Speed ​​God

Chapter 177 Divorce in the Enclosure
One wave subsides, another rises—

At the Shanghai race, Lu Zhizhou disregarded the team's instructions and forcibly overtook his teammate, causing an uproar online. Vettel's fans swallowed their anger because it was Lu Zhizhou's home race and also because it was Lu Zhizhou's first offense. They believed that Arrivabene would definitely handle the internal conflict and properly educate the young man.

But what is happening again?

It’s tolerable, it’s unbearable!

If they continue to be polite, they will be seen as easy to bully; if they continue to remain silent, others will think that all Vettel fans are dead.

The anger spiraled out of control in an instant!
Not only targeting Lu Zhizhou, but also Arivabene and the entire repair area—

"You are all responsible!"

All sorts of offensive language spread rapidly, quickly escalating into personal attacks. Sarcastic jokes emerged one after another, and screenshots of a live stream created by netizens, simulating Ferrari repairing a wall and arguing with the team's unreasonable radio commands, filled the timeline.

“Seba, Zhizhou just went off the track and lost his position. You need to give the position back.”

"Seba, your power unit failed and you're forced to withdraw from the race. You should withdraw too."

"Seba and Zhizhou are unable to participate today due to a cold, so we have decided to withdraw from this race."

And so on.

Anyway, let your imagination run wild, go as far as it can, exaggerate as it can, and all Vettel fans firmly believe that Ferrari is preparing to sacrifice Vettel just to cultivate Lu Zhizhou.

If they all felt a sense of crisis, how much more so Vettel?
It's hard to imagine the torment Vettel was going through at that moment. Fans felt a pang of heartache, which then turned into anger and hatred directed at Lu Zhizhou.

Unfortunately, they were in the minority this time.

Those who actually watched the whole race knew that Vettel's tires were indeed giving out. Not only Lu Zhizhou, but he couldn't keep up with the pace of the others at all. After Lu Zhizhou overtook Vettel, Vettel immediately went to the pits to change to a brand new set of tires.

In other words, even if Lu Zhizhou doesn't overtake, Vettel will still have to pit to give up his position.

However, Vettel refused to give up his position on the track and showed no team spirit, delaying Lu Zhizhou. The "what if" scenario in Shanghai was the same. If Vettel had been willing to exchange positions decisively, would Lu Zhizhou have been able to gain more time to try to close the gap on Verstappen?

It's clearly Vettel who's wrong, yet those fans are distorting the truth and making false accusations.
absurd!

Absolutely absurd!

The result of the match is a fact that is right before our eyes.

Ricardo. Vettel. Magnussen. Bottas. Sainz. Hulkenberg. Leclerc.

The seven drivers finished fourth through tenth, securing points.

Although Ferrari had considered letting Vettel finish the race, with Bottas, Hulkenberg, and others all making their second pit stops, Vettel also opted for a second pit stop and successfully held onto fifth place.

This pit stop wasn't Ferrari asking Vettel to give way to Lu Zhizhou, but rather a chain reaction following the collision between Vettel and Bottas on the first lap.

It's understandable that Vettel's fans are frustrated and disappointed, but it's really irrational to unreasonably and inexplicably smear their teammate.

You don't need to be a die-hard fan of Lu Zhizhou's cars; someone will naturally step forward and speak the truth.

Moreover, the Italian fans unanimously sided with Lu Zhizhou, criticizing Vettel for his selfish behavior and neglect of the team's interests. When young and inexperienced rookie drivers were actively fighting for the team's interests, what was Vettel, who should have been the leader, doing?
Despite Vettel's considerable support from Ferrari's core supporters over the years, this season, from Shanghai to France, is not the first time he has harmed the team's interests, and the supporters have begun to express their dissatisfaction. When Vettel's fans distorted the facts, it immediately angered the die-hard supporters.

It was overwhelming and vast!
It's rare to see Vettel standing at the center of a storm.

However, social networks are one thing, and real life is another.

In France, Lu Zhizhou, making its debut, has a fan base far smaller than that of the four-time world champion, and Vettel's fans are making sure Lu Zhizhou receives their message.

"Shh!"

When Lu Zhizhou stepped onto the stage at the French Grand Prix awards ceremony, boos erupted from the crowd, a stark contrast to the cheers that erupted when he inadvertently caught a glimpse of Hamilton.

