[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 108

“The engine is still a long way off. Even if we estimate the minimum, we need to pass three to four Grand Prix after the season opens to complete the setup. So for now, we are hoping to improve the performance by enhancing the non-engine functionalities. Enrique’s automated suspension project is at the center of this.”

“Enrique…”

“Yes, the Enrique you mentioned that you wanted to recruit, Lee Hyun. He’s an amazing engineer. But still… time is running out.”

Like Minoto, who emphasizes the shortage of time with a serious expression. The time given to Ferrari was brutally limited.

Although all the staff were struggling to use that harsh time efficiently, they could not even dream of solving the most urgent issue, the engine, and set the secondary elements as the first goal.

“We have a long way to go, Director.”

I wonder what they did last season when they completely messed it up.

Since they messed up the season anyway, it would’ve been great if they had worked on engine development and conducted various experiments targeting the Grand Prix. There’s no better testing ground for achieving efficient data.

Knowing how a poorly performing car competes with others for rankings, I couldn’t help but sigh.

When I received a call from Mercedes, I wished I had just left it smooth… Mercedes! Can’t we do something about it even now?

“Anyway, today Enrique has a matter he wants both of you to decide on, but you’ll find out the details when you get there… I’ve said all I needed to say, so you can head over now.”

I lightly nodded and left the director’s office with Leclerc, heading to the department where Enrique was.

He mentioned a matter he wanted us to decide on… Enrique was in charge of the automated suspension project.

So, it was highly likely that we would be discussing manual conversion rather than automation. They wouldn’t consult us, the drivers, about detailed settings for a system that was still in its initial development phase.

As I walked, organizing my thoughts about it in my head, I spotted Enrique surrounded by blueprints piled up and jumbled formulas written on the whiteboard in the distance.

He seemed so engrossed in something that he didn’t even notice us, even as Leclerc and I reached him.

I waved my hand in front of him to greet him.

“Enrique. We’re here. You wanted to see us?”

“Hello. Nice to see you again, Engineer Enrique.”

Enrique took off his thick black-rimmed glasses, stood up, and extended his hand.

“Ah, thank you both for coming. I urgently needed to discuss something, so I called you. Please, have a seat.”

He seemed to view handshake time as a waste, pulling chairs to prepare the seats.

Four chairs were quickly arranged around a table that could barely fit four people. Leclerc, Enrique, and I.

Why are there four chairs for three people?

Before I could voice my question, Enrique resolved my curiosity.

“Won-jin! Please come over here for a moment.”

Won-jin? If I heard that correctly, those two characters clearly indicated a Korean name.

I had never heard of a Korean being present.

“Yes, I’m coming!”

I turned my head towards the direction of the voice, which sounded like it belonged to a newcomer engineer, and I heard the fluent English pronunciation typical for a Korean.

“…? Is that child an engineer?”

There was indeed a child. No matter how one looks at it, the youthful boy, whose face seemed barely that of a high school freshman, was running towards us.

Has Ferrari really gone to the extent of hiring children, to the point that they’re so desperate for manpower?

The boy named Won-jin seemed to be coming towards me after passing Enrique and Leclerc. He bowed formally in a traditional manner and greeted me in Korean.

“Hello, Driver Yooihyun. I’m Won-jin! I’m eighteen, so you can treat me like a younger brother.”

“Uh, yeah. Right. I’m Yooihyun, nice to meet you.”

Whether it was because of Yooihyun’s effort to create common ground, given that he was the youngest Ferrari driver, or because of the strange fondness in Won-jin’s cheerful smile directed at me.

No, that’s not the issue here.

“Are you also an engineer?”

“Yes, I’m Won-jin, and I just joined F1 Ferrari today!”

Won-jin was indeed an engineer. He was a proud engineer of the F1 team, which Ferrari poured the most effort into, having become a global corporate giant.

I wondered if he might be more impressive than me.

“You’re really impressive at such a young age.”

Sitting down, I thought about how bizarre the world is when Won-jin suddenly bent over, wiggling his fingers.

“I’m sorry for what I did before.”

“Um…?”

You’re sorry? What for? I don’t even know who you are.

Wait, are you the one who was spewing unmentionable curses against me, or one of those who used to come on broadcasts and sexually h*rass?

Thinking back to that moment, even a person with an enormous heart like mine couldn’t help but feel a bit displeased. But what’s done is done.

“I don’t know what it is, but it’s fine, so just take a seat…”

Everyone makes mistakes at a young age. I was trying to let it slide since he confessed and sought forgiveness.

