[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 202

[The first Grand Prix of Season 31, the Bahrain Grand Prix, is now coming to a close.]

[We would like to extend our gratitude to all the fans who visited Bahrain, and we will take our leave now.]

[Thank you!]

The Bahrain Grand Prix concluded amidst the passionate farewell of the audience. With the end of the awards ceremony, all official events have concluded.

As soon as the event ended, I sought permission from Minoto and headed to the F1 His team. To put it bluntly, I wanted to see Kang Ho-yun. Initially, we approached each other as a relationship oriented towards our respective goals, but as time passed, we engaged with each other with goodwill that had no ulterior motives.

Kang Ho-yun was as precious to me as F1 Ferrari.

As I approached the preparing F1 His team, I noticed murmurs among those who recognized me.

“Hey, hey. Yui-hyun, Yui-hyun……!”

“Wait? Is it really him? Why did Yui-hyun come here?”

“Wow…… by the way, he really is handsome.”

“It seems like flowers are finally blooming in F1, which I thought was only full of grim men…”

Their giggling behavior seemed as if they were treating me like some celebrity.

Regardless, I had long since developed immunity to such reactions, so I felt no excitement. Each time I looked in the mirror, I ended up acknowledging, ‘With this face, I can’t help but attract attention wherever I go.’

In fact, I had even reached a point where I found it strange if such compliments didn’t happen.

‘Is he really a man?’ they seemed to think.

I greeted the engineers and mechanics of the His team with a smile. Even though His was using Ferrari’s engines, it was a matter of courtesy to greet them since I had come to their team.

“Hello.”

“Ah, hello. Driver Yui-hyun-nim.”

As soon as I made my presence known, many rushed toward me in an instant.

“Driver Yui-hyun-nim! I’m a fan. If it’s alright, can I have your autograph…?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll give it to you.”

“I was really impressed by today’s racing. Congratulations on finishing the race in 6th place!”

“Thank you. I also heard that His achieved good results today. Congratulations!”

“It’s you, the driver, who’s the star, but now our team is getting hope too. Thank you!”

“What can I say… Thank you. I’ll work harder.”

Ah, this is like the difference between the main text and the subtext in martial arts fiction? The hospitality is overwhelming.

It feels strange to say it myself, but I didn’t expect this kind of warmth given my face, which could rival a celebrity, and my insane talent for driving.

Regardless of the reason, I felt grateful but also flustered. I didn’t think I was a person worthy of this much welcome.

I soon got straight to the point.

“Is it possible to meet Driver Kang Ho-yun?”

“Driver Kang Ho-yun? Hmm…….”

It seemed the engineer I asked, who appeared to hold some position, looked around. I followed his gaze, but there were too many people, and being short, I couldn’t see much. Of course, I was tall for a woman, but that didn’t mean I was taller than men.

“Oh! Here he comes!”

“Hmm?”

It seemed that the commotion I caused was leading him my way…….

‘Ugh! Why can’t I see anything?’

Even when I stood on tiptoe, I still couldn’t see.

Regardless, Kang Ho-yun appeared in front of me on his own.

“Uh…”

Alright. It’s nice that he sought me out, but why are His’s director and Mick Schumacher coming with him? Well, I can somewhat understand Mick Schumacher coming along as a fellow driver, but the director… that feels a bit awkward.

‘Ah, I feel unnecessarily sorry now.’

It’s not like I committed a crime or anything. It’s just that I felt flustered seeing someone because of my past, where I had turned down a scouting offer. This feeling applies not only to His’s director but also to those from other teams. All 10 teams in F1 made scouting offers to me, and I turned down everyone except Ferrari.

No, that’s not it. Why should I feel awkward? I chose the team I wanted to join.

Thinking about it, I don’t think any director would look at me negatively just because I turned down their offers. I didn’t choose Ferrari and then fail miserably; rather, I flipped the table on them. So, at least for this season, those directors should be inclined to have good relations with someone like me as they need to secure talent for the future.

Even the lower-tier teams like His wouldn’t be able to think like that. Although only the first Grand Prix has passed, I proved my worth by exceeding expectations. The ‘Yui-hyun’ who appeared like a comet and the ‘Yui-hyun’ who achieved 6th place in his first F1 Grand Prix have different values.

In simple terms…….

‘The market value skyrocketed.’

From today onward, the expected value of Yui-hyun they had was now his actual value, likely set at a significantly higher figure than they anticipated.

