F1: The Making of a Racing God

Chapter 281: Cutting out the Heart and Bones
On short tracks like the Hungaroring, where a single lap is only 4.381km and overtaking is difficult, strategies can often produce unexpected and remarkable results.

Having only one of these two characteristics might not be a big deal, but if we're talking about short seasons, there are tracks shorter than Hungaroring, such as Brazil and the Red Bull Ring.

However, these tracks either have a fast enough pace for a single lap or are easy to overtake. Even if you make a mistake during a pit stop and are overcut, you can easily regain your position by taking advantage of your tires.

But what about hungronin?

Because of its layout with few straights and tight curves, vehicles behind it, affected by polluted air, will find it difficult to accumulate enough advantage in curves to allow DRS to function effectively, under similar conditions.

Clearly, the track layout for the DRS area took this into account. The two DRS sections share the same checkpoint, allowing drivers to use the DRS consecutively after the starting straight and Turn 1.

But it was no use. The only DRS zone that could truly pose a threat to the car in front in terms of length and structure was the starting straight.

Not to mention that the stretch after Turn 1 is short, it is also a long bend and downhill, so driving with DRS not only yields low returns but also carries high risks.

Even if you manage to brake hard and temporarily pull ahead, you'll still be at a double disadvantage both entering and exiting the hairpin turn.

However, even on the starting straight where overtaking is most likely, the consecutive corners from 12 to 14 are all designed with extremely high downforce requirements. In the dirty air, the cars in front can easily fall behind in rhythm, making it difficult to have enough room to pull away even if they suck in the slipstream and use DRS.

Of the 22 races on the annual calendar, only Monaco is more prestigious.

Why was Verstappen able to quickly take down Leclerc?
The difference in grip between the peak red tires and the cold white tires was so great that after corner 14, Leclerc was close enough to brake even later in corner 1, leaving him with almost no chance to fight back.

On such a track, seizing position is far more important than maintaining long-distance competitiveness. Verstappen's extreme strategy of starting with two reds can create miracles given the right window of opportunity.

Hamilton actually took a similar approach last year, making frequent stops to avoid the polluted air from slow cars and chasing after them at a frighteningly high speed throughout the race, regardless of tire consumption.

As for why Shulong was able to easily win in a small Red Bull at that time...
One factor was Bottas's early lead, which cleared the table for him and eliminated almost all of his strong competitors. Another factor was Hamilton's elimination of himself at the World Grand Prix starting lap. The huge gap between him and Ocon, who was close behind, and Alonso's ten laps of tight defense were also factors. Each of these factors was very important!

After the race, Alonso said that even without him, Shulong could have easily won the championship, which was just modesty.

The significant time difference between Shulong and Aokang reflects the direct difference in the drivers' abilities on a semi-dry track. In terms of car performance, they were actually about the same, with Alpine's car even having a slight advantage at the time.

Even though Shu Long was leading the race throughout, his lap time was still more than a second slower than Hamilton's on average. After Hamilton's three stops, his new yellow lap time was more than two seconds faster than Shu Long's old white lap time, which was still more fuel-efficient.

If Alonso can be defended, then there's no reason why Shulong, who went toe-to-toe with the veteran in his first career game, can't be defended.

This example isn't to say that without Alonso's textbook pick-and-roll, Long would never have won his first championship. Rather, it proves that on the Hungaroring track, as long as speed is guaranteed, strategy can indeed turn the tide.

Just like Shu Long and Verstappen now, the average long-distance lap time on red tires is more than a second faster than Sainz's yellow tires. If Shu Long insists on using red tires for his second stop, then by the third stop, his teammate might actually be able to climb the position.

Even if Shulong has a certain tire advantage in the final stages of the race, who can guarantee that Verstappen, who is about to win the championship, will not revert to his "Mad Max" nature?
The double withdrawal may not affect the landscape of the annual championship race. For Verstappen, who has a fixed annual salary, he probably won't care about a withdrawal that would be almost a zero-loss for him.

