Car Racing without Money-Chapter 433 - 174: F1 Winter Training Team Assembly (Part 3)

Chapter 433: Chapter 174: F1 Winter Training Team Assembly (Part 3)

If it were any other rookie pay driver, Briatore would probably just try to squeeze them.

But with the HRT Team’s Chinese capital holding an absolute majority, and considering Chen Xiangbei did offer a "timely help," he could only shrug helplessly and sigh, "In that case, I’ll just have to take a hit."

"What do you mean?"

Chen Xiangbei found this statement baffling. Could this old rogue really take a hit?

"I’ve decided to sell the other driver seat of HRT to Italian driver Jarno Trulli, in exchange for Ferrari’s second-hand wind tunnel."

The FIA, to reduce the gap between teams and make F1 races more exciting and suspenseful, had issued a ban in ’08, allowing each team to use only one wind tunnel.

Being the only superpower in F1 history, the Ferrari Team at its peak used three wind tunnels to assist in development, building the Schumacher era’s prancing horse dynasty.

The more wind tunnels you have, the more testing time you can get to separately blow the floor, aerodynamic kits, and the overall model, obtaining more precise airflow data.

Why was the RA109 car so strong?

It was because Honda exploited a loophole in the FIA regulations. Since only one wind tunnel was allowed per team.

So I used three teams with three different wind tunnels, which is reasonable, right?

Thus, Honda, Super Aguri, and Mercedes’ three wind tunnels ran at full throttle, forcefully blowing out this black technology called the double diffuser.

Of course, this loophole was patched in ’09.

Additionally, it increased restrictions so even the secondary team couldn’t use the same chassis.

This is why many later wondered, since the Red Bull Racing Team had been making Mars Rovers for years, why not just let Red Bull’s secondary team use them together?

It would save R&D costs and deliver double performance, wouldn’t that be killing two birds with one stone?

The answer, naturally, is the FIA wouldn’t allow it, otherwise wealthy manufacturer teams would invest in secondary teams, turning F1 into a take-turn monopoly game.

Just like a pay-to-win online game, filled with pay-to-win players and no casuals, such a game wouldn’t last long before fizzling out.

The Ferrari Team now retains only Maranello’s main wind tunnel; the other two are up for sale, and at this moment, Trulli’s Italian credentials show their value.

His main sponsor is also a sponsor of the Ferrari Team, capable of playing a bridging role.

As for Trulli, Chen Xiangbei was somewhat familiar, after all, he’s considered an Italian veteran.

However, one thing was still unclear to him, so he asked, "Manager, what does this have to do with you taking a hit?"

"Of course, it matters. Originally, I could sell it, and then I could collect a commission."

"Now I’ve got a wind tunnel, who compensates me for my loss?"

Briatore answered rightfully, this was his philosophy.

Caring only for the money, not who the drivers in the team are.

As for the team’s achievements, in a sense it’s just a means to make money, not the ultimate goal.

As long as the funds brought in by the drivers can fill the champion team’s income, performance isn’t necessary.

However, this philosophy of Briatore’s was now slightly wavering.

He wanted to achieve results while making money, otherwise, how could he slap the faces of those who once mocked and belittled him externally?

You’re truly something...

Chen Xiangbei was momentarily speechless. Others might hide their ploys to make money, but Hua Bu was overtly blunt.

"Manager, can’t you charge Trulli an extra commission?"

Lu Xiaoman couldn’t help but ask.

Since Hua Bu was already so shameless, it seemed normal to privately make money by contacting the driver.

"Don’t you know I don’t get along with him?"

Briatore retorted, his past grievances with Trulli were well-known within the paddock.

Many knew that, back in the day, Hua Bu dismissed the better-performing Button purely based on personal preference, bringing in the rookie Alonso.

But many didn’t know, at that time, the other team driver was Trulli.

Logically speaking, even if Hua Bu wanted to dismiss someone to make room for Alonso, he could’ve dismissed the underperforming Trulli, after all, there were two seats in the team.

The reason was simple, Trulli was Hua Bu’s Italian compatriot...

Highlighting Briatore’s cronyism, how could he dismiss his fellow countryman? Naturally, he’d dismiss the faster, stronger Button!

Then why did they later fall out?

The answer is equally simple to the point of disbelief, love can be transferred...

Hua Bu favored Alonso so much that when Trulli and Alonso had internal competition, he unhesitatingly sided with the Spanish rookie.

It was to such an exaggerated extent that in ’04 when Trulli, driving the Renault car, won the most prestigious Monaco circuit, logically speaking, as the team manager, Hua Bu should’ve been elated to congratulate the driver.

But the old rogue responded with, "It’s just luck."

Trulli probably thought then, "What the hell, are you even human?!"

Biased to this degree, Trulli naturally couldn’t stay with the Renault Team, without finishing the season, he switched mid-season to the Toyota Team, driving until its disbandment at the end of ’09.

There’s one more thing Briatore didn’t mention, signing Trulli was not just for the wind tunnel, but also because team owner Kalanbant owed a human favor to the Toyota Team.