Surprise Party

Chapter 140 Surprise Party
Lu Zhizhou was a little excited. Imagining Montfaldini's shocked and tearful expression, he couldn't help but feel eager to try.

Holding the cake in both hands, she carefully shielded herself from the candlelight with her body, doing her best to hide herself and avoid giving away her surprise party beforehand.

"Fifty meters!"

"Countdown!"

My heart was pounding like a drum, even more thrilling than racing. A smile crept onto my face, and I straightened my bent knees slightly to avoid making a mistake due to muscle numbness. I felt like an arrow ready to be released, waiting for the signal to rush out at any moment, my whole body tensing up.

But then, without warning, the plan was disrupted—

"one!"

Wait, what's going on? Something's not right!

Before Lu Zhizhou could react, the door in front of him was pushed open, and the moonlight, along with the faint glow of the glow sticks, tore through the darkness and poured down like a waterfall.

"surprise!"

A wave of heat swept over him, instantly engulfing Lu Zhizhou. Goosebumps rose all over his body, and he trembled uncontrollably.

The original protagonist of the night, Montfaldini, stood at the very front of the crowd. His usually calm face was now beaming with a smile he had never seen before. He raised his hands high, joined the party, and jumped and cheered with the happy and joyful faces around him.

Lu Zhizhou thought he was calm enough to remain unfazed by any unexpected events or storms, but at this moment he realized his helplessness.

His brain completely stopped working. He only felt a force coming from behind him. His other friends who were in the room with him surrounded him and led him out of the room. Under the starry sky, they joined the surging crowd outside, forming a circle that completely encircled him.

Rosana stepped forward, took the lead in singing, and waved her glow stick high in the air.

Happy birthday! Happy birthday, dear Zhizhou! Happy birthday!

As everyone sang in unison, in the hazy light, their blurred faces transformed into bright, joyful smiles, dispelling the thick darkness of the night.

Caught off guard, Lu Zhizhou felt a slight sting in his nose and was somewhat embarrassed.

However, before the tears welled up in his eyes could condense into drops, Montafftini took a step forward. Lu Zhizhou thought he was about to give him a hug, but instead, Montafftini held the cake in both hands and suddenly lunged forward, giving Lu Zhizhou no time to react—

The entire cake smashed into Lu Zhizhou's face.

Bang, bang bang bang! Only then did people start releasing paper fireworks, one after another, mixed with whistles and cheers, filling the air with a joyful atmosphere.

"Hey, Zhizhou, smile!"

In the crowd, someone shouted out, and Lu Zhizhou reflexively looked over, raised his right hand to make a V sign, and grinned. His neat teeth surrounded the cream cake, and with the cream on his eyebrows and nose, he looked exactly like Santa Claus.

Click! The flash went off, capturing the moment forever.

Then, the lights finally came on. The small colored lights that Lu Zhizhou had personally hung up that afternoon intertwined with the large orange lights in the yard, and the world suddenly brightened up.

A torrent of emotions surged through Lu Zhizhou's chest. He quickly glanced around, his knees buckling, still unable to believe what was happening before his eyes.

“David, Jock, Silvia, Simone, Enrico, Corrado, Diego…”

"Oh God."

Seeing Lu Zhizhou looking up at the sky with a lifeless expression, the people who had participated in the party burst into laughter, they couldn't be more satisfied.

Rosana shouted again, "Zhizhou, welcome to Ferrari!"

Roar! Roar!
Amidst the commotion, Lu Zhizhou spread his hands, striking a composed pose. "Opportunity knocks but once. Please seize this chance to gather evidence, and I'll allow you to use it to blackmail me once in the future."

The laughter was deafening; that "fire at me" pose made everyone burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Then, an unbelievable scene unfolded: these guys actually went up one by one to take selfies with Lu Zhizhou as a memento.

Lu Zhizhou stared at the long queue, speechless. "Now I finally understand how Santa Claus feels. So this is what it's like."

Amidst the laughter, Lu Zhizhou didn't obediently surrender. Without warning, he started up and gave Rosana, Montfati, and the other culprits big hugs. Amid screams and roars, he shared the cream with everyone, and the entire courtyard instantly transformed into a cream battle scene.

Crowded!

After finally managing to bring the situation under control, Lu Zhizhou had no choice but to go into Rosana's house, wash up in the bathroom, and change his clothes.

When Lu Zhizhou reappeared, whistles, applause, and cheers erupted.