Even for Red Bull, who already leads the second-place team by 160 points in the annual standings, the most likely option is to simply let things go.

但在每场比赛都靠本事吃饭的束龙这里，一次P1的退赛连积分带分冠奖励，那可是足足25x6+30=180万欧的损失，能拿下最快单圈还能再多10万欧。

Even if the current exchange rate fluctuates due to the war between Russia and India, it is still a huge sum of RMB 1300-1400 million. No one with a problem in their mind would easily take so much money to gamble on a momentary impulse.

Now, following the double red tire strategy, they have successfully defended against Verstappen's offensive. The red tires are currently setting faster lap times, and Sainz is still behind Shulong after his stop. In the short term, there is no need to worry about a possible counterattack from Ferrari.

However, this second red tire stint was destined to be short-lived.

Maintaining the current lap time means a significant reduction in tire lifespan. Without the initial advantage of clean air leading the pack, the dirty air from the slow cars that lap the car later will also be detrimental to tire maintenance.

Red Bull needs to start closely monitoring Sainz's lap times and his potential strategic changes. They not only need to guard against Sainz's overcut on yellow tires, but also against the possibility of him implementing an undercut by stopping two stops early.

Leclerc has proven that the white tire is a complete trap option, and it still can't get any speed at all.

Shulong's third stint will inevitably be on yellow tires. As long as Ferrari doesn't make any mistakes, even a fool would know which option to choose between red and white tires. At that time, Ferrari and Red Bull's lap performance will show a complete reversal of their extremes.

This is an inevitable consequence of the strategy being influenced by Ferrari and Verstappen; Shulong is under considerable pressure in this round of red tire racing.

Of course, even the leading position can't be without any advantages.

At least Shulong still has the leeway to adjust its strategy based on the movements of its opponents. The higher margin for error is itself an advantage. It's just that the situation that was originally safe and secure now has many unnecessary risks.

Every family has its own troubles.

Despite Sainz's seemingly wise decision to target Red Bull under Ferrari's clever tactic, this double-yellow strategy essentially put him in a very difficult position.

Shulong needs to defend from both sides, Verstappen has to treat every car in front of him as his competitor, and Sainz now not only has to deal with the two Red Bulls attacking from the front and rear at the same time, he also faces the threat of Hamilton.

Hamilton also started with yellow tires, and his pit stop was around the same time as Sainz's, except that Hamilton chose red tires for his first pit stop.

Mercedes didn't have a slow start this time. If Hamilton hadn't encountered a DRS malfunction in Q3, the pole position yesterday might have been different.

However, Mercedes was more pragmatic. Given Russell's pole position and Hamilton's starting position in P8, their initial strategy for Hamilton wasn't aimed at winning the championship.

No one expected that Shulong and Ferrari would take turns acting as troublemakers. After being undercut by Verstappen, they temporarily lost hope of winning the championship, but it is not entirely impossible for them to compete with Sainz for the last podium position.

Ferrari has never been good at dealing with such chaotic situations; once they deviate from the pre-race plan, they often lose their composure first.

Compared to the others, Red Bull's two cars are relatively worry-free. Shulong only needs to make the most of the lap times within the performance range of each tire set, while Verstappen only needs to keep his head down and keep pushing forward.

Sainz may not be a driver with a very high ceiling, but he is definitely one of the smartest drivers in the paddock.

Only Leclerc, a purebred ironman, still has absolute trust in the team. Having suffered so many losses, Sainz clearly knows that he can only rely on himself now.

On lap 33, Verstappen, sprinting at full speed, caught up with Sainz and entered his attack range.

Ferrari's opinion was very unified at this point: they hoped Sainz could block Verstappen from behind. They couldn't afford to lose the big picture before competing for the championship; they had to hold onto P2 first.
That statement is not reversed.

