Speed ​​God

Chapter 156: Red
A sea of ​​people surged forward, one after another. Brendel, caught in the throes of the crowd, felt as if he were in a raging storm, barely able to stand. He stared in disbelief as the vast red ocean spread out from the number 22 car, leaving even Vettel and Bottas as mere spectators.

"Zhizhou".

"Zhizhou!"

It took a lot of effort, and Brendel's old bones were almost giving way, but he managed to catch up with Lu Zhizhou's steps amidst the noise.

"You're really going all out!" That was the first thing she blurted out.

Lu Zhizhou's smile widened. "That's because we're surrounded. It's either all-out attack or elimination. I want to stay in the hunting grounds a little longer."

Confident and bright, sharp yet not aggressive, responding to doubts with a humble yet assertive attitude while stating one's position.

Everything was perfect.

Even Brendel got excited, "So what's next? The next stop is your home turf, are you ready to go all out again?"

"Haha." Lu Zhizhou laughed heartily. "Just wait and see."

Instead of giving a direct answer, they left the question unanswered, maintaining humility while displaying unwavering confidence, showcasing the exuberant spirit of youth soaring through the air.

Everything was just as the official press conference before the race showed – no room for verbal sparring, just action and letting the results be seen on the track.

Let the storm rage on, whether it be questioning, attacking, mocking, or ridiculing. He will face all challenges head-on with dignity and pride.

This is the true attitude of Ferrari.

A kind of inner strength, an aura and demeanor that emanates from within, an untamed spirit and pride deeply ingrained in one's bones. It is not because of being a champion that one becomes a champion, but because of being confident. Regardless of success or failure, high or low, even if one falls to the ground and is covered in mud, one will never lose the courage and fighting spirit of a champion.

That aura was completely natural.

In recent years, Ferrari has been in trouble. After the collapse of the trio of Michael Schumacher, Jean Todt, and Ross Brawn, it has been unable to return to its peak. In fact, Ferrari has had a group of top drivers since then, including world champions such as Vettel and Raikkonen, but it has always lacked a certain spirit.

A sense of pride, a sense of untamed spirit, a sense of courage.

But now——

Brendel actually saw that kind of aura in that baby carriage driver!

For that brief moment, Brendel truly felt it, but it vanished in an instant. He still doubted his eyes, wondering if he had made a mistake in his judgment. Perhaps it was just because the desert night in Bahrain was too crazy and too sweltering, and he was lost in thought amidst his boiling blood, and he was also infected by the atmosphere of the scene.

Finally, an illusion is created.

So, was that an illusion?
Brendel felt he should calm down, remain objective, and observe more closely; it seemed that the waters of F1 were truly about to be churned by a storm.

But not Verstappen, whom everyone believed in and eagerly anticipated?

Brendel slightly raised his head, looked up at the podium, and a smile immediately bloomed on his face—

Having learned from his previous experience, Lu Zhizhou, now standing on the podium for the second time in a row, was clearly more cautious. He quickly opened the champagne and launched a swift counterattack.

Vettel and Bottas clearly lacked coordination and hadn't communicated properly, resulting in Lu Zhizhou separating them with a single step and attacking them one by one.

Viter, quick-witted, sensed something was wrong and immediately turned to attack Arivabene, fleeing far from the battlefield; as a result, Bottas, that honest man, was subjected to concentrated firepower from Lu Zhizhou, fleeing all the way but unable to escape, in a very sorry state.

It's only the second time, and Lu Zhizhou has already switched from defense to offense. His growth rate is really fast.

The moment Lu Zhizhou stepped off the podium, the sports sections of major media outlets around the world were almost entirely dominated by the same photo—

Lu Zhizhou stood on the podium, raising a champagne glass high. His red racing suit shone brightly under the lights. Although his hair was wet with champagne, his short hair was casually and stylishly combed back, revealing youthful vigor and unrestrained spirit. His lips curled up, displaying both the sharpness of a newborn calf and the confidence of a seasoned chess player.

