F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 346, the main competition, probably won't be 51GB.

After Mercedes lost two consecutive Grand Prix victories, Alisson finally brought out the components that had been considered for upgrades since the beginning of the season.

This upgrade primarily targets the W12's side skirts, adding more vertical spoilers to increase rear downforce.

In this way, the W12 can reduce the tail fin angle to reduce drag and increase top speed.

Because practice matches have not yet been held, and CFD is subject to restrictions, the R&D department has only provided theoretical data for the new components.

Wu Shi tried it out on the simulator and thought it was pretty good, but in reality, it might be a different story.

While making improvements to this year's race car, Mercedes has also made significant progress in discussing and developing the technical roadmap for the 2022 race car.

However, because Wu Shi and Hamilton's contracts were not finalized, neither of them were deeply involved in the matter.

However, on Thursday, July 15, the FIA ​​unveiled the full-size model of the 2022 F1.

As you can see, compared to the 2021 race car, it appears to be much rounder overall.

At the press conference, Wu Shi, as a guest driver, stood on stage with Symonds and said:
"Oh, it looks very soft, like an elegant lady, with the front wing shape becoming more exaggerated and the tail wing being incredibly rounded."

Pat Simmons, the leader of the FIA's technical team, responded:
"Yes, we initially made 12 concept car models, but this version was the final one."

"You should know that selecting a model is not easy."

"We used 1150 computer processors, designed 5.5 million data points for each model, and conducted 7500 simulations."

"This time, the processor ran for more than 1850 million hours, ultimately generating more than petabytes of data before we could reach this conclusion."

Norris, who was sitting next to Wu Shi, suddenly nudged him and said, "This isn't that much, is it? Just the videos I store alone are this many."

"Haha, I think you could show everyone your hobbies and aesthetic sense," Wu Shi said with a smile.

Norriston pretended to be well-behaved and remained silent.

Wu Shi continued to play the straight man for Symonds, saying:

“Mr. Symonds, you know that as drivers, we are more concerned with whether the new design will allow us to decide the outcome on the track.”

Symonds gave a thumbs-up in satisfaction, and then continued Wu Shi's words to the media attending the press conference:
“Currently, an F1 car loses 35% of its downforce when it is 20 meters away from another car, and this percentage rises to 46% when the distance is within 10 meters.”

“Our 2022 model will be able to reduce these two figures to 4% and 18%.”

Wu Shi's eyes widened, seemingly quite surprised, and he said, "This looks extremely exaggerated, it's simply unimaginable."

“Of course, in the new year, racing will utilize ground effect, which is different from aerodynamic rules,” Symonds said.

This is actually the key point of the major rule changes in 2022.

Ground effect relies on constricting the airflow under the car to create suction, which in turn generates downforce.

In short, where the airflow is fast, the pressure is low. There is a fast airflow channel under the F1 floor, so that the air can firmly press the car to the ground.

Ground effect has also appeared in F1 history, and was particularly prominent between 1978 and 1982.

But then the team created a "skirt"—the purpose of which was to turn the bottom of the car into a one-way channel where airflow could only go forward and backward.

This does indeed greatly increase downforce, but if the "side skirts" on both sides of the channel are damaged, it will cause turbulent airflow through the bottom.

Then, you can enjoy watching F1 take to the skies.

Due to its extremely high risk factor, it was subsequently restricted by the FIA.

However, as the aerodynamic rules have become increasingly entrenched in a dead end, the ground effect has made a comeback.

Furthermore, to some extent, ground-effect racing cars are theoretically less susceptible to the turbulence from the car in front.

To standardize the designs of various manufacturers for the new season, the new regulations require that the front provide constant downforce and the rear facilitate the expulsion of dirty air.

Both designs aim to reduce turbulence and disturbance, hence the rounded shape.

Wu Shi recalls that when the humidity is high, the corner of the square tail wing of modern racing cars can always form a visible water mist vortex.

Symonds enthusiastically introduced the 22 racing car models, discussing everything from technical regulations and safety requirements to environmental protection requirements.

This took quite a bit of time.

After the press conference ended, the drivers who had been invited as guests were finally able to leave.

"What do you think?" Verstappen asked as they left the track.

“Nothing will happen the way the FIA ​​knows it will. The teams will dismantle their rules, and then everything will be back to normal.”

Wu Shi's attitude was completely different when he was on stage.

"Haha, I think so."

Verstappen shared the same idea, saying:
"Is differentiation only possible by changing the floor?"

“Isn’t this your forte?” Wu Shi said with a smile.

"It's too early to say. Don't forget that Nicolas Tombazis, the FIA's territorial manager, is watching everyone." Verstappen chuckled.

The drivers didn't have much to say about the new technical regulations and concept cars.