Born in 94, Carlos Sainz II is now 28 years old. Compared to his father, who is a force to be reckoned with in rally racing, Sainz's career so far has been rather unremarkable.

Sainz had seen the cruelty and injustice of the paddock very clearly back in his Toro Rosso days.

Even though his performance in matches is more consistent than Verstappen's, it is not enough to support his potential for greatness, and his advanced age means that no matter how hard he tries, he can never compete with Verstappen for favor.

From his loan move from Toro Rosso to Renault to replace the underperforming Palmer, Sainz's life story has been a complete panacea.

Every team needs him to handle emergencies, but no matter which team he is, he is a complete outsider. When it comes to the stage of making choices, they will not hesitate to tear him off and throw him away.

At Renault, he defeated Hulkenberg, who was once considered Schumacher's successor.

Renault chose to give up Sainz in order to acquire Riccardo, instead keeping the older Hulkenberg.

Because the other team had several opportunities to get close to the podium, Renault's management clearly saw them as having a higher ceiling.

Fortunately, McLaren urgently needed to strengthen its lineup with a capable driver due to Alonso's sudden decision to retire, and Sainz, who had just been kicked out of the team, was lucky to find a new place to go.

McLaren's decision to promote rookie Lando is that he is a simple-minded kid, five years younger than Beanes. He is like an obedient younger brother in the team and always gets into some hilarious situations.

Compared to his exes who he wanted to beat the crap out of, Norris, who still needed time to grow, was undoubtedly much more likable. Sainz felt as if he had found the most suitable home for himself.

But Norris was too talented. In just his second year, he was able to stand on equal footing with Sainz. If it weren't for a few unfortunate mechanical failures, Sainz wouldn't even have been able to keep up with Norris's total points for the year. Naturally, Norris felt increasingly pressured.

It was bound to happen; it was Ricardo again.

Before McLaren could even announce their final decision, Sainz knew he would be the one left behind.

Fortunately, Shu Long was held back by Red Bull's youth training contract. Ferrari was undecided about paying Red Bull a huge penalty to buy out Shu Long. Just then, Santander Bank finally opened the door for this unfortunate mercenary.

Although Ferrari was severely damaged by the engine cheating scandal at the time, it was still Ferrari, wasn't it?
Ferrari finally showed signs of recovery in the 21 season, with Sainz's consistently strong performance even surpassing his teammate Leclerc in the overall points standings, further solidifying the support for him within Ferrari. Even so, Leclerc's performance throughout the year was more impressive, and the general consensus was that Leclerc had a higher ceiling, naturally leading to higher expectations for him.

As for Sainz?
He's just an outsider who can't start the game without him.

Finally, the 22 season arrived, and Ferrari finally got the Mars car they had been dreaming of. Everyone was looking forward to seeing who would become the new world champion, but no one was paying attention to Sainz.

Ferrari once conducted a small game in the paddock to test the level of teamwork among teammates.

When asked who they thought was more handsome, Leclerc and Sainz both humbly said it was the other.

When asked who was lazier, both pointed to themselves.

When asked who they thought was the fastest,
The point isn't what their final answer was, but rather the complex silence they endured before giving it.

As a racer, not being able to admit that you are slower than others is the bottom line of self-respect.

Sainz himself knew that Leclerc's ceiling was indeed higher than his, but Leclerc's frequent teetering on the edge of his abilities sometimes resulted in a frighteningly low floor.

For example, there was the old "I am stupid!" and the previous "Nooooooo!"

Sainz never felt inferior to others, nor was he willing to be second to his teammates, because he knew what he was truly good at.

No matter how chaotic Toro Rosso was, no matter how unconventional Renault and McLaren were, Sainz always managed to find ways to consistently bring points back for the team.

They just have different strengths. Besides his high level of consistency, Sainz knows that his real strength lies in his ability to interpret the game and strategies in real time.

