Young and energetic

Chapter 126 Young and energetic
Buzz, buzz buzz—boom…

The engine roared and surged, bursting from the cracks in my bones and relentlessly pounding my eardrums, while the raging wind crashed against my face like a turbulent torrent, wave after wave.

The exhilarating, tingling sensation of high speed clung tightly to the skin's surface. You could clearly feel the electric currents seeping into your bloodstream through your pores, intertwining with the bubbling heat waves, and rapidly being transported to every corner of your body. Your peripheral nerves entangled with the steering, accelerator, and brake pedals, and your body and the race car became one.

Fingers, toes, and body can clearly feel the dramatic changes in altitude, the smooth curves of the track, and the subtle undulations of the ground. I am using inspiration to touch, feel, and experience this track where I am running barefoot, and using the beating of my heart to find the rhythm of pursuing the ultimate speed.

As the speed steadily increases, adrenaline surges and the body runs faster and faster, seemingly breaking free from physical limitations, escaping the shackles of gravity and the burdens of the physical body, on the verge of complete liberation, and experiencing the speed of sound and even the speed of light.

Exquisite, sacred, unrestrained—

Lu Zhizhou was left alone in the world, traveling between the forest and the sky leading to the fairyland.

Until a blue and white Williams race car appeared ahead, license plate number 18, blocking the road on which Lu Zhizhou had broken free from physical constraints.

That's Stoll.

Stroll glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the Ferrari red No. 7 trying to accelerate through the previous few corners, aggressively darting into the mirror and poised to overtake. Stroll had to use all his strength to control the urge to roll his eyes.

This isn't qualifying, it's not the race, it's not even a practice session to test the pace of flying laps.

The free practice sessions have just begun; the main focus is on getting familiar with the track, the car, and communicating with the race engineers.

As a result, that naive baby driver, unfamiliar with both the track and the car, started accelerating, which was simply insane.

Such an idiotic and amateurish act is laughable. If one is not careful, it may end up on the wall, as if he wants everyone to know that the person in car number seven is not Raikkonen.

"Heh heh." Stoll let out a mischievous laugh—

He deliberately stuck to his lane, refusing to give way to the stroller driver and preventing the country bumpkin from speeding up.

Although Stroll is only in his first F1 season this year and lacks experience, compared to the GP3 baby who has never run on the Spa circuit, he is simply a seasoned veteran who knows the Spa circuit very well. He firmly guards the lanes and easily blocks the route.

From the straightaway to the corner and back to the straightaway, Stroll closed the gate repeatedly, forcefully halting the Ferrari No. 7's continuous speed increase.

"Hehe." Stoll couldn't help but burst into laughter.

The first free practice session had only been going on for two laps. Some were warming up their tires, others were getting used to their new conditions, and everyone was getting into their own rhythm without interfering with each other. At this point, all the live stream showed was a series of boring laps. Suddenly, car number 18 and car number 7 started fighting. Not to mention the audience, even the commentators in the live stream were full of questions, not understanding what they had missed.

However, before the live stream camera could switch, and before the commentator could even speak—

However, in the last corner of the track, which was also the slowest corner on the entire track, car number seven followed closely behind car number eighteen as it emerged.

A well-executed steering maneuver combined with throttle inputs allows for better exit speed from the corner, keeping a tight grip on the car in front and disappearing into the slipstream.

Stoll noticed this and felt a wave of annoyance. He was about to cut off the tail current to get rid of the enemy when the rookie behind him beat him to it.

With a quick turn and flooring the accelerator, giving Stroll no time to react, he transformed into a streak of light and overtook him instantly.

Stroll stared in disbelief as the red blur flashed past his eyes and disappeared diagonally ahead. Without hesitation, he continued to accelerate, successfully shaking off the pursuer.

Stroll wasn't surprised by being overtaken—Ferrari cars are superior to Williams cars, so overtaking isn't anything to be surprised about—but by the baby driver's neuroticism, which involved accelerating at the very beginning of the first free practice session and treating it like a race.

"Uh oh oh oh..."

Stroll exclaimed in frustration. Although everyone knew that the two young drivers who were replacing him today should be sharpening their knives and preparing to show off their skills and try to prove their talents, it was the first time they had seen such a crazy person rushing forward at full speed without any regard for anything else.

