Speed ​​God

Chapter 115 Pride and Prejudice
Roar, roar—

Cheers. Jumping. Headbanging. Celebration.

The ART team's maintenance area erupted in cheers, adrenaline surged, and all the pent-up frustration accumulated over the past period was released in one go.

It's not just about being happy for Lu Zhizhou.

The team members started cheering, urging Borrepeller to come onto the dance floor and show off his dancing skills.

"Pierre, Pierre, go, go, go!"

Is that... the rhythm of the can-can dance?
Borrepeller's face instantly turned purplish-red, like a wilted eggplant, and he was on the verge of tears: Why are you treating me like this?
Wasser was no exception among the crowd.

He had none of the poise and airs of a team leader, mingling with the crowd and joining in the commotion, even shouting more enthusiastically than anyone else.

Then, satisfied, he turned around and walked towards Nicholas Todd, who was standing behind him with his arms crossed, and stood beside him with a big smile.

Nicholas turned slightly to the side and, amidst the noise and commotion, raised his voice, "Did you anticipate this?"

A novice, a newbie, an outsider, a newborn – this is a high-stakes gamble for the ART team, attempting to reach new heights in the new season.

Of course, they are not reckless gamblers and have already made two preparations. Han Shilong and Russell are the ART team's trump cards for the new season and are highly anticipated. If Lu Zhizhou can perform well, that would be great, but if he doesn't, the ART team will still not collapse.

But what about now?

Nicolas finally understood the complex emotions Marchionne felt back then—a mixture of pride, smugness, unease, and uncontrollable anticipation.

Reason told them to stay calm; there was no need to get carried away by one or two outstanding performances. They had seen far too many examples of this in the world of Formula racing.

F3/GP3表现出色，却在F2泯然于众人；甚至于在F2技惊四座风光无限，结果在F1赛场碌碌无为光环散尽。

The advancements in Formula One racing go far beyond just engine and speed improvements. The real key lies in controlling the limits of physics. Driving these cars will become increasingly difficult, a true dance on the edge of a knife, with every detail pushing the limits of both physics and the human body.

Therefore, don't rush things or force things to grow faster; this is just GP3.

But the surge and boiling of emotions were hard to control; my heart was pounding and my passion was burning.

They couldn't help but wonder, if Lu Zhizhou had already demonstrated such ability in just a few months, what would happen if given a year? Two years? What would they witness then?
Nicholas believed that Marchionne had this mentality: he always tried to control his restless expectations and excitement with reason, but every now and then he couldn't help but get excited because of Lu Zhizhou's growth and transformation, because he was the same now.

Vasseur shrugged slightly. "Of course."

Nicholas was taken aback by the confident tone and turned to look at her in astonishment.

Vasser chuckled. "Just kidding. Just kidding."

"Of course not. I expected him to perform well, but this level of excellence is truly beyond my expectations, Nick. I think old Todd might have really struck gold."

After a pause, Vasser turned to his partner. "So, have you planned his future?"

Nicholas let out a long breath and gave a wry smile. "To be honest, no. Everything happened too fast. I was caught off guard and didn't have time to plan properly."

"This was my mistake."

"But it's okay. It's still not too late to start now."

Wasser nudged Nicholas on the shoulder with a broad smile, "The young man is performing so well, you old bones must keep up too."

The uproar was widespread; the Spanish Grand Prix was simply not in the same league.

The paddock hadn't been this lively because of GP3 in a very long time, because everyone there lived within this system and had long been accustomed to the rules.

卡丁车。F4。F3/GP3。F2。F1。

One step at a time, one step at a time. Some may be able to skip F4, some may only need to choose between F3 and GP3, but overall, this is the advancement path in Formula racing, and the FIA ​​has always emphasized this, making efforts to ensure the safety of the cars. Verstappen is the only exception.

It is precisely because of this exception that the FIA's regulations are becoming increasingly stringent, making every effort to prevent such exceptions from happening again and to ensure the safety of drivers and races.

In other words, the paddock is used to the whole system. They keep an eye on karting, F4, GP3, etc., but only when the drivers enter F2 can they truly stand under the spotlight and be surrounded by the storm of discussion.

No one can break down the barriers.

Therefore, the rumors surrounding Lu Zhizhou and Leclerc were merely the work of a small group of onlookers who enjoyed the drama. The real bigwigs in the paddock didn't care at all, and even if they were interested, their attention was entirely on Leclerc.

Now, Lu Zhizhou has won the main draw of the Austrian Grand Prix again, adding another point to the discussion. The situation has quietly changed, and the onlookers are going crazy.

My heart was surging with excitement, and a wave of heat spread throughout the area.

However, this wave still failed to break down prejudice and overcome barriers.

"The credit all goes to the ART team."

People refused to acknowledge Lu Zhizhou's victory, firmly believing that it was because ART possessed a Mars rover that dominated the paddock, with its chassis and aerodynamic components perfectly suited to the Red Bull Ring, placing it a whole level above its competitors. The one who won the Austrian Grand Prix again was not Lu Zhizhou, but that Mars rover.

Furthermore, they did not make up lies; the evidence was right in front of them.

The 2017 Austrian Grand Prix GP3 race has successfully concluded, and the final rankings are clear.

First, Lu Zhizhou, ART Racing Team.

Second, Russell, ART team.

Third, Han Shilong, ART Racing Team.

Fourth, Hubert, ART team.

The ART team not only swept the podium, but also took the top four spots!

Hubert, who started eighth, performed exceptionally well in the race, chasing all the way to finish fourth and setting the fastest lap time, proving himself.

After a slump at the Spanish Grand Prix, Hubert finally adapted to the pace of GP3 and began to shine.

As a result, the ART team swept the top three positions in qualifying and the top four positions in the race. Undoubtedly, they had the fastest car in the paddock, and their competitors simply couldn't catch up.

With ART behind them, the other competing teams clearly lacked the strength to compete.

Behind Uber, the fifth-ranked driver was a full twenty-three seconds behind. The fact that such a large gap could be achieved on a fast-paced track like the Red Bull Ring undoubtedly proves that the ART team's car setup is far superior.

Currently, the only team in the paddock that can keep up with the pace of the ART team is the Trident, who have taken fifth and sixth place, a very impressive performance.

Alesi, in particular, had a disappointing season opener, starting and finishing sixth, but finally managed to score points.

Furthermore, Alesi will start from third on the grid in the upcoming sprint race, and this aggressive rider should be able to shine at the Red Bull Ring.

The answer is already right in front of us, and it couldn't be clearer.

Lu Zhizhou's victory was not due to the exceptional talent or skill of this new driver, but rather because the ART team possessed a car that no one in the entire paddock could match. Lu Zhizhou simply got lucky by currying favor with Nicolas and successfully got into that car. That's the whole truth.

"There's no need to exaggerate. Seriously, even a cat could win the race if it sat in that car."

　This is the fifth update today.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)