Speed ​​God

Chapter 150 A small test of one’s skills
One act ends, another begins; neither side yields an inch, every strike draws blood.

The back-and-forth battles, though lacking the visible blood and gore of actual punches, still conveyed the pervasive tension and rising temperatures.

The three drivers in the leading group accelerated, and the fastest lap times kept appearing on the TV screen.

If you're not paying attention, it seems like just a blink of an eye, but the gap between Magnussen and Vettel has widened to twelve seconds, entering double digits.

With a seven-second lead over Vettel, Hamilton was actually about to create a pit stop window.

incredible!

And all of this happened in just six laps. Is the defending champion Mercedes-Benz really that formidable?
Even more unbelievable is that Lu Zhizhou, driving the Ferrari, was not completely shaken off and stayed close to Hamilton!
Exclamations of admiration, gasps of surprise, and astonishment filled the air.

Discussions are raging in live broadcasts, on television, and on social networks, and are also in full swing in the repair area.

Arrivabene and Greenwood stared intently at the constantly changing and updating numerical curves on the screen, their minds racing.

Plan A: Using Lu Zhizhou as bait, we will execute an undercut strategy.

The term "undercut" refers to a situation where a car like Lu Zhizhou's, which is temporarily behind, chooses to pit for a tire change earlier than Hamilton.

After changing the tires, if he can find an ideal window with no traffic ahead and a clear, unobstructed track, Lu Zhizhou can race at his heart's content, potentially setting lap times two or even three seconds faster than Hamilton.

This year, Pirelli has indeed managed to produce such a significant difference in lap times between different tires.

Therefore, when Hamilton entered the pits, Lu Zhizhou had already taken the lead by passing through the pit lane exit and strategically overtook him.

Even if he didn't succeed, it didn't matter. Lu Zhizhou had already completed a lap, and the new tires had reached operating temperature. In terms of grip, he could still outpace Hamilton, who had just left the pits. Under these circumstances, Lu Zhizhou could showcase his driving skills to the fullest and attempt to overtake on the track.

This is what is known as "undercut".

If you can't find an opportunity on the track, then turn the tide through strategy.

So, is it possible to break this tactic?
of course!

Aside from factors such as traffic and the driver's own performance, opponents can also be countered.

The strategy wasn't difficult: after Lu Zhizhou pitted, Mercedes immediately pitted Hamilton on the next lap.

On the one hand, it reduces the space for Lu Zhizhou to catch up with the gap by using the new tires to improve his lap time on the track. On the other hand, it minimizes the difference in tire performance between Hamilton and Lu Zhizhou after Hamilton returns to the track. The rest is up to Hamilton to defend on the track.

In just one lap, Lu Zhizhou wanted to use the new tires to create a two- or even three-second gap, which was incredibly difficult. In this way, the "undercut" tactic was broken.

Therefore, the so-called Plan A, which on the surface appears to be Lu Zhizhou's undercut and creating an opportunity for Lu Zhizhou to win the championship, is actually just bait.

If Mercedes chooses to pit alongside Lu Zhizhou to break the undercut, Hamilton will still be able to keep Lu Zhizhou in check. In that case, Vettel will remain on the track to execute the overcut and become the track leader.

If there is an undercut, there will naturally be an overcut; in fact, the strategies are corresponding.

The so-called "overcut" is also aimed at the position of the trailing player, such as Lu Zhizhou or Vettel. When Hamilton pits first, Vettel is still on the track. At this time, the track ahead is empty and the traffic is smooth. He tries his best to widen the gap and make up for the time lost earlier, so as to gain an advantage for pitting. Perhaps he can continue to lead Hamilton after pitting for tires.

Ten years ago, when F1 pit stops required refueling, the overcut strategy was used more frequently because cars could maintain their lap times by staying on the track with a light fuel load. However, the era of refueling is over; now, tire wear is a matter of life and death.

At this point, if you stay on the track, the tires will wear out and may even lose grip. Firstly, the speed will be slow, and secondly, if you try to push to the limit, you may slip or even lock up. If you are not careful, you will have to leave the race. Therefore, the difficulty and risk of overcutting will visibly increase.