If you're not careful, you might end up on the wall—this is Spa!
If car number seven is knocked off the wall, Raikkonen may miss the second free practice session, which could even affect Ferrari's entire weekend strategy. In that case, that baby driver would be shooting himself in the foot, dragging the whole Ferrari down with him as he goes crazy.

Stoll was utterly shocked.

"...You're crazy."

However, the No. 7 race car did not hesitate at all, leaving only a blur as it plunged into the first hairpin bend and disappeared completely.

Does Lu Zhizhou care about Stoll?
of course not.

Stroll was unimportant, and even the Ferrari service area was unimportant; Lu Zhizhou's entire focus was on the area to come.

The legendary combination of corners at Spa-Francorchamps, known worldwide as the Red River Bend.

Actually, Red River Bend refers to the combination of bends No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4. Red River Bend is the name of No. 2 bend, while the No. 3 and No. 4 highway S-curves are called Radison. However, because No. 2 bend is so famous, Red River Bend is used to refer to the combination of these three consecutive bends.

After exiting the corner, the next stop is the famous Kaymer Straight, which leads directly to the Lescombe Combination Bend.

Here, cars can reach the highest speeds on the Spa circuit, exceeding 320 kilometers per hour. To achieve the ultimate speed, the exit speed of the Red River Bend is crucial. However, the Red River Bend is the most difficult combination bend at Spa, which is why it is world-famous.

If you want to pursue the ultimate speed, then you must dance with the devil at full speed through the Red River Bend.

Even with countless tracks in F1, the Red River Bend is undoubtedly one of the most classic and challenging peaks.

Now, the Red River Bend is right in front of us.

Downhill, sprint, feel the superposition of gravity acceleration with all your might. This short straight road with an elevation difference of 40 meters connects to the road leading to the Red River Bend, truly allowing the race car to experience the limits of physics and human capabilities. The pull of G-force requires every muscle in the body to be tense.

floor the accelerator and plunge into the Red River Bend at full speed when you reach the bottom of the slope.

Left turn - right turn - left turn.

A high-speed S-curve begins its ascent to the top. Without releasing the accelerator or adding more, it maintains stability amidst the tug-of-war of speed and passion, like a knife dancing on a blade. Relying solely on minimal directional adjustments, it gracefully glides along the curve of the cliff edge, completing an ultimate glide.

It maintains perfect balance amidst high speeds and bumps, with no unnecessary movements—any more would be too much, any less would be insufficient—perfectly outlining an S-shaped curve.

With a push of the accelerator and a pull of the rear end, the car shot out like a red arrow, piercing fiercely into the Kemer Straight.

Honghe Bend is a high-speed bend. Theoretically, you can go all out with the accelerator and not need to release the accelerator for up to 23 seconds.

However, in real life, the situation is often more complicated.

The Red River Bend is uphill, while the Kemer Straight is downhill. The exit point of the fourth bend is at the crest of the hill, and this crest connects a bend and a long straight.

In other words, due to physical reasons and visual limitations, the driver cannot see the exit point of the corner, has no way of knowing the braking point, and cannot know the condition of the vehicles on the subsequent straight.

This is the real danger. Vision provides no information; one can only rely on intuition, that keen intuition that walks on the edge of life and death. When the speed continues to increase, even exceeding 300 kilometers per hour, the crisis of piercing the skin will be magnified tenfold, truly pressing against the throat.

Therefore, although it is said that they passed by "full throttle", the brave ones who dare to test the edge of life and death are ultimately few and far between.

The perfect embodiment of "Fast and Furious"—if you want to gain speed on the way out of the corner and push that speed to the limit on the straight, you have to take risks.

Dancing with the devil!
Just like the No. 7 race car in front of us.

Without hesitation, without doubt, without fear, with perfect adjustments and coordination, delicate and light toes dance gracefully on the edge of the knife.

Light, fluid, and graceful—everything about it is perfect, a feast for the eyes, making one hold their breath as if they were watching a high art performance.

The No. 7 Ferrari transformed into a streak of light, like an arrow lifted by a gust of wind. At the moment it reached the top of the hill and left Turn 4, it floored the accelerator, roared the engine, and instantly pushed the speed to its limit, plunging directly from the corner into the straight.

Breaking through the air—

With a tearing sound, the lush greenery covering the mountains was ripped apart by a flash of red light. A surging torrent poured down from the heavens, its dazzling brilliance stealing breath away. Staring in disbelief at the red heatwave, people were completely swallowed up and melted into the rolling air before they could even react.