Rosana prepared a mechanic's uniform for Lu Zhizhou, along with a "lollipop," which is the sign in the repair area used to signal drivers to stop and prepare for tire changes.

Before our eyes, Lu Zhizhou actually appeared holding a "lollipop," just like a Halloween costume, completely becoming a member of the team and blending seamlessly into the crowd, creating a lively atmosphere.

Lu Zhizhou found Rosana and Montaffartini in the crowd, opened his arms and hugged them. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "To be honest, I completely forgot about my birthday."

This is the truth. Lu Zhizhou is not good at remembering anniversaries. Not to mention others, he doesn't even remember his own birthday and needs to be reminded by others every year.

Rosana's eyes were full of smiles. "It's your eighteenth birthday, which means you can finally officially get your super license. We have to celebrate!"

"And, a grand celebration, didn't we fool you?"

Lu Zhizhou raised his hands in surrender, "One hundred percent. When you shouted 'surprise' just now, my heart completely stopped beating."

His self-deprecating remark caused everyone around him to burst into laughter.

A slightly thin voice with a thick French accent came from the side, “We were the same. You can’t imagine what it was like for us to be huddled outside, our heads stiff from the cold wind. When I shouted ‘surprise,’ I almost flew out and became the culprit who ruined the whole surprise party.”

Clearly, his English was not fluent, and it was somewhat halting with many pauses. His witty banter lost its charm due to his flat and straightforward tone.

But there is no doubt that he is sincere.

Turning his head, Lu Zhizhou could see a middle-aged man wearing oval-shaped black-rimmed glasses. His slightly curly black hair seemed to have a free will and grew wildly against gravity. The same was true for the beard on his philtrum and chin, but it was mixed with a little gray and white, which added a unique charm.

This was an unfamiliar face; Lu Zhizhou had never seen him in Maranello before, and he was also the only stranger at tonight's surprise party.

However, Lu Zhizhou didn't think Rosana would invite a complete stranger to the party.

Sure enough, Rosana took the initiative to play the role of a bridge, "Zhizhou, this is Laurent Mechs, the team's vice principal and vehicle performance director for next season."

"Laurent, this is Lu Zhizhou."

So, is the real protagonist tonight Lu Zhizhou, or this guy in front of us, Megis?

Laurent Mechs, an engineer with a traditional technical background, entered the world of motorsport in 2000. In just three years, he joined the Minardi team as a race engineer and continued to work there after the team was acquired, becoming the race engineer for Toro Rosso and eventually rising to the position of technical director.

During his time with Toro Rosso, Mechs' most outstanding performance was at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, where he accompanied Vettel to victory in the rain, securing his first career win. This was not only the starting point of Vettel's legendary career but also a glorious moment worthy of being recorded in Toro Rosso's history in F1.

In 2014, Meeks left Toro Rosso to join the FIA ​​as Director of Vehicle Performance, and later as Director of Safety and Deputy Director of Race.

Until this year, Ferrari successfully poached Meqis, who joined the technical team.

At present, Megiz's duties and tasks at Ferrari are unclear, which is a detail that needs to be further confirmed during the upcoming winter break; but there is no doubt that Ferrari's move will cause a sensation in the entire paddock.

Because Mechs had access to all the teams' technical secrets during his time at the FIA, this could give Ferrari an unfair advantage, a situation that no one wanted to face.

However, is Ferrari truly unaware, or is he pretending not to understand?

This is a question that Rosana probably cannot answer.

Based on what Monfatini understands, Mechs' job is to build a communication bridge between technical director Mattia Binotto and team principal Arrivabene, ensuring efficient communication between technical and decision-making processes to improve the team's performance.

In the 2017 season, Ferrari was a competitive car with championship potential, but it failed to live up to that potential. A major reason for this was the team's repeated strategic errors, while the failure of driver management was just a microcosm of the chaos behind the scenes.

This is where Megis's value lies.

While many speculated that Ferrari hired Mechs to uncover the technological secrets of Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull, Ferrari was no fool.

In fact, Mechs' value goes far beyond that. Marchionne recognized the problems in the team's management and hoped that Mechs could play a key role.

In addition, a very important part of Megis's work is the Land of the Continent.

He needs to help Lu Zhizhou adapt to the team, the environment, and the pace; he needs to help Lu Zhizhou realize his potential and fulfill his talent.

