Speed ​​God

Chapter 32 Down to Earth
In recent years, F1 safety has made a qualitative leap. There have been no fatal accidents in Formula One racing for many years, and the track no longer seems so terrifying.

And it is precisely because of this that the younger generation of drivers is losing something—

A sense of awe for speed.

Even if others repeatedly warn them, they have never witnessed the moment a race car is smashed to pieces, nor have they heard the terrifying sound of metal tearing through flesh, let alone experienced the fear and despair of the entire track falling silent after a crash.

For them, racing seems to be just a stage for showing off skills and getting honors, and setting lap records is nothing more than updating game records.

However, at the youth academy in Maranello, Monfatini must oversee this.

He knew that behind every new fastest lap time was a driver hovering between heaven and hell, and that every speed improvement had to be built on precision and respect.

Therefore, the rules must be upheld.

Newcomers must start with simulators, 10 to 15 hours a week, for at least three months to build a foundation. If necessary, this may take up to six months before they are allowed to enter the Formula One racing cockpit, truly enter the racetrack, and experience the ultimate speed and the limits of human capability.

Over the years, Montfati has had to repeat himself over and over again, to the point of numbness, to the point that even he himself has begun to doubt whether he has become a stumbling block to his dreams.

Because the more talented someone is, the less willing they are to wait—they believe they are born to reach the limit.

But Lu Zhizhou did not.

Calm. Composed. Focused.

Ignoring Alessi's rumors and not rushing to prove himself, he once again displayed a wisdom beyond his seventeen years, which drew attention.

In fact, this is true not only outside the racetrack, but also on the racetrack itself.

After the morning's theoretical training, the afternoon training began with the simulator.

Monfatini won't tell drivers how to drive, where to brake and where to accelerate, how to choose a racing line, how to judge their position on the track, and so on. This isn't a driving school; they don't provide hands-on instruction in driving techniques.

Here, they cultivate each student's own style, understanding of racing, and exploration of the track; at the same time, they teach students how to analyze data, and students need to learn to express their feelings and explore ways to improve speed with data analysts and race engineers.

Simulators are accessible to everyone, and now that they are widely available, even racing enthusiasts can experience speed and passion by sitting in a simulator.

The difference is that laymen are just experiencing it; scrolling through social media is just scrolling through social media. But insiders can't just scroll through social media; they need to use their minds.

No different from sports like football, basketball, and rugby, racing fundamentally requires the simultaneous operation of both the body and mind, and relies on the help of the entire team to try to control the car and ultimately unlock its full potential.

During the previous trial training, Lu Zhizhou displayed amazing talent and a keen intuition for speed; but his true potential lies in his understanding of racing cars and tracks. He can quickly build a database and make adjustments and upgrades through trial and error. This innate ability is the real highlight.

However, at the time it was just a conjecture, a feeling. It was invisible and intangible, and no one could be 100% sure whether it was just a chance flash of inspiration or a true talent.

Now, the mystery has finally been unveiled.

In just three days, Lu Zhizhou had fully adapted to simulator testing and had begun to learn how to analyze data by following in Montfaldini's footsteps.

Within a week, without Lu Zhizhou even asking, Montfati proactively upgraded Lu Zhizhou's system and started testing F3 on the simulator.

The reason is very simple: the F4 is more like a basic teaching platform. The aerodynamic kit is not complicated, and the so-called data analysis content is really limited.

The shift from F4 to F3 is not just about adding eighty horsepower; it's more like moving from a high-end go-kart to the realm of true professional formula racing.

The aerodynamic kits are more complex, and the cars' dynamic responses are more sensitive. Drivers must learn to communicate with their teams using engineering language, such as "a slight drift in the mid-section of the front" or "the rear axle is showing signs of lifting off at the exit of Turn 4," rather than simply saying "something feels off." In terms of performance, F4 is equivalent to about 20% of F1, while F3 is about 40% of F1.

However, the reality is not so simple and cannot be measured by simple data. F4 still belongs to the realm of go-karting, while F3 has entered the realm of formula racing.

After careful observation and personal experience, Montalcini believed that Lu Zhizhou was ready and could enter F3 mode for training on the simulator.

As expected, it lived up to everyone's expectations.

Judging solely from lap times, Lu Zhizhou hasn't undergone a dramatic transformation overnight, nor has he made a stunning breakthrough by breaking the simulator F3 record to continue earning everyone's admiration. After all, switching between completely different driving modes and racing languages ​​still takes time.

However, Alessi and his friends still couldn't be happy.

Perhaps Lu Zhizhou didn't immediately break the lap record, but anyone with eyes can see his growth and how quickly he adapted to the new mode.

The reason for not breaking the record is not due to a lack of ability, but because they are full of confidence and have no hurry to break it.

On the first day of switching to F3 mode, Lu Zhizhou was able to clearly feel the difference and distinction. He humbly asked for advice, studied it carefully, and adapted to it in a day.

At the time, Alessi was secretly pleased, as it was rare to see Lu Zhizhou suffer a setback; it turned out that even geniuses were "nothing special."

But starting the next day, Lu Zhizhou was able to accurately pinpoint the starting point of the car's understeer and the sluggish response in the throttle range.

On the third day, he even proposed modifications to the suspension settings, attempting to make the virtual race car more in line with his driving rhythm.

"He has an intuition, sharp and delicate, that seems to be able to directly touch every nerve of the machine," someone commented, even jokingly.

"I wonder if Schumacher was like this back then."

Michael Schumacher, a seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, holds almost every record in the world of Formula 1, and is undoubtedly a legendary superstar.

Schumacher possessed a talent for keen and delicate perception of mechanics, sensing every detail of the car's changes and accurately conveying this information to his racing and technical engineers, enabling them to unleash the car's full potential within a limited space.

And now, they are comparing Lu Zhizhou to a legendary figure.

Of course, this is a joke. Nicknames like "Little Schumacher" and "Little Senna" are common in youth training academies, but none of them have actually reached their level.

But at least one thing is generally agreed upon:
He is growing up.

It's not about stunning everyone with amazing records, but about building your own growth path step by step with incredible learning ability.

That composure emanated from within, like a cat leisurely licking its fur behind a mouse, strolling lazily, yet never losing the hunter's attention.

For Alessi, this feeling was truly stifling.

He refused to admit it.

Montfati watched all this silently, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

Originally, everyone thought Lu Zhizhou was a troublemaker who was about to cause a ruckus; but to everyone's surprise, Lu Zhizhou won the engineers' respect in a gentle and persuasive way, quietly integrating into the team, which also surprised Marchionne.

What's going on? How could this even happen?
　The racing novel is still struggling to climb the charts, and I earnestly request all readers to continue reading and not stop! The young author once again expresses sincere gratitude to all the readers!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)