Like a roller coaster, at the moment of reaching the peak, there is a sudden plunge. The combined force of inertia, gravity, and G-force pushes the speed to its limit in an instant, but without releasing the accelerator, it suddenly slams the accelerator to the floor, and the Kemer Straight Road stretches out straight in front of the field of vision.

Boom, boom, the race car increased its speed from 290 kilometers per hour to 300 kilometers per hour, but it still did not stop and continued to challenge the limits.

310 kilometers...

320 kilometers...

For a second, my thoughts froze, and even the sound of my heart pounding against my eardrums disappeared. It was as if I had fallen into a black hole while traveling at supersonic or faster-than-light speeds.

The eyes couldn't even accurately capture that fleeting light; only a blurry afterimage stretched across the focused pupils, leaving a long red trail.

328 kilometers!
All the noise and clamor disappeared, freed from gravity and physical limitations, the heart merged with the gale, soaring freely and unrestrained.

The world paused briefly, completely forgetting itself, its own existence merging into the universe, evolving into a speck of dust in this vast and magnificent expanse. It was as if a window had been opened, and one had inadvertently glimpsed another mysterious space beyond common sense, unfolding endlessly before one's eyes.

In an instant, my scalp tingled, and all the pores on my body opened up. I could almost see fireworks filling the sky and the earth, or the dazzling aurora borealis cascading down like a waterfall. The trembling and the tingling sensation went straight to my soul through the top of my head, and I began to tremble uncontrollably.

Wonderful.

then!

In a fleeting instant, I calmly seized the last thread of thought, pulled it hard, without hesitation or lingering, and returned to reality from the mysterious and exciting splendor. In a second, I was back on the ground, and gravity crashed down on me like giant waves. The G-force exploded, and I was pinned to the ground, unable to move.

Even a tightness in the chest, making it hard to breathe.

At the extreme speed, the pressure of G-force and the squeezing of gravity also increase exponentially, something that GP3 ​​cannot experience.

Calm and composed, at the critical moment, a sudden stop, going from one extreme to another, undergoing a dual test of mind and body.

Turn right and plunge headlong into the next series of consecutive corners, Les Combe, with a turbulent motion, and cleanly and neatly emerge under the extreme pressure of G-force.

Only when he exited the bend again did he relax, ceasing his pursuit of maximum speed, and his tense nerves finally loosened.

"Haha! Hahaha!"

A hearty laugh echoes across the vast ocean! The tides surge on both shores!

In one word, cool!

A sense of exhilaration, unrestrainedness, and freedom—nothing was held back; everything was released, and the unruliness and unbridled spirit hidden within one's personality laughed with the wind.

Indeed, Lu Zhizhou did it on purpose—

Let me be impulsive for once.

In Maranello, Lu Zhizhou had already helped Ferrari test their new F1 car and was no stranger to the speed of F1.

However, firstly, it was a test, and secondly, the Finoola circuit is not known for its speed. Lu Zhizhou had never experienced the exhilaration and freedom of speeding at 300 kilometers per hour, which is currently the ultimate challenge that humans have taken to racing.

Lu Zhizhou had always wanted to experience it, and Spa-Francorchamps is second only to Monza in Italy in terms of speed throughout the year, truly challenging the driver's limits.

Of course, Lu Zhizhou understood all those principles. This was a free practice session, this was Raikkonen's car, and not only Ferrari but other teams were also watching closely. He had no room for error or the opportunity to act recklessly here. All of this meant that acting recklessly on such a stage was definitely not the right choice, and could even be considered foolish.

But Lu Zhizhou is Lu Zhizhou, a unique existence.

From the very beginning, he entered this world differently from other drivers and other kids. He did hope to step onto the F1 track and chase the limits, but he would not change himself because of it. If he could not chase speed and challenge the limits, if he could not stay true to himself, then he might as well not play this game.

So Lu Zhizhou gave it a try and truly experienced the authentic taste of the Spa circuit at Red River Bend.

The thrill made Lu Zhizhou cheer, a rare occurrence for him. Only at this moment could one feel the unbridled and exuberant spirit that Lu Zhizhou displayed, unlike any other driver.

Laughter burst forth without reservation, and they couldn't help but cheer and shout with joy.

However, for David Greenwood, everything before him was shrouded in confusion and completely incomprehensible.

Greenwood, Ferrari's race engineer, was in charge of Raikkonen.

As Song Bo said, the main purpose of the first free practice session was to test the condition of the car, collect data, and complete the basic setup, laying the foundation for the next two free practice sessions.

