[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 42

Without a doubt, there is no driver in this world who can beat Barcode Nick at least right now.

Under the spirit of fairness and equity that For One advocates, it means that all race cars have equivalent specs.

The race car of Core Geek seemed to be subtly spec’d up.

Downforce, tire grip, top speed, etc.

Everything in that race car was artificially improved just enough to be difficult to notice, as it seemed to come closer to me only to drift further away.

Having turned off the microphone, I clenched the steering wheel while biting my lips.

“That guy’s car is ridiculously fast….”

It’s no wonder that F1 is often called an unfair game from the very start.

Each team invested different amounts in F1 and possessed varying levels of technical capabilities.

Naturally, the performance of the race car and the engine’s capabilities were bound to vary, and those differences limited the ranks a team could reach at a typical level.

– You have a good engine, so you’re in first! You have a mediocre engine, so you’re in tenth! You have a lousy engine, so you’re in twentieth!

This might sound like a joke, but that was the reality.

No matter how well the driver performs, it’s impossible to overcome the overwhelming difference in machinery. That has been a long-standing truth and a valid proposition.

Thus, there is a saying that a great driver is always accompanied by a great race car.

Winning Car

We referred to a race car with specs capable of winning the season as a Winning Car.

So, lower-tier teams that couldn’t create a Winning Car clearly understood their limitations.

In this season, or rather in the upcoming race, how well they would perform, or if they would even manage to finish, was all they could hope for.

“Suddenly getting PTSD.”

And even I, a champion from 2018, 2019, and 2020, played in such an unfair game throughout my career.

Those who are not familiar with F1 might think, “Ferrari? Isn’t that a really good team?” but that’s half true and half false.

865 Grand Prix participations.

224 Grand Prix wins.

16 Constructor Championships.

15 Driver Championships.

Moreover, the team that birthed the unparalleled F1 emperor Michael Schumacher was indeed Ferrari, so it is a prestigious team.

However, that was all just past glory.

To put it briefly,

In 2015, rival teams raised suspicions that Ferrari had installed a second battery in the power unit, which was against regulations, to boost output.

The FIA’s investigation into Ferrari’s alleged cheating concluded with no charges, but then, almost as if by a bad joke, engine power dropped, and Ferrari spent the entire 2015, 2016, and 2017 seasons in the lower tiers.

So, from 2015 before my debut, to 2021 after my debut, Ferrari’s engine was bad, and things didn’t improve afterward.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Ferrari was able to win in 2018-2020 entirely because of me.

I shattered F1’s unchanging law that engine performance dictates season victories with pure driving technique, bringing three championships and Constructor wins to Ferrari.

It may sound arrogant, but it’s true that I did bring those achievements.

If it weren’t for me, no one would have been able to do it.

One Man Show: Hyun-a, is there a problem?

KING: No problem. I’ll focus on the race.

One Man Show: Okay, I’ll handle the commentary, so don’t worry about that.

KING: Roger.

From now on, I must concentrate solely on the race.

Not making mistakes is not the key. Every lap, corner, and straight must be executed perfectly.

It must be flawless.

If not, I will lose.

It’s a fight where perfection is the only way to win.

Fighting against a race car with superior performance is just like that.

Click!

【 DRS Deactivation 】

I followed his car as it slalomed in a nonsensical trajectory using a technique close to the miraculous.

If the other side had the performance of a monstrous race car, I had the capability of a monstrous driver who knew no limits.

Let’s see who wins in the end.

Will it be the great driver or the great race car?

In the age-old debate of which came first, the chicken or the egg, I have always led the choice I make to victory.

“I’m confident.”

GRRRAAAA!

The race car began to roar more ferociously than before.

FOR ONE*: Hammington, it’s been a while.

Hammington: Yeah, it has been a while. Can you spare some time? It’s something you need to hear.

[KING] VS [illililiili]

Noticing something strange about Barcode Nick’s nickname during the match, Hammington immediately reached out to the executive director, Michael Nantz.

While an investigation into that Barcode Nick user was needed immediately, if his instinct was correct, it could become an unprecedented incident where hacks were used for the first time in For One.

As the general manager of For One and the founder of the security program Steal, Michael Nantz was also his longtime friend.

It would be much faster to inquire on this front than to awkwardly submit a query.

Hammington: Can we watch KING’s game now? More specifically, not KING, but his opponent.

FOR ONE*: Ah, if you mean that, I’m already watching. Barcode Nick, the nickname illililiili.

