[TS] Formula One Streamer - Chapter 51

Honey Badger.

A driver from Australia, Daniel Ricciardo, who has self-identified as the honey badger, described as the most fearless animal in the world.

Like his nickname, he was a technician who relentlessly pursued his rivals, waiting for the moment their weaknesses were exposed to overtake them in an instant.

His ability to complete races under any circumstances that adversely affected the race, such as race cars, weather, or accidents, was also exceptional.

“At least it was Daniel who I had a connection with.”

With a smile and a personable character, Daniel greeted me every time we met, whether it was in the pits or at the circuit.

No matter how obsessed I was with competition back then, I couldn’t bring myself to spit on that smiling face.

“I see you’ve been renamed Maniel here…”

As I surfaced more and more, familiar names and faces confronted me.

Mattia Binotto, who instructed Scout Myung-jin to recruit me.

Lewis Hamilton, who I hadn’t seen face-to-face but had commented on my races.

Max Verstappen, who would meet me in the finals if neither of us got eliminated, sitting at the ends of the brackets.

And my immediate opponent, Maniel Ricciardo, and the others in the Round of 16, Pierre Gasly, Valtteri Bottas, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, and so on.

They had turned from competitors into nostalgic memories as I became Yooihyun,

and now they were preparing to welcome me once again on the circuit.

Of course, that was just my delusion; they probably didn’t even know me.

Overwhelmed by feelings of welcome and solemnity, I threw my phone onto the bed and squeezed myself into the capsule of For One.

“Nothing beats this for clearing my head…”

It had been a while since I logged into For One.

Vrooom!!!

[Connecting to Formula One, For One, F1.]

To the place where wild race cars and heart-pounding races await.

The fierce run toward victory and the towering glory like the sun exist there,

at the circuit.

***

Seoul, the capital city of South Korea.

By the Han River where countless people laid out mats to watch the setting sun, Scout Myung-jin and Binotto were cracking open cans of beer.

“d*mn… these people sitting at the top don’t even know an ‘F’ of Formula One…”

“That’s how it is with the higher-ups. What can you do?”

Mattia Binotto, the team director of the F1 team Ferrari, was on the brink of exploding with frustration in a difficult situation.

He was already feeling anxious due to KING, Yooihyun’s decision to postpone joining Ferrari, but this problem was not related to that.

The reason for his frizzy hair threatening to explode was the Ferrari Test.

The Ferrari Test, which would take place in two weeks, was essentially a public recruitment exam for the driver’s seat at Ferrari.

“It’s embarrassing to lose face, and I don’t know when another team might snatch it away, but that damned Ferrari Test…”

With Fernando Alonso, the second driver for Ferrari, announcing his retirement, one seat was left vacant.

This was a decision made by Ferrari’s top brass to fill the wingman position of Charles Leclerc, the first driver for Ferrari.

Normally, the Ferrari headquarters would leave all authority to the team director and would have no involvement in team operations at all.

However, Ferrari’s current standings had been consistently at the bottom for years, making headquarters’ intervention inevitable.

As the director who had faced the worst season, Minotto was in a position where he could not say a word if he had ten mouths.

Still, recognizing KING’s true worth, he threw away his face as a director and protested to the upper management.

-KING is a talent we must bring in by any means. Please reconsider.

-Other teams are aware of KING’s remarkable skills as well. However, one cannot easily give up the significance of the Ferrari brand and team.

The executives were as unmoving as barnacles, showing no signs of changing their minds.

-What’s important right now is not that…

-Hey, Director Minotto! I understand your intentions, but there are things that must be preserved at Ferrari. Since F1’s inception, Ferrari has participated in every season and has produced seven-time champion Michael Schumacher. F1 itself is Ferrari. Ferrari is the history of F1. To allow a director to manipulate that so freely…

Facing executives that brought up his capabilities left Minotto speechless; he hung his head and closed his ears altogether.

Minotto himself knew.

He was an incompetent director who could not lift Ferrari out of its dark period.

Before it was shameful, it was a genuinely heartbreaking thing for him, who loved Ferrari more than anyone.

Having poured his whole life into Ferrari, from joining as a junior to becoming the team director, how could he not love it?

At this point, it was meaningless to differentiate between fondness and aversion.

Minotto, who didn’t want to see the team fall apart any longer, slammed his hand on the table.

-Ferrari! …It’s undeniable truth that Ferrari is the history of F1. But we can’t remain shackled by history and past glory forever. While I acknowledge that the fault lies with me as the director, Ferrari is facing its greatest crisis since F1’s inception. I trust everyone will agree.

-…

A chilling silence fell among the executives in response to Minotto’s unfiltered remarks.

-As you know, KING is also attempting contacts with other teams, even the number one, Mercedes. Engines cannot be changed overnight; however, drivers can be.

Whether Minotto’s sincerity was conveyed, a positive atmosphere suddenly filled the meeting room.