However, risk does not mean impossibility.

Ferrari believes in Vettel, or rather, Arrivabene believes in Vettel's abilities; the chances of an overcut being successful are very high.

Of course, what if Hamilton doesn't fall for it and refuses to follow Lu Zhizhou into the pit? What if Mercedes' strategy completely changes according to Vettel's choice, utterly ignoring Lu Zhizhou's ability to complete the undercut?

Therefore, the heavy responsibility of Ferrari's championship challenge falls on Lu Zhizhou's shoulders.

If Lu Zhizhou's undercut is successful, Ferrari will completely turn the tide; however, the greater risk is that Lu Zhizhou failed to find a better pit window in order to execute the tactic, and instead pitted for the sake of pitting, getting stuck in traffic after exiting the pit. This would not only cause his undercut to fail, but also put his podium chances at risk.

Imagine that Mercedes-Benz might completely ignore Lu Zhizhou, after all, Lu Zhizhou is just a newcomer, and Wolff would not have been unaware of the possibility of a "bait plan".

That's why Ferrari needed to increase Lu Zhizhou's influence. When Hamilton started to accelerate, Lu Zhizhou immediately pushed forward to keep up, constantly putting pressure on Hamilton, and displaying a determined attitude that could switch between undercut and overcut at any time.

Arrivabene needs Wolf to join the team.

This is the complete blueprint for Plan A.

Lu Zhizhou played the role of decoy, fulfilling his role as the second driver; while Vettel was still the one truly challenging for the championship, showcasing the strength of the Ferrari team.

Ferrari needs to take full advantage of the opportunity presented by Lu Zhizhou and Vettel surrounding Hamilton to reverse their qualifying disadvantage and achieve a winning start to the season.

So far, everything seems to be going well.

Toto Wolff must have missed Bottas more than ever. Although Hamilton still held the lead, Lu Zhizhou relentlessly pursued him, applying constant pressure. This gave Ferrari the strategic advantage, while Mercedes was put on the defensive at the tactical level.

However, an unexpected event still occurred—

Tires! Still, it's the tires that determine life or death!

Judging from the curve, Luzhizhou Tires is in good condition. Although it has been closely following Hamilton, the downward curve has maintained a stable trend.

That's not the point. If Plan A is executed, it can proceed regardless of the condition of Lu Zhizhou's tires. The key issue is Vettel's tires.

The consumption is severe and unsustainable.

Continuing with Plan A, and Hamilton pitting as well, means Vettel would need to stay on the track and try an overcut, but given the current tire condition, is that really possible?
One wrong move and you could slip, spin, or even crash and be forced to retire from the race!
As the two competition engineers read through the data feedback, Arivabene's mind raced.

Just then, Vettel's voice came through the radio, "These damn tires are unbelievable, unmanageable, the rear wing keeps slipping. This is undrivable! I need to pit and change these damn tires."

The engines roared continuously, and both race engineers' eyes were fixed on Arrivabene.

The air is burning; every second counts, everything is changing rapidly. There's no time for idle chatter here.

Arivabene asked in a low voice, "Seba, how much longer can the tires hold up?"

"Damn it. I don't want to do another lap now, two laps at most, that's my limit." Vettel was clearly very dissatisfied. His car setup was more focused on pushing the limits of straightaways and high-speed corners, but the tire wear today was simply unbelievable, constantly pushing his limits of rationality.

"Received," Arivaben said, immediately turning to Greenwood.

Greenwood has already communicated with Lu Zhizhou. "He said that he has started to get blisters, but it's not serious yet. He should be able to keep going for five to eight laps. Any more than that, he can only take it one step at a time."

What Greenwood didn't say was that Lu Zhizhou sounded calm and focused on the radio. Even though he couldn't see the screen, he could imagine Lu Zhizhou staring intently at his prey.

In the past six laps of pursuit, Lu Zhizhou did not adopt the extreme pushing mode. Instead, he used the extreme control mode from the first two qualifying sessions, increasing the pace while controlling the tires. He did not pursue closing the distance quickly, but instead left the dirty air area at a moderate distance while continuously applying pressure.

