Why race if you don’t have money?

Chapter 91 I believe he can become an F1 driver
How did Yoshino Hoshino end up in the capital?
When Chen Xiangbei heard the place name, he was a little confused.

There are two world-famous street racing routes in Japan, namely the C1 Loop Line and the Wangan Line.

Both are part of Japan's Metropolitan Expressway system, but in order to better distinguish and name them, the C1 Loop Line uses the name of the Metropolitan Expressway, while the Bayshore Line is still called the Bayshore.

Around the 1990s, the Wangan Line was the dominant track. Basically, underground masters and even professional masters from all over Japan would look for opportunities to come and run a lap for fun. It can be regarded as the "Nürburgring Nordschleife" among underground racing cars.

It is precisely based on this popularity that the comic "Wangan MIDNIGHT" and the game "Midnight Club" have become popular and become the childhood memories of a generation.

Even the three guests from the famous car program "Top Gear" once came to Wangan, Japan for a special report.

As the saying goes, a tall tree attracts the wind. Originally, in order to promote the development of the automobile industry, the Japanese authorities chose to turn a blind eye to this behavior. However, who would have thought that it would become so popular.

Not to mention the racing community, even the tourist community regards the Bay Shore Line as a must-see attraction, and they come from all over the world to visit. The Japanese authorities can no longer fool people and are forced to take action to crack down.

It's a bit like the situation after "Initial D" became a huge hit in Asia, and everyone flocked to the original Haruna Mountain in Gunma Prefecture to join in the fun. They forced the locals to build dozens of speed bumps on the mountain roads, making them like washboards. How can you drift like the racing king of Akina Mountain?

As time went by and the crackdown became more severe, Japan's Bay Coast line gradually declined after entering the year 2000, and underground drivers moved to the capital's highlands.

Compared to the long straights and high-powered Wangan Line, the Metropolitan Expressway C1 Line has more curves and more complex road conditions, which naturally makes it more challenging for drivers and more exciting to drive.

Upon learning of Hoshino Yoshi's location, Chen Xiangbei did not delay at all. He called Qin Lianjie and rushed to Tokyo together.

Although he had heard of the Bay Shore Line and Metropolitan Highland, he had never even been to Japan in his previous life and had no idea what the situation was like there.

Qin Lianjie studied in Japan for many years and is a street racer who has raced on the Bay Coast Line and the Metropolitan Expressway, making him a half-local.

It is much more convenient to get things done with him by my side.

After arriving in Tokyo by Shinkansen, Qin Lianjie did not take Chen Xiangbei to the capital's highway immediately, but drove to his detached villa in Shinjuku district first.

With the crackdown on the Bay Shore Line, the underground drivers on the Capital High Road have also become much more low-key. Their gathering places are hidden and varied, and it is really hard to find them without a car.

Walking into the underground garage, as Qin Lianjie pulled off the car cover, a red Toyota Supra, a two-door sports car commonly known as the "Bull Demon King" in China, came into Chen Xiangbei's sight.

In an instant, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.

The Toyota Supra is a product of the peak era of Japanese performance cars. It represents the highest level of technology of Toyota supercars. It was once known as the "Four Heavenly Kings" together with the Honda NSX, Mitsubishi GTO, and Mazda FC!
"You're quite good, it turns out there are some good things hidden in Tokyo."

Chen Xiangbei's tone was a little excited. He always thought that Qin Lianjie was a "Honda bad boy", but he didn't expect that there would be a Toyota's legendary car.

"The Capital Highway isn't Mount Nanyun. A low-powered naturally aspirated car like this could easily get blown away. So, of course, we need to prepare something tough."

After saying that, Qin Lianjie took out the key and threw it to Chen Xiangbei.

"Come and try."

Chen Xiangbei didn't hesitate and immediately opened the car door and got into the driver's seat.

This was a performance car from the peak era of Japanese cars. With the arrival of the financial crisis in 08, production was either halted or modified to make compromises on costs, making it increasingly difficult for people to experience it in the future.

Qin Lianjie's car had been scheduled for maintenance, and he turned the key and started it up easily. Then the deep roar of the 2JZ engine hit my eardrums, like a heavenly sound, and it made my heart surge.

"Qin Lianjie, how much have you modified this car?"

Chen Xiangbei asked casually.

"The car is in good condition, so I just tweaked the software a bit, not much."