It appeared out of nowhere! It swept the globe!
"Baby stroller battles against a powerhouse again! Lu Zhizhou single-handedly withstands the onslaught from Mercedes-Benz!"

"It's not luck, it's skill! The rookie driver showcased top-level defense in Bahrain!"

"The art of defense, the ultimate survival of car number 22!"

"Lu Zhizhou was the biggest contributor to bringing back Ferraris One and Two."

"In Bahrain, a land rife with chaos and unexpected events, Lu Zhizhou shines brightly!"

100% absolute focus.

People were stunned when they opened the article and started reading, only to realize that Vettel was the champion. What was with the headline?

However, the facts before us are absolutely astonishing—

With the two Grand Prix races of the new season concluded, Lu Zhizhou is prominently positioned at the top of the driver standings!

The shock is overwhelming.

After the winter testing ended, all the predictions inside and outside the paddock, even the most professional and rational ones, and even the most loyal Iron Buddha Temple, could not have foreseen this scene.

A season of fierce competition between two four-time world champion drivers was unprecedented in the history of F1, a season to be remembered. However, the result was that a baby driver who emerged from the cracks of a rock took the lead, which was enough to make all the authoritative experts lose face.

From Fangio to Hamilton to Verstappen, all the historical records of F1 have vanished in front of Lu Zhizhou. One by one, the names have been rewritten. The road that is now being paved under Lu Zhizhou's feet will be brand new. Every step he takes is creating history, and every move he makes is eye-catching.

In fact, the media frenzy and hype are just the tip of the iceberg; the surge in social media traffic foreshadowed this scene long ago.

In China, Lu Zhizhou's Weibo account is rapidly gaining followers, heading towards ten million. Currently, it is hovering around eight million, but the speed at which it continues to rise is truly astonishing. It should only be a matter of time before it surpasses ten million.

However, to be fair, the grassroots support for motorsports is still weak. Lu Zhizhou's fan base is not comparable to that of popular celebrities, and it is significantly smaller than that of superstars in other sports.

Despite continued exposure in Melbourne and Bahrain, growth remains limited; after all, breaking through project barriers and successfully breaking into the mainstream is no easy feat.

In contrast, overseas, the number of followers on Instagram, which had been growing slowly in the early stages, experienced an explosive surge after Melbourne, reaching three million, five million, and continuing to soar; and after Bahrain, another surging wave followed, with the number of followers now easily exceeding seven million.

In terms of sheer numbers, Instagram still lags behind Weibo, but after last year's Monza event, Weibo's explosive growth was even stronger, and now Instagram's upward momentum is catching up. It's clear that Lu Zhizhou's global influence is rising steadily, witnessing the powerful rise of a new star idol.

2018 was supposed to be Vettel's and Hamilton's year, but now a dark horse has stolen all the spotlight.

Now, Lu Zhizhou has effortlessly offended two of the biggest stars in the hunting grounds, instantly becoming the target of unreasonable attacks from his fanatical fans.

It was even crazier than what happened after Melbourne.

No, to be precise, it should be... utterly insane!
Only those who have truly experienced the fervor of social media trolls can understand what it's like; "snarling and ferocious" is simply an inadequacy to describe it.

"On a track like Bahrain, Mercedes clearly didn't tune the car properly, otherwise how could that baby have lasted so long?"

"The team's strategy helped a lot; the defense was practically nonexistent. If Bottas hadn't scared himself to death, the race wouldn't have ended like this."

"Heh. I feel sorry for my Seba. He's just a tool. Nobody praises him for helping out, and he got benched after winning the championship. Are we just stepping stones?"

"I thought the comments were going to be some amazing feat, but after watching the highlights, it's just running to the end, right? And you guys are actually praising that?"

"The last stop was luck, this stop is all thanks to my teammates' protection. Those who blindly praise me should stop."

"He was invisible throughout the game, offering absolutely no highlights. Then after the game, he was lauded to the skies. Who actually likes him?"

"If you don't understand, ask: Where exactly is the highlight? I took off my pants and searched for a long time, but I still couldn't find it."

