The dust has settled

Chapter 135 The dust has settled
Weak. Pitiful. And helpless.

Surrounded and outnumbered, he was like meat on a chopping board, surrounded by wolves and tigers, with a bloody stench filling the air.

Lu Zhizhou had never seen such a scene before, and he was completely bewildered and confused.

Not to mention Lu Zhizhou, Qian Jun and Yu Beier, two innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire, also huddled up and trembled. They were blocked by the surging crowd, swept into the storm with nowhere to escape. They just felt suffocated and watched helplessly as they were swallowed up and submerged by the rolling heat wave, with nowhere to run.

What's the matter?

"Lu, there are rumors that you're about to sign with Ferrari, is that true?"

boom--

A bombshell has exploded, creating a huge upheaval.

You could even clearly hear the sound of everyone holding their breath, with only the echo of hearts pounding against chests continuing to surge.

Thump. Thump.

It was just a rumor, but the entire hunting grounds were in an uproar, a massive, sweeping wave that left no one unscathed, their scalps tingling with fear.

Since the sudden emergence of the Lu Zhizhou, speculation has never ceased. From Mercedes-Benz to Red Bull, from McLaren to Renault, it's been quite a spectacle. But Ferrari has remained calm and composed all along, never revealing any clues, seemingly taking a wait-and-see approach to this Lu Zhizhou storm.

Nevertheless, no one can ignore Ferrari, after all, Lu Zhizhou came from Ferrari's youth academy.

However, according to professionals, Ferrari is indeed not very interested. Arrivabene still prefers established champion drivers, let alone a rookie like Lu Zhizhou who has emerged from nowhere. Even Hamilton is more likely to join Ferrari than Lu Zhizhou.

That's why, when word got out in the paddock that Ferrari was about to sign Lu Zhizhou, almost everyone's first instinct was to deny it.

"Just kidding."

"Is this a prank by the Iron Buddha Temple?"

"They're just joining in the fun. McLaren and Renault are fighting, aren't they?"

Various speculations flew around, and everyone laughed and joked.

Then, according to a reliable source within the Ferrari team, Ferrari is indeed discussing contract details with Lu Zhizhou.

In an instant, the hunting grounds were in chaos, inside and out, up and down.

Some believe it, some don't; some complain, some question; some plot, some attack; some believe it's a strategic move in a business confrontation.

However, regardless of the truth, it is a fact that the entire paddock was thrown into turmoil, and whether you believe it or not, the impact of the rumors is undeniable.

One by one, they all fell into chaos, throwing all reason and composure to the winds, and swarmed toward the ART convoy.

Without a doubt, this is the most intense and magnificent wave of excitement since the Weichang area was fully opened to media coverage. Like sardines migrating, a small group of reporters had already rushed over, but a large group of reporters followed, creating a cloud of dust as they raced along – it was truly a spectacular sight.

This scene, witnessed by Zach Brown, left him breathless. Despite his best efforts to conceal it and maintain a calm demeanor, his eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, betrayed a hint of bewilderment and regret.

McLaren was so close, just a tiny bit more, to winning over Lu Zhizhou.

However, they still missed out.

Brown had a feeling he might regret it. No, in fact, he was already starting to regret it.

"Grass!"

"What the hell!"

Not far away, Gunther Steiner was cursing and swearing, making no attempt to hide his frustration.

Actually, the earliest rumors in the paddock were that Lu Zhizhou was preparing to join Haas and represent Haas next year. As the team principal, Steiner was really riding high for a while.

Everyone is joking that Steiner will have his own Verstappen next year.

The result now?

Steiner never expected that Ferrari would betray him like this, and he needs to talk to Arrivabene.

"Gunther!" Brown shouted, "Congratulations!"

Steiner glanced back and, without hesitation, held up one finger—the middle one.

Brown laughed heartily, but as he laughed, a bitter smile still trickled down his cheeks.

The scorching heatwave is forming an unprecedented tornado, and at this very moment, in the eye of the storm, Lu Zhizhou is facing siege, but his response... is probably not what people expect.

"really?"

Wow! Really?

Overjoyed and jumping for joy, his happiness and excitement were completely undisguised, as if he had just heard the news from the reporter for the first time.

reporter:? ? ?

