Car Racing without Money

"Senior Sawano, Xiangbei-kun clearly ran pretty well, and the track conditions and weather during the pole record were better than now. Why does the team leader know this and still act like this?"

Mizutani Sho whispered a remark.

Often, the inability to break the pole record doesn't necessarily mean the following drivers are lacking.

Ricardo raced in the British Renault Formula, held at a slightly different time than the Renault European Cup, with the Donington Park Circuit scheduled for June.

Temperatures in the low twenties are the most suitable for both the car and the driver. Plus, Ricardo is no novice; he won last year's British Renault Formula championship, dominating the standings with a level that easily crushed his competition to claim victory.

Chen Xiangbei can't compare with these track temperatures now, and it's his first time racing at the Donington Park Circuit. Mizutani Sho thinks Odetto might be too demanding.

"Mizutani, you don't understand, Xiangbei-kun misspoke."

This time, Sawano Hiroyuki didn't stand by Chen Xiangbei; he clearly understood where Odetto's anger stems from.

As a driver, one must never give up the spirit of challenge!

"Bei, remember this: the track records in the junior formula are meant to be broken."

"I don't care if it was set by Ricardo or Schumacher; they are merely numbers for you to step on."

"Do you understand?"

"Understood."

Chen Xiangbei did not retort; he also realized his verbal mistake.

Just like back at Guangshen School, when he faced Shinehui and said those words.

Fear equals defeat!

Chen Xiangbei mostly brought in the habits and memories of later generations, viewing Ricardo as that "godly starter" F1 driver, rather than his opponent on the track.

Adjust your position; even if your opponent is Senna or Schumacher, Chen Xiangbei must have the belief to defeat them.

"Go for another lap."

Odetto didn't say much more; he wanted Chen Xiangbei to understand through his actions that track records are meant to be broken.

And consider one point: Chen Xiangbei is now practicing under absolutely ideal conditions, without interference and competition from other drivers.

In a normal scenario, even a practice session rarely achieves a track environment like today's, almost equivalent to a private test by a racing team.

In contrast, Ricardo's pole record was a lap time set in real competition.

Chen Xiangbei is indeed unfamiliar with the track, and likewise, Ricardo didn't have today's track environment. Both have their disadvantages, which Odetto sees as relatively fair.

If Chen Xiangbei still "fears" challenging the opponent under such circumstances, it would greatly disappoint him!

"Roger that."

Chen Xiangbei took a deep breath and stomped the accelerator, continuing to fly around the track.

Sawano Hiroyuki and Mizutani Sho looked at the scene, exchanging a complex glance.

This time, it seems Odetto is dead set; if Chen Xiangbei can't achieve a satisfying lap time, he must push even harder in the next lap.

Sawano Hiroyuki even suspected that the satisfactory lap time was to break the pole record!

As if to confirm Sawano Hiroyuki's suspicion, Odetto turned his head and said to him, "Sawano, have the technical team prepare five more sets of soft tires and set the tire warmers to maximum temperature."

"Odetto, team leader, isn't this..."

Sawano Hiroyuki wanted to persuade but swallowed his words upon meeting Odetto's resolute gaze.

On the track, Chen Xiangbei was racing full speed, with Odetto having fully taken over the team's radio system. Besides him telling when to pit and change tires, he even stopped providing lap time information.

He only gave Chen Xiangbei one instruction: it's still not fast enough!

Chen Xiangbei didn't know just how fast he needed to meet Odetto's standards.

He only felt one thing, that from the car's speedometer he could tell his cornering speed was getting faster.

Many times, challenging the limit is like this; once you succeed, it is no longer a limit, but the next peak that needs to be conquered.

Gradually, Chen Xiangbei adapted to this sensation of dancing on the edge of a knife, as if he was driving not a Renault race car, but the F1 car he dreamed of in his previous life.

At the same time, Chen Xiangbei sensed his adrenaline surging, emotions becoming increasingly excited.

Just as Odetto initially assessed, Chen Xiangbei at his core is not a conservative, traditional Chinese driver; he harbors an aggressive and adventurous spirit.

After breaking through this threshold, Chen Xiangbei will show another side of him, relishing the thrill of never slowing down even if it means breaking into pieces.

Chen Xiangbei's repeated pit stops for tire changes also aroused the curiosity of the Kobayashi Shuji crew, who gathered in front of the console, watching the data from Chen Xiangbei's car, witnessing his lap times being refreshed repeatedly.

"OH MY GOD, is Bei really running the Donington Circuit for the first time?"

A maintenance technician quietly questioned, as Chen Xiangbei's adaptation to the track completely defied his understanding.

"Of course, before Silverstone Circuit, it was even his first time in the United Kingdom."

Beside him, Liang Chi proudly responded, having helped Chen Xiangbei with his passport along with Zhang Zhicong; there's no way he secretly traveled to Donington Park Circuit for practice, right?

"Whenever a new set of soft tires is installed, Bei's lap time can improve by nearly 0.1 seconds, that's incredible."