Not to mention Hamilton, even Verstappen looked completely taken aback.

Verstappen thought he was the ultimate villain in the paddock, and everyone was attacking him, not only the fans, but also the drivers.

But now it seems the role of the ultimate villain needs to be changed; at least he was never booed on the podium.

Pfft! Waaaaaah!

The buzzing and roaring sound was like that of a fighter jet flying low, and the dark clouds loomed overhead. The cheers instantly turned into boos, filling the entire venue, and the tension burst forth in an instant.

Verstappen appeared slightly uneasy.

All the attacks surrounding him, from the media and the internet, can be shut down all at once by simply turning off his phone, putting on headphones, and immersing himself in a simulator. His world quiets down, allowing him to focus on the track and the car, and he can simply ignore them.

But he couldn't imagine that those attacks would break down the barriers, infiltrating reality from the internet, evolving into a blast of energy that was right in front of him, baring its fangs and displaying its ferocious power, as if standing on the opposite side of the entire world—

What kind of feeling is that?

Regardless of what Lu Zhizhou did, the issues related to the racetrack should remain on the racetrack; he shouldn't be treated this way.

Moreover, Verstappen did not believe that Lu Zhizhou had done anything wrong.

The scene before him seemed familiar; what Verstappen had experienced over the years was happening to Lu Zhizhou, and even more so.

Vestapan glanced at Lu Zhizhou without thinking, only to find that the guy, who was two years younger than him, had stopped in his tracks, seemingly not expecting what was happening. He nervously rubbed his hair, then looked at Hamilton, wondering if they should lend a hand.

However, Hamilton stood there with a smile on his face, making no unnecessary movements, seemingly completely unaware of what was happening before his eyes.

In that brief moment of hesitation, Verstappen noticed Lu Zhizhou taking a step forward—

What is he doing?

Verstappen watched in astonishment as Lu Zhizhou stepped forward and stood at the very front of the podium, waving as if responding to a passionate fan.

Verstappen couldn't understand it. Was that guy overheating and out of his mind? Those people were booing him!

Lu Zhizhou didn't care at all. He waved to wherever there was a sacrifice, and even started to create a sound wave, not cheers but boos, from left to right and from right to left, stirring up the atmosphere of the whole place and instantly turning the track into a concert venue, leaving all the reporters dumbfounded.

What? This is allowed?

This scene was truly absurd and hilarious. It should have been the audience booing Lu Zhizhou, but now it turned into Lu Zhizhou directing the entire audience to complete the performance.

Like a circus.

So, what are the audience members in front of us? Monkeys or zebras?

Finally, the audience noticed something was wrong, refused to cooperate any longer, and obediently shut their mouths, the boos subsiding in such an unbelievable way—

Haha, this is embarrassing!
Unexpectedly, Lu Zhizhou stood there, shrugged slightly, his face full of regret, but without any lingering attachment, and calmly turned around and walked onto the podium.

Completely unharmed, without losing a single soldier, and perfectly controlling the entire situation.

The audience was stunned when they saw Lu Zhizhou looking completely relaxed. So, did they win or lose?
Why do I get the feeling that no matter whether they boo or shut up, they've all lost? And lost utterly and shamefully?

Lu Zhizhou stood on the podium, a slight smile on his face, looking down at the entire audience. He loved the sight of them disliking him but unable to defeat him.

With a single expression and a single posture, he exuded youthful vigor and dignified composure. The bustling crowd in front of the podium could no longer contain themselves and burst into laughter.

The transition from boos to laughter was effortless, taking only a fleeting moment.

Laughter, applause, whistles—

In the blink of an eye, the scene ahead transformed into a bustling, sweltering heatwave. This is France, a country where people appreciate those who know how to laugh at themselves and take a joke, just like right now.

Verstappen could hardly believe his eyes. How to face the media and the public has always been a problem for him, so how did Lu Zhizhou manage to do it?
A simple wave of the hand turned boos into cheers.

"Max!"

Someone reminded him that Verstappen should go up to the podium. He walked forward in a daze, still completely confused.

Even after the awards ceremony ended, Verstappen still couldn't figure out what was going on, and he remained somewhat uneasy.

Every time the media and the internet attack him, he feels frustrated and sad because they are wronging him. He is not the devil they say he is. He hates being wronged the most, but what can he do? He can't argue with each of those netizens to defend himself.