These are just the tip of the iceberg. At least they tried to say something or give some examples. There are countless truly dirty, ugly, and terrible remarks, which can be seen on the timeline if you are not paying attention. But without a doubt, they are dissatisfied with Lu Zhizhou, and even more dissatisfied with the fanaticism that everyone is praising Lu Zhizhou.

After Melbourne, they could still ignore it nonchalantly, not caring too much; but after Bahrain, Lu Zhizhou stood tall and imposing in front of Vettel and Hamilton, and no one could continue to ignore him, even the excuse of "luck" no longer worked.

As a result, trolls flooded social media platforms, brandishing their weapons and launching attacks; some even began "professional" analysis.

They used slow-motion screenshots to nitpick his entry into a corner, saying it was "over-defense," "braking too early," and that "the referee had already penalized him, but the FIA ​​deliberately ignored it."

It's both laughable and infuriating.

If that were all, it would still be considered "conscientious." What's truly outrageous is that some people have started criticizing Lu Zhizhou's every move off the court, taking screenshots of his words, actions, and expressions, and then misattributing them to other people, saying things like, "This is disrespectful to Seba," "This is provoking Lewis," "This is behavior without manners," and so on.

They used every trick in the book: interpreting pictures as stories, taking things out of context, and resorting to slander and defamation. The trolls pulled out all the stops, leaving no stone unturned.

From Melbourne to Bahrain, Lu Zhizhou responded with concrete actions, silencing some voices and restoring peace for a brief moment. Then, a rebound occurred, with irrational and frenzied voices erupting all at once, and mindless criticism in response to mindless praise officially launched and spread across the board.

Social networks have finally revealed their true, sinister nature.

All that shame, that humiliation, that disgrace, was transformed into rage in the face-slapping reality of the Bahrain station, erupting forth in a mighty torrent—

For a moment, it seemed that only two drivers remained in the paddock: Lu Zhizhou and the others; and there were only two opinions and attitudes surrounding Lu Zhizhou: admiration and hatred.

F1 has never been so lively. Whether it's criticism or praise, all the noise revolves around Lu Zhizhou.

After three years of relentless bashing of Verstappen, those paddock trolls were facing professional burnout. Continuing to bash Verstappen seemed to have lost its appeal, but they found a new goal amidst unexpected turns. Their exhausted inspiration and passion were rekindled, and one by one, they were revitalized.

So, is this the legendary black and red?

However, the backlash from supporters was equally fierce, and Lu Zhizhou is steadily winning over a group of racing enthusiasts with his track performance.

Song Bo soon discovered that his title as "Lu Zhizhou's number one fan leader" was under serious threat.

On YouTube, a racing blogger nicknamed "Data Killer" immediately created and uploaded a 20-minute analysis of the "extreme defense" of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

This blogger meticulously analyzed every braking point, throttle opening, and line selection of Lu Zhizhou in the last ten laps—

“He used the optimal solution of changing lanes to defend. If Bottas had braked 0.05 seconds later, he would have received a track restriction warning and would have had to give up his position even if he had successfully overtaken.”

“Look closely at this lap; he deliberately increased the cornering radius to make his opponents' exit angle more tricky and cause them to lose more grip.”

"With 38 tires on, he was still able to maintain a cornering speed of over 92% of his original performance. This is not luck, but top-notch handling."

Everything is based on data. In the world of racing, numbers don't lie. There's an inevitability behind every success and failure; it's not that simple.

“Based solely on data analysis, the Mercedes-Benz race car did indeed have an advantage in Bahrain, with a significant lead over Ferrari in low-to-medium speed corners. However, in the end, with the tires pushed to their limits, Lu Zhizhou completely suppressed Bottas with his top-notch handling.”

"It's not that Bottas performed poorly; against a different opponent, Bottas might have already overtaken them. Rather, it's that Lu Zhizhou delivered a top-notch performance and successfully defended against Bottas's attack."

"Compared to Melbourne, the results in Bahrain clearly show that this is a victory for the drivers."

