[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 147
Name / Time / Team
① Lewis Hamilton 1:01:283 – Mercedes Benz
② Max Verstappen 1:01:301 0.18 – Mercedes Benz
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
The two drivers of Mercedes Benz sparkled brilliantly in the first practice session of the Bahrain-Sakhir Grand Prix, placing the iconic three-pointed star exactly where it should be.
In other words, they put it at the top.
It was the result of the overwhelming performance of the W-31, surpassing last year’s W-30 and combining the monstrous talent of both drivers’ driving techniques.
It was an astonishing level of achievement for a single team, yet the audience took the internal competition at Mercedes as a given.
Mercedes boasted the champion Lewis Hamilton, who had achieved that status for many years, alongside Max Verstappen, the only rival threatening his position, and the ultimate race car with unparalleled technical skill.
Given that Mercedes and Hamilton have dominated for several years, there was no longer any reason for surprise.
At some point, their first place had become very much a given.
Perhaps that’s why the audience was only talking about the two drivers from Mercedes.
“Max’s current record is amazing. Looks like he’s got a good feel for it.”
“He probably hasn’t even fully adapted to the race car yet… it’s really impressive in many ways, honestly.”
“Hamilton is also doing really well. His adaptability is incredible, and his cornering and racing line design is exceptionally clean. It feels like he’s been driving for a long time, right after just starting? You know what I mean?”
“That comes from being a seven-time champion, right? He probably knows the circuit like the back of his hand, even if he’s not familiar with the race car. He’s a veteran, after all.”
There were numerous voices discussing Hamilton and Verstappen. It wasn’t just the audience filling the grandstands who were expressing their thoughts; these were merely the lucky ones who managed to get tickets.
If you broaden the meaning of ‘audience’ to include all those around the world watching the race, the number would jump into the billions.
The interesting thing is that when such a large group gathers, one would expect critical voices to emerge, yet not a single negative opinion could be found.
Instead, everyone was preoccupied with praising the technical skill of Mercedes and the driving techniques of the two drivers who were showing remarkable performances in season 31.
“There’s really nothing to criticize. If they’re doing this well in the first practice of the season, then what can we say?”
“Anyone trying to nitpick would be out of their mind. This isn’t even up for debate.”
The crowd, tired of the astonishing performances of Hamilton and Max, spoke like a habitual phrase.
They were showing a level of performance so flawless that anyone attempting to criticize would feel embarrassed and give up.
At that moment, the focus of the commentators and the audience was entirely on Mercedes.
Yet, there were those who were looking in another direction.
They were dedicated fans cheering for specific teams or drivers.
Among them were the Tifosi, who love—no, adore—Ferrari, boasting the largest fandom.
“Indeed… Leclerc is a legend… last year, he struggled to even score points, and now he’s in 6th place?”
“Seriously… I heard the race car’s performance significantly improved, and look how he’s rising in the rankings right after it got better. Leclerc’s coin is going to the moon!”
“They say it’s a completely different car from last year, so it must be a disadvantage compared to other teams, but if he’s performing like that now, how will it be later?”
“How will it be? He might even be aiming for the podium. If things go well, maybe he can compete for the championship too?”
“For the love of God…! Our Ferrari must taste some trophies this season…!”
The main race hadn’t even begun, let alone the qualifying, but the Tifosi were already activating their happy circuits, dreaming of a glorious future.
While it might be an early expectation, it wasn’t impossible. In reality, Leclerc was maintaining a high 6th position despite driving a vastly changed V-1.
The fact that he was holding onto 6th place amidst such disadvantages meant that Leclerc still had not tapped into even half of his or the race car’s potential, and that Ferrari’s race car performance had improved enough to aim for the top.
That’s a positive way to look at it, however.
To speak frankly, while there was only a 5-position difference from Hamilton, who was ranked first, the lap time gap was a staggering wall of 5 seconds, leaving little hope.
So, for now, while entering the podium may be uncertain, competing for the championship seemed far-fetched.
Nevertheless, the Tifosi held onto a thread of hope.
They firmly believed that throughout the season, Ferrari’s investment in research and development, as well as the improvement of the driver’s skills, would continue.
The Tifosi had the attitude that losing a few early races out of the 22 Grands Prix in F1 was not a problem.
The first step is a significant one.
Ultimately, the decisive moments will come down to who can maintain form from the mid-season to the last, 22nd Grand Prix.
It’s easy to lose form when it’s in a downward spiral, but when on an upward trend, it tends to hold steady.