In the new season, Ferrari's goal remains the same: the drivers' and constructors' championships. Under this pressure, Marchionne didn't conservatively choose to continue trusting Raikkonen, but instead took a gamble. Naturally, Marchionne placed high hopes on Lu Zhizhou and gave him absolute importance.

They even hired Mekes specifically to handle this part of the work.

After all, with his background as a racing engineer, Mechs knows how to communicate with drivers and how to mentor young drivers.

I wonder what Vettel thinks about this.

It was against this backdrop that Rosana and Monfatini teamed up to arrange this surprise party.

Celebrating his birthday was just an excuse. In fact, Lu Zhizhou's birthday was November 11th, which was two weeks ago.

The real purpose of the party was to welcome Mekhi to the Ferrari team and create opportunities for Mekhi and Lu Zhizhou.

Normally, when meeting in the workplace, it's easy to be polite and reserved, and things are all business-like; but surprise parties are different. They can temporarily forget about work, see each other's private side, get closer, become friends, and build more tacit understanding for the team outside of work constraints.

The process of preparing for the party itself subtly breaks down barriers.

Besides Rosana and Monfatini, Frankie Penny also played an important role, appearing at the party tonight to create surprises.

On the surface, the protagonist is Meijis; but in essence, the real protagonist is still Lu Zhizhou.

Clearly, Mekes understood this as well; at least tonight, there was only one protagonist.

After the introductions were finished, Megis raised his champagne glass again and said, "Happy birthday."

Lu Zhizhou smiled and said, "If I remember correctly, my mother celebrated my birthday two weeks ago; but thank you anyway."

Mekes wasn't surprised. "I know your birthday is easy to remember, it's Singles' Day, but we were preparing for the final battle at the time, so it wasn't a good time to have a party."

Lu Zhizhou tilted his head. "Double Eleven" sounds like a shopping festival. "That's part of the reason, but I suspect the real reason is you."

Megis, "Oh? How so?"

Lu Zhizhou gestured to Rosana and Montaffartini, who had left after making a clumsy excuse, saying, "They look like supporting characters in a comedy movie who secretly create an occasion to introduce their friends to potential partners but then sneak away pretending it was just a chance encounter."

Mekes hadn't expected such a joke. He paused for a moment, then asked seriously, "American comedy, or French comedy?"

Such a response almost made Lu Zhizhou choke on his own saliva. "Does France have comedy too? I thought France only had satire and art."

“Ha.” Mekes burst out laughing. “So, the answer is clear. This is a Hollywood comedy.”

After a pause, Megis looked at Lu Zhizhou, "Why do you think this is a planned date, rather than a pure surprise party?"

"Who knows, maybe Rosana just invited me out of politeness, and she didn't expect that I would actually show up here."

Lu Zhizhou's lips curled up slightly. "Of course, that's one possibility, but if all the people attending the party happen to be members of Raikkonen's technical team, I tend to believe that it's not such a coincidence. After all, the two Ferrari drivers shouldn't be completely estranged from each other in private."

Surprise as it may be, unexpected as it may be, Lu Zhizhou did not completely lose his composure—

The team includes race engineers, technical engineers, chief race car designers, chassis managers, power unit managers, track managers, and more.

Of course, it's not just the technical team, but also the tire-changing team, the logistics team, and so on.

At first glance, you might not notice that they are all team members, but upon closer inspection, you will realize that this is Raikkonen's complete pit team.

Next season, they will become Lu Zhizhou's team.

In F1, driver turnover is very common, and the pit team needs to be prepared to work with different drivers. However, Lu Zhizhou is a rookie, and their cooperation needs to start from scratch. Many things must be done from the basics, which means that both sides need to spend more effort.

This is why Marchionne specifically assigned Megis to Lu Zhizhou, and also why Rosana and the others arranged the surprise party.

Breaking down barriers and building bridges with a party before embarking on a formal collaboration is undoubtedly a wise move.

A hint of appreciation flashed in Megis's eyes. He hadn't missed an important detail: "You can now accurately call out everyone's name on the team? I'm curious, is it limited to the tech team, or is it the same for everyone else?"

Lu Zhizhou asked earnestly, "Wait, sir, what is your name...?"

Megis tilted his head, his face serious and devoid of a smile, and looked at Lu Zhizhou. "Joking with your boss on the first meeting... I'm not sure if this is the right way to start a new job." The atmosphere froze.