His father never cared about his dejected and disappointed appearance. Instead, he would scold him. His father always told him to be a man. If he couldn't even handle this little bit of pressure, then he was a good-for-nothing. It was all his fault because he wasn't strong enough to shut others up.

What Lu Zhizhou is going through is the same thing he faced in the past and is still going through now.

In fact, Verstappen wished he could just give the middle finger and make all the trolls go away, but every time he did, it only brought a storm of attacks, more frantic, more intense, and more brutal, eventually turning him into a target of universal condemnation, with no one willing to listen to his true thoughts.

So, should he say something to Lu Zhizhou?
In a moment of hesitation, Verstappen saw Ricardo punch Lu Zhizhou in the shoulder. He stopped and turned to leave.

“…Oh no, my shoulder is dislocated.” Lu Zhizhou played along perfectly, joining Ricardo in the antics.

Ricardo blew on his fist, threw his head back and laughed, "Haha, I knew my Thor's hammer was still as powerful as ever." Then, without warning, his face fell. "You ruined my match, you know that, right?"

Lu Zhizhou tilted his head, looking confused.

Ricardo immediately broke down, "Okay, okay, it was a fantastic race, even though you did ruin my race, I came in fourth on the podium, I hate you; but you did play exceptionally well."

"You should know that those people are just jealous of you, right? It's not directed at you, so there's no need to care."

Lu Zhizhou squinted. "Daniel, are you trying to comfort me?"

Ricardo said with a serious expression, "No, I didn't, don't misunderstand. I just want you to cheer up, so that the next stop is a continent where Austria will defeat a 100% complete continent."

"Our game isn't over yet, you know? Three wins out of five! I can turn the tide in Austria right away, and I need to give it my all."

Before he could even get serious for a second, halfway through issuing the challenge, Ricardo grinned again, revealing a mouthful of teeth. His eyes and mouth were full of smiles, and as he spoke, he began to rub his hands together, eager to try his hand at the challenge, as if he couldn't wait to get on the track and have another battle with Lu Zhizhou.

That's it!

Lu Zhizhou gently raised his chin, his face equally serious. "I'm also very curious about what it will feel like to beat Daniel Ricardo at Red Bull's home court! I can't wait!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Lu Zhizhou caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye, patted Ricardo on the shoulder, and turned to jog away.

Ricciardo's voice came from behind, "Don't surrender, baby! Don't surrender, see you on the track!"

Amidst the joyful laughter echoing across the ground, Lu Zhizhou quickly caught up and patted the figure in front of him on the shoulder. The other person turned around with a wary expression, his fist clenched involuntarily in a boxing stance, his eyes wide as he stared at him, ready to deliver a straight punch.

"Relax, boxer." Lu Zhizhou took a half step back and raised his hands to show his innocence. "I just wanted to say that it was a great match, with a very clean start and finish."

Verstappen was stunned; he had never expected Lu Zhizhou to appear before him and say such things.

Lu Zhizhou is sincere; there's no need for pleasantries or formalities.

Although in Baku, Lu Zhizhou wanted nothing more than to punch Verstappen's goldfish-like face, he firmly remembered that track matters should be resolved on the track. They were all drivers, chasing victory and the limits of speed. The ever-changing race seemed to be entirely under their control, yet it always slipped out of their grasp.

Therefore, there is no need to extend the conflicts on the racetrack into daily life.

Moreover, in Lu Zhizhou's view, Verstappen's growth since Baku has been very evident.

Today, regardless of the chaos at the beginning or the rhythm at the end, Verstappen certainly demonstrated his maturity, which is something Lu Zhizhou needs to learn.

He believes that he can handle the initial chaos more cleanly and efficiently. Although it was an accident, the start of an F1 race is always full of surprises. How to deal with, control, and observe is indeed his biggest weakness in terms of experience. He must seize every opportunity to practice.

As for the ending, there are no regrets. He has done his best and pushed everything to the limit, so he needs to acknowledge Hamilton and Verstappen's performance, as they left no room for error.

Everything is the truth.

Lu Zhizhou noticed the wariness and surprise in Vestapan's eyes, and the corners of his mouth turned up. "Don't be moved. I, Red Bull Ring, will not take care of my master."

Verstappen instinctively retorted, "Get lost, just focus on yourself."

