during his rookie tryouts.

However, it was unexpected that even on a highly challenging track like Monaco, Chen Xiangbei was still able to make visible daily progress despite missing the second practice session due to a crash and not completing the full run.

From initial awkwardness in the first practice session to increasingly proficient challenges on the track.

There's absolutely no sign of a rookie!
"There is no possibility of private training in Monaco."

"Back then, when he was at his headquarters, he was self-taught in driving simulators, wasn't he?"

Ross Brown countered with a question, noting that many of Chen Xiangbei's behaviors were beyond what could be described by common sense.

Talent can be just so unreasonable sometimes!
"It was indeed his first time running, and Bei improved not only his familiarity with the track, but also his handling skills."

"Without excessive cornering corrections, the braking and apex points are more precise, and there is much less tail sway."

"It's just a tiny flaw that makes his speed amazing."

Frey gave an affirmative answer, stating that as a technical person, he was more concerned about Chen Xiangbei's control.

The awkwardness and roughness of the first practice session, that kind of unexcited state, can't be faked.

Following these words, the Mercedes team's pit stop fell silent.

Many formidable new talents have emerged out of nowhere, such as Raikkonen and Hamilton.

But no pure rookie has been able to conquer the Monaco circuit.

If Chen Xiangbei can really do it, he will probably create a miracle in F1 that is unprecedented and will never be repeated.

That's how a "King of Monaco" was born in his rookie season!
All eyes were fixed on the track timer until Chen Xiangbei crossed the finish line, the time frozen at the last number.

“1分12秒706！观众朋友们，你们没有听错，就是1分12秒706！”

"HRT driver Bei has just surpassed Rosberg's Q1 lap time, becoming the new record holder at the Monte Carlo circuit in Monaco and taking the top spot!"

"I could hardly believe my eyes, the lap times on the screen were real. A newcomer who only entered the F1 paddock this year has not only made it to the championship contenders, but also broken Schumacher's track record and become the Monaco conqueror."

"Bei did it. He proved with his speed and strength that he is still the most aggressive young man in the paddock and the strongest newcomer in the history of racing!"

At this moment, Reid felt that his commentary had gone a little crazy, and he spared no praise for Chen Xiangbei, even crowning him with the title of the strongest newcomer in history.

Previously, this title was held by Raikkonen or Hamilton.

One of them made history by making the Formula 1 triple jump.

Another achievement was winning the world championship in his rookie season!
To be fair, Chen Xiangbei's current achievements are inferior to those of these two.

However, in some respects, Chen Xiangbei is superior to them!
To be honest, Reid thought Chen Xiangbei's lap would be fast, but he didn't expect him to break the track record and surpass Rosberg.

He thought that Chen Xiangbei could run a time of 1 minute 12.7 seconds, which would be a huge success, but he did not expect to beat Rosberg in one-thousandth of a second.

Even if this isn't the final result of the qualifying rounds, it's still something to be proud of!

"Chen Xiangbei~~~!"

"Holy crap, is there really a chance of pole position?"

"Chen Xiangbei didn't make any boastful remarks in the pre-match interview. He not only proved that he deserves the title of 'Twin Stars,' but also has the ability to defeat Kimi Räikkönen!"

"This is the standard for the strongest rookie in history!"

"Bei, the Chinese driver, Bei, the world's racing god!"

Numerous exclamations came from the stands. As a historic heritage track in Europe, the number of Chinese spectators who were able to get tickets to attend the event was actually quite small. The vast majority of those making noise were local European spectators.

In other words, without any nationality factors or sentimental attachments, Chen Xiangbei won over the audience on the track with pure strength and performance!
Hearing the deafening cheers outside the pit lane, Rosberg in the Mercedes pit lane was completely stunned. He never expected that his lap time of 1 minute 12.707 seconds could be surpassed by Chen Xiangbei.

And this is only the second qualifying session!

"Team Leader Brown, I request to leave the station and fly another lap."

Without the slightest hesitation, Rosberg, driven by his competitive spirit, immediately decided to step out of the pits and push for another lap.

He wants to beat Chen Xiangbei; he wants to prove that he is the true ruler of Monaco!
"Rosberg, qualifying isn't over yet. You need to stay calm and not let your emotions cloud your judgment."

Ross Brown rejected Rosberg's request without hesitation.

He knew that young people should be ambitious, and a strong desire to win often brings more positive results.

However, the timing and occasion of scoring are also important.

Monaco is a track that requires absolute calm; any deviation can lead to a fatal accident, including unnecessary emotions such as anger and excitement.

When Chen Xiangbei was waiting to exit the station in Q2, the broadcast camera gave him a close-up of his expression.

Ross Brown saw a maturity in Chen Xiangbei's face that was beyond his years.

Low profile, patient, and ruthless!
Listening to the team leader's advice, Rosberg took a few deep breaths to suppress the surging emotions in his heart.

That's right, qualifying isn't over yet. Chen Xiangbei has only set the fastest lap so far, and he's not a pole position driver yet.

Q3 can be even faster!

Seeing Rosberg's excited expression, Schumacher revealed a meaningful smile.

He never imagined that one day a young driver from China would be able to break his Monaco circuit record.

The talent of these Chinese kids is truly terrifying!
Compared to Rosberg's excitement, Red Bull's Vettel looked more shocked.

After the first qualifying session, he had already set his sights on Alonso and Rosberg as his main competitors. Chen Xiangbei was unlikely to be able to run faster; at most, he would barely manage to start in sixth or seventh place.

It turned out that he was wrong; Chen Xiangbei did it even faster.

Now the question is, can Chen Xiangbei's Q3 go even faster?
Red Bull Racing and Vettel himself have run out of steam, and their previously confident mindset is wavering.

The ominous feeling of being defeated at the last minute at the Yeongam Circuit in South Korea resurfaced in Vettel's mind once again.

(End of this chapter)