Rational, objective, and based on facts.

After the video was uploaded, it quickly climbed into the top ten of YouTube's global trending charts, and the comment section was ablaze with discussion.

"Please shut up, you trolls!"

"Lu Shen is awesome!"

"The counter-attacking defense is simply textbook-perfect. Professor Lu, please offer an elective course on racing defense. I'll apply to take the course immediately."

It was a huge uproar, a real commotion.

Moreover, that's not all. Lu Zhizhou's supporters are not content with just defending themselves; they have launched a counterattack on social media.

In the Bahrain Grand Prix, on lap nineteen, Vettel was the first to pit, but made a mistake in the pit lane, and Mercedes adjusted their strategy immediately.

In fact, Ferrari could have kept Lu Zhizhou on the track at that time to block Bottas and respond to Mercedes' tactics.

However, Ferrari did not.

Ferrari would rather risk losing the race title to Mercedes overcut than risk Vettel losing to Lu Zhizhou for the second consecutive race.

Between winning a championship and maintaining stability within the team, Arrivabene chose the latter.

So, Lu Zhizhou entered the pit immediately after the twentieth lap.

The same thing happened later. Ferrari shifted the pressure to rookie Lu Zhizhou, expecting him to take the fall for Vettel and help him win the Bahrain Grand Prix. But then they turned around and betrayed Lu Zhizhou.

"Do some of the drivers' supporters have no shame? They take advantage of us and then turn around and accuse us. I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone as shameless as this."

This stirred up a hornet's nest, and the surging waves on social media completely spiraled out of control. F1 had never seemed so lively before.

Then, at this crucial moment, Sky Sports stepped in.

Judging from the background and clothing, this is likely a clip of Lu Zhizhou answering questions in the mixed zone before the awards ceremony at the Bahrain station.

In the interview video, the reporter asked with a smile, "People think that a rookie reaching the podium twice in a row, once first and once second, is all luck. What do you think about this?"

Despite being drenched in sweat but showing no signs of dishevelment, Lu Zhizhou laughed heartily. Far from being offended, his bright eyes were full of amusement. "I heard that good luck comes the third time, so I'm praying."

"Third time is a charm" is a proverb that means you'll have good luck when you try something a third time, and you're sure to succeed then.

So, Lu Zhizhou means that he is preparing to do a hat trick on the podium.

……

The roar of the airplane engines gently rippled across my eardrums, the noise gradually fading away, like slowly sinking to the bottom of a lake. Leclerc frowned slightly, completely focused, his eyes unwavering, lost in thought. After a long, long time, he finally moved a chess piece with his right hand.

Then, staring intently at the chessboard, another hand appeared on the left, moved a piece, and captured Leclerc's piece, "Checkmate."

The Moroccan prince opposite him was stunned for a moment, then finally came to his senses, cursed in French, and looked up at Lu Zhizhou with a lifeless expression, "This is a trap, isn't it?"

"You deliberately created an opening, waiting for me to attack, didn't you?"

A smile appeared in Lu Zhizhou's eyes, "You clearly saw it, but you still couldn't help but attack."

Leclerc clutched her hair with both hands, like a cat cornered in a corner. "But...shouldn't we just attack?"

Lu Zhizhou shook his head. "No, of course we need to. It's just that your attention is entirely focused on that weakness, eagerly preparing to launch an attack, to the point that you've overlooked the overall situation and missed my countermeasures, which has complicated the matter. We need to examine the overall picture and strike at the right time and in the right place."

Playing chess requires a holistic approach.

They are trying chess. Lu Zhizhou is a beginner. He tried chess in an after-school interest class when he was in elementary school, but he quickly defeated the other children and lost interest. This is his first time trying chess.

The deeper you delve into F1, the more you realize that this sport is closely related to layout, strategy, and calculation, much like playing chess.

To some extent, racing style and chess style are closely related, and this is exactly the case with Leclerc, whose desire to attack is hidden in his bones.

