F1: Absolute Car Feel

Chapter 351 This is SF21
"Wu Shi, first of all, congratulations on your victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix. This is your fifth victory this year."

"This not only guarantees your lead in the standings, but also makes you the driver with the most race wins so far."

"We are also very pleased to see that you were still able to perform to your full potential after the huge accident at Silverstone Station."

"However, we also noticed that you seemed a bit unwell after the race. Could you tell us about your experience during the entire Grand Prix?" the reporter asked.

Wu Shi nodded and said into the microphone:

"We performed very well in today's race. Although we encountered some unexpected problems on the first lap, I made a timely pit stop and was not affected."

"And in Hungary, I felt great about racing, and we picked up speed, that's for sure."

"I want to thank the team for their hard work during this period. They have been working hard to optimize the car's performance. Without their work, I believe today's race would have been much more difficult."

"But we can't be completely optimistic, because Red Bull's overall performance is still very advantageous, and they are also looking for a suitable setup for the track."

"So far, we're doing better in Hungary, but there's a long summer break ahead, and anything can happen."

"I think the competition this year is still very fierce, and there have been a lot of unexpected events. Every game seems to be very dynamic."

Wu Shi smiled. There were indeed too many things to do in 2021, whether it was the two strong teams, Mercedes and Red Bull, or the racing teams below, or the races.

He then gave a brief explanation of his physical condition:

"My injuries at Silverstone should be mostly healed, but I contracted COVID-19 last week, and although I've recovered, it's still affecting me."

"My physical strength is not as good as before, but fortunately the upcoming summer break will give me enough time to recover."

The reporter nodded, thus concluding the interview.

Wu Shi turned and left. He felt thirsty and needed to get some water.

On the other side, Verstappen was also being interviewed. He looked to be in better condition than Wu Shi, but in reality, his impaired vision was making things very difficult for him.

He had no intention of playing on Friday.

The point difference between the two has now widened to 12 points, which is very disadvantageous for Verstappen.

Furthermore, he only has four stage wins, which means that he is completely behind in both points and number of wins.

Being behind in points and wins will naturally put you at a disadvantage in matches, since the one leading will most likely benefit from a double retirement.

Then comes Hamilton, who is now tied with Norris in the standings. If it weren't for his Portuguese Grand Prix victory, the old man would have fallen to fourth place.

But this year, the old man's willpower has waned, and he is no longer so attached to it, much like Alonso's feeling during the interview.

The only difference might be that, unlike Alonso, he still has to watch his teammates compete for the world championship, which is not a pleasant feeling.

However, the reporters were more focused on how Hamilton felt being blocked by Alonso for a full ten laps.

Hamilton waved his hand, indicating that he had nothing to say.

Vettel finished seventh, but post-race testing revealed that his car had less than 1 liter of fuel remaining in the tank, resulting in his disqualification.

This was undoubtedly a sad thing. The German farmer could only complain a few words during the interview, hoping that the team could communicate with the race organizers.

Kimi briefly rose into the points zone during the game due to Storr's accident, but was penalized 10 seconds for an unsafe release and a collision with Ma Zeping during the restart of the game.

Then Aro gave a preview of a move he couldn't even execute properly during the penalty time, seemingly preparing to pass the same action on the next unlucky guy after Kimi left.

Kimi remained calm during the interview, repeating his TR from the match: "Whenever I get a little better, I always have bad luck."

In the constructors' championship, Mercedes leads Red Bull by 32 points, thanks to Perez's failure to keep up with the pace, which is why Red Bull's Neymarco seems to have some complaints about Perez.

McLaren, in third place, maintained a steady 22-point lead over Ferrari, demonstrating promising racing performance.

Of course, this is also inseparable from Norris's consistent scoring; he is often the fastest driver outside of the two major teams.

Many commentators believe that once Norris has a volume champion car, he could be the next WDC.

Some people can't help but marvel at how many talented young drivers are among those born after 95.

The 12th round of the season, the Belgian Grand Prix, will be held on August 29, with a total of 28 days in between.

Each team will have a mandatory 14-day break, but obviously, this period will not begin immediately after the Hungarian Grand Prix.

So Wu Shi returned to Blackley's headquarters to work, and fortunately, driving a simulator wasn't as tiring as actually sitting in a car.

The simulator is constantly being adjusted based on parameters collected from the Hungarian Grand Prix.

After working for a few days, Mercedes announced the start of a holiday, and Wu Shi returned to Italie to go on vacation to Monaco with Louise, who was on summer vacation.