The Toyota Supra is limited by the "gentleman's agreement" that Japanese manufacturers once had. Even though it is equipped with the 2JZ twin-turbocharged straight-six engine, the horsepower limit is still locked at 6.

However, the original horsepower of Toyota Supra 3.0T is 340, which means that no modification is needed. Just remove the restrictions and you can get 60 horsepower for free.

By flashing a second-level program and increasing the turbo pressure value, without changing the entire hardware foundation, the Toyota Supra can easily break through 400 horsepower!
After shifting gears and releasing the clutch to start, Chen Xiangbei did not drive the car aggressively to experience the performance of this "Bull Demon King". Instead, he drove it smoothly on the streets of Tokyo as if he was driving a grocery cart.

"I've seen you speeding so many times, I'm not used to this."

Qin Lianjie joked that he still remembers the speed scene of Chen Xiangbei driving a performance car.

Chen Xiangbei smiled at this, thinking that those were just means for him to show his strength.

Leaving Shinjuku's bustling central city area, Chen Xiangbei drove the Toyota Supra onto the C1 circular line.

Since it is already Cinderella time in the early morning, the chance of encountering modified performance cars is significantly higher in the capital compared to the central city.

However, Chen Xiangbei did not see any "random challenge" on the street, nor did anyone flash their lights to challenge him. He was driving just like on an ordinary city elevated road.

"Qin Lianjie, I heard that drivers on the Wangan Line or Capital High will directly flash their lights to challenge an opponent they're interested in. Why do you seem so peaceful now?"

Hearing Chen Xiangbei's question, Qin Lianjie replied with a smile: "The Capital High has been popular for so many years, and it has long formed its own circle and system. The people who often come here are all familiar people."

"Unless someone leads them into the group, they generally won't run with strangers. Especially the professional riders hiding in the group, they won't act rashly, which can avoid a lot of trouble and danger."

"You know."

After hearing this explanation, Chen Xiangbei nodded. He understood what it meant.

Not long after, Chen Xiangbei followed the navigation and arrived at a remote parking lot under an overpass.

After turning a corner, the scene in front of him suddenly enlightened him. There were dozens of various performance cars parked here, and the variety of models was almost like a car show.

To be honest, if Yoshi Hoshino hadn't given the address, outsiders would never have been able to find this place.

As soon as Chen Xiangbei drove the car in, he attracted the attention of everyone present. Just as Qin Lianjie said, those who hang out in the underground circles of Capital High are all acquaintances, and everyone knows what kind of cars they drive.

The sudden appearance of an unfamiliar Toyota Supra will naturally arouse curiosity and suspicion.

Before Chen Xiangbei parked the car, he saw a familiar figure walking towards him. It was none other than Hoshino Yoshi.

"Xiang Beijun, we meet again."

"Well, you've been waiting for a long time."

Chen Xiangbei replied with a smile, then opened the car door and got out, opening his arms and hugging Hoshino Yoshi.

Seeing how familiar the two of them were, many of the drivers present were surprised. You know, Hoshino Yoshi was known for being aloof, and it was rare to see him so close to others.

"I'm fine. Master is already waiting for you. Go ahead."

Japan strictly observes the hierarchy of seniority, and generally speaking, elders cannot be kept waiting for long.

"Mr. Suzuki is coming to the capital?"

Chen Xiangbei was very surprised. He originally just wanted to meet with Hoshino Yoshi and then have the other party take him to meet Suzuki Aguri.

Unexpectedly, this legend of Japanese racing was right in the underground parking lot of the Metropolitan High School.

"Ah."

Yoshi Hoshino nodded. It was not only Aguri Suzuki who came today, but also a senior figure in the Japanese automotive industry.

"Okay, let's go there quickly."

After hearing the conversation between the two, the group of drivers at the scene became even more curious.

Seniors Suzuki and Tsuchiya haven't been to the capital city for a long time. Could it be that they came here today just for this young man?
Who is this other party and why does he deserve the attention of a legend in the Japanese racing world?

A Japanese-style room was built on the inside of the parking lot. Four or five young drivers were standing outside the door. Chen Xiangbei also saw a familiar face among them.

This guy is Ichiro Hashimoto, the mountain racer who was killed instantly by me at the Suzuka Circuit.