In other words, although Lu Zhizhou is driving now, all the data he collects will serve Raikkonen.

Naturally, Greenwood was responsible for Lu Zhizhou's first practice match today.

but!

What exactly is that newbie doing?
In the first half, Greenwood thought Lu Zhizhou was showing off his speed advantage and trying to amaze everyone as soon as he appeared. He didn't stop him because he knew that the young man wouldn't listen to him anyway, so it was better to let him crash into the wall himself.

But what about now?

After passing the Kemmel Straight and Lescombe Bend, the speed actually dropped, and I gave up after completing a third of the flying lap. What happened?

Could it be... could it be... no way, he just wanted to challenge the speed limit of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit?
Greenwood felt an urge to bang his head against a wall.

No way?
Wait, no way! That rookie made such a big fuss just to experience the Red River Bend and the speed of F1 on the Kemer Straight?

...Damn it!
Greenwood sighed and rubbed his forehead. Was that guy so afraid that others wouldn't realize he was a completely inexperienced F1 newbie? He actually made a fool of himself in front of the entire paddock.

Imagine the stormy seas and turbulent undercurrents this morning. Everyone in the paddock should have been focused on Ferrari, but then that baby driver pulled this stunt.
This is incredibly embarrassing! They've made a huge fool of themselves, and they'll probably all become a laughingstock!
Greenwood lowered his head quietly like an ostrich, seemingly able to feel the scrutinizing gazes from all directions, wishing he could disappear on the spot.

What should we do? Should he vent his frustrations, or help that kid regain his senses?
But the thought of Arrivabene and others watching all this made Greenwood's scalp tingle with embarrassment that could fill a Disney castle; he had never missed Raikkonen so much.

My mind was filled with a cacophony of noise and bustle; even amidst the roar of engines, I could almost hear the sounds of laughter coming from the neighboring repair area.

But after hesitating for a moment, Greenwood decided not to say anything to remind him.

It wasn't because he wasn't worried about Lu Zhizhou making a fool of himself—after all, if someone made a fool of themselves, it would be Lu Zhizhou's face that was lost, and he needed to draw a clear line, so it had nothing to do with him; rather, it was because he had worked with Raikkonen for many years and was already used to Raikkonen's taciturn working style, where he didn't need to talk much, just be accurate and to the point.

Kimi Räikkönen is known as "The Iceman" for a reason, not only because he is from Finland, but also because he hates interviews, conversations, and everyday interactions.

Some drivers enjoy communicating with race engineers, maintaining constant dialogue to stay fully informed and exchanging ideas throughout the entire race; others prefer to focus, enjoying the solitude and quiet of chasing speed in the cockpit, with race engineers only providing the necessary information.

Clearly, Raikkonen is the latter.

After a moment's struggle, Greenwood decided to distance himself. The die was cast; there was no point in trying to salvage the situation or offering reminders. Besides, it wasn't the first time.

A GP3 or F2 prodigy gets the chance to practice in F1 and thinks he can show off his skills and amaze everyone, just like Verstappen. But one by one, he is crushed by the harsh reality and leaves with his tail between his legs, fading into obscurity.

Not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can become Verstappen.

This is the fundamental reason why Verstappen was able to stir up a storm in the paddock. If geniuses are everywhere, they are no longer rare. If someone wants to embarrass themselves and bring shame upon themselves, there is no need for them, the bystanders, to interfere. Letting the young man hit a wall and temper his arrogance is not a bad thing.

Greenwood swallowed his words and sighed softly to himself.

The first three or five laps were skipped and treated as warm-up laps. After all, this was Lu Zhizhou's first official F1 race and his first time at Spa, so the newcomer should be given more time to familiarize himself with this challenging track. All of this was expected.

But thinking about this, Greenwood couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. Why Spa of all places? Those executives really knew nothing about actual racing!
Pretending to know what you don't, yet pontificating about everything.

Spa-Francorchamps can be considered one of the most difficult and challenging tracks of the year, with many drivers even considering it the ultimate challenge.

Some people believe that Spa and Monaco are the most challenging tracks of the year. Monaco is difficult because of the narrow and congested city streets, where a slight mistake could lead to a crash and ruin the race. Spa, on the other hand, is challenging due to weather, terrain, track design, and other factors.

Nestled among mountains, Spa is lush and green year-round, with beautiful scenery that is breathtaking and refreshing, and can be regarded as the ultimate stage for human beings to challenge their limits.

