[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 196

“Not yet… not yet!”

Finally, Leclerc, standing behind Perez, gritted his teeth.

The real competition was just beginning. Until now, he hadn’t been competing with Perez; he had been competing with himself to compete with him. Finally, he had overcome himself and stood shoulder to shoulder with Perez. Now he was at a point where he could truly compete with him.

Sergio Pérez was definitely not an easy driver to handle. With tenacity and passion that never compromised in any situation, he was someone all F1 drivers found challenging. Just when you thought you had detached yourself from him, he would stick to you like a leech, and just when you felt you had almost caught up, he would swiftly pull away again. Regardless of whether the situation was unfavorable or favorable, his steady performance was Perez’s most intimidating aspect.

You could say he was the model student. Always delivering consistent driving, he was someone who rarely left openings.

Moreover, with Ricciardo in front of him, overtaking him would be incredibly tough. Unless he caught a fleeting opportunity and struck with perfect timing, tearing apart the Blue Bull Duo would be a distant dream.

It would likely be a long, drawn-out battle.

“I can keep doing this until the end, too!”

However, Leclerc had no intention of giving up.

What reason would he have to abandon the pursuit he had been striving for all this way just because there was an insurmountable wall in front of him? He bore too much to give up, and he had set his sights on something too lofty and brilliant. The wall of the Blue Bull wasn’t high enough to block the source of the light Leclerc was gazing at. No team could overshadow his light, not even that Mercedes.

Leclerc continued to twist reality in his pursuit of that light. He didn’t settle for what he knew; he kept seeking new things. He modified the racing line in real time, applying his knowledge current. He knew better than anyone that if he didn’t change, he wouldn’t be able to overtake Perez, so he couldn’t afford to stop, even at the risk of failure.

Naturally, best efforts didn’t always lead to the best results. His shifts often led to more failures than successes, and with each failure, Perez would undoubtedly pull just a little bit farther away, mocking his efforts. In an uncertain situation where nothing could be assured, a typical person would want to focus on what they know and lean into comfort.

“I need to press the pedal a half beat faster.”

“This isn’t it. The escape angle was too wide. I need to take it tighter.”

“The moment the importance of grip fades… I need to capture that ambiguous moment. I need to turn on the DRS faster.”

Leclerc showed no willingness to compromise. He knew that reverting to the comfort of what he already knew would not bring about any change in reality.

Leclerc kept moving. At this point, he wasn’t just moving the V-1; he was shifting his thinking. Changes in thought led directly to changes in driving.

Thoughts like, “What if I do it this way? What if I do it that way?” gathered and formed one path. The paths he traversed became part of Leclerc’s database, guiding him to see new avenues.

“What’s the problem this time? There shouldn’t have been any miscontrol… or was there… did I just think there wasn’t?”

He failed again and again. One issue, two issues, or even more arose, negating his efforts. The bigger problem was that he didn’t know where the issues originated.

Was it late braking? Was it late acceleration? Did he apply too much or too little? Or was it a functional issue with the V-1 that revealed itself over time? The process to the result was too vast and complicated to identify what the problem was.

But…

“It’s okay. It’s alright. Let’s take our time to find it. As long as I don’t give up.”

Leclerc had no intention of giving up. With a determination to break through that wall, he threw his whole body into doing everything he could and wanted.

After staying close behind Perez for several laps, he completed the second and final pit stop. It happened on lap 38, transitioning to medium tires. Only 19 laps remained until the race ended. He was still trailing Perez.

Whoosh!!!

On lap 38, the path of the V-1 became a bit more refined. While there were still inefficient areas, it was an improvement from before.

Lap 39. He gained momentum as he sliced through the corners. He faintly caught the crucial timing to activate the DRS. He probably reduced time by 0.01 seconds in each corner.

Lap 40. He began to gain control over the V-1, which was wobbling left and right on the straight. Although he couldn’t completely eliminate the shakes and vibrations, he felt satisfied just to have grasped the sense of it. If he had the feel, it would resolve itself over time.

Lap 41. He started to feel comfortable navigating corners with the V-1, which had a different condition. His senses began to align with the V-1, making his movements more natural. He could now control even the more detailed aspects.

Lap 42. For the first time, he was able to establish guidelines regarding the racing line. He was glad to feel like he was heading toward the answer, but conversely, he felt uneasy, fearing that it might only be an illusion that exposed his limits. And Perez still made no mistakes.