At this point, both mental and physical pressure fall on the leader, while the pursuers seem to be in a much more relaxed position.

Frankly, he couldn't imagine the pressure Hamilton was under.

It now appears that tire utilization in Q2 qualifying is becoming an unknown factor in the race.

Arrivabene looked at the computer screen again. Vettel and Lu Zhizhou's feedback perfectly matched the data chart, and there was indeed a significant difference in tire consumption.

At this point, what's needed is a decisive action—

According to Pirelli's official data, the supersoft tires only have a lifespan of ten to fifteen laps in the main race, and at this point the race had already progressed to the seventeenth lap.

In other words, a large-scale pit stop wave is about to occur, not only Vettel, but other drivers are also expected to reach their limits one by one.

Therefore, if you want to be fast, you must take the lead; if you continue to hesitate, all strategies will fail.

Moreover, Arrivabene stared at Hamilton's tiny dot on the screen, still speeding along and even accelerating further. Hamilton's tires seemed to be in better condition than Vettel's, and he should be able to keep going for another lap or two. If he continued to hesitate, the undercut window would disappear.

Without hesitation, Arrivabene looked at the two race engineers and gave them instructions.

In the live stream, Croft noticed the change immediately—

"Pit. Pit." The radio crackled to Vettel, and his race engineer, Ricardo Adami, was the first to pull the trigger.

Croft exclaimed, "Lap 18, Vettel pits! Ferrari launches the first attack!"

In an instant, the wind and clouds surged, and the entire Albert Park circuit began to stir.

Eyes darted back and forth between Vettel and Hamilton, wondering if Hamilton would immediately respond when Vettel made the first move.

Greenwood also relayed instructions via radio: "Seba, prepare to enter the station. Plans changed. You're doing very well now, keep the pressure on."

Lu Zhizhou raised an eyebrow slightly, looking somewhat surprised. "Plan B?"

After receiving Greenwood's confirmation, Lu Zhizhou quickly refocused and stayed concentrated. If this was Plan B, then they couldn't continue like this.

In a flash, Lu Zhizhou shifted his attention from Hamilton to himself, focusing on his driving rhythm.

Plan B is essentially Plan A with a change in position: Vettel will pit first to perform the undercut, while Lu Zhizhou will remain on the track to perform the overcut.

Then, they continued their pincer attack on Hamilton.

The ideal scenario would be for Vettel to successfully undercut Hamilton and take the lead, while Lu Zhizhou would also successfully overcut Hamilton, keeping close behind Vettel and suppressing him. In that case, Ferrari could finish first and second.

Naturally, Lu Zhizhou cannot be drawn into Hamilton's rhythm; he needs to proceed at his own pace, trying to find a balance between extending tire life and maintaining lap speed.

After all, in this day and age, the difficulty and risk of overcuts have reached unprecedented levels, making it a dance at the very limits for drivers.

At this moment, Lu Zhizhou could see Hamilton's composure and shrewdness. After learning that Vettel had taken the lead in preparing for the undercut, he did not panic.

Not only did they not pit, but they pushed the car to its limits even further. On the nineteenth lap, they still did not pit and maintained their pace despite the tires being at their limit, subtly widening the gap between the first and second place teams, which had now reached three seconds.

Despite Lu Zhizhou's control of the pace, Hamilton still displayed peak performance.

Absolutely fierce!

Ferrari was caught between joy and anxiety. On one hand, they were glad that Mercedes did not pit immediately, and the undercut tactic might have succeeded. On the other hand, seeing Hamilton's lap time, they felt the pressure, and Adami urged Vettel, who had just started the race, to get into push mode.

In a truly meaningful way, every second can determine the outcome!

Vettel did indeed seize an excellent pit window, emerging from the pits half a car length ahead of Magnussen into Turn 1.