As soon as he finished speaking, Verstappen regretted it as he watched Lu Zhizhou turn away with a smile on his face. Why did he feel like he had lost?

So, is that guy a jerk or not?
After hesitating for a moment, Verstappen called out to Lu Zhizhou's retreating figure, "You did nothing wrong. If it were me, I would make the same choice. There's no need to care about what others say; just tell them all to get lost."

This is what he hopes his father will say to him.

Before Lu Zhizhou could respond, Verstappen had already turned and strode away.

From afar, a bright voice came from the wind behind, "Thank you!"

The French Grand Prix has come to a close, and a video of Lu Zhizhou responding to boos during the post-race awards ceremony has been widely circulated on social media.

Praise! Admiration! Applause!

Netizens went wild with likes and shares, applauding Lu Zhizhou's witty and composed response, and admiring his calm and collected attitude in the face of the storm.

Originally, netizens believed that Lu Zhizhou made the right choice in the competition. At this time, Lu Zhizhou's response, which was both sharp and graceful, further demonstrated his personal charm. This attracted a lot of supporters to Lu Zhizhou. After the "unedited photos" went viral, this was the second time he went viral outside of the competition in less than half a month.

This time, it wasn't just Tiefo Temple; passersby, car enthusiasts, and onlookers all sided with Lu Zhizhou. This young rookie had become a new favorite among car enthusiasts in less than two months, and his popularity within the Ferrari team was even subtly overshadowing Vettel!
Vettel fans could hardly believe what they were witnessing – that despicable Lu Zhizhou climbed to the top by stepping on Vettel's shoulders, not only unscathed, but even seizing the opportunity to gain a huge following. Is this reasonable?

So, what they feared is happening. Is Vettel really going to become a sacrifice?

No, absolutely not.

Immediately, Vettel's fans all organized themselves and prepared to travel to Austria to cheer for Vettel and "save Vettel's career"!
However, this momentum failed to generate the expected buzz on social media, let alone attract media attention.

The reason for everything is—

Red Bull.

To be precise, there was only one focus throughout the entire French Grand Prix weekend. Neither Ferrari's internal conflicts, Hamilton's third win of the season, nor Verstappen's first podium finish could steal the spotlight from Red Bull.

Because Red Bull and Renault announced their divorce!
……

After many twists and turns, Red Bull and Renault have finally ended their twelve-year partnership and officially announced their divorce.

In fact, as early as 2015, Red Bull had attempted to part ways with Renault.

Rumor has it that Red Bull was preparing to join Mercedes-Benz, but legendary driver Niki Lauda, ​​who was then the executive chairman of Mercedes-Benz, tricked Red Bull. Lauda said that Mercedes-Benz was willing to provide engines, but due to contractual provisions, Red Bull had to terminate its contract with Renault before they could sit down and negotiate.

When Red Bull actually terminated the contract, Mercedes-Benz closed the negotiation channel, leaving Red Bull stranded and embarrassed, like Pigsy looking in the mirror, caught in the middle.

In the end, Red Bull turned to Renault and announced a reconciliation.

However, this time it's for real, a true breakup—

Furthermore, it was an unpleasant breakup, with both sides completely estranged.

Red Bull team principal Horner believes Renault is a major liability, as they pay first-class prices but are cramped in economy class seats. He argues that the final piece of the puzzle for Red Bull to catch up with Mercedes and Ferrari is the engine.

Renault team principal Abitebol believes that Red Bull is shifting all the blame onto others. In fact, since Renault acquired the team in 2016 and returned to F1 as a factory brand, the engine has been their biggest asset. They believe they are competing with Red Bull for third place in the paddock, and Red Bull should examine itself instead of shirking responsibility.

Worse still, while Renault adopted a proactive stance of cooperation and in-depth discussions, Red Bull unilaterally cut off the dialogue channel. Without even issuing an ultimatum, Red Bull turned its back on Renault and decisively announced the end of the cooperation, immediately turning to Honda without any time to catch its breath.

Since Mercedes-Benz built a Mars rover using a turbocharger, the only team in the paddock that could barely compete was Ferrari. Red Bull has never been able to truly threaten Mercedes-Benz's position. Honda returned to F1 in 2015, but its partnership with McLaren was not smooth. In order to stay in the paddock, after successfully partnering with Toro Rosso last year, Honda has further courted Red Bull, an important partner.