Lu Zhizhou twitched his lips as if he had a toothache. "Ah, oh no, I've messed up." Then, he fell into deep thought with a serious expression. "So when can I joke around? Maybe you can give me a schedule so I can check it carefully and arrange my schedule properly."

His serious demeanor amplified the absurd comedic effect.

Mekiss tried to control the corners of his mouth, but the smile in his eyes betrayed him.

Just as Megis was about to retort, a head popped out from the side, facing Lu Zhizhou, only showing Megis the dark back of its head.

"Zhizhou, do you have time tomorrow? Could you come over? We've finished adjusting the brakes you mentioned last time, but we still need you to test them to see the actual effect."

The man in front of you, Jock Clear, will be the technical engineer for Lu Zhizhou, working alongside race engineer David Greenwood to handle all Lu Zhizhou's car setup issues.

This is an industry veteran who has worked with legends such as Jacques Villeneuve, Schumacher, and Hamilton. His shiny bald head is completely bald, and when he gets serious, his face is full of menacing features, exuding an imposing aura, like a villain from "Die Hard." But when he smiles, he is a kind and gentle old father, even with a touch of naivety.

Lu Zhizhou wasn't joking; he replied crisply, "How about 2 PM?"

Cleary, "Perfect."

He appeared like lightning, and left just as quickly; Cleary had already turned away.

Megis was ignored the entire time, but he didn't seem to mind at all. "New car tuning?"

Lu Zhizhou shook his head. "In terms of basic tuning, my braking style is a bit different from Kimi's."

With just one simple sentence, Megis immediately understood.

This is not about brake balance tuning, but rather the driver's perception of the race car.

Every driver has their own style. Some drivers like to brake hard with their foot on the ground, while others prefer to maintain precise control with even force. This applies not only to braking, but also to throttle, steering, track line selection, offensive and defensive positioning, and so on. Their habits and characteristics are all different.

Before getting into the specific tuning of the race car, it's necessary to get in sync with the driver, starting with the basic settings.

Despite being nicknamed "The Iceman," Raikkonen's driving style on the track is very aggressive. Like Verstappen, he tends to brake aggressively with full force, delaying the braking point as much as possible, shortening the braking distance, improving deceleration efficiency, and maximizing lap times.

However, Lu Zhizhou was different.

Mekis watched Lu Zhizhou's match footage, including Spa's first free practice match.

Lu Zhizhou is a very intelligent, decisive, and tough driver. He never hesitates when he needs to brake hard, and he can remain calm when he needs to brake evenly. He adapts to different tracks, weather conditions, and race situations, demonstrating top-notch adaptability, which is somewhat similar to Vettel in his younger days.

Therefore, Mekis can understand why Marchionne hired him and hoped that he would guide Lu Zhizhou into the professional arena.

“It seems there’s a lot of hard work ahead,” Mekis sighed. “Your driving style is delicate and sensitive. It wasn’t noticeable in GP3, but such details will be amplified in F1. The tuning work probably won’t be easy.”

"Didn't we reach your full potential during the Spa free practice sessions?"

Unconsciously, Lu Zhizhou glanced at Meiqis again. "This is not fair. We have only met for the first time today, but you already know everything about me, while I know nothing about you. This situation is unfavorable."

Megis’s lips curled up slightly. “That’s perfect. You should start getting used to this treatment, because more and more people will start studying you, even putting you under a microscope, not just to defeat you, but to destroy you and get you out of the paddock.”

"Don't forget, everyone is craving the position you have now."

Lu Zhizhou raised his chin, revealing a look of sudden realization, "Isn't that scene like in a post-apocalyptic movie, where a group of starving zombies are gathered in a cave, and then a living person accidentally falls in from the sky, and the next second everything explodes?"

Living people? Zombies?
Megis was completely taken aback by this analogy, his eyes full of smiles. He now understood why Lu Zhizhou got along so well with the whole team, and why even a seasoned old fox like Cleary was willing to extend an olive branch. Clearly, it wasn't just because of Marchionne.

Megis looked Lu Zhizhou up and down. "How tall are you now?"

Lu Zhizhou blinked. "So zombies have evolved to be sold by weight now?"

Mekiss looked slightly exasperated. "What I mean is, you can't keep growing taller, otherwise our car layout might face a disadvantage."

Lu Zhizhou, who just turned eighteen, is currently at the age where he is growing. Generally speaking, people hope that their children will grow taller and taller, but for Formula racing, this is not a good thing, and may even become a troublesome weakness.

Just like Toto Wolf.

