[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 133

A race is a battle against the continuous uncertainties that arise.

You must fight against the myriad problems scattered throughout the track, against competitors who are lurking to take your position, and even against yourself and your race car. There are enemies outside and inside.

It’s a battle filled with uncertainties, where nothing can be guaranteed.

Born as a driver, Yui-hyun was still a participant in this uncertain game.

Clack-!

The DRS turns off and on. The pedal is pressed and released. The suspension changes from high rake to low rake.

Vroom!!

A sound like never before echoed as Ferrari’s race car tore through the air. The thrust and speed felt reminiscent of a Spartan’s spear.

As the car entered the corner, a chilling sound of screeching friction vibrated through the air. The temperature of the brakes soared instantly while, conversely, speed dropped sharply.

The race car, with its newly designed and applied devices and systems, appeared dramatic at first glance as it quickly calmed down the excitement within.

Whoosh!!!

The downforce gained from the hybrid suspension and aerodynamic structure resonated, swiftly reducing the cornering speed limit. A more refined frame and a strengthened engine supported him.

Going fast and maintaining stability is what the race car should do.

Ferrari’s race car, equipped with the FR3 engine, was fulfilling its role today.

However, when there are gains, there are also losses.

While Yui-hyun was satisfied with how the race car adhered perfectly to her intentions, she couldn’t shake the worry in her heart.

That worry was not abstract but rather a reality.

“It’s heating up too quickly. The heat is getting intensively worse.”

The race car was extracting performance beyond its specifications, and due to that, the overheating was severe. It was creating a suffocating heatwave, as if all components of the vehicle were on the verge of overload.

Yui-hyun struggled to endure the heat that was scorching her inside the helmet and racing suit. In a situation where an ordinary person might lose their mind, she quietly continued racing.

No, it wasn’t just about continuing. She was accepting that heat as information and data, using it as a basis for adjusting her and the race car’s pace.

“Just a little slower… a bit faster…”

Cautiously avoiding overload, yet managing to extract every bit of performance. A meticulous balancing act right on the edge.

Her driving technique, which she crafted solely through intuition and instinct, was at a level that could truly be called divine.

-You’re doing really well right now…

Even Enrique was too awestruck today to remember the primary purpose of the test driving and expressed his admiration over the radio. Most engineers and mechanics were similarly amazed.

“Wow… We’re really lucky to be on this team.”

“Isn’t it time to stop making engines? With a driver like that and a great engine… that feels like cheating…”

“Wow… It would be terrible if such a monster were on Benz.”

“Speaking of, Hamilton and Verstaphin.”

“You’re a spy sent from Benz, you dirty industrial spy! Get lost back to your main base!”

“Yeah, Toto Wolff is a fool.”

The task of dismantling and analyzing issues related to the race car had transformed into a spectacle of watching Yui-hyun’s one-man show unfolding on the circuit.

Walking her own path, oblivious to the accolades showering down. Yui-hyun simply pressed forward.

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“The engine… it’s the biggest issue.”

The overheating began with the engine. A natural consequence. In any machine, the engine provides the power.

The engine is, in a sense, the heart. It creates and circulates power to move the machine, so its function is no different from that of the heart. Thus, it is the first to tire and the first to potentially overload.

This seems like a given. It’s not surprising that the engine is engulfed in overheating and gradually losing functionality; that isn’t a trivial issue.

Yet, she couldn’t shake off her worries. She knew the FR3 was a dramatically improved engine, but it was still just an improved version. Furthermore, the base engine used for that improvement had been almost trash-level.

And on top of that trash-like engine was Won-jin’s double-turn technique being demonstrated…

“I feel like I’m walking on thin ice… I’m worried the engine will break.”

It was inevitable that I felt that anxiety.

I imprinted the pounding sensation transmitted through my entire body into every single cell, awakening my sense of crisis. The less I knew, the more I had to rely on my senses.

From the back of the seat, the engine’s state conveyed through the degree of vibration. The body balance felt through the steering wheel’s tremor.

I had to rely on and fully trust my body, a superior sensory processing device.

That was the only way, and the best I could do.

Had it been a long time since I set foot at the entrance to this lonely and solitary battle? A voice, both annoying yet welcoming, familiar yet strange, flowed into my ears.

-Sis, it’s Jin, Won-jin. Can you hear me?

“Won-jin? Is that you, Jin?”

Won-jin, the one who pulled me into this uncertain battle, was speaking.

-I can hear you. How’s it going? Are you able to drive?

“It feels like I’ve been attached to a race car, so it’s not easy, but I’ve adapted to some extent now. Honestly, I’m wondering how I drove the vehicle before applying the double-turn technique.”

-I’m glad to hear you’re adapting well. I knew you would pull it off.

