F1: The Making of a Racing God

Chapter 74 Drive to survive
"I don't know! I'm not sure! This isn't me!"

As soon as he answered Gan Mengning's call, before she could even speak, Shu Long immediately gave a triple denial.

Melbourne time is two hours ahead of China time, and it's already 1 a.m. Someone is still staying up late in the hotel watching TV series.

To be honest, even though it's all nonsense, looking at those things that happened in the paddock from a different perspective is actually quite exciting.

It feels like reading a fan fiction novel based on a realistic theme?

I feel that besides the sense of immersion and the fun, there's also a touch of absurd realism in this.

But no matter what, Shu Long would never admit that the person on the screen who seemed to be on the verge of turning evil was himself; it was absolutely impossible!

The scene was not like that at all! This footage is not even one of the two versions he filmed with Netflix.

One of them is relatively more detached, which is the version that is closest to reality.

However, this has absolutely nothing to do with drama. After watching the first few episodes and getting a feel for the overall tone of the plot, Shu Long knew that this version was probably doomed.

Another one is the confident and flamboyant version that Netflix initially set out. After receiving a writing tablet from Horner that doesn't actually have any substantial content, he would say, "I won't lose to anyone, no matter who he is."

I didn't really like this version of Shulong, but the overall camera work was actually pretty good, so I reluctantly agreed to it at the time.

So here's the question: what exactly is this thing?!
He remembered the scene clearly. The director had gone out to make a phone call and attend a meeting. Since he had nothing to do, he was just looking down at his phone and laughing because he was amused by a joke he saw online.

Who would have thought the cameras were actually on? And the footage turned out so terrifying! What is Netflix trying to do?
However, to be objective, the results were surprisingly good.

Compared to the original version's rather clichéd and formulaic character designs, this version, through its connection with the preceding plot, unexpectedly captured a sense of complex human nature and inner turmoil.

On one side is the team that is caught in the middle and has no choice, and on the other side are the senior racers who have been very good to him. He also carries the dreams, efforts and expectations he has made along the way. What choice will the young Chinese driver make?
After watching eight episodes in a row, which is almost four and a half hours, many people should be starting to feel tired of the plot and want to take a break. However, they are still captivated by the suspense of the ending, and even though they already know the result of the Japanese Grand Prix, they subconsciously click on the next episode.

What's it like to have your boyfriend as the protagonist of a story?
Gan Mengning's feelings were actually quite complicated, but overall she was pretty good. She clearly wanted to show off loudly, but in the end she had a kind of indifferent feeling of "Oh well, it's really nothing~".

So Versailles is this fun? Truly a timeless art of returning to simplicity in the world of pretentiousness!
After a series of lighthearted banter, He Xuanyi's anxiety about the upcoming tragic plot subsided considerably.

It's already 11 p.m., and the two girls are determined to hurry up and watch the last two episodes in one go, otherwise they probably won't be able to sleep tonight.

The eighth episode begins with a close-up of Shu Long wearing headphones and intently looking at the data in the P room, followed by flashbacks of Ricardo being forced to retire from the season due to various unfortunate reasons.

Finally, Shu Long took a deep breath, slightly raised his face, and turned to look outside the P-room with an expression that seemed resolute. At that moment, a voice-over narrated a line from one of Shu Long's interviews: "It's my time now!"

This quote actually comes from a post-race interview in Brazil. Shu Long was answering how he felt when he learned that he was actually in P1. Who would have thought it would be used here?

It's no wonder he's a Netflix director; he's a master at grabbing attention and can even create a story out of nothing.

Shu Long himself couldn't count how many times he had looked up and turned around like that. Staring at the data board in the P room like that was really easy to get sleepy, so he would try to find some fun things to do in the enclosure from time to time.

The Japanese episode wasn't cut much, mainly because the title of this episode is "A Promising Future," which emphasizes the competition among young people in the paddock and the generational shift.

As can be seen from the title, the main narrative of this episode revolves around Gasly, Leclerc, and Shulong, who had just entered the paddock 18 years ago.

Eriksson and Hartley, who unfortunately lost their spots this year, also received a lot of attention as supporting figures in the background.

Gasly replaced Ricciardo this year, while Shulung effectively eliminated Hartley. Leclerc, who recently entered F1, also dominated Ericsson, who has four years of racing experience, throughout the year, proving that Ferrari's judgment was correct.

