Car Racing without Money-Chapter 479 - 188: I’m Not a Pushover_3

Chen Xiangbei had previously faced high-temperature tracks, where it was merely a bit over 20 degrees. Now the air temperature exceeded 30 degrees!

Because of this, after 14 years, the Bahrain Sakhir Circuit was directly converted into a night circuit. The daytime high temperatures were not just a test for the car but also a challenge for the driver.

"Xiangbei, drink more water, let me know if you feel any discomfort."

During the brief pit stop, Lu Xiaoman handed a water cup through a straw, delivering an energy drink to Chen Xiangbei’s mouth.

Actually, F1 cars have a built-in drinking system, but under the dual impact of weather and engine heat, the water heats up quickly, turning into hot water in just over ten minutes.

Unless there is no choice during a race, drivers prefer external drinking methods.

"I’m fine."

Chen Xiangbei nodded in response, though his face was covered with dense beads of sweat.

Similar high-temperature situations are not uncommon in F1 events. The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix turned into a large-scale heatstroke event, with the temperature still soaring to 31 degrees even during the night race.

A few drivers couldn’t withstand the heat and retired from the race. Stroll, Sargent, and Albon were directly sent to the medical center after the race.

However, practice sessions allow for buffer breaks, and their intensity is far less exaggerated than the official race, so Chen Xiangbei felt his condition was manageable.

"Green light, prepare to head out."

Odetto’s voice came as a reminder, and Chen Xiangbei gestured to Lu Xiaoman, then put down his helmet visor and accelerated out of the pit.

The main focus of the first practice session is to find the basic tuning setup for the car, while the second practice simulates a heavy fuel long-distance test for the main race.

Compared to the first practice, during the second practice more laps at speed are run, while trying to use as many different tires as possible to collect long-distance performance data of the car under different tire compounds.

"Xiangbei, the long-distance session is almost done, get ready to pit."

After obtaining the desired track data, Odetto gave the instruction to Chen Xiangbei to bring the car in.

No team really fully utilizes the entire 90-minute practice session, especially when it’s the second practice with a basic setup already in place.

With a full tank of fuel, running twenty laps is enough to simulate and gather data, then bring the car in for inspection to avoid wasting the power unit’s lifespan. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Odetto, can I push for one more lap with the old red tires?"

"You want to do a timed lap?"

Odetto and Chen Xiangbei had worked together for a year, and they understood each other’s temperament well.

This guy had been diligently testing all day and couldn’t resist the urge to speed up.

"Hmm, is it okay?"

Chen Xiangbei tentatively asked, as F1 isn’t about recklessness.

"Pit for a tire change."

Odetto gave the response decisively, allowing it as a prelude to the third practice session.

Without any hesitation, Chen Xiangbei drove into the pit lane, where the crew was fully assembled, and they directly put on a set of old red tires he had used during the first practice.

Although these tires were somewhat worn, the wear was not too severe, so they could try to push for a timed lap.

This time, as Chen Xiangbei left the pit, the previous sluggishness was replaced by a sharp edge!

The moment he crossed the starting line, the HRT Racing Car’s engine roared with full power, as if responding to previous audience skepticism and taunts.

After two rounds of tuning, the car now matched the Bahrain Circuit’s characteristics and aligned with Chen Xiangbei’s driving style, indicating a transformation.

Even if Chen Xiangbei’s split times weren’t appearing on the big screen, the live audience could still sense the dramatic increase in cornering speed and feel the stark contrast in Chen Xiangbei’s state compared to the previous test laps.

"So fast, Chen Xiangbei is much faster than before."

"Is this the true strength of the Chinese driver Xiangbei?"

"What a joke calling him a Chinese rookie, he’s our new generation of godly driver Xiangbei from China!"

"Haha, I’ve watched Chen Xiangbei in lower-tier races, he’s about to unleash his potential!"

The few Chen Xiangbei fans and Chinese spectators in the stands started getting excited and thrilled.

Chinese drivers are definitely not pushovers, and with the tuning complete, it’s time for Chen Xiangbei to challenge the track!