“I’m Barcode Nick! k*ll me!”

“Barcode?”

“I’m the hacker from the Kiwi Tournament. That’s me.”

I was left speechless.

Leclerc, who participated in the Kiwi Championship, didn’t know that he was that hacker. The atmosphere immediately turned tense.

“Right, so that’s you…”

“Yes… I’m sorry.”

Barcode Nick, the hacker who sullied the sacred showdown of drivers. You were the disgusting, repulsive something…

Thanks to the security program created by Michael Nantz, a devilish figure who sent the sanctuary known as For One to hell due to hacking.

After the announcement that hacking was confirmed, the stock of For One plummeted, hitting consecutive lower limits. The retail investors who bought For One stocks wept tears of despair, all because of this guy.

I am one of the parties involved, along with many other users who suffered losses.

At least I won, so I didn’t actually suffer, and I’m not someone so narrow-minded that I can’t show kindness to those who regret their past mistakes, but…

“What were you thinking to do something like that, especially at a tournament?”

“…I’m sorry.”

The gravity of the offense is too great. The negative impact of hacking in a lesser-known game versus one like For One, which has worldwide influence, is as different as heaven and earth. Naturally, the severity of the crime would be greater.

Even considering that he was young and unable to comprehend the repercussions of his actions, I could honestly say he was a criminal.

Once I reached that thought, I had no idea how I should treat Won-jin.

Should I let it slide because he’s young? No. Even without awareness, crime is still crime.

While my inner sense of justice weighed the scales between tolerance and punishment.

Won-jin hesitated and spoke.

“I’ve been reflecting a lot… After the incident, I went to the victims to apologize and compensate them. Though the compensation was handled by Uncle Nantz…”

“Nantz? You mean Michael Nantz from For One?”

“Yes, Michael Nantz.”

Right! Michael Nantz. Now it all makes sense.

To join F1 Ferrari, skill is essential, but as with any group, connections are important. Especially for someone as young as Won-jin. Thus, a child with no experience couldn’t just enter unless they were an immensely promising elite.

It wouldn’t make sense for such a top-tier elite to hack Steel, ruining their own future, so we can disregard that.

Then the answer is clear. Connection. It means he has ties to someone with immense influence who can directly place an inexperienced eighteen-year-old into F1 Ferrari. To my knowledge, there’s only one person in For One who fits that description.

Michael Nantz.

“So, you’ve been quiet since the incident blew up. I figured you were scouted by For One.”

“Yes. That day, someone from the For One Korea office came to my house, saying they needed me to go somewhere together.”

Hearing confirmation of vague assumptions from the involved party sent a thrilling rush through my brain.

By the way, why is that employee’s tone like that? It sounds like they’re filming a spy movie or something.

After that, Won-jin began telling the story of how he moved to the For One headquarters in the USA to meet Michael Nantz. He outlined the process all the way until today, when he joined F1 Ferrari.

What I paid close attention to was the story of the victims. He said he went around with Nantz and perfectly handled all the follow-up regarding the incident.

Given that we’ve heard no unusual noises since, it likely means that his words are true.

The scales, which had only been trembling, finally tipped significantly to one side at that moment.

The scale weighed down with acceptance and punishment inclines to the left. Acceptance.

“Right. Knowing your sins and reflecting on them is more important than the crime you committed.”

“I deeply regret it…”

“Do well, for Michael Nantz’s sake. You apologized, but he handled all the compensation. You need to repay it.”

I may not have the right to bang the gavel because I’m not a judge, but since Won-jin genuinely regrets it and has already compensated the victims…

This is enough.

As an elder, I prepared for a warm ending by giving some heartfelt advice.

“A young man, live righteously from now on?”

“…I’m only one year younger than you.”

“Who are you talking back to…? And when did I become your older sister?”

“I saw you once at the tournament and now again, so that’s twice.”

“Go!!!”

Now that we’re colleagues on the same boat, we shouldn’t maintain such a hostile atmosphere.

I lightly tapped Won-jin’s forehead and offered a subtle smile. As he rubbed the spot where I tapped in complaint, he looked at me with a dazed expression as if he was under a spell.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned while living as Yooihyun, it’s that sometimes men can be a bit foolish.

Why are men like this…

“Don’t let it get to you. Let’s do well from now on, Won-jin.”

Even Leclerc, who seemed to have much to say, seemed to think I had sufficiently scolded him and added an encouraging word, accepting Won-jin.

So, this truly marks the end of any admonishment!

“So, why were we called?”

Now, it was our turn to hear the answer regarding why we were summoned.