During the trip, Wu Shi hitched a ride on Kimi's yacht and was quite disappointed not to find any Menglong beer in the refrigerator.

Then he also got a free meal from a local named Leclerc.

After spending three days in Monaco, Wu Shi and Lock & Lock went to France to visit the youth academy players in Bianchi.

The arrival of Wu Shi and Leclerc made the group of go-kart enthusiasts extremely happy.

Many of them had been watching Wu Shi win the championship since they were young, and their eyes shone brightly when they looked at Wu Shi.

Ji Chen has matured compared to four years ago and is now old enough to participate in CIK-FIA karting events.

After he races in the OKJ group for another two years, he can participate in the KF and KZ series of the OK group and officially prepare to challenge for the crown of go-karting.

"The young man performed well; I believe that with further training, he has a good chance of participating in Formula One," Bianchi commented.

"I won't force him. His willingness is the most important thing, and his family's support is also very important."

Wu Shi nodded. Ji Chen's talent was decent, but far from being top-tier.

In fact, top talents don't appear every year. Bernie Ecclestone's boast that F1 has talents every year was just shameless nonsense.

"Sigh, I really don't know where you came from, you monster. I chat with Ji Ping sometimes, and I know that it's very difficult to even run go-karts where you are. I can't imagine how you managed to crush everyone as soon as you arrived in Europe," Bianchi laughed.

"Haha, maybe I'm just naturally inclined to enjoy driving," Wu Shi laughed.

Ji Chen is still as shy as she was a few years ago, but she has mastered English and French and can now communicate with her technicians on her own initiative.

This is very important; it is the most important quality for a driver besides skill.

Ji Chen's mother also stayed abroad with her son for more than four years.

This was undoubtedly a huge risk, as the mother was alone with her son in an unfamiliar place.

Ji Chen's father is also constantly receiving financial support. Even though the Young Drivers Foundation established by Wu Shi has provided a lot of help, the main source of financial support still comes from the family.

Fortunately, karting competitions in China are becoming increasingly mature, and most children go abroad to participate in FIA and WSK karting competitions after the age of 12 to gain experience.

This is much easier than sending Ji Chen directly to Europe for training.

However, they will face even more severe problems adapting to the new environment.

However, after karting, one doesn't necessarily have to race in Formula One. A significant number of children are more interested in touring cars, thanks to the increasing variety of races held in China.

Wu Shi even considered using his influence to organize tram races in China.

Although Formula E is currently in a state of near collapse, its domestic strategic direction remains electric vehicles, so organizing some electric touring car races is still a viable option.

Moreover, such competitions are beneficial to the development of the automotive industry. At least from batteries and motors to electronic controls, safety improvements can be promoted through competitions.

Of course, he never handled these matters himself. Ling Kang helped oversee the domestic youth training affairs, while the company was responsible for the larger projects.

A complete industrial cycle has now been established around him, and even without the source of F1 driver salaries, he is still a well-off boss.

The 14-day summer break was very short, it seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

On the day he returned to work, Ferrari invited him to visit Maranello.

He accepted the invitation and went with Sid and the others.

Here, both Elkann and Binotto sat at the negotiating table.

Elkann stated bluntly:

"Wu Shi, it's a pleasure to meet you here and talk about the future."

“Your contract with Mercedes will expire at the end of this year, and I believe we can offer you sufficient incentive.”

Wu Shi nodded and said with a smile:

"Yeah, I certainly believe Ferrari has the richest heritage, but I won most of my world championships with Mercedes."

"The competition is still ongoing this year. Whether you win or lose, it would be unethical to just leave."

Elkan smiled too, understanding the unspoken message: they just wanted more money.
He said calmly:
"When drivers move between teams, it's not about friendship, it's about the contract. We've prepared something generous enough to absolutely satisfy you."

A brief contract was handed to me.

Wu Shi glanced at the screen and saw the annual salary—6500 million US dollars.

This is not even including the base salary and various bonuses. It can be said that, as Elkann said, this salary is indeed tempting.

But after reading it, he was not moved and did not say anything.

Sid knew perfectly well that Wu Shi held the upper hand in negotiating with all the caravans, so he naturally had to speak up:
"President Elkann, the generous salary is indeed a huge attraction for drivers, but I don't think it's enough to get one of the top drivers in the paddock to join you."

Elkan didn't seem to mind and gestured for Sid to continue.

"We need sufficient status and power."

Sid didn't directly state what he wanted, because that was already a sensitive question.