Although Lu Zhizhou was also a novice with immature strategic planning, Leclerc still fell for it.

Leclerc kept biting his lower lip, staring intently at the chessboard, replaying the game in his mind, a low growl of annoyance and frustration rising deep in his throat.

That expression looked extremely painful.

Leclerc turned sideways and glanced at Lu Zhizhou. "Is this why you obeyed the team's orders at the Bahrain station, giving up an attacking opportunity?"

Leclerc was referring to lap 19 or 20, when the pit wall required Lu Zhizhou to pit, rather than keeping him on the track to stop Bottas.

Over the radio, Lu Zhizhou expressed his opinion strongly and directly, but in the end he still went to the station.

Lu Zhizhou laughed. "What, you thought I'd stay on the track?"

Leclerc shrugged slightly. "If it were you, of course, why not?"

Lu Zhizhou paused for a moment, "I could do that, but not now. If I stay on the track, it's not just about openly competing against Bastian, it's about openly competing against the team, and even the entire team."

"What do I have right now? A race win and a potential future based entirely on imagination and speculation. That's not enough to compete with the teams. If I want to have a voice and convince the teams and their sponsors of my judgment and choices, I need to increase the weight of my bargaining chips."

"Otherwise, I might have left the paddock for good without even waiting for the summer break."

“A driver who refuses to cooperate with the team, goes his own way, and doesn’t have enough sponsors has no future in the paddock.”

Attacking is a must; in fact, Lu Zhizhou is inherently aggressive and competitive.

But Lu Zhizhou knew that without a plan, blindly attacking without considering the timing or the overall situation would be a waste of effort. Not only would it fail to harm the opponent, but it might also cost him his life.

To be brave but lack strategy is foolish.

Therefore, during the competition, Lu Zhizhou clearly expressed his opinions, but still cooperated with the team's strategy.

Leclerc's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh no!"

This was completely absurd, leaving Lu Zhizhou utterly confused. "What?"

Leclerc: "You're getting serious now. When you're not serious, you win in Melbourne and we rookies are trembling with fear. What are we going to do when you get serious?"

It was a rare sight to see Leclerc joking around, and Lu Zhizhou smiled, playing along perfectly. "Let's skip the rest of the season and just announce the world champions early."

There's always someone better, and Leclerc stared at Lu Zhizhou in disbelief.

That expression almost made Lu Zhizhou burst out laughing.

Leclerc gave a thumbs up, admitting defeat, and obediently changed the subject, "So, you and Sebastian... are doing well? You didn't take the Ferrari private jet, it wasn't because of him, was it?"

"Haha." A smile spread across Lu Zhizhou's eyes. "Wait a minute, in the airport lounge, Pierre and the others were whispering among themselves, but they all shut up as soon as I showed up. You weren't discussing this, were you?"

Leclerc, "Hehe."

Formula 1 racing involves traveling to different cities around the world, which presents a severe challenge to transportation. Transporting racing equipment is not easy, and the same goes for drivers and teams.

Some racing teams have signed partnership agreements with top private jet operators in the industry, who provide business jets and private jets for travel between cities. Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, McLaren, and Sauber all have their own partner companies that provide transportation for their drivers.

Other teams do not have such treatment. Drivers must travel on commercial flights just like ordinary office workers. Whether they choose business class or economy class is up to them, and it is not uncommon for rookie drivers to choose economy class.

Of course, there are exceptions. Drivers with private planes can travel to the next city on their own, such as Hamilton, Raikkonen, and Alonso.

This is why, when moving between cities, drivers often travel in groups of three or five. The paddock is a small circle, so drivers quickly become familiar with each other, and their relationships become very clear.

That's how it is right now.

Lu Zhizhou did not travel with the Ferrari team from Bahrain to Shanghai, but instead took a commercial flight like other young drivers, leading to a flurry of speculation.

However, Lu Zhizhou didn't mind. He seemed very calm and composed, smiling but not saying a word, leaving Leclerc standing there.