The other party obviously did not expect to see Chen Xiangbei here. He opened his mouth wide and his face was full of surprise. It turned out that the person Suzuki was waiting for was this Chinese boy!
Yoshi Hoshino pushed open the door of the Japanese-style room, revealing the figures of two elderly men in their fifties and sixties inside.

"To the north, on the left is my master Suzuki Aguri, and on the right is ARTA Racing Team's executive advisor, Tsuchiya Keiichi-senpai."

The older generation of Japanese drivers often have many unexpected interactions during their long careers.

The connection between Keiichi Tsuchiya and Aguri Suzuki lies in the fact that they were both members of the Honda camp. In 2000, they used the NSX-GT racing car and ran the SUPER GT event as teammates.

After retiring, Keiichi Tsuchiya invested in the ARTA team and served as an executive consultant in the team.

This is why he appears here.

Tsuchiya Keiichi? Chen Xiangbei was stunned when he heard this name.

To be honest, he never thought that he would meet the prototype of Fujiwara Takumi from "Initial D" under such circumstances.

However, it is difficult to associate Keiichi Tsuchiya's image in real life with the young and handsome character in the comics, or Jay Chou's appearance in the movie version.

Entering the Japanese-style room, Chen Xiangbei greeted the two Japanese racing veterans respectfully: "Hello, Suzuki-senpai, Tsuchiya-senpai, I am Chen Xiangbei, a Chinese racing driver."

"Nakajima has already sent me your information and racing results. You defeated Yamamoto Naoki and Oshima Kazuya, and even lapped the Renault Tour Championship. You did really well."

"But based on your current performance, I don't think you're qualified to work with ARTA or Super Aguri."

Super Aguri is the F1 team founded by Aguri Suzuki. It has the same sponsor and founder as ARTA. In a sense, it is the highest-level subordinate team operated by ARTA in the field of formula.

Hearing this, a barely perceptible smile appeared on Chen Xiangbei's lips.

Chen Xiangbei could probably guess the reason why Suzuki Aguri refused. It was simply that his performance was not good enough and his future was uncertain.

Even if we pay out of our own pocket and receive a share from sponsorship, we probably won’t be able to recover the cost of technical support.

After all, the scope of self-funded expenses only covers the driver's own training and competition expenses. The team's personnel expenses and equipment replacement still need to pay for them.

As for the share of sponsorship, how much sponsorship money can you get before you have achievements and fame?

If it's just about money, it's obviously impossible to convince Aguri Suzuki.

In terms of future potential, these things are just empty promises until they can deliver results.

Now Chen Xiangbei can only talk about something more abstract, that is, Suzuki Aguri’s dream, or his ambition!

"Suzuki-senpai, my current performance does not qualify me to work with ARTA."

"But I always remember ARTA's founding motto: to train world-class drivers and to point the way from the bottom (karting) to the top (F1)."

"Suzuki-senpai, have you forgotten?"

When ARTA was first established, in addition to achieving results, it also had the passion and original intention of cultivating drivers.

Over the past ten years, it has sponsored at least twenty drivers to compete in various echelon competitions in Japan and overseas competitions.

Most of these training costs are actually unrecoverable, which means that Suzuki Aguri is not a profit-driven person.

Feelings sound vague and seem ridiculous, but they often lead people to make unexpected decisions.

Sure enough, when Chen Xiangbei said this founding slogan, Suzuki Aguri was stunned. This was indeed his original intention of not seeking rewards.

But at this moment, Keiichi Tsuchiya next to him said, "Xiangbei, the goal of the ARTA team is to take root and train Japanese drivers, and you are not one of them."

That's right, Aguri Suzuki is an all-Japanese person. The Super Aguri team he founded almost drove himself to collapse in order to force Japanese F1 driver Arihar Ide into the team.

Japanese drivers are the priority training targets of the ARTA team, but Chen Xiangbei is a Chinese.

"This is why Super Aguri failed!"

Chen Xiangbei responded without any reservation.

When he said this, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze, and Keiichi Tsuchiya and Aguri Suzuki both looked very unhappy.

Super Aguri announced their disbandment in May 08, which can be said to be the shattered dream and eternal knot in Suzuki Aguri's heart.

Chen Xiangbei, as a junior who needed help from them, directly touched upon Super Aguri's scar, which they naturally could not accept.

"Senior Suzuki, you should know that the Prost team lost ten years ago because of the stubbornness of the all-French team."