Still in third place! Only Hamilton and Lu Zhizhou are ahead of them!
Over the past two laps, Haas cars have dropped significantly in lap times, both Magnussen and Grossman's cars have, and not only Hamilton, but Vettel has also pulled away, inexplicably setting a pit stop window.

Entering the station, I was third; exiting the station, I was still third.

This means that Vettel has a clear path ahead, and he can run at full speed and unleash his full potential. He is currently about 26 seconds behind Hamilton. If he can reduce the gap to within 20 seconds in the following time, Hamilton will fall behind him after leaving the pit.

Normally, six seconds might take some effort, but given the vastly different tire conditions of the two drivers, making up three seconds in one lap is not a problem.

The initiative was entirely in Vettel's hands.

In an instant, Lu Zhizhou disappeared, and all eyes were focused on Hamilton and Vettel. The two four-time world champion drivers were engaged in a race in different areas of the track, and the live broadcast was even split up to focus on cars number 44 and number 5 respectively.

The roar of the engine seeped into my blood, transforming into a heartbeat, my blood boiled, and I was on the verge of suffocation.

Then, on lap 20, Hamilton pitted!
In an instant, the entire audience held their breath.

While watching Hamilton in the pit lane, I also watched Vettel leave the second time slot and accelerate into the third.

One in front, one behind, one to the left, one to the right—who will be the first to enter Jones Bend No. 1!

In the field of vision, on the right side of the track, the Ferrari No. 5 race car roared towards the starting line; on the left side of the pit lane, the Mercedes No. 44 race car left the pit lane under speed limits, resumed normal speed, and entered the track.

Wow!
In an instant, the entire stadium erupted in cheers; Mercedes-Benz's response was calm and excellent.

Hamilton entered Jones Turn 1 first, followed closely by Vettel, who was two seconds behind, but his undercut was unsuccessful.

However, the battle was not over yet. Vettel, whose tires had run two laps and were now at operating temperature, launched a full-scale attack on Hamilton, who had just entered the game.

The contest between the silver and red champions captivated the entire audience, who watched with bated breath as the two top athletes engaged in a close-quarters battle of offense and defense. So much so that everyone completely forgot that the race leader had quietly changed—

Lu Zhizhou is leading the season opener.

Huh!
I couldn't help but gasp.

Even the slightest difference, every second counts.

The contest between Hamilton and Vettel has entered a fierce stage, evolving from pit stop strategies to individual track performances into a back-and-forth battle. The head-to-head duel between the two top paddock drivers has Albert Park in a frenzy, with the live broadcast cameras relentlessly following the action.

However, Brendel noticed another detail and couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are witnessing history."

"While two four-time world champion drivers are facing off on the track, we also welcome the youngest Grand Prix leader in F1 history." "Lu Zhizhou!"

"This young driver from China is leading the Australian Grand Prix, breaking Max Verstappen's record set at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix at the age of 18 years and 135 days, becoming the youngest driver ever to lead a Grand Prix."

Blood surged and boiled involuntarily.

In front of the television, Wang Lin could no longer control himself. He stood up, his buttocks off the stool, his hands clenched into fists, and he couldn't help but shout.

"Speed ​​up! Boss, speed up!"

Song Bo glared at Wang Lin and rolled his eyes. "Boss isn't someone you can just call anyone!" But there was no time to argue. He didn't even have time to complain. He just offered an explanation.

"We can't speed things up now, we need to increase the pace. Do you think the boss is a turret?"

Wang Lin's eyes widened. "If we don't speed up, won't the cars behind catch up? Isn't F1 a race about who drives the fastest?"

Song Bo: "Rhythm is rhythm, and speed is speed; they are two different things."

In the world of Formula 1, pace is crucial; it is related to speed, but it is more than just speed.

The so-called rhythm, to be precise, should be the ability to consistently and stably run the best lap time at the current stage. It includes not only single lap speed, but also consistency and stability across multiple laps and even throughout the entire race.

Rhythm reflects the overall performance of a race car, including its performance, driver style, tire management, fuel/electricity, and other factors.

This can be understood as follows: a race car may be slightly slower in a single lap, but in a long race, it can demonstrate a stronger "rhythm" through consistent lap times and excellent tire management.