Thus, the Tifosi could only keep believing in and supporting Ferrari until the end.
“But KING, Yooihyun seems surprisingly ineffective.”
During the excitement of cheering for Leclerc, conversations about Yooihyun, whose high expectations had turned into disappointment, began to circulate.
“In the For One 1v1 tournament, he swept everyone, even beating Leclerc… is reality really different from games?”
“Can you really compare a pro with an ordinary person? To be honest, he’s just a regular person who debuted recently and is doing decently. Don’t expect too much. But still, being 11th as a rookie… that’s somewhat impressive.”
“Yeah, being 11th is good, and I get that’s the best he can do… but after that clip of overtaking Max in the final corner of the tournament, I can’t help but hold onto my expectations.”
“That’s… acknowledged. Watching it in real time gave me goosebumps all over. But right now… he’s 11th.”
“Maybe it’s because the expectations are too high. It’s disappointing. I thought he would show more.”
“With his base physical abilities, once he gains more experience, he’ll likely bounce back. For now, it’s Leclerc’s time to shine.”
Currently, the Tifosi were dismissing any discussion about Yooihyun, saying there was no one left to believe in but Leclerc.
Therefore, the expectations for Yooihyun had long since fizzled into nothingness, despite the reason being unclear. There was no indication that he would narrow the 4-second gap to Leclerc, who was in the same car.
The remarkable technique and fast, cool-headed judgment that the driver known as KING had shown in For One were nowhere to be found in Yooihyun.
It was almost too ordinary.
I don’t know if that’s his true skill, but to the outside world, he lacked the uniqueness and control that had once ignited passion in audiences.
It was just rough.
He was racing with abrupt deceleration and acceleration, showcasing violent handling, as if the tires didn’t matter.
Many Tifosi couldn’t help but feel disappointment at how ineffectively he was handling the race car.
He was far from the amazing technician and genius driver that KING was known to be, possessing both versatility and rigidity.
[Leclerc of Ferrari has successfully overtaken Ricciardo of Red Bull to reclaim 5th place!]
[Wow, Leclerc’s form keeps rising, and despite Yooihyun’s decent performance in 11th place… looking at the trends, it seems hard for him to enter the points.]
[Yes. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the fate of Ferrari rests with Leclerc.]
[Becoming the only hope for Ferrari and the Tifosi, Leclerc’s shoulders are heavy as he must carry the team again this season, just like the last season.]
To the commentators, the audience, and even the Tifosi alike, it was clear.
Like anyone who had risen to stardom only to fade in an instant.
Gradually, Yooihyun was becoming a forgotten star.
*
*
*
40 minutes into the practice session.
In other words, there were only 20 minutes left in session 1.
“I did it…!”
After pouring in time with an unyielding focus, I finally completed the path.
I had perfectly envisioned a record line in my mind that was optimized for the traits of the V-1 race car, utilizing the specifics of the Bahrain Circuit to the fullest.
Now, without even consciously thinking about it, the record line was flickering before my eyes like a hologram.
-You finished? That quickly?
Enrique’s incredulous shout flowed through my earpiece.
-How is that possible… I thought it would take at least some time… Honestly, I thought it would be a miracle to finish it in session 1!
What Enrique said was correct.
With numerous unfamiliar technologies being implemented and driving a race car I had never used before, crafting a perfect racing line—essentially, a record line—was nearly impossible.
Even minor changes like how tightly the gloves fit, the shape of the steering wheel, or the sensitivity of the pedals could alter conditions and control.
If the core components of the race car—engine, suspension, aerodynamics—are fundamentally changed, the extent of that change would be enormous.
Sometimes, even drivers who achieved championship titles the previous season can fall into disgrace during the current season if they can’t adapt to the new race car.
This is why the phrase “potential of the race car” exists; the act of drawing out its full potential is extremely difficult.
Only one or two drivers out of twenty can extract performance to 100% or beyond.
“It’s just intuition, really.”
Yet, I have always been among those one or two drivers.
In the face of icy, sharp judgment, the word impossible loses all its heat.
The fire that burned brightly began to dwindle.
When the flame igniting possibility and hope extinguished, what remained was mere possibility.
This was why I could always be a victor.
Because I always kept possibility close to me, because possibility was always by my side.
I could become a champion.
And now.
-Now that I found the path, can you finish optimizing the racing line in the remaining 20 minutes?
“Totally feasible.”
The goddess of feasibility was with me.