Although drivers have some knowledge of engineering, they are not the most professional people in the team.

Therefore, after leaving the press conference, the drivers began preparing for the Silverstone race.

On the contrary, Toto suddenly began advocating that F1 development should be environmentally friendly and that more electric drive components should be added.

Horner immediately objected, saying that they might as well just play FE instead!
Then Toto accused Horner of being old-fashioned and not keeping up with the times.

Perhaps it was because the two teams were vying for the world championship this year that the two team leaders had an unprecedented conflict.

Horner fought in the front, while Marco provided support from the rear.

He pointed out that the forewing of the Mercedes W12 would deform, which is against the rules!

Toto ignored their accusations. He had already done his job with the FIA. Whether it was against the rules or not was not up to Red Bull to decide.

When Horner saw that Toto remained silent, he immediately continued his accusations:

"He's a control freak, and the only thing he can't control is Red Bull, so he's targeting us!"
“I’m probably the only one who doesn’t have a conflict of interest with him, so I can speak frankly about my thoughts.”

Wu Shi agreed with Horner's assessment; Toto's desire for control was indeed strong.

After he returned to the garage, Toto and Horner continued to provoke each other in the media.

However, he had no time to deal with these things. Thursday's press conference had already taken up too much time, leaving very little time for the team to make adjustments.

The car setup wasn't originally in such a rush, but the first sprint qualifying session of the year is scheduled for this weekend.

The schedule is no longer the same as before, so Thursday's work became very urgent.

The core issue in managing sprint qualifying lies in how teams balance its relationship with the race.

The sprint qualifying race is only about 100 kilometers long, so the power system setup is obviously different from that of the main race.

"The main race is what we should be focusing on; no one can afford the damage to their car during the sprint."

The strategy team used probability to tell Mercedes the direction to choose.

This is probably the view of most teams, since if you crash in the sprint race and the car can't be repaired, you're basically out of the running for tomorrow's main race.

The next day, Friday afternoon at 2:30 pm, the first training session began.

This practice session is extremely important, as many detailed parameters need to be finalized because the qualifying session will take place this evening.

Wu Shi drove at two different paces according to the requirements, and obtained the data needed by the team.

He ran the most laps of the entire event, 30 laps, and finally found a fragile balance between tail downforce balance and drag reduction.

Verstappen found a good setup in just 23 laps and parked in the garage early.

In the end, Pan Zi took the lead with a time of 1 minute 27.035 seconds.

It pulled away from Wu Shi by 0.6 seconds.

However, everyone knows that Mercedes is much better than Red Bull, but not by that much.

In addition, Wu Shi's pace in practice sessions was not fast, and he was already a habitual offender, so no one predicted in advance that Verstappen would definitely be able to take pole position.

There has been ongoing controversy online regarding who actually secured pole position.

Since restrictions have been completely lifted, Silverstone Station welcomed a large number of visitors.

However, once a large number of fans arrived at the scene, they discovered a problem: their favorites, Hamilton, Norris, and Russell, didn't seem to be the main focus of the day.

Fortunately, Hamilton theoretically had a good chance of getting pole position, and given his large fan base, a lot of Union Jacks were waved on the course.

After a short rest, the qualifying race began at 6 p.m.

Since their primary objective was to secure pole position, Mercedes Red Bull never held back from the start.

Wu Shi achieved the fastest lap time in Q1 with a time of 1 minute 26.689 seconds.

Like Wu Shi, Verstappen only ran one lap and got a time of 1 minute 26.751 seconds.

The two drivers' incredible speed left British racing fans breathless.

Fortunately, Hamilton completed eight laps, including three flying laps, and clocked a time of 1 minute 26.786 seconds, which means he will have a chance to compete for pole position!

Many fans at the scene cheered.

However, the drivers, caught up in the race, didn't have much time to look at the fans.

Q1 is just the beginning; Q2 and Q3 are the key to determining the outcome!

"The gap between Hamilton and Wu Shi at Silverstone won't be that big," the soldier said.

Because the ranking matches were brought forward, the Six Star Studio also started broadcasting.

“Silverstone is a track Hamilton could run with his eyes closed. He knows it very well, but I don’t think he can beat Wu Shi.”

Haoran has developed a blind trust in Wu Shi.

In Q2, Wu Shi only ran one lap before returning to the pit room to rest.

His time of 1 minute 26.223 seconds for the lap also placed him second.

Hamilton squeezed in time, finding his best lap time in two flying laps, finishing first with a time of 1 minute 26.101 seconds, because he caught a slipstream.

This undoubtedly made the atmosphere at the scene more exciting than in previous years.

It makes sense. People were all cooped up during the pandemic, and with the introduction of herd immunity, everyone was eager to get out and have some fun.

In addition, the tickets were not expensive, only £100, about 140 euros, which attracted a huge number of car enthusiasts. In any case, the tickets were sold out.

