[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 181
“Wow!!!”
“Woo!!!”
“Whooo!!”
Like the sound of cicadas in midsummer, the cheers of the audience filled the circuit without showing any signs of stopping, shaking the air.
At this moment, the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit was about to begin.
[The first Grand Prix of Season 31! The Bahrain International Grand Prix is finally about to start!!!]
The commentator, whose voice was clearly the most excited among all, couldn’t hide his excitement and let out a loud scream. Normally, it would have been an action that would get him in trouble, but instead, it made the atmosphere on site even hotter.
[The players are starting to enter! The order is based on last year’s overall standings. First up, it’s Mercedes Benz’s Lewis Hamilton, leading his teammates, followed by Max Verstappen!]
As soon as the commentator finished speaking, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes Benz and Max Verstappen began to march onto the empty grid, leading the long line.
From the atmosphere alone, it felt like a triumphal procession. The cheers of the common people welcoming the generals returning home in glory overwhelmed the air with dense layers. With cheers added from the fans outside, the roaring sound echoed back without showing any signs of stopping.
Their silver suits reflected the bright lights of the circuit, scattering brilliant light. The two drivers, resembling noble knights in shining armor, exuded an undeniable elegance at first glance.
One of them had already achieved the highest number of championships and was set to break the record again. The other was known as the only contender capable of stopping such a champion’s progress.
It was an aura that felt unattainable.
Although they both belonged to the same league called F1, the gap felt so large that it seemed like they should be given their own upper league.
As if accustomed to such treatment, the expressions of Hamilton and Verstappen displayed the confidence of overwhelming champions.
However, no one pointed this out. Their composure was genuine confidence, not deception or arrogance.
No one could deny their attitude, as the time and achievements they had built provided credibility to their demeanor.
“Wow, that’s incredible.”
Yooihyun, who was still waiting for her turn to enter as Ferrari finished in 8th place last season, said with a shocked expression.
“It’s Benz, after all. It’s been like this for years.”
Her teammate Leclerc shrugged as if to say he had often experienced such situations.
The cheers grew louder each time the drivers from each team appeared on the grid. There was no one who was not welcomed; thus, it was bound to increase.
Finally, it was Ferrari’s turn. Just as Yooihyun took a deep breath and was about to join the march with Leclerc…
“Yooihyun! Fighting!”
Kang Ho-yun, who had become particularly close to her and was ranked 10th overall, shouted with a clenched fist. Yooihyun barely suppressed the overwhelming emotions she couldn’t quite define and nodded to him.
[Ferrari is entering!]
“Wow!!!”
“Yooihyun! Yooihyun! Yooihyun!”
“Ferrari!!!”
With the grand introduction of the commentary, the grid was filled with light, cheers, heat, and fervor. Despite the lackluster 8th place result, all the spectators at the Bahrain Circuit were shouting the names of Yooihyun and Leclerc. It was a cry filled with significance that rivaled Benz and possibly even surpassed it.
Ferrari. The status that name held in F1 was incredibly great and unparalleled.
Of course, the intense reactions from the spectators were not solely because of Ferrari.
It was also about Yooihyun. Starting from the F1 virtual reality game For One, she was the driver who had quickly made her way into real F1. The anticipation for such an unprecedented genius driver, which had never been seen before and likely would never be seen again, was palpable.
Today marked the beginning of her journey, filled with limitless expectations, and the positive outlook for Ferrari, led by her, drove the crowd into a genuine frenzy.
The dawn of a new era. That was the essence of Yooihyun’s presence.
“Isn’t the reaction a bit over the top? It seems even stronger than Benz…”
“It makes sense. You’ve caused such a commotion until now.”
“Commotion? I just got lucky.”
“Stop being humble…”
The “commotion” that Leclerc referred to did not mean that she had done something wrong.
It referred to events that were more dramatic than the drama shown during qualifying, the high-level driving demonstrated in the 2v2 practice racing against the Blue Bull Duo.
These were incidents that could shake the world with just one of them.
Since Yooihyun understood this, she simply played along.
“Still… it’s amazing. Honestly, I never expected it to be this much.”