They looked at each other, completely bewildered. Wait, could the rumors be false?
Arriving at the scene full of enthusiasm and passion, they were met with a bucket of cold water that chilled them to the bone, catching even the most experienced journalists completely off guard.

But a seasoned journalist wouldn't surrender so easily. "You mean you never had a conversation with Maurizio Arrivabene?"

"No." Lu Zhizhou's expression was completely calm, his answer decisive and crisp.

That's the absolute truth, 100% true. He never discussed joining Ferrari with Arrivabene, right?
The reporters were now confused, because Lu Zhizhou was so frank and straightforward, his eyes filled with sincerity, that they couldn't help but begin to doubt themselves.

Could it be... a mistake?
It's not uncommon in the paddock; there are so many smokescreens, and finding the truth amidst all the conflicting information is never an easy task.

After all, this is a game played by a group of foxes, but the pure and innocent baby face in front of me doesn't look like a fox at all.

Reporter: "But there have been rumors in the paddock that you're about to sign with Ferrari. What's going on with that?"

Lu Zhizhou's eyes widened, unable to hide his disappointment. "You mean, this is just a rumor? Not true?"

His dejected appearance was heartbreaking, as if a child's dream had been shattered. I couldn't help but want to comfort Lu Zhizhou and tell him not to give up hope.

Standing to the side, Hubert was dumbfounded. The scene was filled with the clash of swords and the aggressive atmosphere. He couldn't even catch his breath. How exactly did Lu Zhizhou handle it?

And...and more!

Hubert remained honest, but his anxious expression betrayed his secret, which was immediately spotted by a sharp-eyed reporter: "Antoine, do you know something?"

In an instant, all eyes were on Huber, whose breath was abruptly cut off: What to do, what to do, what to do! He can't leak the news!
"Hehe." Laughter came from the side, light and cheerful but with a hint of mockery, drawing everyone's attention back to Lu Zhizhou's smiling face once again.

"Do you genuinely believe Ferrari might be sending a message through Antoine, or are you just going to interpret the picture based on Antoine's expression? Whatever it is, there's no need to waste your energy. You can just make things up yourself, since social media is full of fake news anyway."

With sarcasm and witty remarks, he not only helped Hubert out of a difficult situation but also gave the media a sharp rebuke, calmly controlling the overall situation.

Currently, everything is still in the process of dialogue, and nothing has been finalized in black and white. There are still variables. At this time, it would be foolish to blatantly reveal secrets. Even without Marchionne or Nicolas reminding him, Lu Zhizhou knows that he should keep his mouth shut and help Hubert keep his mouth shut as well.

He wouldn't rashly hand over such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Relying solely on this group of reporters?
Haha, they're far from enough.

……

Talking and laughing, joking and scolding—

With ease.

The reporters in front of them seemed a little dazed. Most of them had never actually met Lu Zhizhou up close, and all the information they had was just hearsay.

Until today.

So, can this be considered shock education?

In the crowd, Qian Jun went from panic to observing to watching the show, and surprisingly, he could still find some enjoyment in it. The scene of Zhuge Liang debating with the Confucian scholars floated into his mind, and he struggled to suppress his laughter.

However, the reporters were not about to give up so easily. Looking at the calm and composed Lu Zhizhou, they felt something was off, but they couldn't quite put their finger on it.

Those surprises, those touching moments, those complaints—they all seemed like a performance. But to say that Lu Zhizhou had anticipated this scene and meticulously planned his entire response would seem too far-fetched, even for a reporter.

So, the rumors are all false? Which team will you be joining next year?

In short, it's stated bluntly and directly.

Lu Zhizhou looked over with an innocent expression. "Nothing is confirmed yet, Mr. Reporter. You don't think I would sit here and make up an answer for you, do you?"

One second, two seconds——

puff.

Qian Jun lowered his head, his shoulders shaking violently.

He soon discovered that not only him, but also many other reporters around him were quietly shifting their gaze and chuckling. It was quite a struggle for each of them to suppress their laughter.

“I know everyone longs to join F1, but not everyone can stand on that stage. Including me. All I can do now is complete my tasks on the track and chase victory, and then silently pray that some mysterious force from the universe can help me out.”

As he spoke, he clasped his hands together in silent prayer.

Haha, hahaha!

The laughter was deafening, and the atmosphere eventually became uncontrollable, boiling over with excitement and creating quite a lively scene.