It is estimated that 300,000 spectators will watch the game here over the next three days.

Verstappen was slightly slower, finishing third with a time of 1 minute 26.315 seconds, and he complained about understeer in the TR.

It seems they went back too early after the afternoon practice match.

"Did they hide anything else?" The soldier couldn't help but ask when he saw the three scores, because everyone had given it their all and was working incredibly hard.

"It's hard to say, but the wake is very important! Just look at Hamilton's results and we know that," Fei said.

“It’s very difficult to catch a tailwind in Q3 like you did in Q2,” Haoran said.

"Then we'll have to see how Wu Shi fares. If he can outrun Verstappen, he can; if not, then we'll have to see if Hamilton gets to the tailrace."

The soldier laughed as he spoke, because what he said was so funny.

"Q3 has started!" Haoran reminded.

Wu Shi was the first to arrive at the venue, and he swayed the vehicle from side to side to quickly warm up the tires.

Mercedes' optimizations are effective; with increased downforce from the rear floor, the vehicle can adjust the rear wing angle to release more straight-line speed.

This is very important on Silverstone, a high-speed track.

With the fuel level further reduced and new tires installed, his speed will be able to increase even further.

He has been practicing this track on the simulator ever since he returned from Austria.

So when it came time to actually speed around here, he felt just like any other day.

Having been dominated by Panzi in the last two matches, if they lose here as well, they will fall far behind in points.

Wu Shi's thoughts were somewhat chaotic during the warm-up lap, but when he took Turn 14 and activated DRS for a sprint, the oncoming wind cleared his mind.

Strong winds swept across the forewing, following the air ducts all the way to the newly added vertical deflectors on the side wing panels.

The additional downforce at the rear is located in front of the rear wheel, which is different from the downforce provided by the tail wing.

No one else would have noticed these things, but Wu Shi could.

The DRS zone ended quickly, and his attention returned to the bend.

The pleasant airflow soothed the race car.

'let's start. ’

After turning 15, Wu Shi began driving according to the requirements of the Flying Spurs lap.

After emerging from the combination of bends 16 and 17, proceed slowly into bend 18 and quickly out.

Wu Shi seized every opportunity to increase his speed.

Buzz! !
With the engine roaring, Wu Shi rushed onto the starting straight.

He showed his courage by going full throttle at turns 1 and 2, pushing the entire car to its limit.

"I wonder how Wu Shi's grades will turn out," the soldier said with slight worry.

“I think Wu Shi should be able to get pole position this time, which is a sign of confidence in his ability, but Mercedes’ long-distance pace is still far behind Red Bull’s,” Haoran said.

Fei nodded, took a deep breath and exhaled, "Haha, the more I watch, the more nervous I get."

"Then you're putting yourself in Wu Shi's shoes. At such a crucial moment, whether you have the ability or not is another matter; maintaining a stable mindset is the strongest ability," the soldier said.

As the three chatted, Wu Shi's S1 went straight to purple, 27 seconds and 246 seconds!

"There's a chance! A very good chance!" the soldier said directly.

"Wu Shi just reached a top speed of 317.2 kilometers per hour, which is much faster than Verstappen Q2's 314.3 kilometers per hour," Haoran said.

"Looks like Mercedes' straight-line speed is back?" the soldier said.

"Well, Hamilton is a little slower, but at 315.9 km/h, it looks faster than Red Bull."

"However, Red Bull should still be faster in the second time slot," Haoran added.

Wu Shi had already passed Turn 14 by this time, and his S2 time was 34.979 seconds, so setting a purple score was only natural.

"Hamilton was slower than Wu Shi in both runs, so he definitely can't beat Wu Shi in this lap," Haoran said, continuing to look at the data.

"Verstappen is here! Look at his S2, all purple!" the soldier shouted.

"Even though it's only 0.044 seconds faster, it still can't beat Wu Shi," Haoran said.

"Hehe, this is Hamilton, haha, just kidding." The soldier brought the topic back.

The wind was howling, and Wu Shi arrived at Turn 15 again. After going around it, he just needed to do the same thing he did during the warm-up lap!

With clear mind and focused, selfless, the race car sped towards the final few corners.

The broadcast camera immediately focused on Wu Shi, showing him turning left and right in a short period of time in the combination bends, passing through turns 16 and 17, and then suddenly rushing into turn 18.

Chi Chi!

The leftmost wheel of the race car was over the white line, kicking up clouds of dust.

Swish!
He crossed the finish line in 1 minute 26.111 seconds.

"It's improved by another 0.1! How did Wu Shi do that? He doesn't have any tailrace!" The soldier was very shocked.

"This is Wu Shi," Haoran said with a smile.