This track is not only long, with a total length of 7.004 kilometers, making it the longest single-lap F1 track in the world; it also features significant changes in terrain elevation, with an elevation difference of about 100 meters, making it the F1 track with the greatest elevation difference, requiring constant uphill and downhill runs throughout the entire course.

The diverse high-speed curves and wide straights pose a severe test to the performance of the race cars, while the continuous hairpin bends and continuous S-curves present top-level challenges to the drivers' skills. The 23-second throttle interval starting from the Red River Bend, which weaves between high-speed curves and straights, has created a world-renowned classic legend.

More than one person or two have said that Spa is the most challenging track of the year, a rare track that demands both car performance and driver skill. And that's not all.

Because it is located in a mountainous area, the weather here is changeable and the probability of rain is high. What is more challenging is that sometimes the track is half rainy and half sunny, and the dryness and wetness of different areas are different, which puts a near-stringent test on the tires and also poses an extreme challenge to the drivers' ability to adapt to the ever-changing race. Team strategy is equally important.

In fact, countless drivers have a fondness for Spa because it is the best stage to challenge the limits of human capability.

However, Spa is also an extreme test with a lot of danger. There have been many tragedies here, including serious injuries and even deaths of drivers. In 1970, the track was even suspended because it was too dangerous, and the race was not resumed until 1983. However, it has been controversial ever since.

It's no exaggeration to say that at Spa, it's like dancing with the devil.

As it turns out... Lu Zhizhou, a complete novice in his professional career, actually drove an F1 car for the first time in Spa?

Greenwood was even mentally prepared that Lu Zhizhou would crash into the wall and destroy the race car, and that Raikkonen might face difficulties for the rest of the weekend.

Greenwood thought he was mentally prepared, but seeing Lu Zhizhou's youthful impetuosity and reckless adventure, he couldn't help but complain.

Those high-ranking big shots really know nothing and give orders blindly, but the consequences have to be borne by us ants.

On the surface, Greenwood maintained his composure and calmness, remaining composed despite the gazes gathering from all directions.

But, deep down?

Greenwood couldn't help but curse, giving Lu Zhizhou a thorough dressing-down.

Then, a voice came from the radio, instantly pulling Greenwood from his thoughts back to reality.

“David, the grip at Red River Bend is low when entering the corner, and the rear wing downforce may need to be increased by two degrees to stabilize the tail, but the speed at the end of the Kaymer Straight cannot be lost too much.”

Greenwood was taken aback.

My first instinctive reaction wasn't to complain or be confused, but to read the data, verify it based on Lu Zhizhou's feedback, and then reflexively reply.

"receive."

Greenwood immediately realized that Lu Zhizhou was right, not only meticulous but also precise.

Before my thoughts could expand, Lu Zhizhou's voice came through the radio again, "The grip was good in the second timing segment, but the braking point at the bus stop was a bit soft, so the brake distribution may need to be adjusted."

Greenwood: ... "Received."

The second timing segment is a continuous combination of curves with fewer straights; the "bus stop" is the area near the end of the third timing segment, specifically curves 18 and 19, nicknamed "bus stop," which is a combination of high-speed curves and straights.

Clearly, the two regions have different requirements for the configuration of the racing cars.

but!

Wait a minute! Wasn't Lu Zhizhou just flooring the accelerator and sprinting? Then what's with these data feedbacks?

The first free practice session at Spa-Francorchamps, the Belgian Grand Prix, was in full swing, but Greenwood was somewhat dazed. He had never experienced a rookie's first attempt at F1 before, so he had no reference points and couldn't be sure if what he was seeing was normal.

Greenwood was having a tiny bit of an existential crisis.

Hey, David!

The voices of the technical engineering team came through the radio channel, and Greenwood immediately snapped back to reality, switching channels to respond.

"Lu's feedback indicates that the balance point between downforce and suspension is correct. We will adjust the data immediately and run a long-distance test at the next stint."

"If everything goes well, we'll share it with Sebastian. They still have no clue. Sebastian isn't feeling well today, and the overall feedback is too vague."

After a pause, he couldn't help but sigh.

"Wow, this saves us at least thirty minutes."

Greenwood was slightly taken aback. There was no time for exclamations or shock now; one surprise after another had left him numb, even accustomed to it. The extreme of denial had transformed into affirmation.

Could it be... that kid... has more than just a few tricks up his sleeve?