But is Honda the right choice?
Judging from the time that Toro Rosso and Honda have been working together, it's probably still not satisfactory.

So far this season, Toro Rosso's best result is fifth place in Bahrain, but that is Honda's best performance since returning to the F1 paddock. On the other hand, Red Bull has won the Shanghai title and reached the podium multiple times. Since the retirement of both cars in Baku, their momentum has been clear, disrupting the party of Mercedes and Ferrari.

So, after Red Bull parted ways with Renault and joined Honda, can it really reach its current level?

This is a humiliation for Renault!
"We will do everything in our power to make them regret this decision," Abbitbol expressed his anger without reservation in an interview.

During the French Grand Prix, a tense and volatile atmosphere prevailed. Abbitbol and Horner even disregarded basic social etiquette, removing their masks and refusing to perform. Their back-and-forth exchanges drew cheers from the spectators in the paddock, who were eager not to miss a single moment of the spectacle.

In France, Red Bull finished second and fourth, while Renault finished eighth and ninth. Despite the difference in rankings, the two teams were clearly vying for dominance. Renault was sharpening its weapons from top to bottom, and its desire to defeat Red Bull was at an unprecedented level, and it wasn't just about the team rankings.

Now, things are completely different. They are not only fighting for victory and points, but also for glory and pride. Red Bull and Renault are both on fire.

In such a tense atmosphere, it's no surprise that the grumbling of Vettel's fans failed to break through and generate any buzz. Horner and Abbitboll's divorce drama was far more exciting and entertaining, adding fuel to the already fierce competition in the team standings.

With the French Grand Prix concluded, the driver and team standings have changed again.

In the drivers' championship standings, Hamilton further consolidated his lead with 139 points, while Lu Zhizhou maintained his strong performance, ranking second with 109 points. Vettel is only one point behind in third place, while Bottas holds fourth place with 99 points.

No wonder Vettel refused to give up his position to Lu Zhizhou again during the match.

Following behind, Ricciardo, with 92 points, ranked fifth; Verstappen, who finished as runner-up in two consecutive Grand Prix events in Canada and France, saw his points surge to 71, moving him to sixth place.

It's clear at a glance that the six drivers from the "Big Three" have joined forces to dominate the leaderboard, which is also directly reflected in the team standings.

Mercedes-Benz, 238 points.

Ferrari, 217 points.

Red Bull, 163 points.

The fierce competition between Mercedes and Ferrari continues, with the results of each Grand Prix potentially influencing the final championship race. Meanwhile, Red Bull, having staged a strong comeback in three consecutive races, has officially joined the fray. Horner's ambitions extend far beyond third place; he has reached his limit with Renault.

But was saying goodbye to Renault and joining forces with Honda the right decision?

Only time can provide the answer.

It is against this backdrop that the Austrian Grand Prix slowly unfolded at the Red Bull Ring, attracting much attention.

How will Red Bull perform at home? Can Renault prove itself at the Red Bull Ring? Where will the close contest between Lu Zhizhou and Vettel lead? Can Ricciardo, who is rapidly closing in on Bottas, go even further? Can the battle between Mercedes and Ferrari continue? And can the ever-rising Red Bull take over the game at home and overshadow their rivals?
Etc., etc.

Perfectly, the Red Bull Ring is a short, fast-paced track, perfect for riders to show off their skills and overtake others. It offers plenty of opportunities for overtaking and allows riders to fully unleash their potential. Spectators can relax and look forward to a thrilling race.

As expected, the film was full of climaxes and suspense—

It was evident from the free practice sessions that Mercedes-Benz's performance on the high-speed track was outstanding, with a clear advantage on the straights and high-speed corners. The Red Bull Ring was a stage tailor-made for them, with Hamilton and Bottas completely dominating the three free practice sessions.

Ferrari, which performed exceptionally well on high-speed tracks like Melbourne and Barcelona and was fully capable of competing with Mercedes-Benz, has struggled since its mid-season upgrade, experiencing fluctuating performances and facing various problems at the Red Bull Ring. In fact, it is just as bad as Red Bull, which is plagued by engine issues.

This is not a positive sign.

However, that's F1. Just like football and basketball, adjusting your form and adapting to changing circumstances during a long season is a severe test.

The qualifying matches were truly exciting.

Mercedes did indeed pull ahead, dominating the front row, but Bottas's victory over Hamilton to take pole position was absolutely unexpected.