The media came with great fanfare but left empty-handed, failing to obtain any useful information and repeating the same old stories over and over again, which was truly frustrating.

After the crowd dispersed, Qian Jun finished all his work—taking photos and conducting interviews—and at that moment, the fervor in his blood quietly reignited.

Ferrari. That's a Ferrari!
Not just Ferrari, but F1 too!

It's all history. The first Chinese person to ever step onto the F1 track was actually representing Ferrari? And he even jumped from GP3 to F1?

Just from imagining it, a concept, an idea, a possibility, Qian Jun couldn't help but want to cheer; his heart was almost about to explode.

Qian Jun barely managed to control himself. Since Lu Zhizhou hadn't revealed any information, it meant that things were still uncertain, and he would absolutely not ruin any possibilities.

Therefore, he didn't ask any questions, reason reining in his words, "Zhizhou, I believe in you."

Lu Zhizhou was slightly taken aback, then a smile crept onto his lips. "Thank you. I do need some trust. The future is still long, isn't it?"

Qian Jun didn't say anything more. He packed up his gear, turned around, and stood in the sunlight again. His heart was surging, and his pace quickened and quickened until he was running. His adrenaline was surging, and as he ran, a smile involuntarily crept onto his face.

Thursday is Media Day, and all team leaders and drivers will attend a press conference to be bombarded with questions from reporters, without exception.

With the summer break just over, news of contract renewals for drivers like Verstappen, Alonso, Bottas, and Raikkonen remains the focus of attention in the paddock. The news of Vasseur joining Sauber also signifies a dramatic change in the team's middle management. Undoubtedly, this should be the most exciting period of the year.

However, to everyone's surprise, at every press conference, one absolute hot topic stole all the attention, without exception—

Lu Zhizhou.

Without a doubt, Ferrari is in the spotlight, while McLaren, Renault, Haas, Sauber, and others are all playing important roles in this storm. Even Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull have inevitably joined the fray, and a storm that has spread to every corner of the paddock continues to rage.

One hypothetical scenario is that if Lu Zhizhou were to actually skip a level and enter F1, it would be a bombshell, surpassing Verstappen's earlier move, and the paddock would be thrown into turmoil.

Furthermore, if Lu Zhizhou were to actually represent a competitive team like Renault or even Ferrari, it would definitely be a spectacle.

The world spun around them, leaving them dizzy and disoriented. The entire Monza was swept up in this massive vortex, without exception from top to bottom. Even before Lu Zhizhou had truly entered F1, his influence had already spread far and wide.

Openly and secretly; in the teams, in the media; among the mechanics and paddock staff; in the stands at Monza circuit, on social media…

Without exception, everyone was discussing this; you could hear it in every nook and cranny during casual conversations.

Is Ferrari really preparing to sign a baby driver?

"Is Maurizio desperate and grasping at straws? Has he lost his mind?"

"A smokescreen! The rumor I heard is about McLaren, but he has a youth training contract with Ferrari, which makes things more complicated."

"If I had a choice, I would actually prefer to go to Renault. It's true that it might not be as competitive as Ferrari, but at Ferrari he would just be a sidekick, while at Renault he would be the savior, and the team would be built around him."

"No, I think it's all nonsense. Ferrari would never sign a newcomer, especially not such a newcomer, a complete novice. Iron Buddha Temple would probably swallow them all whole."

The world of Formula One racing is bustling and exciting, seemingly spinning at ten times the normal speed.

but!

For once, all the well-informed birds in the paddock were blindfolded and had their ears plugged. Despite their best efforts to inquire, they found no clues. The gossip-loving technicians were also unaware of the situation, and even the sponsor's representative, who usually loved to spread misinformation, remained unusually silent, seemingly unaware of the circumstances.

Everything happened too fast and too fiercely. Everyone in the paddock knows that signing a driver is not an easy task and can take time, just like with McLaren and Renault. Even if the rumors about Ferrari are true, there will still be a period of back-and-forth negotiation. Just be patient.

There are no secrets in the world, let alone in a hunting ground where ears are everywhere.
Be patient, the answer will naturally come to light, so... let the bullets fly a little longer?

However, amidst the noise and heat, as night fell, Aliwabene busied himself in his hotel room, "...draw all the curtains down, including the blackout curtains."