Wait, something's not right, he's not an M.

Greenwood let out a soft breath, pulling his jumbled thoughts back to reality, and hurriedly replied, "Roger that. Next, we'll prepare to enter the pit and change to a soft tire."

The free practice match was still in progress. Greenwood was not thrown off balance by the waves of shock. He tried his best to avoid revealing his inner panic, quickly focused his attention, and switched to Lu Zhizhou's channel via radio.

"Box. Box."

At a command, Lu Zhizhou smoothly entered the pit lane and stopped precisely at the entrance of the Ferrari pit garage, but did not immediately return to the track.

This is different from GP3; it not only requires pit stops to change tires, but also requires more detailed and comprehensive communication.

When Greenwood arrived, Lu Zhizhou was speaking with the engineering team of the Raikkonen No. 7 car. "...The front tires overheated noticeably at Pujon Corner. I suggest fine-tuning the front suspension stiffness to reduce understeer; also, the brakes in the third timing slot are still a bit soft..."

Puhong Bend, also known as the "Double Left Bend," is a horseshoe-shaped bend with two consecutive right-angle left turns, number 10 and 11, posing a severe test to the front tires.

Concise, accurate, delicate, and to the point.

Lu Zhizhou showed none of the confusion of a novice, quickly getting into the swing of things and providing a clear direction for the entire technical team's adjustments.

This is precisely the essence of the first free practice match.

On the one hand, for most tracks, drivers have both actual driving experience and extensive simulator driving experience. However, each competition is held after a full year, requiring time to adapt to track changes, awaken the memories in their bodies and minds, and truly allow themselves to enter the state of a brand new race. This is also the task of the first free practice session.

warm up.

On the other hand, the team will make some upgrades based on the characteristics of each track, weather conditions, tire conditions, and the car's performance in previous races this season. Common upgrades include aerodynamic and mechanical upgrades, in order to balance the car's performance on different tracks and under different conditions.

The actual effects of these upgrades need to be tested repeatedly on the track, which is also the core task of the first free practice session.

Furthermore, the settings for a race car to run laps in a short period of time are different from the settings for stable output over a long period of time. This can be understood as the settings for qualifying, the main race, and the sprint race all need to be adjusted and adapted.

Therefore, in general, the first free practice session often involves repeatedly going in and out of the pit lane. First, the car is tuned on the track based on data from previous years and the car's basic settings from the previous year. Then, adjustments are made based on the actual situation. Drivers are constantly going in and out of the pit lane, often five times or even more. This is to test the new car's setup, constantly testing and adjusting to find the optimal settings.

It can be said that the first free practice match was the simplest, not pursuing the ultimate speed, but focusing on tuning, which is why novices and rookies were allowed to play in place of others.

However, the first free practice session is also fundamental, like a foundation, laying the groundwork for the technical team to accurately tune the car. Whether or not they can perform the job makes a world of difference.

Lu Zhizhou is a perfect example right now.

Concise and to the point, insightful and nuanced, demonstrating a rare understanding of cars in just a few words, and achieving efficient communication.

The entire technical team worked together like perfectly coordinated gears, operating at high speed effortlessly.

It wasn't just Greenwood; Vettel's technical team also came over to ask about the data. They happened to see Lu Zhizhou and didn't even have time to greet him. "What's going on at Puhong Bend? Seba keeps complaining about understeer, but his description is too vague."

“The front suspension is too stiff. We were just discussing this issue.” Without pausing or hesitating, Lu Zhizhou immediately expressed his opinion.

"In addition, brake distribution."

"The current brake distribution is too far back, resulting in insufficient front wheel deceleration load when entering a corner, leading to understeer and the tires losing grip. We need to adjust and move the brakes forward. However, we need to avoid overheating the front wheels, so we still need to test and adjust as we go."

Simple and efficient.

There was no questioning. The technical experts didn't need to question it here; they could simply go back and read the data to verify its authenticity. They were only there to get another driver's firsthand experience. They then posed the next question: "What are the current brake distribution values ​​for car number seven?"

Lu Zhizhou scratched his head, a rare hint of hesitation in his voice. "60%. We are still adjusting. The second and third timing segments need to be balanced. The brakes at the bus stop have been too soft."

Back and forth, simple and efficient.

Greenwood stood by and watched the whole thing. None of these seasoned technicians noticed anything amiss, but they did form a small circle around Lu Zhizhou, surrounding him like a star, with all their attention and focus on him.

