Car Racing without Money

Chapter 796 - 324: Whoever Hits the Brakes Is a Wimp (Part 2)

The reason why both of them were unconcerned is because even though the Monaco Circuit is extremely challenging, it doesn’t equate to being dangerous.In fact, it can be said that the Monaco Circuit is one of the "safest" F1 circuits.

Many people may not understand why the Monaco Circuit, which frequently sees collisions, is considered safe.

The reason is its slow speed!

Crashing into a wall at three hundred kilometers per hour versus one hundred kilometers per hour may both be labeled as collisions, but the consequences are vastly different.

In this era, even though F1 cars have not yet applied the HALO system, which is the T-shaped roll cage in front of the cockpit, commonly known as the flip-flop or T-bar.

But with integrated chassis structures and the HANS neck protection system, as long as they’re not faced with exceptionally unlucky circumstances, handling crashes at speeds around hundred kilometers per hour shouldn’t be much of a problem.

And historically, there haven’t been any fatal incidents involving drivers on the Monaco Circuit.

That’s why Odetto previously chose to push Chen Xiangbei hard, without discussing any risk factors.

If a professional driver can’t handle the risk of the Monaco Circuit, then maybe they shouldn’t be racing F1 cars at all—just go home and drive for rideshare.

Soon, the two cars reached the downhill T10 turn, the fastest point on the Monaco Circuit, also known as the spot where Zhou Guanyu performed an extreme car-saving maneuver in the 2022 season.

As the only relatively easy overtaking point on the Monaco Circuit, Rosberg didn’t hesitate to make his move, flooring the accelerator and causing the Mercedes "Silver Arrow" to suddenly speed up and edge out.

Chen Xiangbei was well-prepared for Rosberg’s overtaking move, and just as he was about to switch lanes for a blocking maneuver, he never expected the opponent to be as determined as a lone wolf diving straight toward the apex!

You must know that the upcoming T11 and T12 combination turns form an arc close to a short C, reminiscent of the curvature of an interchange ramp. Even with the F1 car’s incredible mechanical grip, it can’t handle speeds over 200 kilometers per hour during the turn.

Rosberg’s move was a textbook torpedo dive into the turn, diving straight into the apex and then decelerating outward, continuously squeezing the normal line out of maneuver space, forcing the opponent to decelerate and let through.

If he doesn’t give way, there’s a high probability of a collision between the two.

After all, at such speeds, Rosberg’s steering system can no longer help him turn the car’s nose, commonly referred to as pushing through the turn.

Frankly, Chen Xiangbei is very familiar with the term "torpedo," having even done similar maneuvers himself, yet he had never encountered such a standard move in his career.

The reason is simple: Chen Xiangbei usually starts from mid to high grid positions, up against the top experts in the field of racing, so he’s unlikely to encounter those notorious "torpedo repeat offenders."

Other front-row drivers like Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton, Masa, Weber, etc., generally have top-notch control skills, capable of dancing on the edge of a knife, knowing when to halt.

This time, however, Rosberg took an unconventional route, perhaps thinking of using the same method to retaliate.

Or perhaps, given the limited overtaking opportunities on the Monaco Circuit, this all-out gamble was to bet that Chen Xiangbei wouldn’t be fully aggressive during practice.

Just as the old saying goes, top-level F1 showdowns have transcended driving skills; it’s more about psychological warfare.

If Chen Xiangbei retreats, then Rosberg can gain a psychological advantage.

This psychological advantage is applicable not only in practice but also in the official race during the weekend!

Much like how Chen Xiangbei and Vettel fighting for the line during Korea Station indirectly affected the entire subsequent race schedule, establishing a psychological defensive line.

Both of them understood this, so naturally, neither would back down.

Thus, the two cars barreled into T11 at speeds exceeding normal cornering thresholds, witnessing this, faces turned serious among both HRT Team and Mercedes Team members.

They were already aware that the situation was spiraling out of control.