As expected, Elkann's expression was displeased, but he still said:
“I know that when you joined Mercedes, you brought several followers with you. They can all join Ferrari and stay in their original positions.”

Since losing Marchionne in 2018, Ferrari has been in a slump.

Elkan was naturally dissatisfied with this; he wanted to recruit the best people to his team and build a powerful force together.

Sid nodded and said seriously, "At that time, Wu Shi only had one world championship."

Sid didn't say the following: Wu Shi is now a five-time world champion and deserves weighted points.

"It seems our negotiations won't go smoothly, but I think some things are acceptable, just like good dishes always require patience to cook. Let's try some Italian cuisine first; I'm sure our five-time world champion is very familiar with it."

Elkan firmly held the initiative in the talks.

Wu Shi nodded, and only then did he see Martina waiting outside.

The two greeted each other with smiles and then had an Italian meal together.

In the afternoon, Elkann did not continue discussing the franchise with Wu Shi, but instead asked him if Ferrari's cars were fast enough.

“Oh, Chairman, if you could let me drive the SF21, I could give you a sufficiently accurate answer immediately,” Wu Shi said with a smile.

"Nice joke. I think all we're missing right now is a top-notch driver. Binotto assured me that next year's car will be a championship contender."

"I know this promise won't win you over, so why don't we go shopping first?"

Elkann continued talking to himself, and then went to the Ferrari simulator room.

"How about we do a qualifying session at the Hungaroring?" Elkann chuckled.

“SF21?” Wu Shi asked with a smile.

Elkan shook his head slightly and said, "I can't tell you anything else besides this simulator."

"Row."

Wu Shi ignored what Elkann and Binotto were trying to tell him and simply sat down in the Ferrari with the gloves that had been prepared in advance.

The simulator's surround screen will provide the same view as in the game, but it will be a little different without the helmet.

But it's just a try, and the requirements aren't that high.

The simulator's front end of the car is blurred; you can only see the shape, and it's impossible to tell whether it's a 21 or 22 model.

Wu Shi first pushed the car a few laps with the default settings. Based on his feeling and results in each segment, he basically knew which car it was.

"Can I change some parameters myself?" Wu Shi asked Elkan.

Binotto said, "I think this is the optimal setting. You can try it."

Wu Shi looked past Bi Hai and then at Elkann.

Elkan frowned slightly, but then suddenly thought of something, so he shook his head and said, "Let's try it this way."

Wu Shi nodded and began to circle.

After resetting the car's settings, he used soft tires and then sped off on the Hungaroring circuit.

He was so fast that Elkann stopped frowning as he watched.

beep!

With just one lap, Wu Shi set his own record: 1 minute 16.278 seconds.

“I didn’t push at full power, and I believe that the fundamentals of whether a race car is good or not can be determined by the engineers.”

"But shouldn't the driver decide whether or not the best time can be achieved? Team Principal Binotto."

Wu Shi addressed Elkann in the first sentence and Binotto in the second.

Bang bang bang~
Elkann clapped his hands, came over and patted Wu Shi on the shoulder twice, saying, "He is indeed the fastest driver in the paddock."

Where do you think this car needs adjustments?

Wu Shi shook his head. He already knew which Ferrari this was after the test drive, so he said directly:
"This is SF21, and there are only five of us here."

Elkan then stopped asking questions. Wu Shi said, "How do I adjust the parameters? Isn't that aiding the enemy?"
Or rather, the very behavior of these individuals here is likely to cause controversy.

That evening, Wu Shi and Xide stayed in Maranello for dinner, but Elkann did not join them.

As one of the current leaders of the Agnelli family, his schedule is also very tight.

Wu Shi didn't know if Elkann had gone to visit Juventus, because Juventus had a poor start to the year under Pirlo's leadership.

They are even striving to qualify for the Champions League.

Recently, there have been rumors that Juventus and Ronaldo's relationship has broken down, and that Ronaldo will most likely leave the team, which would undoubtedly be another heavy blow to Juventus.

It can be said that both of Fiat Group's top racing series are currently in trouble, and Elkann is naturally anxious.

After finishing his meal, Wu Shi took his leave.

On the way, Sid said, "It seems you've won him over."

"That's not the point. Ferrari's F1 team is a brainless team, with each part doing its own thing, so there's always going to be a problem with one of them," Wu Shi said.

“Well, then we can just not go to Ferrari,” Sid laughed.

“If I’m not given anything and just to be a driver at the end of the limbs, I really don’t need to leave Mercedes, but the premise is that Mercedes can give me what I want,” Wu Shi said.