Seeing Leclerc's astonished and slightly restrained expression, Lu Zhizhou finally couldn't help but smile. "There's no need to overthink it. Sebastian is traveling on Kimi's private jet. The convoy didn't arrange for any flights this time, which is why I'm traveling to Shanghai with you."

Leclerc: ...That's it?

Lu Zhizhou said, "That's it. Isn't the truth incredibly disappointing?" Looking at Leclerc's disappointed expression, Lu Zhizhou chuckled softly.

"But I'm 100% sure we're not friends. We hardly ever spoke to each other in the convoy. I'm not sure if that's just his personality or if it's targeting me. But the fact that he could spend six hours in the same cabin space as Kimi suggests he's not as taciturn as he seems."

Leclerc tilted his head, catching the information between the lines, and a thought flashed through his mind: "You mean, after the match, you confronted him?"

Unexpectedly, Lu Zhizhou nodded and asked, "I asked him what he meant when he started running, and why he squeezed into my lane?"

Huh!
Leclerc couldn't help but gasp, his mouth slightly agape, his face filled with astonishment and shock. His mind couldn't comprehend the image of Lu Zhizhou confronting Vettel face to face.

It was only then that I realized I was still too young, and even with all my imagination, I couldn't describe the situation at that time.

is this normal?

However, Lu Zhizhou didn't elaborate further, prompting Leclerc to press, "And then?"

A smile appeared in Lu Zhizhou's eyes, but he did not answer. Instead, he leaned forward and shouted loudly into the gap between the seats in front of him without warning.

"boom!"

Gasly was jolted up as if he'd been electrocuted, then pulled back into his seat by the seatbelt, making strange noises that attracted the attention of the others nearby. He covered his mouth and waved his hands, his flustered appearance quite comical, like a monkey show.

Gasly had no idea how Lu Zhizhou had discovered he was eavesdropping, and at that moment he didn't care to investigate. He simply turned his entire upper body around and peered through the gap in the seat. "And then? Zhizhou, and then?"

This time, Lu Zhizhou didn't keep everyone in suspense.

He said he was sorry.

Gasly blinked, almost choking on his own saliva. "He must have been terrified. He didn't expect this newbie to come to his door and confront him directly."

Leclerc: "After all, Kimi would never do that."

In Lu Zhizhou's view, while having a third party relay the conversation can indeed reduce conflict, words inevitably lose their original meaning during transmission due to the messenger, which can easily lead to misunderstandings. Therefore, it is better to talk things out face-to-face.

Vettel was indeed caught off guard.

Lu Zhizhou could clearly remember the momentary defensiveness that flashed in Vettel's eyes. He shrugged slightly and said, "He said his attention was all on Valtteri, that he was trying to stop Mercedes, and that he had completely forgotten about me."

Gasly blurted out, "Shit."

Lu Zhizhou casually added, "He also said that he was lucky, as I happened to block Lewis's lane, which caused him to lose his position after the start."

The subtext is that Lu Zhizhou should thank Vettel for his "team spirit".

Gasly could hardly believe his ears. "That's all?"

Despite Gasly and Leclerc's indignation, Lu Zhizhou appeared remarkably calm and composed. For a newcomer like him who had entered the paddock halfway through his career, he was the enemy of the entire paddock, and he had to earn his place step by step through his performance on the track.

Respect is earned through matches, not free.

This wouldn't make Lu Zhizhou feel depressed or frustrated; on the contrary, it was a challenge, and he was ready to meet any challenge.

Lu Zhizhou said with a serious expression, "I suspect he's friendlier than Nico. Wait... or friendlier than Lewis?"

Seeing that Lu Zhizhou still had the mind to joke about the dramatic internal drama of Mercedes-Benz the season before last, the atmosphere relaxed, and Leclerc chuckled, "Haha, at least he didn't throw a punch."

Gasly immediately chimed in, "If he really throws a punch, he'll probably be the one who suffers. Look at our young blood! Come on, Zhizhou, show off your muscles."

As a result, Lu Zhizhou actually cooperated by showing off his biceps, making Gasley and Leclerc laugh so hard they almost fell over.

