Could Chen Xiangbei’s speed during the Renault era compare to Vettel’s?

"Otherwise, why would I suggest Xiangbei skip grades?"

Ross Brown knew this was hard to believe. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he probably wouldn’t believe it either.

But that was the reality, Chen Xiangbei accomplished it.

So often when the media wildly criticized Chen Xiangbei for picking on Kimi Raikkonen, Ross Brown would just smile lightly.

Only he knew best how terrifying this guy’s talent was, not losing to Raikkonen!

"Could it be that he’s particularly familiar with the East Sea International Circuit?"

Whitmarsh offered a hypothesis. Drivers often favor their home tracks, and simulators tend to habitually load the home maps.

Over time, they become more adept at it.

"If we have to find a reason, maybe."

Ross Brown didn’t argue.

Drivers being more familiar with their home tracks is an undeniable fact.

But the issue isn’t just being familiar, it doesn’t guarantee faster lap times or better performance.

Otherwise, the grand prix winners would all be home drivers.

No matter how many times Chen Xiangbei practiced on the simulator, he hadn’t driven the East Sea International Circuit. This isn’t disputable.

To achieve such speed, apart from the home advantage, it can only be his unparalleled racing talent!

A little over a minute quickly passed, and the screen displayed Trulli’s lap time.

minute 35 seconds 331, considered a standard practice lap.

But this lap time, with Chen Xiangbei’s brilliance before it, seemed far insufficient.

"How much slower should medium downforce be theoretically?"

Odetto promptly asked the data analyst, Mizutani Sho.

"About 0.2 I suppose."

The maximum impact of medium downforce is the tail speed difference on long straights, but it can gain better grip in corners to compensate.

Theoretically, it’s up to 0.2, the gap wouldn’t be very large.

Upon hearing this answer, Odetto calculated mentally.

0.2 for calibration difference, 0.2 for home advantage, plus about 0.5 for retained momentum; the lap time gap within a second is normal.

Now, Trulli was 1.5 seconds slower.

Don’t underestimate the additional 0.5 seconds; in F1 qualifying, it’s the difference between heaven and earth. It might mean elimination in Q1 or advancing to Q3!

"This lap time is a bit exaggerated. I wonder how much effort Xiangbei used."

Sawano Hiroyuki asked. Even if Chen Xiangbei pushed deliberately, theoretically, there’s still room for improvement.

Could it be possible to break Schumacher’s track record?

With this question, a crazy thought occurred to the team members.

Schumacher set the lap time in ’04 with a V8 engine. If Chen Xiangbei could break his track record, pole position would be assured.

Achieving pole position in the third official race, and being a Chinese driver, seemed unimaginable before. In the history of F1, it’s a rare breakthrough.

Perez, standing at the back of the pit, heard the team’s conversation and saw Chen Xiangbei’s lap time; in that moment, his ambitions seemed shattered.

Perez’s goal was never just gaining a full-time driver seat.

Because that was already a foregone conclusion, Trulli was bound to be eliminated.

His goal was to become the number one driver for HRT Team, to be Mexico’s pride!

Later, at the peak of Perez’s form, he tried challenging Verstappen’s championship status, but the outcome was dismal, directly leading to his mindset derailing and his performance drastically declining, sparking the fuse to be kicked out of the team.

But if you don’t try, how will you know if you’ll succeed?

Moreover, Perez, at twenty years old, was also at a youthful and reckless stage, unwilling to accept the fate of being a second driver or even a wingman!

Perez knew Chen Xiangbei was strong, but didn’t expect him to be this strong.

Was this exaggerated speed only appearing on the home track, or was it the divine lap with full throttle, or was it Chen Xiangbei’s average level of strength?

Everyone wanted to know the answer, so Odetto pressed the communication button.

"Xiangbei, do you intend to push further?"

"Yes, the car feels good, and tire wear under low downforce isn’t severe. I plan to push another lap."

Chen Xiangbei’s tone carried a strange excitement, possibly because a dream spanning two lifetimes had finally come true. He couldn’t hold back his desire to race crazily at the East Sea International Circuit.

"OK, you can push another lap after the cooldown lap."

Odetto tried to keep his tone normal when replying, not wanting Chen Xiangbei to notice his intentions and excitement.

Practice one is mostly used for car calibration. Since Chen Xiangbei felt good, it meant not much need for adjustments, allowing for an early setup for qualifying in practice two.

This time, with shared data from Trulli, Chen Xiangbei no longer needed separate testing for tire projects and heavy oil long-distance runs, gaining more time.

The track was engulfed with the roar of engines, while inside HRT Team’s pit box, it was silent.

No one made a sound, and all eyes were fixed on the onboard footage of Chen Xiangbei’s car, trying to understand whether the previous lap time was an anomaly or the norm.

The TF110 once again sped past the start line, and when team members focused on Chen Xiangbei’s driving, they realized a more terrifying reality: Chen Xiangbei almost perfectly replicated the previous line, including complete trajectory braking.

The corner braking and throttle adjustments were impeccably executed, like gliding on ice in the eyes of outsiders, without any lag. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

This precision control was less about showing strength, more akin to an aesthetic, pleasing to watch!

Not only was it smooth in outsiders’ eyes, but Chen Xiangbei himself drove happily too.

His complete trajectory braking didn’t apply excessive braking; more often, he controlled speed by modulating the throttle, a skill optimized in later years by many drivers, including Verstappen.

One reason Chen Xiangbei can achieve incredible lap times is his familiarity and talent with the East Sea International Circuit.

Another reason is his position on the shoulders of giants.

The cross-era control encompassed the strengths of various super drivers, making Chen Xiangbei seem like a complete entity!

Another minute passed, and Chen Xiangbei’s practice lap time appeared once more on the big screen.

Not only did it replicate the previous "miracle," it was even faster.

minute 32 seconds 422, just 0.2 seconds short of the track record!

The answer was evident; Chen Xiangbei’s remarkable lap time wasn’t accidental but a result of inevitability.

"Wow, the practice lap time is already this fast?"

A live spectator couldn’t help but exclaim. In his impression, practice laps were mostly for testing car calibration, rarely producing exaggerated lap times.

"Not sure, it seems to be the fastest lap so far. Chen Xiangbei is quite impressive."

A person nearby replied. This time, due to national media’s promotional efforts, plus being the home race for China’s first F1 driver, many spectators came who weren’t very familiar with racing.

They mostly came out of simple emotions, to support Chen Xiangbei at the event.

"More than quite impressive, it’s nearly at the track record. I have a hunch Chen Xiangbei might take pole position!"

A more knowledgeable fan offered this answer.

Chen Xiangbei’s practice speed was already at the historic pole position lap times, theoretically faster during qualifying.

Unless HRT Team pulls a stunt with a super-powered engine output and extremely light fuel load, producing a lap to inspire cheer.

"If he takes pole position, wouldn’t we witness the birth of a miracle?"

"Not witness, Chen Xiangbei himself is a miracle!"

The roar of the track grew louder, while the team members across the pit were gasping deeply.

Especially Odetto, who was dissatisfied with Chen Xiangbei returning home for two weeks, thinking this guy was slacking.

Now it seems Chen Xiangbei didn’t exaggerate his words. His mastery of the East Sea International Circuit was far beyond expectations, genuinely achieving absolute home advantage.

If this trend continues, Chen Xiangbei could dominate the qualifying!