Ferrari and Red Bull were locked in a tight battle, but Ferrari ultimately prevailed, holding off the pressure to secure the second row. Vettel, with the enthusiastic support of the home crowd, edged out Lu Zhizhou by a mere 0.019 to take third place. However, he was penalized for deliberately blocking Sainz's flying lap in Q2, and was forced to start the race three positions back.

Red Bull, who had been sharpening its knives and holding its breath, not only failed to defeat Ferrari and challenge Mercedes, but even humiliated itself in front of its home crowd by losing to... Haas.

It's all Renault's fault—

Fifth, Verstappen, Red Bull.

Sixth, Grosjean, Haas.

Seventh, Ricardo, Red Bull.

Eighth, Magnussen, Haas.

The moment the qualifying rounds ended, the Red Bull Ring home crowd was completely stunned. Not only them, but the live stream chat was also filled with exclamations and fervor.

Has?

The Haas that got both cars eliminated in the season opener because the lug nuts weren't tightened properly?
Following Melbourne, Haas achieved the best qualifying result of the season, with Grosjean surpassing Ricardo to finish sixth, breaking the party of the "Big Three".

If that's all there is to it, one could say that Ricardo Q3 made a mistake and performed poorly. Such things happen occasionally, and there's no need to make a fuss about it.

In reality, Haas's lap time was almost identical to Red Bull's, Grosjean was only 0.052 seconds behind Verstappen, and Verstappen was 0.387 seconds behind Lu Zhizhou. So the problem cannot be ignored, especially on a track like the Red Bull Ring that pursues the ultimate speed, the problem immediately becomes apparent.

In the free practice sessions, Ferrari and Red Bull were evenly matched, but in qualifying, Ferrari still managed to pull away from Red Bull.

Horner was extremely frustrated by this.

It's all Renault's fault!
Don't forget, Haas uses Ferrari engines! Horner firmly believes that it's that damned Renault that's holding Red Bull back.

But Renault is not giving an inch, as they have two cars in Q3: Sainz in ninth and Hulkenberg in tenth, which is in no way inferior to Haas and Red Bull.

“If you’re not good enough, you’re not good enough. Don’t expect us to take the blame for you.” Abbitbol refused to back down and defiantly told Horner to get out of the way.

The two team leaders were like children fighting, grabbing each other's hair and refusing to admit defeat, launching a series of weak and ineffective attacks. It was practically a charade. The onlookers in the paddock watched this scene with glee, as if they were just missing a cup of afternoon tea.

Fights, attacks, bayonets—the air was thick with the stench of blood. It was no longer just smoke and fire; one by one, they drew their weapons and engaged in a real, brutal contest, each strike drawing blood and each move potentially fatal. It was entirely predictable that the Red Bull Ring main event would soon feature a close-quarters brawl.

"chatter!"

A low, overwhelming noise swept in, like mockery or ridicule, instantly transforming into a circus, like a good show.

Lorenzo stood in a small group of fans at the Iron Buddha Temple, initially mistaking them for Red Bull enthusiasts. But then he spotted a figure wearing a Ferrari No. 5 jersey, holding a Vettel image high and waving it wildly, effectively turning the Iron Buddha Temple stands into Vettel's private grandstand, launching an attack—

Lorenzo was a beat too slow to realize that "Ru" was actually "Lu," a booing tirade aimed at Lu Zhizhou, an upgrade from the French Grand Prix.

Clearly, these Vettel fans did it on purpose. They deliberately made noise by herding cattle, deliberately wore Ferrari jackets to create the illusion that the Iron Buddha Temple was besieging Lu Zhizhou, and deliberately launched an attack at the Red Bull Ring. Their goal was very simple: to hurt Lu Zhizhou, to really hurt him.

Sure enough, the strategy worked. Before long, other spectators and other stands picked up the boos, and one or two of them joined in the gloating. The jeers and noise quickly turned into a hurricane, sweeping down with a wave of heat and instantly engulfing the starting grid on the starting straight.

Actually, it's not surprising.

Vettel is a product of the Red Bull academy, having joined at the age of eleven. He was Marko's prized protégé. Furthermore, as a German driver, he gained Schumacher's appreciation at a young age and was groomed as the future hope of German motorsport.