Not only because of his efficient and incisive communication, but also because of Lu Zhizhou's humble yet assertive and approachable work attitude, it was truly a pleasure.

Greenwood couldn't help but think of Maranello, where Monfatini had also spoken highly of Lu Zhizhou. He had initially thought that Monfatini simply favored drivers from the youth academy; but now, with Lu Zhizhou only going in and out twice, the atmosphere in the pit area had quietly changed.

The scene was bustling with activity, which was exhilarating and allowed one to clearly feel the thrill of efficient operation.

"Alright. Next up, we'll switch to supersoft and soft tires and test their performance. How about that? This is a test your GP3 hasn't faced before, right?"

With a lighthearted remark, Lu Zhizhou replied calmly, "Yes, it's too complicated. My brain is completely tangled right now. Let me repeat, what tire was it again?"

"Supersoft tires and soft tires."

"Are there any softer ones? Even softer, will they melt like the marshmallows in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'?"

Seeing Lu Zhizhou's serious and inquisitive expression, the others finally realized that Lu Zhizhou was training monkeys like a circus animal trainer. Just as the person was about to obediently answer, the surrounding crowd could no longer help but burst into laughter.

Lu Zhizhou remained serious. "It seems I have to get on the track and figure it out myself."

Putting on his helmet, Lu Zhizhou walked towards race car number seven. The pit lane behind him erupted in laughter and cheers, the atmosphere couldn't be more relaxed and joyful.

Hearing the commotion, the people in the Mercedes-Benz pit lane next door exchanged bewildered glances, including Wolf, whose face was full of question marks.

"Whether it's cotton candy or not, we'll have to wait and see."

With a lighthearted remark, amidst laughter, Lu Zhizhou got back into the race car, changed to soft tires, left the pit lane and the service area, and stepped back onto the track.

……

In fact, free practice sessions are a bit boring for spectators because they don't know the teams' strategies and setups, and the purpose and logic behind the lap times are unknown. It's just a feeling of blindly joining in the fun. The true strength and intentions of the teams will only be revealed in qualifying and the race.

At this moment, Zhang Qiaomu and Jiang Mo were in the same situation. They watched the different race cars go around and around on the track, but they couldn't figure it out. Although the lap times were constantly changing, it seemed to have no meaning. For a moment, they didn't know what they should look at.

I was a little happy when Lu Zhizhou appeared in the live stream.

The FIA's official live broadcast channel seemed to be aware of the historical significance of Lu Zhizhou representing Ferrari in his first practice session, and the international signal gave Lu Zhizhou a lot of screen time; but the problem is that Lu Zhizhou was wearing a racing suit and helmet, completely covered up, and was quickly lost in the crowd in the pit area.

Zhang Qiaomu raised his right hand, pretending to scratch an itch, but actually secretly covered his mouth to hide his yawn.

As a result, Zhang Qiaomu noticed Jiang Mo's gaze out of the corner of her eye and immediately realized that she had given herself away, giving an embarrassed smile.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Mo leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "You're not alone. If it weren't for Xiao Zhou..."

The two exchanged a glance and chuckled softly.

However, it was a completely new experience for Lu Zhizhou. It wasn't just about F1 racing; aerodynamics, brakes, throttle, and everything else were new to him. At the same time, it truly opened a door for Lu Zhizhou, making him realize the crucial role that tires play in top-level formula racing.

Of course, Lu Zhizhou knew the importance of tires. Even in the past, when street racing was the most important thing, a set of top-of-the-line tires played a crucial role. However, the faster the race car went, the more obvious the subtle differences made by the tires became, because the price of pursuing the ultimate speed was severe tire wear.

After all, friction and grip are crucial variables in the process of pushing the limits of speed.

Actually, the principle is not complicated. The softer the tire, the better its elasticity and grip, but it also wears out faster. The harder the tire, the opposite, but it gains more durability.

To give a simple example, soft tires may push the speed to its limit in ten laps, but they will be worn out after ten laps and you will have to return to the repair shop to replace the tires; hard tires may last for thirty laps, and although they do not need to be replaced frequently, they reach operating temperature very slowly, and may be unable to resist overtaking when they are on soft tires.

Different tires naturally require different racing strategies.

Ten years ago, Formula One had different tire suppliers and allowed refueling in the pit lane, so fuel load and tire performance were the core of the strategy. It was about how to allocate the time ratio of heavy fuel to light fuel and how to gain track advantage through different tire combinations.