If he can truly utilize his expertise and have a suitable race car, Sainz believes he is qualified to contend for the championship.

The last time he came this close to the championship was at the British Grand Prix, where Shulong was so dominant on Red Bull's favored track that it was almost hopeless.

Now we've arrived at Red Bull's disadvantageous track. Theoretically, Ferrari has a higher chance of winning today than Silverstone, so there's no reason for them to let the championship slip away.

Sainz doesn't think he's that confused about whether a watermelon or a sesame seed is bigger; he desperately needs a championship to prove himself to the team and the paddock!
How about you occasionally have a little more expectation of me?
Looking in the rearview mirror at his former teammate who was coming on strong, Sainz made a decision that surprised everyone: he put Verstappen forward with almost no resistance.

He also knew that as long as he could hold his position firmly, he could not only wear down Verstappen's red tires and pull up a string of small trains, but also defend against Hamilton's attack.

At that point, there will be no more drivers posing a threat to him, and a P2 podium finish will be a sure thing.

But that would be tantamount to completely giving up hope of winning the championship, which is not the result Sainz hoped to see.

Verstappen's red tires are coming soon, right?

Then you can go up there!
Sainz's current strategy of holding off Verstappen will only further degrade Verstappen's tire condition. It would be better to put him in relatively clean propulsion air and take advantage of the red tires' remaining performance to chase down the dragon for a few laps.

The performance ceiling of the yellow tires is indeed insufficient, and the performance ceiling of the Sainz is also slightly lacking. Even if you try your best, it is impossible to achieve an overcut with a set of yellow tires.

While some people were indeed wary of this, Sainz knew he couldn't do the same.

But Verstappen is different. Sainz knows his old teammate's abilities, and he's the only one in the paddock who could pose the greatest threat to Shulong.

The lap time ceiling on red tires is undoubtedly higher. Putting Verstappen on the lap allows Sainz to benefit from the DRS (Driving Speed ​​Ratio) and also provides almost zero risk in defending against Hamilton's attacks from the red tires.

From any perspective, Sainz is confident that he made the wisest decision.

Both Red Bulls and he are currently using the same color tires, and there will definitely be one more pit stop in the remaining races.

Although Hamilton has met the requirement of using two or more compounds, the red tires cannot last for all the remaining laps, and he is destined to have one more pit stop.

Even if the seven-time champion can actually achieve the feat of 40 laps on red tires
Huh~
If Hamilton's tires are worn down by the small train now, by the third stint, he might be the only driver left in the entire podium group who can use red tires. At that time, with his huge advantage in tire grip, wouldn't he be able to do whatever he wants?

It's a good thing that Shulong's first set of red tires lasted 25 laps, which shows that his tire-holding ability is indeed extraordinary. The longer the second stint lasts, the more favorable the situation will be for Sainz in the later stages of the race!

but--

Sainz's desire for victory ultimately blinded him. Since he had already thought of this, how could he ignore the fact that Shulong had endured 25 laps on the first red tire?
Shu, who was being fiercely criticized by a group of people, was busy checking with René about the lap times of the others when he happened to see this scene on the roadside broadcast screen.

That Ferrari is a complete waste!

But then Shu Long realized something, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed instantly. He even accidentally let out a "hoho~?" laugh, and quickly used his front teeth to firmly press his upper and lower lips together.

Trying to put pressure on me with Max's red tires? Hoping to hitch a ride, huh?

Shu Long's fear is never that his teammates will overtake him on the track; what he fears is that his teammates will seize a good window of opportunity and use strategy to get ahead of him, which would shift the team's strategic focus back to Verstappen.

However, he is still in the lead position. Sainz's actions have undoubtedly put Verstappen in a difficult position. As long as Shulong indicates that he wants to enter the pits earlier, there is no reason for Red Bull to hand the knife to Verstappen when the situation is so clear.