But the response that followed was desperate.

-Unfortunately… the official announcement for the Ferrari Test has just begun. If KING truly is the talent our Ferrari needs, if he has the skills to match it, then he must prove himself in the Ferrari Test.

-Exactly. If the director recommends someone to this extent, he should have no reason to fail the Ferrari Test.

-We will end the meeting here.

In the end, the meeting concluded with the announcement that the Ferrari Test could not be withdrawn.

As a result, Minotto’s plan to bring in Yooihyun through Myung-jin needed a complete revision.

From direct hire authority to Ferrari’s public recruitment test.

Thus, Minotto came to Korea, intending to meet KING, Yooihyun directly and was currently cracking open a can of beer by the Han River.

Myung-jin spoke to Minotto, who was stuffing a chicken leg into his mouth.

“The KiwiChi Championship resumes tomorrow, and I bet KING’s market price will at least double.”

“Probably, there won’t be any drivers capable of stopping her. I’m not sure what will happen when Max meets her in the finals…”

“I also think KING is completely insane. At first, I thought the director was joking because she was a female student. The driving doesn’t match at all.”

Minotto nodded.

He could never imagine a student, let alone a female student, delivering such hard-hitting skills as KING, who provided driving that was beyond comprehension.

“Once the championship ends, even the teams that were previously negative or lukewarm will enter active recruitment competition.”

In Minotto’s view, KING would ensure at least a finals appearance.

Just defeating Maniel Ricciardo, the immediate opponent belonging to Red Bull, would elevate him to a position beyond mere ordinary people.

What would happen when he faced Max in the finals?

At that time, regardless of winning or losing, every team would be eager to recruit KING.

“After the tournament, he said he would contact me… what are you planning to do if you meet him?”

“What will I do? What do you mean? I’ll have to grovel or beg him to join the team.”

“Director…!”

Myung-jin turned his head and looked at him in surprise.

Minotto thought he recognized his self-sacrificial spirit and sincere love for Ferrari.

“Eating two chicken legs alone is a violation of Korean etiquette. Even as a director, you cannot give it up. Hand it over.”

“……”

Myung-jin quickly snatched the chicken leg away.

Minotto felt the impulse to cut Myung-jin off right there.

***

Logging into For One, F1 after two weeks felt incredibly refreshing.

Vrooooo!!!

Speeding away like an airplane taking off on a straight track, battling the clock and moments for narrow chicanes.

Why does it revive such joy and happiness to step into the battlefield of the circuit, swirling my whole body as if my cells were about to burst?

I remained unplugged from broadcasting just to fully embrace that feeling.

“Ahh… it’s so thrilling, so fun!”

Had I not become a driver, what would I have been doing if there was no For One in this world?

Clack!

【 Rank 6 – 7 ↑ 】

There’s probably no sport in this world as exhilarating and electrifying as this.

Flap-!

I received the checker flag and wrapped up yet another ranking match in first place.

October(Whole): It was an honor to meet you, KING! Please take care of the Core Geek… I respect you!

WineWhisky(Whole): Honestly, I suspected you were a core geek, but meeting you in person, you’re just really good.

CocaCola(Whole): Tomorrow, please have a fantastic race with our Avocado, I mean Ricciardo! I’ll be looking forward to it!

lolololo(Whole): I’m a fan of KING! I’ll always be cheering for you.

***

When the race finished, the 19 drivers I had raced with each threw in a word or two, so there was no gap for voices.

There were users who briefly apologized for suspecting me of being a core geek.

Users requesting not to hit Honey Badger Ricciardo too hard.

Others asking to block Max Verstappen’s solo run in the finals.

Since I had reformed the image after confronting the core geek, it became apparent how much my image had improved.

In an F2 match, it felt like being in the celestial realm—every user I encountered cheered and welcomed me.

KING(Whole): Thank you. I’ll show you a great game tomorrow.

That kind of attention didn’t feel too bad either.

With the support, as I continued the races, my ranking quickly shot up to the low 900s.

“Information Window.”

[KING#16007 – F2 / Rank 921]

Name: Confidential.

Age: Confidential.

Appearance: Confidential.

Race Record.

General Race Count 0 – 1st 0. 2nd 0. 3rd 0.

Ranking Match Count 120 – 1st 112. 2nd 8. 3rd 0.

Thanks to an overwhelming winning streak, my ranking quickly rose even within the high ranks of F2.

Having played six matches now, I had climbed 79 spots.

“In one race, I roughly move up about 13 spots.”

I can’t predict how much further I can rise in the future, but based on today, I will need to complete 71 more races before I can finally enter F1.

It’s not far off.

I firmly believe in my skills without a doubt.

In time, I will also capture the number one position in ranking matches, surpassing F1.

And once again.

“The F1 Champion…”

The title of F1 Champion in this world will also,

become mine.