Chapter 715: Chapter 287: The Terrifying Strength of a Teammate (Part 2)

Additionally, the HRT Team has already decided to execute a one-stop strategy, so the need for storing soft red tires is not as strong, allowing them to free up a set of new tires for the second qualifying session.

The last point is the result of the first qualifying session, which made Odetto feel a sense of risk. He wasn’t sure if Chen Xiangbei and Perez could definitely enter Q3.

Starting early to run one more lap means an extra lap of tolerance!

"Received."

Upon receiving the instruction from Odetto, Liang Chi led the maintenance technicians to change the soft red tires for the two HRT racing cars.

Meanwhile, drivers with faster actions had already lined up in the pit lane, also preparing to run at least two flying laps.

Just a few dozen seconds later, Chen Xiangbei and Perez drove into the pit lane one after another, performing their warm-up laps.

But when Chen Xiangbei completed the warm-up and intended to fully push, he felt fine water droplets appear on his helmet visor. This long-awaited light rain had eventually arrived at the most inappropriate time!

"It’s raining, with small raindrops appearing in the sky. Currently, only the Red Bull and McLaren Team are performing their flying laps; other drivers are still in the warm-up lap stage, especially as HRT Driver Bei is just about to dynamically start."

"If the rainfall doesn’t increase, he should be able to complete the warm-up lap before the track conditions become slippery."

"If the rainfall increases, the soft red tires will not grip the ground."

Red explained the situation on the track; the timing of Chen Xiangbei’s flying lap had both advantages and disadvantages.

If he could quickly achieve an effective lap time, then it’s a stroke of luck.

After all, drivers changing to rain tires and flying later would inevitably have slower lap times compared to those with soft red tires in front.

However, if the rainfall increases, this lap for Chen Xiangbei would be a waste, and he would have to enter the pit again to change tires, wasting a lot of qualifying time!

After saying this, Red looked toward the glass curtain wall of the studio. Raindrops were visibly increasing in size, creating streaks of water on the glass.

"Oh, it seems the weather isn’t on Driver Bei’s side; the rainfall has clearly increased."

Korean guest Park Dongxu also noticed this scene. The light rain had quickly turned to moderate rain, and with the drainage capability of nearly zero at Lingyan Circuit, it’s highly unlikely to support Chen Xiangbei completing this flying lap.

Opportune time, geographical advantage, and harmony are all not on Chen Xiangbei’s side. The Chinese kid is destined to meet his waterloo on the Korean circuit!

"Bei, are you planning to pit and change tires?"

The inquiry from Odetto came through the headset.

The street layout and concrete safety walls in the first half of the Lingyan Circuit are filled with danger; no matter how aggressive a manager is, they must consider the driver’s safety.

"No plan to, I’ve already crossed the line on the flying lap."

Chen Xiangbei gave a negative response.

There was a line from a future TV series that said, "The bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish."

Rainfall is a crisis, but it’s also an opportunity.

As long as he can finish the flying lap, the lap time can create a significant gap from the drivers behind, effectively ensuring entry into Q3.

With the engine power restricted, the HRT racing car he was driving was too weak in performance, necessitating seizing this opportunity.

At this moment, Chen Xiangbei once again became the gambler within the paddock.

"Perez, do you need to pit and change tires?"

Odetto then turned to ask Perez the same question.

"No need."

The same response came through the headset. Perez was now trailing behind Chen Xiangbei’s car, hoping to catch the draft of his teammate for a speed boost if lucky.

As a driver from a country weak in automotive racing, Perez bears the same responsibility as Chen Xiangbei; he cannot let his Mexican compatriots down!

The Toyota engine roared loudly, with the two HRT racing cars racing one after the other on the track. The damp track caused the tire temperature to continuously drop, as if Chen Xiangbei was dancing on the tip of a knife at every corner.

The swaying racing car continually challenged Chen Xiangbei’s car sense and his manipulation skills.

The original conservative racing line, under the influence of car drift, came infinitely close to the track’s cement safety walls; many times, in the broadcast footage, it was nearly crashing!

"My God, isn’t Bei too close to the edge of the track?"

"The car is visibly skidding; could Chen Xiangbei be in danger?"

"The car’s tail is already kicking up spray; Chen Xiangbei should have changed to rain tires."

"Changing to rain tires would significantly slow him down, and he wants to achieve a good result too much."

"Of course, he wants to slap those Korean bastards in the face!"

Chinese spectators and supports of Chen Xiangbei in the stands now have their hearts in their throats.

On one hand, they fervently hope Chen Xiangbei can achieve a good result, fiercely responding to the previous insults and slurs from Koreans.

On the other hand, they are worried Chen Xiangbei might face an accident; crashing into cement safety walls at speeds of several hundred kilometers per hour is beyond what even a highly protected F1 car can withstand, potentially disintegrating on impact.

The race is not just one event, but there’s only one Chinese F1 driver, a lone seedling.

Chen Xiangbei enabled Chinese Formula racing to rise from zero to the peak!

Compared to the fans worrying about Chen Xiangbei, the HRT Team management is currently more concerned about Perez.

After all, Chen Xiangbei already proved his rain-driving skills in Australia Station, undoubtedly having the level of the first tier in the paddock.

But Perez, no one knows how his wet track racing levels are.

Yet this newcomer, driving an F1 car for the first time, clung onto his teammate’s behind to catch the draft and improve his lap time, despite having no guarantee of success.