CHAPTER 109: CHAPTER 87: ASIA’S TRUE GENIUS

"Mizutani, practice is different from racing. Practice is about conquering the track, while racing is about human confrontation."

"In a sense, track attack and defense technology is a completely different kind of racing talent!"

In Chen Xiangbei’s previous track practice, he merely challenged himself to set the fastest lap times. Now, however, he needs to showcase his offensive and defensive skills on the track, and with a blank professional track record, how he performs is entirely unknown.

It’s important to note that many drivers are quick on single laps without interference, but that doesn’t mean they are strong in track confrontation or capable of wheel-to-wheel overpowering opponents, or breaking through in a pack.

Bottas is a typical representative of this type of driver; at his peak, his single lap ability in qualifying was very strong, and his race pace stability was not bad either, even against the seven-time champion Hamilton, he didn’t fall behind too much.

But if he doesn’t get to start in the front row, or if he’s caught in a pack, then he’s basically invisible in that race, as he can hardly forge a path in intense wheel-to-wheel battles!

This is the reason why Sawano Hiroyuki is always worried. Formula racing isn’t just about car skills; a significant portion of the technique lies in attack and defense.

And the thing about track attack and defense is that there’s no way to strengthen training for it—the cost of collisions and repairs, along with the risk to personnel safety, is something no team can afford.

So track attack and defense is either self-taught or a technical shortfall!

Now it’s up to Chen Xiangbei to prove his final talent.

Right at this moment, the "ding ding ding" sound on the track rings out as the five starting lights light up one by one.

As soon as all the lights go out, the roaring engine sound tears through the sky, and Chen Xiangbei shoots out like an arrow from the bow, furiously shifting gears and accelerating.

To the right, Yamamoto Naoki didn’t have a slow start either, managing to synchronize with Chen Xiangbei, and the two of them sped along the sides of the track, rushing towards the right-hand Turn 1.

The long straight at the start allows the Renault car’s speed to reach close to 180 km/h; as they approach the braking point for the corner, Chen Xiangbei senses something’s not right—Yamamoto Naoki hasn’t shown any intention of changing lanes to grab the racing line from start to finish.

Something’s wrong!

Chen Xiangbei is no rookie. On the contrary, he has rich racing experience and a deep understanding of navigating the Suzuka Circuit.

Even if Yamamoto Naoki feels he can’t seize the racing line, he should change lanes and follow closely behind to cut the corner, or he’ll have no choice but to brake heavily, lock the tires, and then make the turn at a painfully slow speed.

It’s nonsensical, and with Yamamoto Naoki’s skill, he wouldn’t make such a foolish move.

In the blink of an eye on the track, before Chen Xiangbei can figure out the reason, he’s already at the conventional braking point. It’s then that he notices Yamamoto Naoki on the inside line hasn’t braked hard; instead, he’s changing lanes, moving towards his car.

At this instant, Chen Xiangbei realizes Yamamoto Naoki’s intent—this guy wants to force him off the track!

Thinking logically, about to go off track, a driver would instinctively brake, hoping to let the opponent rush ahead and then steer sharply to cut the corner.

But Chen Xiangbei doesn’t hit the brakes because he knows that if Yamamoto Naoki is doing this on purpose, he must’ve anticipated the conventional response, holding the brake in sync to block the right turn line.

And if both of them slow down significantly, slow enough for Yamamoto Naoki to make a normal turn, it would be like handing over the lead to the opponent!

In a sense, this is one of the track’s "torpedo" maneuvers, betting on the opponent braking heavily first.

"Yamamoto missed the braking point; what on earth is he trying to do?"

The track commentator also noticed the abnormal move, clearly showing that Yamamoto Naoki is doing something unusual.

"Director Sawano, is the Guoguang Team trying a double car tactic to force Xiangbei off the track!"

As a race engineer, Mizutani Sho immediately understood the tactic intention of the Guoguang Team, and felt it was a bit despicable.

Upon hearing Mizutani Sho’s report, Sawano Hiroyuki remained silent. The thing he feared most had indeed happened.

Now it’s not just a test of Chen Xiangbei’s offensive and defensive skills, but also his on-the-spot judgment and supreme car control abilities. Even experienced drivers find it hard to break out in this scenario.

On the track, Chen Xiangbei’s expression instantly turned cold. He made no reducing speed action. Instead, he simply floored the accelerator to speed up, signalling a strong intent to overtake Yamamoto Naoki before the turn.

[So aggressive]

On the right, Yamamoto Naoki could feel Chen Xiangbei speeding up, and he was filled with shock, not expecting such a strong counter from his opponent.

But since the tactic was already put in motion, there could be no room for retreat. Yamamoto Naoki also stomped on the accelerator, trying to continue side by side with Chen Xiangbei, blocking the competitor’s right turn line.

Yet, just as Yamamoto Naoki started to speed up, he heard the sound of brakes from the left. Chen Xiangbei, locking up the wheels and braking sharply, instantly fell behind him. Moreover, this guy managed to perform a slight drift to cut the corner line.

This scene left Yamamoto Naoki stunned—executing a drift with a formula car on the Suzuka Circuit and succeeding at it?

Even more incredible, Chen Xiangbei, a rookie without a formal racing record, with such skilled reactions and smoothly lured him into a brake trap—how could he respond so quickly?

No one would provide an answer for Yamamoto Naoki. He couldn’t stop himself as he shot into the track runoff area, landing at the back.

The silence pervaded the Guoguang Team’s P room, as they didn’t expect even such "tricky moves" could be neutralized by Chen Xiangbei. The techniques of baiting brakes and drifting through corners—how did he learn them?

The voice of track commentator Nakajima Hideyuki came in just in time: "Just now, an amazing scene unfolded as Chen Xiangbei from China executed a slight drift to navigate the formidable Turn 1 at the Suzuka Circuit with extreme precision."

"Meanwhile, his primary contender, Yamamoto Naoki from the Guoguang Team, after missing the braking point, rushed off the track, now positioned at the tail end of the group."

"Barring unforeseeable circumstances, it seems unlikely any driver could now pose a threat to Chen Xiangbei in this race!"

Indeed, as the commentator described, in the following few turns, Chen Xiangbei, through extreme racing lines, managed to pull away from Mukai Takuma by a second.

And without Yamamoto Naoki as a strategic partner, Mukai Takuma had to face an onslaught from Ooshima Kazuya individually. The two cars’ skirmish blocked the pursuing pack entirely, leaving Chen Xiangbei to dash ahead freely.

At this moment, Chen Xiangbei felt the euphoria of Verstappen. So this is what it feels like to race ahead with a significant lead!

The remaining portion became a personal showcase for Chen Xiangbei, having completed a lapping maneuver by the fifteenth lap.

In Formula racing, lapping refers to the leading driver having raced so far ahead they’ve put the trailing driver a whole lap behind. When the two cars meet again on the track, it’s called lapping.

Lapping is not uncommon in formula racing, but on this tier of the Renault event, where the car speeds are slower and the race is just a total of twenty laps, it’s extremely rare, akin to outclassing beginners.

With Chen Xiangbei’s final charge across the starting line, a thunderous applause erupted at the Suzuka Circuit, as the race result exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Within the P room, the professional events personnel had the same thought spring to mind: perhaps the true genius driver of Asia has emerged!