He paused for a moment. "Sergio, wouldn't this be trying to cover things up and might actually attract attention? Wouldn't it be better if we just kept everything normal and treated it as a regular meeting?"
Marchionne sat on the sofa, legs crossed, watching the figures arranging flowers and champagne. The contracts, fresh from the printer, were still steaming on the table. They were preparing to catch everyone off guard and finalize everything at the height of the controversy.

“Pull it down. This is Monza. Even for a regular meeting, we need to keep it confidential, don’t we?” Marchionne appeared remarkably calm.

Arivaben took a deep breath and called out to the staff, "Do you know how many of them are here? Do their guardians need to be present?"

“There should be two,” came the reply from the side. “Nicholas accompanied him. His parents are in Shanghai. Our legal team has arrived and is meeting with his parents in the conference room there. We’ll complete all the formalities via Octopus Connect.”

Arivabene glanced at the clock. As the appointed time drew closer, his heart skipped a beat, and a hint of shock flashed in his eyes. His heart pounded, his ears rang, and Arivabene realized his tension and anxiety, even feeling a bit parched, which he found somewhat absurd.

Throughout his career, he has weathered many storms and weathered countless important occasions and historical events. Yet now he is flustered because of a mere Lu Zhizhou?
However, Arivabene knew that the nervousness stemmed from caring.

He didn't want to tank, and even less did he want to sacrifice the team's performance to compete with Marchionne. He genuinely wanted to lead Ferrari back to its peak.

Now, Lu Zhizhou, who had emerged from the cracks in the rocks, was not only repulsed, but more importantly, he felt uncertain. Faced with something he didn't understand and was unsure of, an instinctive panic and tension arose, his heart pounded wildly, and he couldn't predict what would happen next.

Arrivabene tried to control himself; he hated how pathetic he looked, like a complete novice.

However, as time passed and the appointed time drew closer, Lu Zhizhou still hadn't appeared, and Ariwabene couldn't help but become increasingly agitated.

Not only in Monza, but also in Shanghai, the team is on standby. Does that kid realize how important this is?

An absurd thought suddenly popped into my head: "...Wait, won't they be late?"

As soon as he said it, Arivabene laughed and shook his head repeatedly.

How could that be! Ferrari is willing to make an exception and sign a GP3 driver. He should be laughing in his sleep. How could he possibly be dragging his feet, acting like a big shot, and being late?
This is not just rude, it's downright stupid.

As a result, Marchionne's unhurried voice rang out from the side, "Perhaps they'll simply be absent."

Arivaben exclaimed, "What!!" "How is this possible!"

Marchionne shrugged slightly. "Don't underestimate that kid's intelligence. I think Zach Brown is very, very close to signing him."

“Imagine him coming here, and everyone knows he’s benefiting from it. Any driver who puts on our racing suit will become part of Ferrari. He’s just a supporting actor here. Next year, our resources will still be tilted towards Seba. He knows this very well.”

"However, at McLaren, the team is currently in trouble, and there is Fernando who threatens the team with transfer and retirement every day. He used to be the savior there, not only the hope for the future, but also the absolute core. Zach will wholeheartedly support him and build the future car around him. Both sides will achieve mutual success and growth, and in the end he can grow into the flag figure of McLaren and write a glorious chapter."

"The biggest difference between McLaren and Renault is that Cyril is all talk and no action; he has ambition but no ability. Zach, on the other hand, has ambition, courage, and ability. McLaren will find its direction in three to five years."

In Marchionne's view, if Alonso hadn't stopped Brawn, the outcome of the race between Ferrari and McLaren to catch up with Lu Zhizhou would have been uncertain.

Marchionne paused, glancing at Arrivabene, but clearly, the proud Arrivabene disagreed with his words.

He knew that Arrivabene was still outwardly compliant but inwardly resentful. He had already spent countless efforts helping the team discover a gem, attempting to turn the tide in their future plans. If Arrivabene still couldn't overcome his deep-seated prejudices, then…

knock knock.

A knock came at the hotel room door, interrupting Marchionne and Arriva Benede's conversation. Frankie Penny secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went to open the door. "Hey, Zhizhou!"

Standing at the door was the very person who had been waiting anxiously all night.

Marchionne's heart, which had been slightly raised, returned to his chest, and he exhaled softly. Ferrari's transformation had finally taken a solid first step.