Lap 43. He sensed the limits of his concentration approaching. No matter how great Leclerc was, he couldn’t maintain high levels of focus for extended periods. If that were always possible, he wouldn’t be in this position.

He decided to focus solely on chasing Perez until his exhausted mind and spirit could recover.

Lap 44. He heard news that Mr. Yooihyun had extended his gap from Ricciardo to 7 seconds. As a teammate, it was undeniably a source of anxiety. But succumbing to that anxiety wouldn’t help.

Lap 45. The dynamics between Ricciardo and Perez shifted from before. It felt like they were conserving energy. They began to design the race with only minimal movements to contain Leclerc. The defensive walls of the two drivers were too solid to penetrate forcibly. He positioned himself right behind Perez, preparing for an ambush.

“They’ll try to make a move at least before the last 5 laps. That’ll be my opportunity.”

With a gleam in his eyes, Leclerc followed Perez’s racing line, yet in his mind, he never stopped imagining the ideal racing line. Even though his focus hadn’t fully recovered, as he began to follow Perez without overthinking, he found he could afford a bit of relaxation.

He would conserve his energy until the time came. Whether his hidden strength could overcome the Blue Bull then was uncertain. But Leclerc was convinced that the last 5 laps would be the fastest he would achieve in this Grand Prix.

“Mr. Yooihyun…”

Regardless of whether he overtook or not, he vowed to prove himself to Mr. Yooihyun, who had guided him on this path.

The race at the Bahrain Grand Prix was reaching its peak amid intense heat.

***

“Oh man, Norris just won’t close the gap!”

– Right? But it’s not like I’m falling behind…

I spat out my frustration while watching Norris, who wouldn’t get any closer, despite reaching my peak performance.

Yeah, I was frustrated. I could do better if I pushed harder, but I did my absolute best and achieved great results, so there was no shame in it. Yet, honestly, it was still disheartening that I couldn’t even catch a whiff of Norris’s oil scent.

I wasn’t blaming the engineers though. It was a miracle to have brought the race car, which was sitting in 8th place just two months ago, this far.

So, my frustration was just meaningless murmurs that drifted without direction. Enrique, listening to my complaints in real-time, knew this and simply comforted me without saying much.

“What a pity.”

But while saying this, I had accomplished everything I could in this Grand Prix. I had already exceeded my achievements.

Understanding and utilizing the V-1’s characteristics had reached an extreme point, once again stepping into a realm of expertise as I caught a glimpse of a new world, managing to not only maintain my rank against the Blue Bull but also nearly outpace them. Maybe after the race, the Tifosi would leave comments like these in the community.

“Is that really the Ferrari I knew? My heart swells with pride.”

“Ferrari is invincible. Mr. Yooihyun is a god.”

While it would be a satisfying thing in many ways, I didn’t want to settle for that. Being the sole focus of the spotlight was tiresome. Thinking of my fellow drivers who had been frustrated watching me bask in that light in a past life, I didn’t want to see that sight anymore. While I thought of it as an unavoidable circumstance then, I realized, albeit late, that I could save them now.

So, I hoped that Leclerc, who couldn’t break out of his shell of fear, would awaken. I wished for him to awaken as a driver. Fortunately, once stimulated, he began to change and produce results. It wasn’t a miracle or a sudden blessing from the divine; it was simply that what he originally possessed found its strength through the catalyst of “me.”

Leclerc had many worries and considerations, but that’s what made him the most prepared driver.

From that moment on, he began to climb. Taking step by step, he was approaching Perez. I knew how lonely and isolated that path was. Competitors faded away, and there were no spectators or commentators. Only he existed in that cold world. Within it, he would need to punch countless times towards limits that could break at any moment.

He endured that process until the end. He persevered and stood behind Perez. It was a remarkable display of patience and focus. The intensity of “him,” which couldn’t merely be regarded as talent, was impressive.

“Come on up, Leclerc…”

The final step was left to take. The step he most wanted to give up on. I prayed that Leclerc would take that step.

Lap 50. In that moment when only 7 laps remained until the race ended, Ricciardo and Perez began to accelerate. With such acceleration, they must have adjusted themselves to endure the remaining laps in that condition.

I raised my pace to follow them. It was the last chance; there was nothing to hold back now.

And…

– Leclerc was with him.

With a labored breath, Leclerc was joining the fray.

7 laps, 6 laps, 5 laps…

His final opportunity was counting down.