“Right? See? We could win the cheer points even if we combined all the other 9 teams.”
“I’ll give you that.”
If F1 had cheer points, it wouldn’t be surprising for Yooihyun and Leclerc to start from pole position.
This meant that not only Tifosi fans but also many who were not Tifosi were overwhelmingly supporting Ferrari.
“This way. We’re on the left side.”
Leclerc led Yooihyun as they observed the formation of drivers in a line at the number one grid.
Amid the cheers of the spectators, the march of the drivers came to an end. At the center, Mercedes Benz’s Hamilton and Verstappen stood still with eighteen drivers surrounding them in a formation resembling a fan.
It was a triangular shape without a base.
Once the 10th-place team, Hees, took their position behind Ferrari, the commentator’s voice boomed as if waiting for this moment.
[All teams and drivers have completed their entrance! We now announce the start of the Bahrain International Circuit Grand Prix, the first Grand Prix of Season 31!]
Bang! Boom! Boom!!!
As the words ended, fireworks erupted from all around. Big and small fireworks burst forth, brightly lighting up the dark night sky without any pauses.
“The opening ceremony is so splendid…”
“Think about the scale. People from around the world are watching.”
As Yooihyun and Leclerc whispered, the real main event was about to begin.
*
*
*
After the opening ceremony was over, the grid was bustling with the mechanics and engineers from the ten teams who were busy setting up the race cars.
Teams checked the tire connections and repeatedly inspected the electronic systems and various functionalities. Watching their reliable backs, not letting their guard down until the end, I thought about what I needed to do.
‘The most urgent thing is tire management.’
Tire management was the most important skill at this point.
‘I take pride in my tire management skills, but… I need to do more.’
Known as the “tire shaver” for utilizing tires to the extreme in a past life, I knew that even that wouldn’t be enough now.
The hybrid suspension, an essential and central technology of V-1, required tire management skills like never before because it not only enhanced performance but also almost tortured the tires.
Moreover, even if I imagined the future, the hybrid suspension had the potential to become an essential aspect of Ferrari. It’s said that it will become a foundational technology that will never wane regardless of upgrades.
In fact, isn’t an upgraded version of the hybrid suspension already in research called ‘Extreme Suspension’?
To prepare for that, enhancing tire management skills had to be a top priority.
One more thing.
‘The hybrid suspension, the same goes for this.’
A complete understanding and utilization of hybrid suspension were needed.
Considering the development speed, it was highly likely that I would transition to Extreme Suspension within two Grand Prix at most. Extreme Suspension is a complex technology that operates on all four sides rather than just front and rear.
Since the principles and structures are complicated, it requires a high level of understanding and proficiency from the user.
To adapt to Extreme Suspension as quickly as possible, I needed to fully master Hybrid Suspension.
‘For now, these two things. I will achieve them both before the next Grand Prix.’
Regardless of anything else, these two objectives needed to be accomplished promptly.
I couldn’t afford to just wait for Ferrari’s race car to perform at a level capable of competing for the championship.
Since I could only change myself, I would have to do my best to improve.
“Ha…!”
With those two goals firmly ingrained in my mind, I put on my safety gear, including Hans, helmet, and gloves, and sat in the cockpit.
After checking the brake pedal, accelerator pedal, shift pedal on the steering wheel, and various buttons, I sent an okay sign to my team members. Finally, the crew who completed the checks gave me a thumbs up before returning to the pit.
From the F1 Ferrari team members to the fans, many were wishing me luck.
Their expectations and hopes brushed against my skin.
I clenched my fist and raised it high as a way to repay their feelings.
[All twenty drivers are ready! After conducting the formation lap, the main event will begin shortly!]
[Today! Please welcome the drivers who will engage in fierce battles at the Bahrain Circuit with applause!]
With the appearance of the Mercedes Benz safety car leading the procession, the formation lap for the Bahrain Grand Prix began.
Vroom!!!
Filled with excitement, my heart began to race rapidly.
I had finally returned to where I was supposed to be.
‘Jin Hyun-woo…’
Today, I will cast that name aside.
I will be defined as Yooihyun.