Car Racing without Money-Chapter 578 - 227: This Time I’ll Be Faster!

"Raindrops have already started falling over the track, and judging by the numerous team directives being issued, drivers will rush to the pits to switch to rain tires."

"However, the rain clouds over Albert Park Circuit are relatively thin today, accompanied by strong winds, and the meteorological radar cannot provide accurate rainfall and stopping information. The tire choices will truly test the team’s strategy, and maybe even a bit of luck."

"The onset of a rain race is bound to make the Australia Station even more thrilling!"

Red aptly described the changing race conditions and was full of anticipation for this rain battle.

As Formula One racing rules have evolved, the size of the cars and the aerodynamic packages have reached a bottleneck, making overtaking increasingly difficult.

Often, a qualifying session will determine the ranking of most drivers for the main race, with few occurrences of those exciting comebacks.

Consequently, the FIA is set to undertake significant car changes in the coming years, introducing features like hybrid modes, DRS overtaking sections, and, crucially, the ground effect chassis.

It’s safe to say the rules and driving techniques underwent a complete overhaul.

In a semi-street race like Albert Park Circuit, if it weren’t for Chen Xiangbei’s wild offensive as a dark horse, drivers often opt for tire conservation mode, driving like a "train" with twenty-something drivers on the track.

Much like the Monaco Circuit, originally the jewel of the F1 crown, whoever wins the championship earns the title of "King of the Streets."

However, the large body size and narrow track have made overtaking difficult, making Monaco Station increasingly dull. Without any crash incidents stirring up the atmosphere, it could make one fall asleep.

Under circumstances where rules cannot be changed, rain races become the sole variable!

"Get moving, get moving, prepare for dual car pit stops!"

In the pit lane area, each team’s crew members prepared various tires and tools with lightning speed and were on standby at their positions.

Especially the HRT team members, whose faces showed signs of nervousness.

Rain coming unexpectedly means that the team’s two cars will likely enter the pits one after the other to change tires, which is commonly referred to as "dual car pit stops."

Dual car pit stops require the team’s collaboration and professional coordination, which is more complex than single car pit stops, with difficulty and error rates rising exponentially.

Even the large teams avoid dual car pit stops unless faced with unusual situations.

At the inaugural race, Briatore was furious and directly fired the erring tire crew members.

No one wants to be the next unlucky one to leave.

"Odetto, with the current rainfall, can we determine from the meteorological data whether Chen Xiangbei should switch to full rain tires or intermediate rain tires?"

Mizutani Sho inquired.

In F1, wet tires are divided into two types, known as intermediate and full wet tires.

Intermediate tires have shallow tread patterns with limited drainage capabilities and are typically suitable for medium to light rain when the track is slippery but without significant water accumulation.

Full wet tires have deep tread patterns similar to ordinary home tires. However, with speed, their drainage efficiency is remarkable, capable of discharging 85 liters of water per second at speeds of 300 km/h.

However, with benefits come disadvantages; full wet tires are the slowest among all tire types, even compared to intermediate tires, with a lap time difference of about 5 seconds, going up to more than 10 seconds compared to slick tires.

But the problem is, there’s no standard answer to rain volume. When intermediate tires fail to meet drainage performance, the car turns into an ice skater, requiring extremely slow speed to ensure it doesn’t veer off the track, which might even end up slower than full wet tires.

If the rain isn’t heavy or stops quickly, the full wet tires’ grip isn’t enough, plus they overheat rapidly, resulting in exaggeratedly slow lap times.

This is why rain races heavily rely on the team’s decision-making accuracy and can easily become a clownish endeavor. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Faced with Mizutani Sho’s inquiry, Odetto didn’t respond immediately.

Due to the team’s limited conditions, Chen Xiangbei hasn’t undergone simulated rain race track training, leaving Odetto unsure if the young man is a "land duck."

But with the car about to pit, there was no time for Odetto to ponder further.

Just as he was biting his teeth ready to answer, Sawano Hiroyuki made a decision beside him.

"Pit crew, prepare, switch to intermediate tires!"

Listening to Sawano Hiroyuki’s firm response, the pit crew members hesitated not and immediately executed the instructions at the fastest speed.

The strategy team members, however, directed their gaze toward Sawano Hiroyuki.

Especially manager Briatore, who was full of curiosity and confusion.

These Japanese strategy team members are usually quite conservative and cautious, seldom willing to make risky decisions.

Today, without hesitation, they "jumped the gun," choosing an aggressive tire strategy, a risk level comparable to high-speed corner overtakes, giving a sense of the sun rising from the west.

With this doubt, Hua Bu couldn’t help but ask, "Sawano, he’s a rookie who has never competed in an F1 rain race, and there are no signs of the rain clouds above the track dissipating. Why did you choose intermediate tires?"

"Speed."

His extremely simple and straightforward answer was followed by Sawano Hiroyuki turning back to watch the monitoring screen, ignoring Briatore.