Car Racing without Money-Chapter 421 - 171: Mind-Bending Driving Skills

For a driver, challenging the strong is a necessary path in their racing career.

If you cannot defeat the strong, you cannot become the next strong one!

During Chen Xiangbei’s time as a test driver for Brawn GP, to some extent, Jenson Button and Barrichello, the two official drivers, were his targets and competitors.

Unfortunately, with the entry of the Daimler Group and Schumacher, Ross Brown lost decision-making power over the team, and Chen Xiangbei naturally lost the opportunity to compete alongside Button in the same team.

The ROC National Cup made up for this regret; Chen Xiangbei really wanted to feel if he could truly fight against the "new king" at the peak of F1!

Two Solution F touring cars drove out of the pit and lined up at the start line of the track.

This racing-grade touring car is mid-engine rear-wheel drive, paired with a five-speed sequential gearbox, boasting a maximum horsepower of 310 and maximum torque of 390 Nm.

From the figures alone, it seems to be at the level of an ordinary performance car.

In fact, after lightweight modifications, this Solution F weighs only 950 kilograms, with a stunning power-to-weight ratio and acceleration capabilities that most supercars cannot match.

The ROC National Cup also has the conventional warm-up lap, but the severe cold of November in Yanjing combined with the lack of grip on the track surface means the Pirelli fully-slick tires cannot reach optimal temperature.

This means the driver needs to respond and make decisions instantaneously regarding vehicle dynamics and surrounding space during driving.

This tests not only skill but also car control!

A historically genius driver can control this beast as stable as an old pro, even if the car slides like a wet bar of soap.

Accompanied by the roar of the engines, Chen Xiangbei and Button started their warm-up lap.

Compared to the left and right swaying method of warming tires in formula racing, the two on the track simultaneously chose the quick braking tire-warming method, while also feeling the changes in tire and road grip.

Ensuring that engine torque at the start can form the perfect ratio with tire grip, avoiding any slipping phenomena like tire burnout or free spinning.

"Manager Ye, does Xiangbei really have a chance with such tactics?"

The race engineer Wang Xiao asked the team manager Ye Yong with a serious expression.

Just now, when Chen Xiangbei was in the pit, he didn’t dare to raise such doubts, fearing that it would "disturb the morale."

Now watching Button’s extremely skilled tire-warming and grip-testing actions, he once again realized that an F1 world champion driver is an all-rounder without any weaknesses, and changes in vehicle and road environments do not pose any obstacle to him!

Wang Xiao racked his brain, but couldn’t figure out where Chen Xiangbei’s winning hope lay.

"Back at the Haizhu International Circuit, did you anticipate Chen Xiangbei beating Han Han?"

"Manager Ye, these two situations are different."

Wang Xiao shook his head, feeling they were not comparable.

Back then, Han Han was strong, but ultimately just a domestic touring car champion.

Moreover, in the Haizhu International Circuit race, Han Han didn’t give his 100% competitive state until he was chased by Chen Xiangbei, when he seriously regarded the high school student as an opponent.

Now it’s the main race of the ROC National Cup, in this setting, Jenson Button would absolutely not hold back!

"There’s no difference."

Ye Yong directly denied Wang Xiao’s response.

Then he turned his head and said, "You forgot one thing; back then Chen Xiangbei was an amateur, and he defeated the professional champion driver Han Han!"

Hearing this answer, Wang Xiao was stunned.

He had only noticed Jenson Button’s F1 world champion title, forgetting that Chen Xiangbei was once just a high school student racing enthusiast.

The chasm between professional and amateur is far greater than between an F1 rookie of the same level and a world champion.

If Chen Xiangbei could win back then, why wouldn’t he have a chance now?

Chen Xiangbei wasn’t just saying he was fully prepared; he indeed had the probability of achieving it!

The warm-up lap was quickly completed, and the two Solution F touring cars stopped at the starting line again.

Above the track, there were also five starting lights, and both Chen Xiangbei and Jenson Button had their eyes fixed on the lights above, gently pressing the gas pedal to rev up the car engines.

When the five indicator lights went out, both cars executed a launch start simultaneously, shooting out like arrows from a bow!

"The race officially begins, Chen Xiangbei’s start speed is very fast, consistent with his usual reaction advantage and precision in clutch-gas coordination."

"Only this time, Chen Xiangbei didn’t manage to lead; Button demonstrated his formidable skill as an F1 world champion. The two cars were almost indistinguishable by the naked eye, with detection instruments showing Button was slightly ahead by 0.003 seconds!"

Li Bing was almost synced with the race commentary. Ever since the Australian Grand Prix, he had been following Chen Xiangbei’s races and developments, knowing well that this young Chinese racer’s start was a strong point.

But the opponent he faced was F1 world champion Button.

Even with his consistently quick starts, he still couldn’t take the lead.

However, Li Bing was not disappointed; on the contrary, there was excitement in his tone.

The reason lies in the fact that the opponent is F1 world champion Button!

Faced with such a formidable opponent, only instruments with millisecond accuracy can detect the difference in Chen Xiangbei.

In the past, this was unthinkable in the Chinese racing scene.

Even Chen Xiangbei’s staunchest supporters considered emotionally that Chen Xiangbei would win, but rationally believed that Button would be far ahead.