In fact, running is the most intuitive example.

The speed is 400 meters, just one lap, sprinting at full speed, finishing in under a minute.

The rhythm is like a marathon, focusing on maintaining an average pace throughout the race and adjusting it according to different stages of the race. A runner can finish the race at a pace of four minutes per kilometer, but slightly faster in the first half at three minutes and fifty seconds per kilometer; slightly slower in the second half at four minutes and ten seconds per kilometer; and can speed up in the final sprint.

F1 is the same; it pursues both speed and rhythm, both of which are reflected in the "lap time" figures.

Therefore, in the main race, rhythm is more important than speed, showcasing the driver's precise control.

Among active drivers, Hamilton's rhythm is incredibly smooth and unparalleled. There is no doubt that the defending champion is at the peak of his career.

As Song Bo said, the real test Lu Zhizhou was facing at this moment was the rhythm.

Whether it's street racing or GP3, the main pursuit is speed, racing at breakneck speed. Although GP3 also requires rhythm, it's just the beginning.

The F1 season opener was Lu Zhizhou's first official Formula One race, and pace control was merely a vague and ambiguous concept for him.

It all comes down to intuition.

To be honest, Lu Zhizhou wasn't nervous at all; in fact, he was a little excited. So, shall we give it a try?

From the moment Vettel pitted and switched to Plan B on lap eighteen, Lu Zhizhou was trying to control the pace. Although it was very unfamiliar to him, there was a master of pace ahead of him. Hamilton started to increase the pace from lap twelve, and Lu Zhizhou followed closely and learned from him.

Rhythm can be understood as a kind of rhythm, through the beat felt by breathing, heartbeat, and body muscles, and then finding a resonant state between the track and the car.

While the crowd was buzzing with excitement over Hamilton and Vettel's head-to-head duel, and the live broadcast was in an uproar over Lu Zhizhou's historic achievement, Lu Zhizhou, immersed in the roar of his engine, shut out all the noise and distractions, trying to find his rhythm at the Albert Park circuit.

His rhythm.

Feel the undulations of the track with your toes and steps, softly and directly, just like running a marathon, or like ballet steps, experiencing the subtle transitions between continuity and extension.

"David, how's Hamilton's pace right now?" Lu Zhizhou asked over the radio.

Greenwood: "Around 27 seconds. You're now able to lead by three to four points per lap."

Lu Zhizhou's brain was working at high speed—

Hamilton was about three seconds behind before his pit stop. If he wanted to successfully overcut, he had to stay on the track and make up for those three seconds.

If you can make up for 0.3 seconds per lap, that means you need at least ten laps. But can the tires hold up?
Moreover, Hamilton has just switched to brand new tires, which are soft tires. His lap time should be slightly slower than the supersoft tires on Lu Zhizhou's current car. However, once the soft tires reach operating temperature, coupled with the fact that Lu Zhizhou's supersoft tires are entering their degradation period, the situation may turn around.

Fortunately, Lu Zhizhou was not fighting alone.

Vettel is chasing Hamilton, and if Hamilton doesn't want to pit for a second tire change, he must also control his pace and not push at full speed.

But this involves considerations of station entry strategy: should Hamilton make one or two entry stops?
Ferrari's Plan B is based on a single pit stop; in other words, while Vettel is chasing Hamilton, he also needs to protect his tires to avoid a second pit stop.

Everything is subject to change and is a game of strategy.

Greenwood's voice came through again, "How are the tires?"

Lu Zhizhou replied, "The bubble has disappeared, so we should be able to hold on a little longer. David, where can I improve now?" He couldn't see the data directly, so he urgently needed his competition engineer's help to make adjustments immediately.

Greenwood, "Turn 9. Turn 13."

The radio went silent again, quickly swallowed up by the continuous roar of the engine. Turn 9 was eased off a little earlier, and the throttle point at Turn 13 was delayed by half a second. The tire temperature dropped slightly, but the grip was still maintained.

Perhaps an observer wouldn't notice it immediately, but Brendel observed carefully and keenly noticed the details.