These three people not only represent the future hope of the F1 paddock, but their connection and relationship can be traced back a long time.

Gasly and Leclerc have been childhood rivals since their karting days, while Shu Long and Leclerc were teammates in F2 and also experienced two major life changes together in Leclerc's life.

This content alone is more than enough for the screenwriter to write extensively about, and the resulting piece has a distinctly Japanese shonen manga feel to it.

Shouting slogans like "bonds," "friendship," and "dreams," they rushed forward and beat the veterans in the hunting grounds black and blue.

Regarding the narrative line for Shulong, the rest is just about his triumphant rise to the top of the rankings at the very beginning of the qualifying rounds.

Then its ranking plummeted, revealing a clear decline.

The mid-game TR that put pressure on Marco clearly indicated his precarious situation, putting him in a difficult position.

Finally, a perfect pit stop and red turn restored confidence, and a three-segment purple lap, the fastest lap of the entire event, stood proudly until the first practice session ended.

Because Gan Mengning and He Xuanyi watched this part of the live stream together, it was considered that part of the plot had already been spoiled. Rather than being satisfied with the suspense, they are now more concerned about Ricardo's plight and feeling indignant.

From the moment she first came into contact with news in the racing world, Gan Mengning had been searching for information and learning on her own, and she had heard more than once that Red Bull had a very brutal competitive system.

Shu Long hadn't talked to her about this before, and Gan Mengning hadn't realized that the boy had endured so much hardship beneath his glamorous achievements. She was overwhelmed with maternal love and decided to find a way to make it up to him next time they met.

I wonder what Shu Long will think when he finds out what his childhood sweetheart is thinking in the future. He'll probably give Netflix credit for it.

Red Bull's cruelty is currently more directed at other people. Apart from being constantly targeted and valued by Marco, he is actually quite favored. At most, he just feels a little annoyed at times.

The focus now shifts to the final episode, whose very title is quite intriguing: "Beyond Good and Evil."

This is a philosophical work by the famous philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, hailed as a disruptive force in modern Western philosophy, which greatly impacted the mainstream philosophical thought at the time.

Many people may not be familiar with the name, but most will be very familiar with one of its lines: "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."

Without delving into the philosophical meaning behind it, just looking at this sentence is enough to understand who the main character of this episode is, or rather, who they are.

The series opens with the once invincible seven-time champion, Michael Schumacher. Just when everyone thought he would continue his winning streak and write a new epic, a young driver named Fernando Alonso ended a legend with two consecutive championships.

The dragon slayer eventually becomes the dragon himself. While many in the paddock believed Alonso would be the next Schumacher, they discovered that the new dragon slayer, Lewis Hamilton, was already showing promise.

However, in that year, the seasoned hunter Kimi Raikkonen successfully reaped the rewards of victory.

The scene continues to move forward, showing Vettel, with four championships, establishing Red Bull's first dynasty, followed by Hamilton, who has achieved five championships and is about to challenge the legend again, with Mercedes behind him.

The dragon sits atop his high throne. Will it be another dragon that drags him into the abyss this time, or the young dragon-slaying hero who is now forging ahead? The former protagonists of the story have now chosen to retire or step down from the front lines. Who will take up that blood-stained sword?
The camera focused on Vettel, who was wearing a Ferrari red robe, seemingly foreshadowing the return of the former king from the abyss.

Then it turned to Max, a reckless and untrained young driver who relentlessly charged at the solid tower with his rifle time and time again.

And finally, in the very end.
In slow motion, Shu Long put on his competition helmet, and with a determined look, wiped off his goggles with two fingers. In his cold and sharp eyes, one could vaguely see the reflection of five red lights lighting up in turn.

From the outside of the car, to the HALO pillar, and then to the close-up shots inside the helmet, the audience's emotions were already completely heightened before the competition even started, creating an overwhelming sense of immersion.

Gasly's selfless slipstreaming during qualifying earned Shulong a starting position in P5.

Shulong's astonishing start allowed it to directly intervene in the competition for the podium from the very beginning.

Verstappen's accident has placed the young driver under immense pressure to compete for the championship in his very first race.

A fragile yet tenacious struggle, quick wit in forming alliances, and an unwavering determination to never yield an inch.