In any case, His, being a dependent team of Ferrari, wouldn’t be able to recruit me no matter the money involved. That wouldn’t be a reason to treat me poorly either.

I immediately greeted them. It was only right for me to show respect to someone older and in a higher position.

“Hello, Director. It’s the first time meeting you like this.”

“Indeed. I was actually planning to find you and say hello, so thank you for coming first.”

“It wasn’t a difficult task. Oh, let me introduce myself properly. I’m Yui-hyun, and I’ve joined Ferrari this season.”

“I’m His’s director, Günter Steiner.”

Our clasped hands were rough. It felt like the struggles of His’s history were contained within his grip.

After that, I exchanged brief greetings with other important figures, such as the chief engineer and race engineer, Mick Schumacher, etc. Everyone seemed to have a favorable impression of me, so the conversation flowed well.

“Oh, have we been holding you too long?”

“Not at all. We just have time left now.”

“Haha! Thank you for saying that.”

Knowing that I came to meet Kang Ho-yun, Director Steiner laughed heartily and left the staff to return to the pit to prepare for withdrawal.

At that moment, when he turned his back.

“Driver Yui-hyun, thank you. Thanks to you, our team has hope now. Engineers, mechanics, drivers…… and me too.”

“I’m not that big of a person……”

“Such humility.”

After a brief pause, Steiner broke into a bright smile and said.

“Please continue to shine like that in the future. Then.”

Whether he learned it from Kang Ho-yun, Steiner bowed at a 90-degree angle. I unconsciously returned the greeting, and he turned away like that.

‘That guy is still emanating a scent of hardship here…’

Ferrari rebounded into a top team with my joining, but despite achieving good results, His still remains in the lower ranks. It’s clear that they have never finished out of the 10th place when they were Haas.

Particularly, Director Steiner is the most pitiful person in the F1 scene. The effort he put into securing funding had him running around, to the point it was hard to distinguish whether he was a director or a sales agent.

I internally prayed.

‘Namu Amita Bul. May you reach enlightenment.’

Yeah. It doesn’t mean you should d*e but that you should be happy, so please don’t misunderstand.

“Kang Ho-yun, take care of yourself.”

“Hmm? What do you mean by that out of the blue?”

I led the bewildered Kang Ho-yun out of the pit. In the hectic environment, it felt awkward to have a leisurely chat, and there was nowhere suitable to talk, so I thought about walking through the pit lane while conversing.

Red and white. Different colored fire-resistant suits. With the symbols of Ferrari and His emblazoned on them, it was a refreshing experience to actually walk on the pit lane. For me, it wasn’t that it was surprising that I made my entry into F1 based on my talent. What felt surreal was that I was really walking here as a driver in this space with Kang Ho-yun, who had once dreamily said to go to F1 together.

Eventually, Kang Ho-yun spoke first.

“I didn’t think I’d be walking here with you.”

“Heh.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. I had a vague feeling that he was thinking the same as I was. As soon as I thought it, it slipped out of my mouth, and I felt oddly proud.

“It feels like just yesterday when we were at the academy, right?”

“Yeah. Back then, I thought it was just a dream, but now it has become a reality.”

In that short time, we had both come a long way. Kang Ho-yun occupied a seat as a pay driver, but I know that he reached this position through relentless effort. It’s not a spot that someone can simply get because they have money. Well, to put it accurately, it is a position one can get with money. However, Kang Ho-yun isn’t that kind of person, so I believe that if he felt he wasn’t ready, he would have rejected the offer even if it was extended to him.

He deserves this. And today, finishing the race in 16th place, he proved that. And that proof isn’t just a testament to the world; it’s a testament to Kang Ho-yun himself.

“I believed you would accomplish it.”

“Me? Really?”

Kang Ho-yun looked at me with a playful expression as if to say, ‘There’s no way someone like a monster would notice someone like me!’

But I am sincere. He may lack in some aspects of skill, but his will and determination are unmatchable anywhere in the world.

I nodded my head and said.

“Yes, really. So hold your head high.”

That way, he doesn’t need to feel shy.

Kang Ho-yun, you will be a pay driver that won’t exist again in F1.

You wouldn’t veer off course, but if you did, I would correct it for you.

“I don’t want to see my person walking around like this.”

You are also my person, Kang Ho-yun.

Let’s walk together.