He didn't really care which dragon his teammates would win in the end. The overall picture of the annual championship was pretty much set, barring any major surprises. He just didn't want his own position as the champion in his division to be threatened.

Eight points up and down equals 48, plus a 30 bonus for winning a championship. Having already borrowed part of his annual salary, Shu Long didn't feel he could be that generous.

Now that the situation on the field has become like this, the rest of the game will be much simpler.

Completely disregarding tire protection, Shulong switched the engine to STRAT 4 and pushed the tires to their limits for eight laps. On lap 40, seeing that the window looked promising, he pitted and put on the yellow tires.

Don't think you can get away with not paying the price for all the trouble you caused and the fear you gave others!
30 laps left, I'm going to wear you down!
The difficult question was raised again. As for how others should choose, it was none of Shu Long's business. He could handle 25 laps on red tires, and running 30 laps while leading was no problem for him at all.

Verstappen actually wanted to switch to yellow tires on lap 38, but the team couldn't let him have his way with such a crucial decision for the final championship battle. He could only switch to yellow tires on the lap after Shulong's pit stop.

There's no need to hold out any longer. Entering the pit early will allow you to warm up your yellow tires and avoid being taken down on the spot by Sainz, who's in red form after entering the pit.

Sainz was suddenly in a dilemma. The scene he had envisioned, where the Verstappen train would hold back Hamilton, did not materialize. Now, Old Liu behind him was menacing. If he didn't go into the station, he might get into trouble. But if he went in too early, he wasn't confident he could keep the red tires for that long.

In terms of driving skills, Sainz can confidently say that he is quite well-rounded, but his technical characteristics mean that speed and tire maintenance are incompatible. To make the red tires exert their advantages, it is inevitable that a lot of additional tire damage will occur. It is hard to say that Silverstone's helplessness when facing the Dragon's Bane is unrelated to this.

But if one chooses not to utilize the red tire's intended function in order to compete for the championship—

I don't know what the reaction was before Ferrari's pit wall, but Sainz can guess that someone must be looking very unhappy right now. According to the original conservative plan, at least keeping P2 would be a minor problem. The key issue is that this is the second time Sainz has resisted the team's instructions.

If Sainz doesn't deliver respectable results in the upcoming races, his situation at Ferrari could become very difficult.
Damn, I followed!

Good idea!
Hamilton, who was following behind, finally showed a smile. This feeling of having the game under control was a long-lost friend to him. They entered the pit together to change yellow cards.

There's no need to switch to red and go head-to-head with Sainz. Hamilton's dealers are unlikely to be confused about how to win next.

Shu Long, now completely at ease, paid little attention to how the battle would unfold, and was comfortably immersed in his long-distance advance with almost no interference.

All that is known is that when he stopped at the starting grid that belonged to P1, the only cars around him, besides his teammate's Red Bull, were a Mercedes that had voluntarily retreated to the yellow T.

Since one dares to gamble, in addition to the enviable benefits of winning big with a small investment, one must also bear the corresponding risks and costs.

Sainz knew Verstappen's capabilities and should have been prepared that Red Tire wouldn't be able to defeat the former Red Bull heir. As for Hamilton behind him...
Last year here, Sainz was taught a lesson by Hamilton in the final stages of the race. It was because Hamilton took three stops on his own initiative. It was understandable that the almost brand-new yellow tires had such a big advantage over the old white tires that had been worn for almost forty laps.

This year, I discovered that there are even advanced tutorials for this course, which is even more desperate than last year. The old man is relentlessly pressing me with DRS like a cat playing with a mouse. What Sainz did with Verstappen was almost immediately replicated by Hamilton.

at last.
Sainz has great hair that looks especially flowing in the wind, making him the most eye-catching person even in a crowd.

But as he stood below the stage, gazing blankly at the three people on stage who didn't know which one should be his, none of the three on stage, who were recklessly spraying champagne, paid any attention to the struggling soul in the corner.

It's so bad.

(End of this chapter)