Car Racing without Money-Chapter 441 - 176: Brutal Internal Competition (Part 2)

Chapter 441: Chapter 176: Brutal Internal Competition (Part 2)

This is why the team’s equipment can weigh up to hundreds of tons.

On the track at this moment, the timing system is not just a straightforward overall lap time but divides the track into three segments.

Each segment has its own split timing, allowing team members and spectators to see more intuitively where the driver is fast or slow.

If a segment time is the fastest of the session, it is called "purple sector."

If it is faster than the previous lap, the professional term is "green sector."

If the lap is particularly slow, it is marked as "yellow sector," which can also be termed as "yellow flag sector."

Chen Xiangbei clocked a purple sector in the S1 timing segment, temporarily leading Rosberg in speed, securing the fastest time of the session!

"Briatore, Xiangbei didn’t let you down, did he?"

Odetto crossed his arms over his chest, using a slightly proud tone to ask Hua Bu a question.

Nominally asking, but more of "boasting!"

The old Italian rogue always thinks the success of the driver stems from the merits of his training.

Odetto is more eager to tell Hua Bu that Chen Xiangbei is a genius!

"Not bad."

Briatore never cared about losing face; the better Chen Xiangbei performs, the higher his value becomes.

No one would go against money.

"Bell, how’s the racing data looking?"

Since Chen Xiangbei’s performance met expectations, Hua Bu shifted focus to the car itself.

In the team’s maintenance station, there are many screens, but few display driver data; most are used to monitor the car’s data changes.

For instance, engine power, fluids, temperature, even airflow path.

In some ways, the current HRT Team is similar to historical conditions; even with investments from China, their short founding time still lacks a lot of research equipment, especially the crucial wind tunnel.

As the design director, Bob Bell feels like a skillful woman finding no rice to cook, having to rely on collecting racing data from slipstreams to optimize aero packages through computer simulations.

"Currently, it’s very close to the computer simulation data, but the tire temperature is rising somewhat too quickly. Moreover, it seems Xiangbei’s steering wheel angle is quite large; not sure if the driver is accustomed to it or if it’s the car’s understeer."

The fundamental cause of understeering lies in the car’s front lacking enough grip, leading to deviation in the driving trajectory.

Conversely, oversteering stems from the rear of the car having insufficient grip, easily leading to tail swings.

Most F1 professional drivers in ten years are more accustomed to driving with oversteering.

The reason is that oversteering, compared to understeering, is less difficult to control and simplifies the cornering process.

Another important aspect is that with advances in racing simulator technology, drivers can attempt high-speed cornering without damage, and the success rate of oversteering is higher.

Over time, it has become a habit.

On the contrary, older generation drivers, such as Alonso and Weber, are more adapted to driving with understeer. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

During the early stages of their careers, they often practiced on real tracks, believing more in their handling skills and speed control rather than leaving it to the fate of "tail swinging."

"Odetto, what style of driver is Xiangbei?"

"No specific bias."

Odetto shook his head; throughout various racing setups this year, Chen Xiangbei never emphasized his handling habits.

"Car problem, watch the exhaust diffuser."

Upon receiving this answer, Briatore immediately gave instructions.

He is not a professional racing engineer, even not an early racing practitioner, purely a midway entrant.

But Briatore’s twenty-year career gives him an exceptionally keen judgment.

Intuition tells Hua Bu the issue lies in the exhaust diffuser.

Then Hua Bu turned to another team group: "Trulli, go out and conduct tests."

While Odetto is confident of Chen Xiangbei’s feedback and adjustment capability, and emphasizes this Chinese kid’s continuous learning in aerodynamics and racing engineering subjects besides training.

Using a Chinese idiom to describe, words lack hair, actions are unstable.

Briatore wouldn’t fully trust a rookie; he needs a veteran for comparative testing.

"Mmm."

Trulli nodded in response, picked up his helmet, and prepared to sit in the car.

Public is public, private is private; Trulli is clear about this.

As long as it’s during official F1 tests or races, Briatore is the team manager, and his instructions must be carried out by the drivers.

"By the way, Trulli, you’ve been a Toyota driver for years, you should theoretically be more adapted to the TF110 style."

"Won’t be slower than the Chinese newbie, right?"

When he got to the end of the sentence, Hua Bu’s tone was filled with a teasing that begged for a fight.

The old Italian rogue doesn’t care about any distinction between public and private affairs; he still remembers Trulli moving to the Toyota Team and saying something in an interview when faced with media.

Back then, journalists asked Trulli if he regretted moving to the Toyota Team after seeing Renault’s Alonso win the world championship.

Trulli replied he never regretted it!

Briatore, this scoundrel, not only doesn’t treat him as the number one driver, but not even as a number two, straightaway giving him the "third driver" treatment.

Using a popular phrase from later domestic internet: not only is it failing to treat him as a driver, but it’s practically treating him as Japanese.

Trulli’s blunt answer subjected Hua Bu, already infamous, to another wave of external condemnation.