Fortunately, during my year in Maranello, following the nutritionist's advice, strictly adhering to the physical training schedule, and consciously controlling and guiding myself, I prepared myself for stepping onto the F1 track. Even the coaches at the youth academy did not expect that this day would actually become a reality.

Currently, Lu Zhizhou is 181 cm tall and weighs 65 kg. During the upcoming winter break, he still needs to further strengthen his core muscle groups.

Nevertheless, Lu Zhizhou is still too tall compared to the average height of paddock drivers; what's worse, he is still growing taller.

“You should know that Kimi is only 175 centimeters tall, right?” Mekes joked. “I think Jock and the others must be having a lot of headaches about this.”

Lu Zhizhou's eyes widened. "Do you know how tiring it was for me to drive in Spa, curled up in a ball?"

"Ha." Megis burst out laughing. Compared to other jokes, these nerdy jokes about mechanics and technology always hit him right. He joined in the joke, "You can hit your stomach with just a slight lift of your knee, right?"

The atmosphere was cheerful.

Mekiss had a feeling that the upcoming winter break might be a pleasant experience.

Perhaps Ferrari next year is indeed something to look forward to; this unexpected variable that has sprung up out of nowhere might actually bring some surprises.

Whether Ferrari can turn things around and challenge for the championship next year remains to be seen; however, Mechs's intuition about the first half of the season is correct.

In a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere, Ferrari's winter break slowly began in Maranello.

After a brief initial adjustment period, Lu Zhizhou and the entire technical team entered a phase of rapid development without a long waiting or transition period, and are working intensively to make comprehensive preparations for the upcoming 2018 season.

Indeed, that's true. Lu Zhizhou really needs to be fully prepared because—

The rain is coming and the wind is all over the building.

The turmoil in the paddock was already palpable during the winter break, and the upcoming season could very well bring real changes.

In the world of F1, everything is measured in years. Every year changes, and the rule changes bring a series of variables.

Furthermore, every three or four years, the rules undergo a radical and drastic change, which may even overturn the competitive landscape of the paddock.

Therefore, the winter break is crucial every year. It should be a time for vacation, but in reality, it is a time for working overtime and being busy non-stop.

This year is especially true, because this winter break presents an opportunity for a "major rule change"—

Starting in the 2018 season, all F1 cars must be equipped with the "HALO" system, which will change the car's structure and even its aerodynamics.

The HALO system is a titanium alloy head protection device used in open-wheel Formula racing. It has a ring-shaped body and is jokingly called a "flip-flop" because of its appearance.

Designed to withstand impacts from flying debris while retaining an open cockpit, it can withstand twelve tons of impact force, equivalent to the weight of a double-decker bus, and is officially recognized as the most robust component of the race car.

However, this system is highly controversial and criticized. It will not only increase the weight of the car, but for F1 cars, which are extremely sensitive to every gram and kilogram, this seven-kilogram system is simply a burden. At the same time, it may affect the stability of the chassis and the convenience of escape, and increase the cost of debugging and development for all teams. It looks like a cumbersome piece of junk.

From conception and design to implementation, the FIA ​​has faced numerous difficulties.

Mercedes, currently defending their title, made no secret of their strong dissatisfaction, saying, "If I had the chance, I would saw Halo off with a saw."

Not just the teams, but also the drivers.

Alonso publicly stated, "It's unnecessary. It's superfluous."

Despite facing immense pressure and numerous obstacles, the FIA's determination to implement the HALO system remains unwavering, and a significant part of this is due to Julius Bianchi.

That is, Leclerc's godfather.

In October 2014, Bianchi's tragic accident at the Suzuka circuit served as a stark reminder that Formula 1 is a sport where death hangs in the balance.

The HALO system was initially inspired by Bianchi's accident. The FIA ​​believed that Bianchi would not have died if he had the HALO system.

Therefore, following the introduction of the HANS system in 2003, the FIA ​​has been steadfast in promoting the HALO system, hoping to improve the safety of racing cars.

Thus, the HALO system was born, and 2018 was its inaugural year.

This can be described as a structural change that will have a direct impact on the design of all teams.

The reason Mercedes-Benz has been complaining is because they are worried that the introduction of this system may change the balance of the vehicle. They are currently in a highly harmonious and smooth phase of rapid development, and such a structural change could have a fatal impact on them.

If Mercedes wants to defend its title, it may need to spend more time and effort, giving its competitors a chance to turn the tide.