"I'm sorry, please forgive my lateness." Lu Zhizhou was slightly out of breath, but his eyes were bright, showing politeness, and he expressed his apology right away.

Nicholas Todd, who was following closely behind, chimed in at just the right moment, "We almost got caught by reporters when we left."

"I never expected to see paparazzi in Weichang. I thought that was only for the entertainment industry."

That's it!

Everything became clear. In Marchionne's view, Lu Zhizhou was a child with strict upbringing. He usually appeared unruly and arrogant, but he was always impeccable in terms of etiquette and manners. Just look at how he won the favor of so many townspeople in Maranello.

Marchionne's eyes lit up with a smile. "So, how did you get rid of them?"

Nicholas also smiled, "Zhizhou didn't avoid it, but went out gracefully and even chatted with the reporters."

“He went out for a 30-minute jog and then obediently came back, making the reporters think that he was following his daily training routine, returning to his room after training, and that he would probably go to sleep. But in fact, he ran through all the passageways around the hotel, figured out the reporters' layout, and then led me to sneak out through the back door, coming over effortlessly.”

Everyone was dumbfounded, never expecting that it could be done like this.
No wonder Lu Zhizhou's hair looked slightly damp at this moment.

Frankie Penny couldn't help but exclaim, "It seems we don't need to worry about reporters anymore."

Arrivabene realized he had just wronged Lu Zhizhou and felt a little guilty. But then he thought of the situation Marchionne had carefully prepared, so he gave a friendly smile and extended his right hand. “Good evening, Zhizhou. I’m Maurizio. This is our first meeting, isn’t it?”

Originally, Nicolas was worried that Arrivabene might be unwilling, so Marchionne was sent to oversee the signing. Otherwise, why would Ferrari need a top figure like Marchionne to be present when signing a driver?

But now that Arrivabene has taken the initiative to extend an olive branch, it's naturally the best thing that could happen. Nicolas also took the initiative to help liven up the atmosphere and exchanged a few simple pleasantries.

Then, they sat down in a cheerful atmosphere and got down to business.

In fact, the negotiations had already concluded. It was precisely because both sides had reached a complete consensus that they sat down face-to-face to finalize the signing.

Despite the time constraints, in the world of F1, rookie drivers have almost no room for negotiation. From Verstappen to Leclerc, they are all very similar, and even if there are some differences in the details, they will not make much of a difference.

What if a driver wants a lucrative contract?

Everything is judged by performance on the field.

As mentioned before, F1 driver seats are subject to many changes, changing every year. It is very common for drivers like Bottas and Raikkonen to sign contracts only once a year. Therefore, as long as a driver performs well, they have the opportunity to fight for a better contract every year.

Just like this summer break, Red Bull is making efforts in many ways to retain Verstappen and offer him a suitable contract.

Therefore, the rookie contract is not complicated. Nicolas had just signed a contract for Leclerc. When he arrived in Lu Zhizhou, the situation did not change much. The back-and-forth negotiations progressed very smoothly and did not encounter too many obstacles.

Nevertheless, Nicolas noticed Marchionne's proactive attitude and seized the opportunity to secure a better contract for Lu Zhizhou.

After all, this is his job, and now it's finally time for Nicholas to show his abilities.

This is a "1+2" ​​contract, with a one-year term, but Ferrari has the option to renew the contract for the next two years.

Base annual salary: $500,000.

Like Leclerc, Verstappen, and others' first contracts, although Lu Zhizhou was a complete novice, after entering the paddock, the F1 teams treated rookies in a basically consistent manner. For smaller teams, the annual salary for rookies was generally around $250,000, while for mid-sized teams it was slightly higher, and for big teams like Ferrari, it was basically a uniform figure of $500,000.

The real difference lies in the performance bonus, which is further divided into two parts in this contract.

The first part is the regular bonus.

One point, ten thousand US dollars.

The winner of the leg of the race receives $150,000.

On the podium, $50,000.

DNF liability determination is not the person in question — DNF means not finishing the race, which means that when a race is cancelled due to technical failure or being crashed, compensation of five thousand US dollars is given each time.

The annual total prize money cap is two million US dollars.

The second part is the annual bonus.

The top five in the annual driver standings will receive $300,000.

The annual drivers' championship, three million dollars.

The annual team championship, $500,000.

Meanwhile, Ferrari provides comprehensive technical support and a dedicated professional engineering team to fully support every race on the continent.