Lu Zhizhou was calm and composed, as still as water. On every curve, he used the gentlest steering to protect the front tires and the cleanest lines to release grip. The red Ferrari was like a tamed cheetah, never before had it behaved so obediently in his hands, stealthily moving at full speed amidst the noise.

Especially in the last combination of curves in the third timing segment, Lu Zhizhou's driving was truly fluid and seamless.

A pure visual treat.

"Over the past three laps, Lu Zhizhou's lap time has remained around 1 minute 26.7 seconds, with a difference of about 0.2 seconds. This young baby rider is showing unparalleled rhythm, and now the gap between him and Hamilton is widening. But obviously, Hamilton doesn't have time to pay attention to Lu Zhizhou for the time being, because Vettel is launching a full-scale attack."

"Fourteen seconds, no, Lu Zhizhou is now fifteen seconds ahead of Hamilton!"

"Fifteen seconds! Not far from a pit stop! While all eyes are on the fierce battle between Hamilton and Vettel, this young driver is quietly showcasing his talent and ability!"

"My God, who can believe that Lu Zhizhou is actually attempting an overcut! The Mercedes-Benz service area definitely didn't anticipate this!"

"The current problem is, will his tires hold up?"

An unexpected situation has arisen—

All eyes were initially focused on the offensive and defensive battle between Hamilton and Vettel, almost forgetting that Lu Zhizhou was currently leading the race.

But slowly, slowly, attention began to shift towards car number 22, which was leading the pack.

1:26.738、1:26.445、1:26.891。

The live stream screen displayed data showing that Lu Zhizhou's lap times over the past three laps were astonishing.

Although he still couldn't perfectly replicate Hamilton's every lap, keeping the lap time difference within 0.1 seconds, the rookie driver's performance in the high-pressure 300 km/h races had already stunned the entire paddock.

However, now a problem arises—

Can the tires support it?

I've completed six laps in Q2 qualifying and twenty-two laps in the race. I'm currently on my twenty-ninth lap overall.

For Lu Zhizhou's supersoft tires, they were bearing pressure and hardship they shouldn't have had to endure. They could fall apart at any moment, and it wouldn't be surprising if they slipped, locked up, or spun around in the next second. At this moment, Lu Zhizhou was truly dancing wildly on the ice.

However, the gap between Lu Zhizhou and Hamilton has only widened to around 15.5 seconds, which is still not enough for a pit stop.

In other words, if Lu Zhizhou enters the station now, all his previous efforts will be in vain, and he will still fall behind Hamilton, or even Vettel if he is not careful.

That's the difficulty of an overcut!
Greenwood's eyes were fixed on Lu Zhizhou's tire degradation curve the entire time. "How is the tire condition?"

At the height of his tension, Lu Zhizhou's voice came through, "I'm dancing, David, how was the performance?"

Greenwood: ...Was Lu Zhizhou just joking?

The Ferrari service area was on high alert, and the Mercedes service area was in a similar state, with tensions running high and Wolff making decisions.

On lap 23, Lu Zhizhou still didn't pit. He drove past the pit lane entrance and straight across the finish line, his determination to execute the overcut unwavering. This meant Mercedes had to respond: should they let Hamilton push forward? If so, to what extent? To the point of having to make an additional pit stop?

However, at this moment, an unexpected event occurred—

Haas's Magnussen is currently ranked fourth. After pitting to change tires, he slowed down immediately after leaving the pits.

Finally, it slowly leaves Turn 1, drives straight onto the run-off area, and stops in an area that does not affect the race.

Yellow flag, here we come!
Everyone was stunned and confused. Haas had performed exceptionally well today and had a chance to set a new team record. How could things have gone wrong so suddenly?
It was confirmed that Magnussen's left rear tire was not tightened properly when he was changing tires in the pit area. He was in danger of the tire falling off as soon as he left the pits, which forced Magnussen to end the race.

The situation was instantly disrupted.

This was originally the best time to enter the station.