That's why the 2018 season was indeed full of variables, more so than in the past few years.

The introduction of the HALO system has had a significant impact on the entire paddock, and in addition, the competition between teams has not ceased.

The engine is the most important component, and it is the core of all racing cars.

On one hand, there's Ferrari's engine. After some hesitation and wavering, Sauber was once prepared to leave Ferrari, but Fred Wasserl's rise to power brought things back on track. Sauber and Ferrari renewed their engine agreement and, moreover, further strengthened their technical cooperation.

Of course, within the FIA's permitted scope.

On the other hand, there was the major reshuffling between Renault and Honda, with negotiations that began during the summer break continuing in earnest until the winter break before being finalized.

McLaren, which had originally signed a cooperation agreement with Honda engines, chose to give up due to internal pressure and instead turned to Renault engines.

Toro Rosso, who had been coveting Honda engines but had been collaborating with Renault, seized the opportunity to switch sides and partner with Honda.

As part of the trade for engine partners, Toro Rosso loaned driver Carlos Sainz to the Renault team.

Renault couldn't wait to get rid of Palmer, and even before the season ended, they kicked Palmer out in the U.S. Grand Prix, with Sainz taking the field for Renault.

Now that the season has ended, looking back during the winter break, it's not hard to see the intricate connections. Lu Zhizhou was simultaneously embroiled in the power struggle between Red Bull, Renault, and McLaren, and things weren't so simple. But in the end, Marchionne decisively cut off all distractions and dropped a bombshell.

However, the aftershocks were not over yet, and the subsequent chain reaction once again vividly demonstrated the first principle of the paddock:

Pulled around and moved the whole body.

Whether or not you are in the eye of the storm, you will always be affected.

Sainz was loaned to Renault, but the real reason behind it was his hopelessness of being promoted from Toro Rosso to Red Bull, as Red Bull finalized its driver lineup with Ricciardo and Verstappen.

Meanwhile, Sainz's departure from Toro Rosso and Kvyat's release from the team meant that both seats were vacant. French driver Pierre Gasly and New Zealand driver Brendan Hartley stepped in at the end of the season and signed on as official drivers for the new season.

Of course, they are not rookies in the strict sense, because they have already made many appearances as substitutes in the regular season in 2017, but there is no doubt that 2018 will be their first full rookie season, which will be of different significance.

The same applies to Lu Zhizhou joining Ferrari. With Raikkonen losing his seat, the 2007 World Drivers' Champion naturally doesn't need to worry about his future. The key question is whether he wants to retire or continue racing.

The answer didn't take long to arrive.

Sauber announced the signing of Raikkonen, who will partner with Leclerc in the 2018 season.

Unexpectedly, yet logically, this also means that Sauber's two drivers for the 2017 season, Marcus Ericsson and Pascal Wehrlein, have both lost their jobs.

This is F1: you could lose your job at any moment, and there's no sympathy.

Both were veterans, but Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 driver's champion, chose to stay, while Felipe Massa, the 2008 driver's runner-up, chose to retire, officially ending his racing career.

As a result, Williams, where Massa plays, had a spot available. People thought that Eriksen and Wehrlein should have a chance to compete for it, but obviously, Williams was not satisfied with their fifth-place finish in 2017. They continued to strive for improvement and tried to challenge the top group.

Williams has its sights set on young drivers, and Sergei Slovin, who is currently a test driver for Renault, has secured the seat.

Unexpected! A pleasant surprise!
The paddock generally believes that there has been a talent gap in the past two years, with the younger generation failing to keep up with the competition and a lack of promising young drivers. As a result, the paddock is always filled with familiar faces. However, this winter break brought a small surprise, with a group of rookie drivers returning for the long-awaited 2018 season.

Lu Zhizhou. Leclerc. Gasly. Hartley. Slovin.

With a total of five rookies, second only to the six rookies in a single season in 2010, this season has become the second-highest number of rookies in F1 history.

With the debut of the HALO system, the exchange of engine suppliers, and the influx of newcomers, all these factors combined to create a full-blown uncertainty.

Against this backdrop, Lu Zhizhou, a dark horse who came out of nowhere and became a variable among variables, faced a barrage of doubts both inside and outside the paddock, to the point that the two young men, Leclerc and Slovin, became "trustworthy," greatly relieving the pressure on the two rookies' shoulders.

The 2018 season is unpredictable, so can we start to expect a legendary season to witness glory?

(End of this chapter)