Of course, since it's a contract, it can't be all positive; there are also restrictive clauses.

If Ferrari fails to score any points in the first ten games of the 2018 season, it has the right to terminate the contract early without paying a penalty, but will have to pay 50% of the remaining salary.

Similarly, there are renewal incentive clauses. If Ferrari achieves fifty points or more in the 2018 season, or reaches the podium five times, Ferrari will initiate renewal negotiations. If Ferrari enters the FIA's annual Super Rising Stars list, Ferrari will award an additional $100,000 bonus, depending on the circumstances.

It has limitations, but also incentives; it has risk control, but also a future blueprint.

The contract was lengthy and detailed, covering every aspect. However, this was still not all; Nicholas demonstrated his abilities and secured even more.

If Lu Zhizhou secures team sponsorship for Ferrari, he will receive 20% of the profits.

Just like in the ART team, all the sponsorship from the sponsors is invested in the development of the race car and the operation of the team, and cannot be distributed to individuals. This is the core difference between team sponsorship and individual sponsorship, and this is even more true for novices and rookies.

However, Lu Zhizhou's situation is slightly special. He not only represents Chinese people around the world, but also the whole of Asia, and Ferrari also realized his potential market value.

Therefore, Ferrari will strictly review and control Lu Zhizhou's sponsorship. Once certified, Lu Zhizhou will also receive a share of the team's sponsorship revenue.

In addition, Nicolas secured a special offer for Lu Zhizhou: a 10% discount on the purchase of a Ferrari sports car.

Lu Cheng was extremely tempted. Although it was limited to ordinary models, Lu Zhizhou, a novice, still had to wait in line for those limited editions and special editions. But it still made Lu Cheng eager to try it out.

However, considering the price of Ferrari sports cars, the attraction is only temporary; even with a 10% discount, it's still unaffordable.

What Lu Zhizhou is most concerned about and what is most important to him right now actually has nothing to do with numbers:

The racing car hardware platform is the same, and there are no differences between A and B cars. If the mid-term development of the racing car focuses on the style of another driver, Lu Zhizhou can retain the setting feedback file for his own style and prioritize testing the simulator.

What does this mean?

Simply put, every driver has their own style, including braking, throttle, racing line, oversteer or understeer, entry and exit points, and so on. This means that every driver has different preferences when it comes to racing cars.

Even ordinary cars in daily life can have different styles and preferences depending on who drives them. This is especially true for Formula 1 cars. When pursuing the speed limit, cars need to be balanced. How to adjust the details and tap into the maximum potential is a science in itself.

Therefore, during the development of racing cars, the development team often needs to consult with drivers and continuously adjust details through simulator testing.

This is why, in some racing teams, the development team may lean towards one person's opinion, or even completely listen to one driver's opinion, to avoid the dilemma caused by disagreements. As a result, there are A and B cars, where the same team drives two different cars.

Nicholas remained clear-headed. He knew this was a Ferrari, and he knew Lu Zhizhou's background and situation, so he needed to do everything he could to secure a voice for Lu Zhizhou.

A race car is the foundation for ensuring that a driver can unleash their full potential and talent; otherwise, all talk of prize money and the future is just empty words.

This part of the contract details was where Nicholas spent the most time and effort negotiating, striving to maximize his interests as much as possible.

Not only Nicholas, but Lu Zhizhou was also most concerned about this part. Sitting at the negotiating table, he carefully read it through before signing.

When Arrivabe saw this, he knew that this young man was not someone who could be easily fooled, and the atmosphere in the P room might be rather tricky; the peace of the past was gone forever.

Arrivabene adjusted his posture to remain composed, lightly tapping his fingers on the table to attract Lu Zhizhou's attention. "Before we sign, we need to establish some principles. Sebastian is driver number one, and you are driver number two, understand?"

His unhurried words revealed a hint of seriousness and sharpness, which showed the true character of "Uncle Eagle".

Neither Marchionne nor Nicolas interrupted.

Lu Zhizhou raised his eyes and met Ariwabene's gaze with composure.

Suddenly, a smile spread across his face, like sunlight piercing through the gloom. "Understood. Should it be written down in black and white?"

Arivaben choked, unable to speak immediately. After a pause, he remained calm and smiled. "No need for that. Just remember this. Hopefully, we won't need to remind you of this over and over again."