Now, the FIA ​​has banned refueling in the pit lane and designated Pirelli as the sole tire supplier, thus changing the entire competition strategy.

Perhaps some people are wondering, if the tire suppliers are all Pirelli, then what are the differences?
First, the design of a race car, including its mechanical grip, aerodynamics, downforce, and other design features, has different effects on grip and wear rate, which is also the core competitiveness of different teams.

It's normal for a race car to be perfectly suited to soft tires but struggle on medium tires, or for a car to perform exceptionally well in qualifying but have a disastrous long run in the race.

Secondly, the track, weather, temperature, and humidity all have drastically different effects on tires.

The same set of tires might allow you to complete 18 to 25 laps at the Barcelona circuit, but only 10 to 15 laps at the Spa circuit.

Finally, the driver's driving style has a direct and clear impact on the tires.

To put it simply, if a driver keeps braking hard and suddenly, locking up and skidding, constantly getting caught in a tug-of-war with dirty air, the tire wear rate will definitely drop drastically. The same set of tires on the same track can produce huge differences depending on the driving style of different drivers.

This also reveals why F1 teams and drivers don't seem to value GP3 enough.

GP3 has no mandatory pit stop rules, does not require tire changes, and can run on the same set of tires. In other words, variables are controlled within a certain range.

In F2 and F1, drivers are required to pit for tire changes. Even if a driver has top-notch tire maintenance skills and can run the entire race on a single set of tires, the rules still require them to pit for tire changes. Furthermore, with a long race, tire conditions may continue to change, which can introduce many variables that could alter the course of the race.

Therefore, although Lu Zhizhou was far ahead in GP3, F1 always maintained a superior attitude, which is part of the reason and also the key reason.

For Lu Zhizhou, this was indeed a completely new experience and a completely new course.

In the 2017 season, Pirelli underwent a transformation, making significant reforms to its tires in an attempt to play a more important role on the track and influence race results.

This year, Pirelli is offering a total of seven tires: five dry tires and two wet tires, and the compound and supply may be adjusted for each race.

For dry tires, the order from softest to hardest is: extra soft (purple), super soft (red), soft (yellow), medium (white), and hard (orange).

Rain tires come in two types: small rain tires, which are green; and large rain tires, which are blue.

This is the first time Pirelli has introduced "color". In fact, the color itself has no meaning, but it is just to help others distinguish the tires. In this way, without reading the official data, the type of tire currently in use can be easily and directly identified at a glance from the side of the race car's tires.

In Formula 1 racing, different drivers employ vastly different pit stop strategies, resulting in a dazzling and exciting spectacle.

Firstly, drivers may use completely different types of tires, which have different lifespans and therefore different durations of time spent on the track. This can be clearly seen from the tire color since the beginning of this season.

Secondly, drivers may use the same type of tires, but different circumstances brought about by the race car, driver, and race conditions can lead to different tire wear rates.

Naturally, tire strategies can vary greatly depending on the different race cars, tracks, weather conditions, and drivers, resulting in numerous combinations.

At this year's Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Pirelli will offer three types of dry tires: ultrasoft, supersoft, and soft. Medium tires will no longer be offered. This is because Spa-Francorchamps is a circuit that challenges the limits of speed, and 72% of the time is spent at full throttle, second only to Monza's 76%, ranking second all year.

During the first 30 minutes of free practice, Lu Zhizhou was testing the soft tires; the next 30 minutes required detailed optimization of the car setup, collection of tire performance data, and gradual simulation of flying laps, so now he switched to supersoft tires to test the performance of Pirelli at Spa.

For Lu Zhizhou, this was the most enjoyable and wonderful thirty minutes since his impulsive pursuit of speed limits at the beginning.

But things weren't so pleasant for Zhang Qiaomu and Jiang Mo.

Although Song Bo explained the ins and outs of the free practice match early on, it was obviously not to be regarded as a formal competition. However, for laymen, the amount of information was too much to understand. They couldn't see anything at all, were bored and had nothing to say. Just when they were about to doze off, a burst of excited screams suddenly broke out in their ears. The air instantly ignited, and it seemed that the entire TV screen was shaking violently.

"Oh! Oh oh oh, Verstappen has started lapping!"

"Pretty!"

"The first person to break the 1 minute 47 second barrier in the entire free practice session!"

The heatwave erupted instantly, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that spread outwards!
(End of this chapter)