"Bei and Rosberg are now side by side, but the width of the Monaco Circuit simply can’t accommodate two cars during the turn."

"Will Bei continue with a forceful lane change block, or will Rosberg’s aggressive overtake succeed—the suspense is about to be unveiled."

"I already have a bad premonition!"

Red narrated the track scene with the quickest pace, noting Rosberg’s aggressive stance, almost refusing to decelerate through corners.

To be honest, at such low-speed corners like those in Monaco, even without Chen Xiangbei blocking, the current speed had a high likelihood of overshooting the track, clearly exceeding the tires’ grip limit!

However, the Chinese Kid’s response was equally firm; he had no intention of giving Rosberg any chance to overtake, despite the high likelihood of Rosberg overshooting into the wall.

But what if he doesn’t overshoot?

There’s a Chinese saying: "Don’t fear the worst, but rather the ’what if’."

Betting on probabilities is, in itself, a manifestation of cowardice.

Chen Xiangbei may not be able to block, can play hardball, but he absolutely refuses to retreat.

Fear leads to lifelong defeats!

As the two cars approached the entry of T11 at high speed, Rosberg could no longer steer, and neither could Chen Xiangbei.

Both simultaneously opted for a "watermelon-slicing" approach, eschewing the C-shaped turn and heading straight into the track’s deceleration buffer zone, bluntly forming a D-line.

However, even so, the entrance to T12 couldn’t accommodate both cars.

The anticipated scene unfolded, with Rosberg’s right front wheel colliding directly with Chen Xiangbei’s left front wheel—there wasn’t the so-called "golden left front," especially since Chen Xiangbei wasn’t driving Hamilton’s Mercedes.

And Rosberg wasn’t either.

Instantly, both cars’ suspensions shattered, then the tilting chassis collided again, locked tires spewing black smoke, and debris scattered across the track.

"Oh my god, Driver Bei and Rosberg’s cars have collided, the red flag is now flying on the track, and we can see the HRT and Mercedes Team members rushing towards the accident site at top speed."

"The damages to the cars seem severe, but the cockpits remain intact, hopefully indicating no major injuries to the drivers."

Red expressed concern as he described the accident scene through the broadcast camera.

"Rosberg’s nose was already ahead, yet Bei still ignored it and shut him down; this kind of behavior is simply criminal!"

On the side, the local Monaco commentator Henry was furious.

Monaco finally had a local driver come up, with Rosberg’s practice lap times far ahead, possibly paving the way for a home champion’s miracle.

All of this was ruined by Chen Xiangbei’s dangerous act!

Frankly, Red didn’t agree with Henry’s remarks; the two cars were practically parallel, so the assertion of a forceful block didn’t hold.

If responsibility had to be assigned, Red believed that Rosberg held more.

After all, under conditions lacking a favorable overtaking environment, making such risky maneuvers was fundamentally unwarranted.

Being a "torpedo," does it mean the opponent must yield?

It’s truly a princess syndrome, thinking everyone worldwide is a "pleaser"?

Track personnel acted quickly, practically sprinting from escape routes at the first moment the incident occurred, to check on the drivers and render assistance.

Despite the severe car crash, Chen Xiangbei and Rosberg were almost unscathed.

F1 cars can withstand typical collisions, skidding, or even off-tracking.

The real threat to drivers is rollovers, lateral breakages, and fires.

The two cars sticking together instead formed a balance in force, preventing dangerous spins and rolls. Moreover, the braking system remained operational, and speeds of around 200 km/h could be easily braked to a halt.

Yet, when pulled from the cockpits by the rescuers, the two drivers exchanged fiery glares, clearly showing they refused to admit defeat.

As Mercedes and HRT Team members arrived, their expressions were full of anger; each side believed the other was at fault.

"Shit, have the youthful fervor of the drivers also infected the teams?"

"Are the HRT and Mercedes teams planning a paddock brawl?"

Red, witnessing the scene, couldn’t help but chuckle; the Monaco race hadn’t begun, yet storms were already brewing.