Speed ​​God

Chapter 18 Disrupting the plan
Hungry.

Lu Zhizhou was surprised to find that even though he had just eaten breakfast, he was already starving.

He was now regretting not stuffing the entire pizza he had just scorned into his stomach.

Now that the trial period is over, Lu Zhizhou is considering whether he should go to Rome to catch a flight home, or have Lorenzo change his flight to nearby Milan for convenience.

And, before leaving Maranello, should we give Italian food another chance?
Marchionne's voice broke the silence, pulling Lu Zhizhou back to reality from his mind filled with delicious food. "I think the next thing should be the physical test and the psychological test."

Brush brush.

All eyes instantly focused on Marchionne—

The physical and psychological tests have been completed, which means that Ferrari's youth academy is preparing to make an exception and recruit Lu Zhizhou. This is the final step of the test.

Clearly, today's unexpected events are not over yet.

Not only Monfatini and Leclerc, but Todt also couldn't help but glance at Marchionne again.

Lu Zhizhou was very surprised and looked at Todd, "This is not an agreement between us."

Marchionne didn't have time to explain, but gave Todt a knowing look, which Todt understood, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

Todd turned to look at Lu Zhizhou, his tone gentle, "Our agreement is a trial training, and this is part of the trial training. Don't worry, we won't take too long."

Lu Zhizhou looked at Todd, took a deep breath, and sure enough, eight thousand euros was not so easy to earn. The check had not yet been received, and it seemed that he could only continue to cooperate.

But he was really starving. Could he eat something before continuing the test?

Just then, a figure appeared beside them, looking slightly awkward and reserved, extending his right hand and spreading his palm out, revealing a small piece of chocolate in his palm.

Lu Zhizhou looked over and could see those slightly shimmering light green eyes—

It's Leclerc.

Lu Zhizhou's gaze made Leclerc even more reserved. Socializing was definitely not his forte, but he still took a deep breath. "You might need to replenish your energy. The simulator looks ordinary, but the physical exertion is terrifying. I think... you might... I'll prepare..."

As he spoke, receiving no response for a long time, Leclerc's words began to break down.

"Thank you." Lu Zhizhou accepted the chocolate with ease. "My stomach is rumbling louder than an engine, you can hear it, right?"

As he spoke, he unwrapped the chocolate and popped it into his mouth.

Lu Zhizhou made a small joke, but Leclerc didn't respond at all, ignoring Lu Zhizhou and looking back at the simulator screen.

Would you mind if I watched the video playback?

Lu Zhizhou waved his hand, his mouth full of food, and said indistinctly, "Of course I don't mind. The purpose of these videos is for people to see, isn't it?"

Leclerc's attention was completely on the screen. He had an innate sensitivity to speed, and his restless curiosity was almost impossible to suppress. He didn't even care that Marchionne and Todt were present. "For the last compound corner, you used inertial steering, right? I haven't figured out how to control the throttle like that yet."

“You can do it too…” As he spoke, Lu Zhizhou turned to look at the screen and generously shared his understanding without any hesitation. “The key is to maintain the continuity of load transfer. Don’t force it. It’s like… uh, do you usually pet a cat? Just like petting a cat.”

Leclerc's eyes gradually brightened as he entered the world of racing, his speech quickened and his tone became more fluent.

Unfortunately, the discussion couldn't continue, as Montfati intervened, "Young man, let's go and take the physical and psychological tests."

Lu Zhizhou quickly pulled away, patted Leclerc on the shoulder, and gestured with the chocolate in his hand, "Thanks."

Leclerc hesitated for a moment, but still mustered up the courage to say, "...Charles."

Lu Zhizhou stopped and looked at him with some confusion.

“My name. Not Prince Charming, but… Charles. Charles Leclerc.” Leclerc paused, seemingly worried that he hadn’t explained clearly enough. “Actually, it’s just ‘Charles,’ but I’m from Monaco and speak French, and in French, Charles is pronounced ‘Charles.’” He had wanted to refute this explanation from the very beginning, but hadn’t found the right opportunity until now.

Now that I've blurted it out, I suddenly regret it. Was it too abrupt?

Leclerc looked slightly annoyed, and secretly glanced at Todd and Marchionne's reactions, adding in a low voice, "However, you can call me Charles, it's fine."

Lu Zhizhou gently raised his chin, a smile appearing in his eyes.

Pause.

“Lu Zhizhou. In Chinese, my name is Zhizhou.” He added, mimicking Leclerc’s tone, “It’s a pleasure to meet you today, Charles, whose name is 'Charles' in French.”

Leclerc couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Lu Zhizhou smiled and turned around to catch up with Montfaldini, and the two left side by side.

Leclerc stood still, his eyes following the retreating figure, a vague premonition rising within him that this person might very well stay.

He took a deep breath, turned his head, and immersed himself back into the video.

At the same time, another pair of eyes was also scrutinizing Lu Zhizhou's figure—Montfatini.

When they first met, Montfati instinctively sized up the Asian boy, but he didn't make a deep impression because the focus was on Marchionne and Todt. There were just too many surprises, so he didn't have time to analyze the situation carefully. It wasn't until now that Montfati had to reassess the situation.

He is about 178 or 179 centimeters tall. He is still young and his growth plates have not closed yet, so there is still a possibility that he will grow taller.

He has a slender and thin build, and visually appears to weigh just over 65 kilograms, but as a young person going through puberty, his weight may fluctuate more significantly.

This could be a problem.

Formula 1 cars have extremely narrow cockpits, and drivers taller than 183 centimeters must have their cars custom-made, which affects the overall layout of the car and has a far-reaching impact.

On the other hand, in 2016, the FIA ​​stipulated that the total weight of the car and driver should be limited to 642 kg. This means that lighter drivers have a natural advantage in weight distribution, giving more options for vehicle layout, and thus improving vehicle balance and aerodynamic performance.

Although the FIA ​​is discussing whether to set a minimum rider weight limit to achieve fair competition, there is still no written document, let alone any implementation, in the short term.

Just look at the physiques of those top drivers and you'll understand—

Lewis Hamilton, 174 cm, 68 kg.

Michael Schumacher, 175 cm, 75 kg.

Sebastian Vettel, 176 cm, 62 kg.

In comparison, Lu Zhizhou does not have a significant advantage in height or weight. This is not a decisive issue, but it is definitely not a factor that can be ignored.

As the emotional frenzy from the simulator test subsided, Montfati's mind began to calmly assess the realities of the situation.

However, these are not issues he needs to worry about. Height, car layout, and future plans are things for the "tall guys" to worry about. His job is to put things into practice.

Marchionne and Todd watched Lu Zhizhou's departing figure, exchanging a knowing glance.

Marchionne smiled and suggested, "Let's go back to the office first; the later tests may take some time."

It's time to talk about some things behind closed doors.

　Dear readers, if you want to keep reading, just read the latest chapter every day. Following the story is really important, especially for a niche like racing. Thank you all!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)