Michael Nantz called out the spelling of Barcode Nick’s name precisely in a dull tone.

That meant Nantz was already roughly aware of the situation.

Hammington: You’re already watching? I hope I didn’t overstep.

FOR ONE*: No, rather, thanks for contacting me. I was also in doubt, but seeing you reach out seems to confirm my thoughts.

The Kiwich one-on-one tournament, being the most recognized event aside from official F1 tournaments, had For One putting all efforts into monitoring for fairness in the process and outcome.

Nantz watching over meant that all For One employees were keeping an eye on the match between KING and illililiili.

That indicates the seriousness of the situation.

If it were proven that illililiili used hacks, it wouldn’t be just about the match against KING.

Every race starting from the qualification round up to the 1024 heats against that Barcode Nick would come under scrutiny.

Hammington sensed Nantz’s confident voice and openly shared his opinion.

It seemed like he was adjusting downforce and grip without the driver realizing while knowing the corners and straightaways.

That’s why he was surpassing points that the driver could not overcome.

Acceleration on the straights was a beat faster, and the chicanes were artificially achieved.

From the perspective of a driver standing at the pinnacle, he explained the state of affairs as a human standing on For One.

Hammington: It seems like he’s controlling it himself. His driving technique isn’t outstanding, but it’s not low either. Some level of skill is necessary for effectiveness.

FOR ONE*: So, this account is a secondary account, and the main account is likely above F2. Is that what you’re saying?

Hammington: Right. The identity of that Barcode account should be verifiable. Checking should resolve it.

FOR ONE*: Hmm…

Michael Nantz had a worried frown as he fell into thought.

As Hammington said, the culprit could be quickly identified through identity verification.

However, at this point, the issue wasn’t identifying the perpetrator, but that they hadn’t narrowed down the hack user to the last 32.

Hammington: What are you thinking?

FOR ONE*: For now, we have to continue the race as it is. Abruptly stopping midway would be disrespectful to KING. The same goes for the viewers. We’ll issue a formal statement immediately after it concludes.

Hammington: That sounds like the best course of action.

Right after the race, Nantz’s decision to investigate illililiili to verify the use of hacks and to admit fault if it was true was firm.

FOR ONE*: If a mistake was made, it should be acknowledged, and an apology should be offered immediately. After all, it was me who created Steal.

Nantz believed that failing to maintain such a difficult yet simple stance would mean losing his qualifications as a human and as the executive director of For One.

That’s how he reached his position, and he had no intention to shirk responsibility for Steal’s failures or shift the blame onto others.

Hammington: I expected that hacks would appear eventually since For One is a game, but… the timing really sucks.

FOR ONE*: It’s okay. This could serve as an opportunity for For One to reconsider what they thought was perfect.

It must be frustrating for Nantz, given that hacks emerged in an official Kiwich tournament linked to For One rather than in regular matches or ranking matches.

Hammington comforted his friend caught in a tricky situation and thought how KING, who boasted an impeccable record, would feel just as unfairly treated as Nantz, before turning his attention back to the race.

However, the commentary situation was strangely unfolding.

“KING!!! What on earth is that? Has there ever been a driver slaloming out like that before!”

“Previous races by KING were extraordinary, but today’s KING is truly the KING itself, living up to the nickname!”

The voices of the commentators rang out, filled with excitement that could shatter eardrums.

Hammington quickly moved to sit down and check the monitor.

Name / Time / Laps

① KING 1:13:194 30/52

② illililiili 1:13:211 +0.017 30/52

“…?”

Why is KING in the lead?

What happened while I was away talking to Nantz?

One thing is for certain, numbers don’t lie.

KING was undoubtedly in first place and even held the fastest lap time with a margin of 0.017 seconds.

Hammington, unable to grasp the shocking result, sat there dumbfounded, silently watching KING’s race.

SHUUUUUUU!

KING conquered the slalom with controls even more heavenly than hacks.

Click!

【 DRS Activation 】

As he swiftly exited the corner while firmly maintaining the racing line, KING managed to complete the conditions to fully accelerate.

GRRRR!

KING.

If that isn’t KING, then what can genuinely be called KING?

Hammington felt a chill run down his spine and unconsciously wrapped his arms around himself.

FOR ONE*: How… is he winning?

Hammington: I don’t know either…

The essence of driving technique that Hammington had never reached in his lifetime, the pinnacle of skill was unfolding right in front of his eyes.