Later, Vettel became the Red Bull flag bearer, winning the Drivers' World Championship for four consecutive years. He also became the German flag bearer after Schumacher, and had an incredible fan base in neighboring Austria, where the Red Bull Ring witnessed the celebration of Vettel's fans every year.

In 2015, Vettel transferred to Ferrari, but Red Bull has been struggling and is no longer what it used to be. Vettel still represents the last glory of Red Bull, and he still enjoys home-field advantage every time he comes to the Red Bull Ring, with fans from Germany and Austria coming to cheer him on.

It now seems that Vettel fans are determined to capitalize on this advantage and teach Lu Zhizhou a lesson.

Then, a rare scene unfolded: Iron Buddha Temple and Red Bull fans joined forces to boo, unleashing a devastating barrage of boos.

"Ruwooaaaaaah!"

The buzzing roar continued to bombard our eardrums, like dark clouds looming over a fortress. Who would have thought that Lu Zhizhou's name would actually become a weapon of attack?
At this moment, the drivers were making their final preparations on the track. As they were about to enter the car, they paused and looked up to see an unbelievable scene. At first, they thought it was fans cheering for Lu Zhizhou's name, but gradually they realized something was wrong and it just didn't seem right.

Is this a normal image?

For a moment, Lorenzo didn't know how to react. Was it reasonable for Vettel's fans to team up with Red Bull fans to betray Lu Zhizhou? Were they afraid that the atmosphere between the two Ferrari drivers wasn't tense or awkward enough, and were they preparing to add fuel to the fire by pushing them even harder?

A group of fans from the Iron Buddha Temple were waving their red flags vigorously, trying to distance themselves from Vettel's fans and show their support for Lu Zhizhou with concrete actions. However, at the Red Bull Ring, their efforts were ultimately insufficient to reverse the situation.

Lorenzo looked across the track and spotted Lu Zhizhou, who wasn't wearing a helmet, looking up at the scene. Lu raised his right hand, surveying the crowd as if welcoming the world's most enthusiastic cheers. His composed demeanor shone brightly in the sunlight, as if to say—

Let the storm rage on.

Unable to hold back, Lorenzo laughed, a particularly bright laugh. He knew that Lu Zhizhou wouldn't give in easily, and the upcoming main competition was bound to be a good show.

Lu Zhizhou withdrew his gaze and turned around to see Verstappen standing not far to his right, staring blankly at the scene before him, clearly unaware of what had happened.

Because Vettel was penalized three positions, Lu Zhizhou and Verstappen took his place, and the two will start their duel from the second row.

Lu Zhizhou's lips curled up, adopting a posture of taking the initiative. "Sorry, but stealing your spotlight on your home turf, that's what makes you a superstar! Don't be envious, you can't have something like that."

Verstappen was taken aback, then glanced at Lu Zhizhou with a speechless expression. "You should save your energy. You'll need it for today's match."

Their eyes met briefly, then the two didn't continue the conversation. They looked away and put on their helmets.

Everything will unfold on the track.

"Turn off the lights!"

"The Austrian Grand Prix has officially begun!"

"Lu Zhizhou's start was unbelievable. He seized the initiative and cut into the middle of the road to block the lane! Bottas's path was blocked! Verstappen was a step too slow! Hamilton sounded the alarm!"

"Ferrari No. 22 turned the tide and took control the moment it started!"

Agile. Swift. Clean.

After the French Grand Prix, Lu Zhizhou had his best start of the season at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, launching a perfect last-minute attack.

This is Lu Zhizhou's response at the Red Bull Ring.

Without hesitation or delay, he immediately turned right and cut across the track, squeezing through the gap between Bottas and Hamilton.

Seize the opportunity!

Lu Zhizhou, relying on his excellent starting reaction, took the lead, cutting into the middle before Verstappen. He blocked the position before the two Mercedes cars closed their doors, his right front wheel quickly touching Hamilton's left rear wheel, leaving no room to breathe. The throttle was floored, propelling him forward in a straight line, his left front wheel then touching Bottas's right rear wheel—

With a whooshing roar as the turbines spun at high speed, a red streak separated the two silver beams of light like Moses parting the Red Sea. It left no time to react, firmly occupying the line, and Bottas, who started from pole position, was immediately blocked and unable to move.

However, as Croft said, Lu Zhizhou's first target was Bottas, and his second target was Hamilton on the inside.

"Hamilton! Watch out!"

(End of this chapter)