Then, Lu Zhizhou saw the flight attendants peeking out from behind the curtain, and he realized that their noise might be disturbing others.

Pat Gasley and Leclerc on the shoulder, reminding them to control the volume.

Gasly remained cheerful, and although he didn't make a sound, he silently imitated the gorilla's movements, making a series of particularly vivid faces.

The tall, slender flight attendant pulled back the curtain and walked straight over. She stopped next to Lu Zhizhou, squatted down, and looked up into his eyes.

Lu Zhizhou suppressed his youthful arrogance and unruliness, and gave an apologetic smile, "Sorry, we'll try to control the noise."

The flight attendant paused for a moment, then quickly realized what she meant and gently shook her head. "Don't worry. Everything's fine." Her smile was slightly forced. "I know this is unprofessional, and I hope it didn't disturb your rest. But, Mr. Lu, could we take a picture together later?"

This time, it was Lu Zhizhou's turn to be stunned, his mind not quite processing it for a moment.

Gasly, however, had already stealthily glanced over, "And what about us?"

Leclerc chimed in from the side, "Pierre, just stay out of it. What she wants is the Continent, okay?"

The flight attendant looked shy and said, "Of course, if you don't mind, we can take a photo together."

Lu Zhizhou finally came to his senses. "You mean, me? You know me?"

To be honest, the hunting grounds are bustling and lively, but all that noise is confined to the hunting grounds; real life is quite different.

To date, Lu Zhizhou has never been recognized outside of the paddock and Maranello.

Today, however, I had my first experience on an airplane, in a seat that was neither above nor below the ground.

A glint of light appeared in the flight attendant's eyes. "Of course! Who among the racing fans doesn't know Lu Zhizhou now? The first driver in history to win his first race in his professional career, a record that can never be surpassed."

The record of "youngest in history" can always be broken; but to reach the top in the very first stage of his career, successors can at most catch up but can never erase Lu Zhizhou's existence.

Lu Zhizhou's lips curled up. "So, you like racing?"

The young woman in front of him nodded. "Always. My favorite driver used to be Kimi."

Lu Zhizhou: "Oh. So you like handsome racers."

The young woman was taken aback, and it took her a beat to realize that Lu Zhizhou was bragging. Her smile instantly lit up, "Yes, that's right, I especially like handsome male racers."

It was the first time in his life that Lu Zhizhou had met a fan outside the paddock, so he couldn't miss the opportunity. He took a group photo with Gasly, Leclerc, and others. Afterward, he took a separate photo with one of them and gave him a polite hug. The cabin was filled with a lighthearted atmosphere.

It was clear that Lu Zhizhou was also a little flustered. It was the first time he had met a real fan outside the paddock, and he didn't know how to treat him.

It is at moments like these that one can clearly perceive that Lu Zhizhou is only eighteen years old.

The young woman couldn't help but remind her, "Don't worry, there are many people outside supporting you and cheering you on. Good luck in the Shanghai competition!"

Lu Zhizhou initially thought it was just polite talk, but after the plane landed, he quickly realized that it was all true.

Pudong International Airport was a place Lu Zhizhou knew all too well. The air in his hometown was still different. Lu Zhizhou was preparing to play the role of host and lead the drivers into the city with ease, but after getting off the plane, he was directly invited to the VIP lounge by the airport ground staff.

Everyone was completely bewildered, not understanding what was going on, and they all looked at Lu Zhizhou.

But now, the owner is just as confused.

In Leclerc's eyes, Lu Zhizhou spoke in an alien language, and after communicating with the airport ground staff in a strange manner, he turned around with an odd expression.

Gasly and the others couldn't wait to ask what was going on. Lu Zhizhou said with a puzzled look, "The airport said that the crowd of people waiting outside was too crowded and they were worried about accidents. They asked if we wanted to go through the VIP channel to leave directly, and that the vehicles arranged by the event would pick us up and take us directly to the hotel."

Wait, how crowded is the crowd at the airport?
(End of this chapter)