"Russell has joined the team?" Sid asked.

"It hasn't been officially announced yet, but rumors are circulating in the paddock, and everyone knows about it."

Wu Shi shrugged. That's just how Toto is. Although this rumor is most likely meant to force the old man to withdraw, it could also be a way for him to increase his bargaining power in negotiations with Wu Shi.

But Toto's limitations sometimes become apparent. Can Russell pose a threat to him?

Wu Shi didn't think so; he acknowledged the racing emperor's skills, but his mindset...
The mindset of any driver not competing in the WDC is questionable, because fighting for WDC and fighting for points are two completely different mindsets.

Viewers might find this ridiculous, wondering what kind of mentality could have such a big impact.

But the principle is very simple: if you put a 10-centimeter-wide wooden strip on the ground, anyone with good balance can walk across it.

If a ten-centimeter-wide wooden bridge were built between two cliffs, how many people could actually cross to the other side? Let alone remain calm and collected.

This is the effect of mindset.

Anyone can boast if they're not in that environment, but if they were, many people wouldn't be able to say a word.

“I don’t think going to Ferrari is necessary,” Sid said.

“I know what you mean. I didn’t say we absolutely had to go to Ferrari. We talk to Ferrari every year, don’t we?” Wu Shi said with a smile.

“That’s good. Ferrari doesn’t look like they can win the championship in the last few years,” Sid said.
-
In Maranello, Elkann called Binotto over and asked directly, "What do you think?"

"Although today's results were achieved on a simulator, according to information from Mercedes-Benz, Wu Shi is always faster on simulators than on the actual track."

"Yes, they easily achieved a time that neither of our two drivers could."

Elkan nodded, then continued, "Do you think his addition will help us win the championship next year?"

“Yeah, of course. Our R&D is going very smoothly next year, at least for now,” Binotto said.

Elkan nodded, but found it difficult to make a decision immediately.

Wu Shi displayed a very aggressive attitude today, and the contract he was offered is definitely not an ordinary driver's contract.

He squinted, thinking of Martina.

The family relationship between Martina and Wu Shi is no secret in the paddock, and it looks as if Martina is using Wu Shi as leverage to demand control of the Ferrari team.

This is also why Elkan is having a hard time making a decision. He knows Martina fairly well; she is a pragmatic woman who, if she becomes the team leader, will not compromise with all parties like Binotto did.

He closed his eyes and lay back in the chair, thinking about Marchionne's years.

Marchionne took full control of Ferrari and made many personnel changes.

While Ferrari did experience some turmoil in those years, the performance of the cars did catch up in 17 and 18 – even with allegations of engine cheating.

He looked back on that season but found he didn't remember much, because during the years when Wu Shi dominated the paddock, almost no other drivers emerged.

Even though Vettel performed well in the early part of the season, he still posed no threat to Wu Shi.

Moreover, Vettel tends to lose his composure in the later stages of the season.

Elkan thought a lot, and Binotto sat for a long time.
-
Upon returning to Blackley, Mebon, Wu Shi immediately began working.

He's determined to win the world championship this year. His current lead might make him a little complacent, but he absolutely cannot let his guard down completely.

Red Bull doesn't know if they'll come up with another high-tech aerodynamic kit, so we need to be cautious.

Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, the first Grand Prix after the summer break, Red Bull officially announced that Perez will continue to play for Red Bull in 2022.

This immediately put an end to the rumors that Gasly was going to be promoted back to Red Bull. Gasly did perform well at Toro Rosso, but could he do better than Perez at Red Bull?

Nobody thinks so.

French media still believe that Gasly did not join Red Bull only because of the large sponsorship fee brought by Perez.

Red Bull compromised for the sake of money.

Meanwhile, as the pandemic recurred during the summer, Belgium tightened its control measures again.

The organizers created a "European health passport," meaning that only people from European countries can attend the games.

Americans and Canadians are directly prohibited from entering.

This left Wu Shi both amused and exasperated; it was truly the old Europeans who were so amusing.

Additionally, the route to Spa was washed away by flash floods in July, inevitably causing traffic congestion outside the track.

Despite so many restrictions, the audience was still quite large.

However, just before the race began, news broke that Spa-Francorchamps circuit director Natalie Haye and her lover had been murdered by her husband.

Her husband then committed suicide.

This adds another layer of uncertainty to the competition, but fortunately, the Grand Prix will proceed as scheduled.

(End of this chapter)