Lu Zhizhou tilted his head slightly. "I will try my best to complete my work, but... I hope the leader will not lose his composure because of the threat from behind."

After speaking, a smile gently bloomed on his lips, and his eyes sparkled with a bright light.

It's obvious without words that this isn't a tiger cub content to be the second-best driver.

The only question is, how long does it take for a cub to grow into a truly threatening creature?
Lu Zhizhou, however, seemed completely oblivious to the tension in the room. His gaze was fixed on Ariwabene, but his voice was directed at the octopus phone, switching to language mode, "Dad, Mom, everything's fine here. All confirmed."

Jiang Mo's voice came from the other end of the octopus, "I have confirmed everything."

In no time, everything was finalized in black and white. The pen landed lightly on the table with a muffled thud, but no one could have predicted the impact this thunderbolt would have on the entire Formula One racing world.

Arrivabene looked at Lu Zhizhou quietly, his smile spreading wide, and he opened his arms in a hugging gesture, "Welcome to Ferrari."

In Ariwabene's opinion, Lu Zhizhou probably doesn't know what he just readily agreed to, right?

He's starting to look forward to the new season.

Formula 1 is a very special sport. There are ten teams, each with only two drivers, who compete for both the Drivers' World Championship and the Constructors' World Championship titles.

Naturally, on the one hand, drivers from the same team are competitors for each other, as they are all vying for the title of Drivers' World Championship.

On the other hand, they must work together to win the annual team world championship and avoid ignoring external conflicts due to internal conflicts.

In fact, this is not the case for the teams. If they can win two championships, everyone is an adult and naturally would not want to choose one and would want both. But if they can only choose one championship, all ten teams will choose the team championship without hesitation.

It's not just about honor, but about real benefits—

Formula One's annual revenue from television broadcasts, advertising sponsorships, ticket sales, and other sources is put into a prize pool, which is then distributed according to the teams' rankings in the annual points standings.

The revenue for each season may change due to actual circumstances and is distributed proportionally. For example, in the 2016 season, the first place received $145 million; the second place received $130 million; the third place received $125 million, and so on.

On average, the difference in bonuses between rankings is between ten million and fifteen million US dollars, all in real money, but even the bottom-ranked teams can still receive bonuses.

This rule has made significant progress, not only narrowing the gap in profit-sharing ratios but also improving the situation for smaller racing teams.

For a long time, the team prize pool was only awarded to the top ten teams. So in those years when there were more than ten teams, many smaller teams would disappear the following year if they finished last and did not receive any prize money. For example, Marussia and Caterham in the 2010s.

They were truly living hand to mouth, constantly struggling to survive.

Of course, that's not all.

In addition to the annual team points standings bonuses, the FIA ​​also sets up miscellaneous bonuses, which are awarded based on the team's history and past performance. Simply put, it is based on seniority. Currently, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, and McLaren are all able to receive additional bonuses.

It's worth mentioning that Williams also receives an additional ten million dollars in bonuses every year due to his illustrious career.

But here, the real king is still Ferrari. As the only team in F1 history to have never missed a game, they can receive an extra 40 to 50 million US dollars in miscellaneous bonuses every year.

The controversy surrounding miscellaneous prize money has persisted, with the competition and back-and-forth between teams never ceasing, and this situation is unlikely to change in the short term. If it remains unchanged, the results from each year will be accumulated and used as reference data for miscellaneous prize money, further highlighting the importance of team rankings.

Let's bring our attention back.

In the annual team standings, a difference of just one position can affect tangible benefits, encompassing both short-term and long-term gains. However, the annual driver standings do not have this limitation. The Drivers' World Championship is merely an honor, a personal accolade for the driver, and nothing more.

That's why teams might fight tooth and nail for a single point, with even the bottom-ranked team and the second-to-last team going to extremes.

Similarly, if a driver's personal competition affects the team's ranking, it is unacceptable in the eyes of the team.

Therefore, F1 teams have always had an unwritten rule: to distinguish between number one and number two drivers within the team, and to tilt all strategies, tactics, car setups, team resources, etc., toward the number one driver.

Ferrari is notorious in the paddock. During the era when Jean Todt was the team principal, they issued orders to their second driver, Rubens Barrichello, to give way to their first driver, Schumacher, on more than one occasion. The most notorious instance of this occurred at the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix.

