Speed ​​God

Chapter 73 Sounding the Retreat
"From the start of the race on the straightaway, the speed advantage of the race cars was pushed to the extreme!"

"The precise braking in the first time slot, the finesse in the second, and the fury in the third – the control of the rhythm and the output of energy were completely masterful. The track was interpreted in a completely new way, and the potential of the car was fully unleashed. The final series of corners was a real treat, like a magnificent symphony."

"Unbelievable. Unbelievable!"

"As I just said, Lu Zhizhou, please remember this name; we may mention it more than once."

Passionate and enthusiastic.

Croft once again showcased his signature machine-gun-like commentary style, unleashing a barrage of rapid-fire commentary that set the entire live stream ablaze.

If he could, Croft just wanted to clench his fists and scream, no words needed, just scream and release his joy in that moment—

A huge surprise, a truly eye-opening experience.

Only after he had completely vented did Croft finally catch his breath, turn to look at his partner Brendel, and the two exchanged a glance and chuckled softly.

Indeed, with qualifying only halfway through, it's premature to predict Lu Zhizhou's pole position; the real competition begins in the second half. However, the two experts' exclamations of admiration went beyond just pole position—

It is the talent displayed in this racing lap that is amazing, and it is also the unprecedented entry into a completely new threshold.

They believed that the professionals and drivers in the paddock could see this, which suddenly increased the pressure and made the second half of qualifying more unpredictable.

Obviously, no one is willing to give up pole position for the season opener, especially on a track like Barcelona where overtaking is not easy. They certainly can't give pole position to a complete novice who just popped out of the rocks. Wouldn't all the drivers who grew up in the paddock become a laughing stock?

The air instantly tensed, and a chilling atmosphere filled the hunting grounds.

But what about Lu Zhizhou?

Return to Pochinki to end the ranked match.

Surprisingly... we finished work early just like that.

From start to finish, it was just two high-speed laps; then it was time to call it a day.

“He completed nine laps in total. The third and eighth laps are valid.” Brendel glanced at the race data. “Theoretically, this set of tires could last for another ten laps, at least ten laps, but he didn’t stay on the track any longer, obviously not intending to get caught in the dirty air from other cars and damage the tires.”

"However, he left a huge time gap, giving his competitors the opportunity to overtake him and break the record for the entire second half of qualifying."

Although Brendel didn't say it aloud, the subtext was all too clear: was this confidence or folly?
Brendel stared at his partner, dumbfounded, a look of astonishment in his eyes: Was that kid sure? What was the ART team up to this time?
The other drivers in the paddock felt challenged. Was that novice mocking them? Leaving them the fastest lap time to challenge?
Amidst a chorus of shocked and bewildered whispers, Croft was particularly impressed. "Without a doubt, he has a plan. He knows what he's doing and how he should do it. Clean, efficient, and decisive. I'm already looking forward to the main event this afternoon."

Croft believed things were not that simple.

It's less of a provocation and more of a display of confidence.

While everyone thought Nicolas was being taken advantage of by Ferrari, the ART team had already taken control of the situation.

Or perhaps it's a declaration, a declaration of ART's assault on the new season, that they are ready to defend their title.

Croft was right. Lu Zhizhou had no intention of provoking or showing contempt, was not targeting anyone, and was proceeding entirely according to the plan he and Borrepeller had devised.

After two flying laps, the tire wear was already very noticeable. Lu Zhizhou had pushed the car's performance to its limits, and there was no point in staying on the track any longer. So, it was better to conserve the tires to avoid needing them in the later races and sprints, even though the tires were practically at their limit. However, Lu Zhizhou couldn't control what others were thinking; the entire paddock was in an uproar. They believed this was Lu Zhizhou's challenge.

We would rather die fighting than surrender.

If that rookie who suddenly appeared out of nowhere takes pole position in the GP3 opening race, then all the GP3 drivers will become a laughing stock in the paddock. They will become the stepping stones for that rookie's sudden emergence, and no one wants to accept such a fact.

On the track, engines roared and the atmosphere was electric.

"Russell! Russell has broken his personal best! 1 minute 34.468 seconds, but it's still not enough. He's currently only ranked third."

"Hubert, oh, what a pity, the left front wheel locked up slightly as you exited the corner, resulting in a loss of speed."

"Wow, what a surprise! Bokolać showed his speed with a time of 1 minute 34.380 seconds, surpassing Russell and taking third place."

“Wait, Alessi, your actions at Turns 9 and 10 were far too aggressive. You almost crashed into the slower car. The other car had already moved aside to allow him to pass, but Alessi braked too late and knocked the other car off the track. That was too dangerous. Without a doubt, it was a terrible example.”

"Oh, the collision at Turns 9 and 10 has been recorded by the race organizers and is under investigation."

Buzzing, the air is burning.

"Now, everyone's attention is on Han Shilong, on his last flying lap."

The air was burning; visibly billowing heat waves rose and billowed, and the golden Catalan sun shone down relentlessly, making the racetrack almost burst into flames.

The GP3 qualifying season is nearing its end, with the track, tires, traffic, and everything else in peak condition, making this the golden window to achieve the best results.

In the stands, Matteo clasped his hands together, his eyes fixed on the streak of red and black light, praying for Han Shilong.

If even the number one driver from the same ART team can't break the fastest lap record, he doesn't know who else can.

Not only Matteo, but also Sky Sports commentators Herrick Roft and Brundle were surprised that the GP3 opening match was so exciting.

All eyes were on the ART team's number one race car.

Han Shilong was completely focused and single-minded, temporarily forgetting Lu Zhizhou, the fastest lap time, and the predicament of his entire career. He concentrated all his attention on this lap, embracing the car and feeling the track, releasing all his speed and potential without reservation.

Ninety seconds, fleeting yet incredibly long, seemed to momentarily pause time, freezing all actions in place, except for Han Shilong's red and black race car, which transformed into a streak of light, rapidly flowing across the Barcelona circuit, creating a slight misalignment between the track and real time.

The magic ended the moment they crossed the finish line, and astonishment, admiration, and cheers erupted instantly, with the air filled with a blazing heatwave.

All eyes were focused on the display screen in front of the starting line.

Matteo froze, unable to react, standing there dumbfounded, utterly lost.

Lorenzo neither cheered nor jumped; he simply raised his card high, displaying it in a 360-degree arc, like a king ascending to the summit.

"Lu Zhizhou, pole position."

　First update today. The final sprint of the new book season—just a little longer, the finish line is in sight! A heartfelt thank you to all my readers for your strong support during this new book season, thank you everyone!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)