[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 171

[You have received a friend request from ‘Maniel Ricciardo.’]

[You have received a friend request from ‘Sergio Perez.’]

There were two messages popping up simultaneously, and I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.

“Ha…! Of all times to send a friend request……”

During the season, I never expected friend requests from the two Blue Bull drivers, Ricciardo and Perez, especially right before the main event.

After all, they were the biggest victims of my last-minute turnaround.

I knew they weren’t the petty types to hold a grudge over qualifying results, but I also never imagined they would be approaching me in such an active and friendly manner.

Even though they might not be petty, their pride and ambition as drivers were certainly as noble and firm as anyone else’s.

There was no way they could have sent me a friend request with malicious intent.

They were undoubtedly reaching out either to challenge me, or although the chances were slim… perhaps they were seeking guidance in this form.

Of course, being the closest to the pinnacle of the world, their request for guidance would not flow through typical channels. They were probably thinking of disguising a challenge as a race.

They would keep themselves thoroughly hidden, while I would unearth everything, cunningly and intelligently, like a predator waiting in the bushes to pounce on its prey.

Usually, revealing oneself to a competitor before the main event would be avoided. Especially if they were positioned right behind me.

“You don’t have to accept if it makes you uncomfortable. No, it would be better not to.”

Leclerc, having grasped the situation, also expressed his negative feelings.

Charles Leclerc, Maniel Ricciardo, Sergio Perez. Given their long-standing careers in F1, it was clear that they would already exist on each other’s friend lists. The fact that the Blue Bull drivers were deliberately approaching me while avoiding Leclerc seemed to indicate they had ulterior motives.

Until I take a look at it, I wouldn’t know if that was true or not, but in any case, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious before the main event.

However, I had no intention of stepping back, nor was there any reason for me to do so. If they were challenging me head-on, it was my way to respond with all my strength.

I nodded, fully aware of their intentions and purposes.

“I’ll accept both.”

[You are now friends with ‘Maniel Ricciardo.’]

[You are now friends with ‘Sergio Perez.’]

Both names lit up in the corner of my friends list, now showing online. Every time this happened, I truly felt the world of Yooihyun, my world, expanding.

No sooner had I accepted than I was invited to their group voice chat. Having accepted the friend requests with the intention of having a conversation, I immediately pressed the accept button.

[‘KING’ has entered the voice chat ‘Blue Bull x Ferrari.’]

Blue Bull x Ferrari… That’s a combination I could never have imagined in my past life.

I wasn’t too fond of the order with Ferrari in second place, but in this world, I had no choice but to accept the reality. I took a deep breath to calm my rising emotions and slowly opened my mouth.

KING: It’s been a while. Both of you.

I made a deliberate effort to be polite. Although there was no need for it. Maniel and Perez were already familiar faces from the Kiwich 1v1 tournament, and back then, we had easily chatted while calling each other by name as participants.

Well, at that time, I was just treated as a gamer.

Still, I felt the need to be polite because the situation had changed.

Now that I had joined F1 after enjoying For One, this was not virtual reality; it was reality. In that reality, they were highly experienced veteran drivers in comparison to me. It was only natural to respect those who had spent almost half of their lives in F1 as a rookie driver who had just joined.

Moreover, even though we weren’t on the same team, I couldn’t ignore the kind of relationship that forms conceptually when entering the same field, no matter who I was.

Whether their kindness stemmed from their caring nature as seniors or a clear purpose, I didn’t know…

Maniel Ricciardo: Yooihyun! It’s been a while. Is this our first time talking since the tournament? The circuit back then was Belgium, right?

Sergio Perez: Yooihyun, welcome to F1, albeit late. I thought I’d see you on the circuit soon, but I didn’t expect it to be this quick!

The Blue Bull duo welcomed me warmly, albeit a bit fervently.

However, perhaps because I knew their reasons for spending time on me during our insufficient practice, I wasn’t interested in their kindness or attention.

This was a conversation with mutual objectives.

Just as I might guess their intentions, I didn’t know if they knew what I was thinking, but given the time pressure, I wished we could skip the pleasantries and get to the point.

It seemed we were on the same wavelength in that regard. They promptly revealed their purpose.

Of course, it was wrapped in flashy packaging to distract.

Maniel Ricciardo: With the main event approaching, you must be busy practicing, so I’m sorry to take your time. Let’s skip the catch-up and get to business first?

Sergio Perez: It’s just that, this is the Bahrain Grand Prix, right? So, I thought it’d be good if we raced on the Bahrain Circuit… we can help each other out and also motivate each other as competitors.

Maniel Ricciardo: We need to grow together and ensure we can counter McLaren effectively, Yooihyun.

In other words, what they were saying was about coexistence.

Pretending to know nothing, I asked back like a naive child.

KING: Ah, are you suggesting we share information?

The Blue Bull duo eagerly took to my pure and innocent words.

Maniel Ricciardo: No, that’s not what I meant. Anyway, since we’re both competitors, we can’t cooperate directly. We just race together and inspire each other or gain some ideas… In short, it’s an indirect cooperation relationship.

Sergio Perez: Especially as we occupy similar positions, it’s even better. By comparing ourselves, we can find issues more easily.

The packaging was very plausible. The suggestion was to practice more efficiently while countering the higher-ranked McLaren.

It was clear they had motives concerning me, but the reason they could maintain such a confident demeanor was likely because lies and truths were intermixed.

Of course, to me, who could predict what the packaging concealed, it all sounded like nonsense.

Thinking they had shifted the atmosphere according to their flow, Perez added a significant comment.

Sergio Perez: Of course, what we take away from that process will clearly be different…

What we take away is different. In this regard, Perez’s words were correct. Just because everyone undergoes the same process doesn’t mean they take away the same value.

This underlying idea is what the Blue Bull duo had when they proposed the practice race to me.

I might not have much to take from them, but they undoubtedly believed they would gather much from me, confident that no matter how the practice ended, the total benefits for themselves would be larger.

Perhaps because I’m younger, they think I’m soft as a human, even if not on the circuit…

KING: Let’s do that. Can I create the room?

I readily accepted their proposal, which would not help me even if I agreed. I decided to happily match their flow.

Maniel Ricciardo: Of course. I’ll wait, so invite me.

Sergio Perez: You can take your time. Just don’t take too long.

KING: Okay. I’ll contact you soon.

After the conversation ended, I summarized the series of discussions to Leclerc. Perhaps thinking that his clueless teammate was being toyed with by another team, Leclerc wore an unimpressed expression as he listened.

“Hmm… I think it would have been better to refuse. You might have more to lose than gain, Ihyun.”

Whether he hadn’t expected such a choice or was worrying for my safety, Leclerc said it more seriously this time, his eyes deepening.

On the track, maybe, but outside the track, I might still look like a child. He might think I’m being toyed with by the cunning duo of Blue Bull.

But I wouldn’t fall for such shallow tricks.

I smiled softly and said to him.

“It’s okay. No need to worry. The ones who will lose more in the end won’t be us, but them.”

“What do you mean…?”

I calmly said to Leclerc, who was giving me a suspicious look.

“There are two drivers at Ferrari too.”