At the time, Barrichello started from pole position and led the race, controlling it for the entire time. However, due to team instructions, he slowed down 100 meters from the finish line, allowing Schumacher, who was right behind him, to cross the finish line first, causing an uproar in the paddock. Schumacher himself felt bad about it and switched positions with Barrichello on the podium.

Furthermore, in the US Grand Prix that same year, Schumacher, having already secured the World Drivers' Championship, also slowed down before the finish line, crossing it hand in hand with Barrichello. Barrichello won by 0.011 seconds, which can be seen as an apology from Schumacher.

Six years later, Barrichello, nearing the end of his career, spoke out again, revealing the behind-the-scenes story of that Austrian Grand Prix:
In fact, the team had given instructions early on to ensure that Schumacher maintained his advantage in the drivers' championship race. At that time, he was hesitant and struggling. Later, the team reminded him to consider his contract, the subtext being to threaten Barrichello's career, which forced Barrichello to slow down before the finish line.

Such an incident, which violated the spirit of fair competition in sports, drew heavy criticism from the media. After the race, the FIA ​​issued a $1 million fine to Ferrari and enacted regulations prohibiting teams from instructing drivers to give way over the radio.

But did this stop the convoy?

No.

Everything is done with the team's interests first.

Whether it's a united effort to win the team championship or a second driver supporting the first driver in their pursuit of the driver's championship, in the team's eyes, they are first and foremost a team, and everything else takes a backseat.

Over the past three seasons, the bitter feud between Rosberg and Hamilton within the Mercedes team has once again sounded the alarm in the paddock. The close friends who grew up and played together have completely broken ties, turning against each other and leaving Toto Wolff exhausted.

Similar incidents are commonplace in the paddock.

This was especially true for Arrivabene, who did not want to see internal strife.

Despite some conflicts and disagreements, the partnership between Vettel and Raikkonen has been successful overall. Raikkonen has fulfilled his role as the number two driver, and Vettel has not resisted Raikkonen's presence. This is the key to the team's championship aspirations.

Unfortunately, Marchionne turned the tide.

Therefore, before Lu Zhizhou joined Ferrari, Arrivabene laid out the unpleasant truth upfront, especially in front of Marchionne, to establish Lu Zhizhou as the number two driver.

Arrivabene thought Lu Zhizhou was completely unaware of the situation. All of this was laid bare before Marchionne, revealing his ulterior motives. However, a smile crept onto Marchionne's face. If Arrivabene truly believed Lu Zhizhou was just a docile baby, then this uncompromising Eagle Uncle might be in for a rough time in the new season.

In Marchionne's view, anything is possible for Ferrari in the new season.

in fact--

Lu Zhizhou was not surprised at all.

That's the situation now at ART. Zhou Guanyu is facing a similar situation in the F3 European Championship, where teammates are also opponents. Lu Zhizhou has long been mentally prepared for this and doesn't mind playing the role of the pursuer.

In fact, in competitive sports, the leader is in a more stressful and difficult position, while the pursuers can simply wait in the tail and build up their momentum.

Lu Zhizhou is ready to catch up with the number one driver, but he doesn't know if the number one driver is mentally prepared to face his challenge.

Vettel: Achoo!

The hairs on the back of his head stood up instantly. Vettel looked left and right, but couldn't figure it out. Then he sneezed three more times in a row, unable to stop.

Vettel was completely bewildered: What's going on?

The night is deep.

The world was enveloped in tranquility and peace until, on social media platforms, industry journalist Will Buxton quietly dropped a bombshell.

"Breaking news! Multiple sources have confirmed that Ferrari and Lu Zhizhou have officially signed a contract, and the Chinese driver will soon be wearing the red jersey to compete in the 2018 season."

Netizens who were still scrolling through their phones late at night responded immediately, with the majority of the comments being skeptical and sarcastic. After all, the news had been making headlines all day, but it remained just a rumor without any official confirmation, making Buxton's revelation completely unreliable.

However, to everyone's surprise, Sky Sports then reported the same news, and the entire social network was instantly engulfed in a storm.

Amidst the noise and commotion, netizens continue to tirelessly produce jokes, and they immediately throw out a fatal question.

"So, Seba or Kimi?"

The accompanying image shows a pistol pressed against the back of someone's head.

(End of this chapter)