The continuous high-intensity racing scenes, coupled with timely team trailers, and accompanied by a high-energy and exciting background music, have given Netflix a feel of an epic racing experience.

The race car was exhausted, but the driver's engine roar was still loud. The former hunter seemed to be waiting for his chance to strike again, but this time the young warrior was determined to defend the edge in his hand.

P3!

The scene flashes back to Melbourne thirteen years ago, where the person at the top of the podium now stands in the same spot as Shu Long, showering champagne.

Just like the hidden meaning in the title of this episode, the dragon that is constantly fighting against the officially designated "evil dragon" may one day become another evil dragon on the throne.

Reality is a well-crafted drama, and it's never afraid that spoilers will obscure its inherent charm.

Like a fine, aged wine, each sip reveals a unique flavor.

The event concluded with the three world champions bidding farewell with a donut at the Yas Marina Circuit.

The roar of engines from the past has faded into the distance, but the racetrack continues to write its legend, and the steering wheel of the future is now in the hands of young people.

He even said that watching it all in one go would allow him to sleep soundly.
Now look what's happened! The progress bar has been stuck at the end for ages, and the two girls, their eyes brimming with tears, are still stubbornly rubbing their red eyes.

How am I supposed to sleep like this?

Even without forcibly involving national sentiment, simply looking at motorsports from a pure perspective, and appreciating the drivers who have given everything for it, is enough to move people.

Of course, the most important point is that, apart from Panpan who looks a little strange, every single one of the young drivers on the track now has the potential to be an idol.

What is there to say?

Good-looking people sweep the floor like they're playing golf, while ugly people, even if they're playing golf, look like they're cleaning out a latrine.

These few faces, whether crying or laughing, can easily evoke emotional resonance. Even if someone is ugly and cries terribly, people won't bother to waste their emotions on them.

"Hey?"

A soft, nasal voice came through the receiver, and Shu Long's smugness, which he had just been indulging in, was immediately filled to the brim.

"Still awake? You must be so touched!"

The person opposite him sniffed slightly, then seemed to choke on their own snot bubbles, grunted a few times in impotent rage, and then laughed at themselves.

"Don't flatter yourself. Anyway, I can't sleep now, so what do you suggest we do?"

"Shall we talk?"

"Hmm~"

Shu Long glanced at his phone and saw it was almost three o'clock. He yawned and crawled out of bed.

There's almost nothing going on in the team tomorrow. There might be a few media people to deal with in the afternoon, but in short, I can sleep in all morning.

He could understand Gan Mengning's emotions.

If even someone who experienced this event firsthand can see things clearly, one can imagine the impact it will have on others, especially those who know him.

In fact, before this call came, Shu Long had just dealt with his mother, who was crying through her nose, while the background sound was Shu Xiong's sound sleep.

Not long after, Shu Long followed in his father's footsteps, and after accompanying Gan Mengning in blowing on the pillow for more than half an hour, he finally passed out in his own pillow as he had hoped.

Three days later, four days before the start of the Australian Grand Prix, the inaugural F1 season officially kicked off.

The drivers took a boat trip on the Yala River and interacted with fans on the banks before finally meeting with ten team leaders at a ceremony venue near the racetrack.

The fans here were so enthusiastic they were almost completely obsessed, making it extremely difficult for them to walk even the short stretch of the red carpet.

The fence on both sides looked like a continuous monster spawn point. Shu Long's fingers were almost flat from writing so much, but the various hats, notebooks and clothes shoved under his nose for autographs still seemed endless.

Netflix's DTS had an almost immediate effect; in the past, Shu Long would never have dared to imagine that he could have such popularity.

Even if there's some "empty-handedness" involved, and even if he's competing alongside other top champion drivers, the current off-stage favoritism towards him is a bit too blatant.

When people are excited, they may not have much rationality in their minds. Along the way, Shulong has seen at least three foreign women who are bold enough to lift their shirts up to him.

Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha.
As soon as he stepped onto the stage, the host couldn't wait to ask him the question that all the audience wanted to know:

Are you prepared to instill fear in everyone?

　感谢山-鬼、书友100805134033153、兜兜转转过分了、顶尖风爷、百想影帝地光、YoHane529、nafla、醒着做梦739、书友20181006082633456、书友20190928111706147、鬼神诏令和书友20221004074621872大佬投喂的月票！
　　
　
(End of this chapter)