The reason is very simple: under normal circumstances, while a race car is in the pit lane, it is still speeding at 300 kilometers per hour, and the time lost in the pit lane is 20 to 23 seconds.

Under yellow flag and safety car conditions, the time it takes for a car to enter the pit lane is the same, but the cars on the track must be limited to speeds of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour. The relative time in the pit lane is completely different, so the lost time is reduced to 12 to 14 seconds.

Therefore, yellow flags and safety vehicles are often the best windows for entering the station.

but!

The problem arose with Magnussen, while Lu Zhizhou had already pulled ahead and was racing ahead. When Magnussen stopped, Lu Zhizhou had just passed the pit lane entrance, narrowly missing the yellow flag window and starting the battle for the 24th lap.

Next, with speed limits in yellow flag condition, the Albert Park circuit seemed to be getting longer than ever.

The accidents are far from over!
Haas driver Grosjean, who pitted on the next lap after his teammate Magnussen, also slowly pulled over to the side of the track shortly after leaving the pits.

It couldn't even get into the buffer zone!
The security vehicle was deployed.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Haas had a stellar performance today, finishing fourth and fifth respectively, making a brilliant start to the new season. However, they never expected that both cars would be eliminated within two laps, going from heaven to hell in the blink of an eye.

Then the news spread that the tires were still not tightened properly, this time it was the left front tire.

It wasn't a car malfunction, driver error, or track accident; it was purely a pit stop mistake. Two identical errors ruined the team's entire effort.

Everything happened too fast, too suddenly, too fiercely, leaving me completely disoriented—

"Enter the station. Enter the station. Enter the station." Greenwood's palms were sweating as he immediately notified Lu Zhizhou.

Lu Zhizhou knew that the safety vehicle had been deployed, but to be honest, he didn't know what had happened yet. At this moment, he had to stay focused and enter the maintenance area.

Lu Zhizhou had practiced a lot during the winter break and winter tests, but the main race was different. He did not expect his first time entering the station would be so special.

The Ferrari service area is fully prepared and ready to go, with all eyes on the entrance.

Race car number 22 has appeared.

The speed limit button was there; the race car immediately slowed down, smoothly entered the pit lane, and came to a precise stop.

The four wheel guns fell almost simultaneously with the vehicle body, removing the supersoft tires and replacing them with soft tires.

2.7 seconds!
That splash of red roared off the lift, glided past the maintenance line, and cut back onto the track—

In the distance, at the end of the starting straight, the silver and red duo were simultaneously crossing the timing line, a wave of heat hitting us.

The entire audience held their breath; all the noise in front of the television vanished in an instant.

No one expected that after the undercut showdown, the overcut clash would happen again. So who will have the last laugh this time?
On the left side of the live stream, a bright red figure, accompanied by rolling heat waves, is leaving the maintenance area; on the right side, a streak of light, transformed into a silver arrow, is steadily and continuously speeding away, with a red figure relentlessly chasing after it in the wake of the airflow.

The air was stagnant.

Lu Zhizhou was not only focused but also calm. He left the repair area, turned off the speed limiter, floored the accelerator, and the rear tires roared as they approached the temperature limit.

At this moment, it becomes apparent that Lu Zhizhou still lacks experience. His heart is pounding and his nerves are on edge. The adrenaline surges out in that instant, causing him to press the accelerator a little too hard. The newly installed tires clearly have no grip, and the entire car feels slightly unstable.

Immediately, Lu Zhizhou realized his mistake. In the blink of an eye, there was no time for regret or remorse. He immediately assessed his position and the situation on the track.

Lu Zhizhou took the lead, first releasing the throttle and then adding throttle to control the balance, exiting the pits and returning to the track before Hamilton, firmly maintaining his position!
However, Hamilton was not far behind, only about fifteen to twenty meters behind, and two streaks of light, one red and one silver, rushed toward Jones Turn one after the other.

In a close-quarters battle, following the opening start, "Lu Zhizhou VS Hamilton 2.0" unfolded, but this time, the offensive and defensive positions were reversed!

The only thing to play is the heartbeat!

(End of this chapter)