That was true. Excluding concerns about durability, the FR3 with Won-jin’s double-turn technique could be regarded as top-notch. The rise in RPM was 1.5 times faster than before, taking me to a whole new level.

On a clear and bright day, as if on top of a giant building, I could see racing from a much wider perspective, perceiving far more things.

As performance dramatically increased, my capabilities expanded.

While there had been only a few options before, I now felt I could achieve anything with the overwhelming power and speed. This would be even more tangible once the actual race began. There’s nothing more attractive in a competition than having many options.

The double-turn technique was,

once again elevating me to a higher level. Providing me with another path of challenge.

While I was marveling once more at Won-jin’s genius, he collected himself and spoke more seriously than ever.

-Sis, listen closely from now on. Fix the communication channel to 5 and maintain contact only with me. Drive however you want, but from now on, I’ll issue the technical orders. Got it?

Rather presumptuous and even rude.

Yet, the voice of Won-jin, filled with conviction and enthusiasm, no longer resembled that of the innocent and mischievous eighteen-year-old boy. The current Won-jin was simply a genius engineer, objectively and coldly controlling the situation.

Usually, I would have ignored such an order from Won-jin, but the transformation in both him and the FR3 led me to respond with a strange sense of assurance.

“Confirmed. Please give your orders, Engineer.”

-Great, let’s go, driver Yui-hyun.

The resonance had already begun.

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The problem with the double-turn technique was the uncertain durability and the heat generation that even the cooling system could not handle. Because of that, everyone anticipated failure.

These were the two most significant factors that directly and critically affected the normal operation of the machine.

Won-jin was well aware of that. As one of the four who designed the FR3, he certainly knew it better than anyone else.

So, he focused on those issues, striving to find solutions for durability and heat generation. Observing Yui-hyun’s race for several laps, his focus sharpened.

By reviewing data from the pit wall, Won-jin was able to grasp a clue to solving the problem.

“It’s not certain, but… let’s try it.”

Of course, it was a gamble. The double-turn technique had just been applied today, so the data to analyze was incomplete and insufficient. Despite that, he pieced together information from various sources and finished his analysis, ready to take a risk.

-Sis, from now on, I’ll issue the orders, got it?

For just today, for this test drive, just once. He decided to become Yui-hyun’s race engineer.

Fortunately, Yui-hyun, as proud as her skills, agreed to Won-jin’s request. Given the background of this test and her knowledge of Won-jin’s usual behavior, she could have easily refused, but she chose to trust him.

This was possible because it was not just a matter between Yui-hyun and Won-jin, but rather a meeting of a driver and an engineer, both with strong desires for victory and aspirations.

Won-jin had to repay Yui-hyun for her trust. And there was only one way to repay as an engineer.

Explaining. That was the only way Won-jin could repay her.

After the dramatic alliance between Yui-hyun and Won-jin was formed on channel 5, Won-jin began to churn out his analysis like a rapid-fire machine.

“There are two problems, durability and heat generation. I’ll explain durability first, setting heat generation aside.”

-Tell me.

Without a moment’s pause, the next words urgently came over the radio.

“The engine instability is not as high as expected. However, the stability drops sharply in all areas except for the lowest and highest RPM. I think there might be a slight reverse rotation on the crankshaft at the transition points for shifting, acceleration, and deceleration. This is a structural issue that I haven’t handled perfectly.”

-And?

“So, try not to maintain the middle ground as much as possible. Push it to the max while being as careful as you can. When you can keep the full throttle, acceleration enhances stabilization in crankshaft performance and even produces more efficiency than usual. And while the current speed is decent, minimize the shift timing as much as possible. We need to reduce the points that lower durability. Perhaps… continuous shifting might even be necessary.”

-Is it necessary to change the driving style entirely?

“Yeah, that might be the case. You know better about that, so I’ll leave it to you.”

A productive and highly productive conversation passed rapidly between the two.

-Okay. But what about the heat generation? The weak points you mentioned are unavoidable parts when trying to manage heat generation. Do you have a solution?

“Heat generation…”

While a solution for durability had been established, ironically, that solution was becoming detrimental to heat management.

In some ways, it could be called a self-inflicted injury, but Won-jin looked remarkably calm. In fact, he seemed to be smiling.

“We just have to cool it with air. You’ll make that happen one way or another, right?”

-Are you kidding me?

“Kukuk…”

Won-jin, who had awkwardly laughed as if he were a middle schooler, proudly added a line when he heard Yui-hyun’s annoyed voice.

“If it seems tough, then… just open that. The suspension button.”

-The button? You want me to open it?

“Yeah, the button.”

What appeared before Yui-hyun, who lifted the button as if it were a missile launchpad, was:

[Extreme]

Extreme. Extreme suspension.