After finishing the lap, Wu Shi went straight back to the warehouse and squatted down.

Hamilton also ran a very good lap, with a time of 1 minute 26.287 seconds.

However, when compared to Wu Shi, it can only be described as "merely".

Next up is Verstappen's time, 1 minute 26.209 seconds.

"I think the pole position is secure. A professional commentator should be bold enough to make that judgment!" the soldier said.

"Hahaha." Haoran laughed.

Three minutes later, on the second lap, Wu Shi chose to be the last to go out.

His grades are enough to put pressure on everyone, so there's no need for him to rush out.

"Red Bull still didn't choose to let Perez give Verstappen a slipstream," Fei said.

“Trapping a wake isn’t a common occurrence, especially in large convoys,” the soldier said.

Without a wake, neither Verstappen nor Hamilton could create a miracle.

The former, with a time of 1 minute 26.211 seconds, is slower than the first lap.

The latter time was 1 minute 26.282 seconds, improving the result by 0.5 milliseconds.

So Wu Shi naturally let it go.

"He's back! He's back again! Wu Shi, the unbeatable lap king! And with Wu Shi in pole position, victory is just around the corner!" The soldier clapped his hands excitedly.

"Well, what do you guys think about tomorrow's sprint race?" Fei asked.

"I think the drivers definitely won't go all out to overtake, because if a collision occurs, it will directly affect the main race, and how many points are there in qualifying?" Haoran said.

"But the final results will affect tomorrow's departure," the soldier said.

"Yes, I actually think the battle at the front will be more intense. The drivers should just push as hard as they can, and if they have the chance to overtake, they should just do what they can."

Fei Ge also agreed that the competition would be quite exciting.

On the track, Wu Shi drove his car back to the maintenance area, took off his helmet, shook his head, and sweat dripped down his face.

After being weighed, I was quickly led to the interview area.

"Hey Wu Shi, congratulations on getting pole position. What are your thoughts on tomorrow's qualifying sprint?" the reporter asked directly.

"Yes, this is a new mode. We don't need to worry about the strategy; we just need to push."

"But things may not be that simple, because it will determine the starting grid for Sunday's main race, which is also very important."

"The race only has 17 laps. With little difference in tire wear, I don't think there will be many overtaking opportunities except at the start."

"We need to weigh the risk of whether it's worth taking the risk when the car in front is defending it so strongly."

"You know, any damage to the car will seriously affect the main race on Sunday."

"This is not just a matter of repairing the car, but also a matter of whether the damaged race car can be kept in its original position."

"For me, I will stay in the lead, and if Max threatens me, I will do my best to defend and not give him any chance."

Wu Shi said this.

Verstappen, holding his helmet, listened to Wu Shi talk.

After Wu Shi turned around and came out, Verstappen looked at Wu Shi carefully and said with a smile:

"Hey, don't be so harsh, it's scaring me."

"You're lying, I'm not any scarier than Uncle Joss," Wu Shi joked along.

“If he hears you, be careful he doesn’t come after you. Judging from your current physique, you probably can’t beat him,” Verstappen laughed.

“Then I’ll hide in the P room and let Toto face him.”

"Hahaha!"

Verstappen smiled and patted Wu Shi on the shoulder before walking toward the interview area.

Because of their childhood friendship, Wu Shi was one of the few people in the hunting grounds who could joke around with Pan Zi.

After all, Lao Pan was once Wu Shi's go-kart engineer.

Leaving the interview area, Wu Shi saw Hamilton, who had just finished his interview and was chatting with his junior, Norris.

Wu Shi heard that Hamilton had considered sending Norris to Mercedes, but Norris was clearly very happy at McLaren.

It was thought that Ricardo could at least keep Norris in check for a while, but Ricardo's form declined significantly and he did not pose much of a threat to Norris.

Although Norris kept saying during the interview that Wu Shi's success was due to having a good car, and that he could do the same if he were given the car.

But if you actually ask him to go, he won't go!
He can still distinguish between bragging and reality.

Russell walked alone on one side. Today he led Williams into Q3. His excellent performance was reminiscent of Wu Shi in 2015, so reporters always asked about it.

However, Russell was annoyed by this comparison; he disliked being compared to another driver, as it made him feel disrespected.

Wu Shi looked at the drivers along the way back, and it seemed like it had been a long time since he had looked at them so calmly.

When it came to competing for the championship, he felt like he had forgotten everything around him; all he could think about was the game, the game, and the damn game.

He shook his head. "That's how it has to be! Otherwise, why should we deserve to win?"
If victory can be achieved easily, then the value of victory itself is questionable.

He's already looking forward to tomorrow's sprint race, hoping to take first place and get 3 points.

Then the main competition
There probably won't be 51G in the main event, since he'll be in the front row, and the situation has changed!
(End of this chapter)