The dream of building a national team is not only shared by Aguri Suzuki, but also by Prost, the once famous F1 driver known as "The Professor".

He built a Prost team with the same name, and his dream of becoming an "all-French team" was almost to the point of paranoia.

We must use French-branded racing engines and French F1 drivers. Even if the results are terrible and the completion rate is less than %, we still have to persevere.

The final result is naturally obvious. After the "Professor" held on for a few years, the Prost team went bankrupt.

"Openness and inclusiveness, gathering the best drivers and technologies, are the essence of motorsport."

"Suzuki-senpai, are you willing to let Super Aguri disappear from the F1 paddock forever?"

Chen Xiangbei believes that anyone who dreams of competing in F1 is unwilling to give up his or her original dream.

Even Liang Chi and Zhang Zhicong would be willing to give it another try if they had the chance. If they didn't have this passion, they wouldn't have discovered and trained themselves to open a formula!
Aguri Suzuki has already walked into the F1 paddock, and he definitely doesn't want to leave so lonely.

At the same time, the Super Aguri team signed the British driver Anthony Davidson in the later period, which also proved that Suzuki Aguri has realized his problems and just needs an opportunity to change.

"Do you think you can re-enter F1 with Super Aguri?"

"Yes, now is the best time!"

Chen Xiangbei gave a firm answer, he knew that Suzuki Aguri could understand what he meant.

Because at this stage, Japan is not only in the era of explosive growth for F1 drivers, but also in the peak period for F1 teams.

Before 08, Japan had three teams in the F1 paddock: Honda, Toyota and Super Aguri!

It is unimaginable for the same country to have three F1 teams in the future, and it also indirectly proves how strong the Japanese automobile industry was in its glorious era.

However, with the advent of the financial crisis in 08, the three Japanese teams left the paddock almost at the same time, which was equivalent to the withdrawal of a large number of top talents with F1 experience.

If Super Aguri wants to make a comeback, it must start now. Otherwise, once these retired F1 team members have settled into stable positions, the cost of recruiting new members to build a team will be exorbitant, or even impossible.

This is why Chen Xiangbei is anxious to choose a partner at this point in time to develop the foundation of the racing team.

If you miss this opportunity, you will never get it again. If the F1 team has a stable foundation, why would they cooperate with you, a Chinese driver?
"I don't believe you can make it to F1."

Keiichi Tsuchiya next to him replied that this was not his prejudice against Chen Xiangbei.

He is a Renault entry-level Formula One driver, and it is simply a pipe dream to say that he can bring Super Aguri into F1.

"I believe!"

At this time, the door of the Japanese-style room was pushed open from the outside, and a familiar face appeared in Chen Xiangbei's sight.

Hiroki Sawano from Honda Racing Academy actually showed up here!

"Ze Ye, why are you here?"

When they saw Hiroki Sawano appear, Suzuki Aguri and Tsuchiya Keiichi were even more surprised.

They are also acquaintances. You should know that Hiroki Sawano won the SUPER GT championship title while driving a Honda NSX with the ARTA team!

Hiroki Sawano was in charge of racing at the Honda Racing Academy and was not involved in the administrative affairs of the academy. He was even less aware of the content of the contract negotiations between Chen Xiangbei and Nakajima Satoru.

He thought that Chen Xiangbei had already signed the driver contract, but today Nakajima Satoru took the initiative to talk about Suzuki Aguri, and Sawano Hiroki realized that this guy wanted to gain greater autonomy in the cooperation model.

After hesitating for a long time, Hiroki Sawano decided to help Chen Xiangbei.

Because no one knows Chen Xiangbei's talent and hard work better than him, who works with him day and night.

Even after winning the Renault Tour Championship, Chen Xiangbei did not relax for even half a day. He still came to the academy to train every day and further increased the intensity.

Hiroki Sawano has been teaching for so many years, but he has never been sure which of his students can make it into F1. Now he thinks Chen Xiangbei can.

If a driver with talent and hard work can't succeed, then who else can get into F1?

After saying this, Hiroki Sawano immediately dropped another "blockbuster bomb".

"Suzuki, if the ARTA team signs Chen Xiangbei, I am willing to join as a race engineer."

Trust is never just empty talk. Hiroki Sawano directly chose to stand with Chen Xiangbei. He just wanted to tell Keiichi Tsuchiya how much he believed that this Chinese boy could achieve good results!

(End of this chapter)