Chapter 238: 21 Days
The British Grand Prix concluded, and CCTV, as usual, reported on Wu Shi's victory.
Due to previous extensive coverage and promotion, coupled with the inherent appeal of winning a championship, Wu Shi's current popularity and discussion level had become extremely high.
With the buzz, traffic naturally followed, and media outlets from various regions—whether in motorsport or not—published related articles. Social media creators also jumped on the bandwagon, further fueling this wave of attention.
Of course, Formula 1 has a considerable viewing threshold. Many people sampled it briefly before moving on, finding it unengaging; those familiar with other racing disciplines often noted it was less dynamic than rally competition before departing. There were also some who, while not watching full races, avidly followed F1 news and read praise for Wu Shi, becoming "armchair fans" of the sport.
All in all, even though Wu Shi brought significant attention, F1's inherent viewing barrier made converting new fans very difficult.
However, state media promotion and Wu Shi's demonstrated potential had already attracted corporate interest. Signing sports stars to endorsements is a key strategy for enhancing brand image—and while F1 is less popular in China than mass-participation sports like basketball, football, or badminton, it remains a top-tier international event with enduring status despite recent viewership declines.
Unsurprisingly, interest in Wu Shi grew quickly, particularly among companies with global operations—their business development teams were already taking action. Hpeng Company continued to manage these inquiries, though Wu Shi would not enter major partnerships this year; all negotiations would wait until the 2015 season concluded.
Following the British Grand Prix came the Hungarian Grand Prix, with a 21-day gap between events. While not officially the FIA-mandated Summer Break, it functioned as a de facto lull. Since no mandatory rest period was triggered, engineers across all teams pressed on with research and development—but drivers enjoyed significantly more free time.
Wu Shi had a high-fidelity simulator installed in his accommodation. Whenever possible, he invited Max Verstappen to compete in iRacing sessions. Verstappen had only recently registered an account; as a rookie, he devoted most of his time to adapting to F1 machinery—even talents like Verstappen require intensive preparation. Still, he made time for these virtual races, eager to test himself against Wu Shi.
The two had raced several times, with wins split evenly. While iRacing is renowned for its realism, it remains a simulation—and with both drivers new to the platform, competition came down to adaptability rather than real-world race craft.
Beyond occasional recreation, Wu Shi's 21 days were far from easy. Daily physical training remained unwavering; after half a season of racing, his neck strength was sufficient to handle most Grand Prix distances. Neck conditioning follows a clear principle: 90 minutes in an F1 car delivers more functional training than a week of gym work alone.
Nutritionist Ken Ruiz played a critical role in his development, and Wu Shi maintained strict dietary discipline. For six months, he had avoided heavily seasoned foods—his palate had grown so accustomed to bland meals that strong flavors were almost foreign.
Every time he ate breakfast, he thought of dim sum.
Every time he ate lunch, he thought of white-cut chicken, braised goose, and roast duck.
Every time he ate dinner, he thought of spicy hot pot.
When Ling Kang sent photos of meals shared in China, Wu Shi's mouth watered—but for his career, indulgence would have to wait. Such strict controls would only ease gradually as he matured.
The British Grand Prix's aftershocks continued to spread through European motorsport media. Wu Shi's celebratory shout into his cockpit camera was interpreted by some as a provocation; certain British outlets subtly suggested he lacked sportsmanship. In that moment, Wu Shi understood why Verstappen disliked the British press so deeply.
Criticism was not one-sided—some voices placed blame on Lewis Hamilton instead. Snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan, when interviewed about the high-profile race, stated:
"Hamilton's victory in 2014 was only because he had a fast enough car; when the car's advantage isn't obvious enough, he loses competitiveness. The young man from the East winning the championship proves my point."
These words were not to support Wu Shi, but to express dissatisfaction with the narrative stirred up by Hamilton's fans. Whether his dinners with Zhao Xintong influenced this stance remains unclear.
The FIA welcomed such non-targeted debates, as they would attract more people to follow the sport.
Beyond fan discourse and Wu Shi's championship lead, the paddock's biggest talking point was the mid-season transfer market. Italy's Corriere della Sera claimed Valtteri Bottas would take Charles Leclerc's place at Ferrari in 2016—a rumor so extreme that Wu Shi immediately dismissed it. Relevant parties quickly denied it, and when Wu Shi asked Martina about the story, she confirmed it was almost certainly fabricated for attention.
Then, while enjoying the gossip, Wu Shi found himself at the center of speculation. A British outlet reported he would leave Williams in 2016, with Nico Hülkenberg taking his seat—citing sightings of Hülkenberg in discussions with the team. Williams responded promptly, affirming their three-year contract with Wu Shi and announcing a one-year extension for Felipe Massa.
The future of reigning World Champion Jenson Button also drew interest. McLaren continued to struggle, and uncertainty surrounded whether he would remain with the team—while promising young drivers like Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne actively sought seats. Sauber, meanwhile, announced Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson would return as their 2016 lineup, having renewed contracts early. It was unclear if this stemmed from secured sponsorship or the team's pragmatic approach; notably, Sauber had nearly missed the season start due to contractual disputes.
Red Bull's partnership with Renault also appeared unstable, with reports suggesting they would part ways in 2016. Renault had delivered numerous reliability and performance "surprises" throughout the season, and questions swirled about their future in F1: would they exit entirely, or re-establish a factory team? Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director of Renault Sport, declined to comment, noting no decisions would be announced before autumn—but revealed Renault would discontinue support for Formula Renault 3.5 in 2016, hinting at shifting motorsport priorities.
Manor Racing announced 2014 GP2 Champion Fabio Leimer would participate in Friday's Free Practice 1 session at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
As headlines faded, the paddock settled into news-cycle calm—though internally, teams remained intensely active. Mercedes management was dissatisfied with consecutive failures, holding frequent meetings to pressure technical staff. Williams, however, avoided scrutiny of Silverstone's events (consistent with guidance from team leadership) and focused debriefs on securing points for Wu Shi. Even so, he sensed a shift in the factory atmosphere; while manageable, the team's core challenge lay in car development.
Despite ongoing investment and upgrades, Williams received conflicting feedback from their two drivers. The team relied on fitting simulations and prototype parts tested during practice to refine the car—but their fundamental issue was clear: moving away from low-drag aerodynamics to high-downforce configurations had left the FW37 less stable than at the season start. Reverting to the original design was not an option, as average lap times across the paddock had improved by nearly one second since March; the early-spec FW37 would be uncompetitive.
Development grows harder with each step—complexity increases, and solutions become scarcer. Success requires careful financial management to sustain R&D, with most resources dedicated to optimizing the current car and a smaller portion allocated to Hungary.
The Hungarian Grand Prix is held at the Hungaroring, a circuit with a rich history. For Wu Shi, the most vivid memories were from events yet to come: in 2020, Verstappen spun and hit the wall on his reconnaissance lap, with Red Bull's crew completing an extreme repair in 20 minutes—allowing Verstappen to finish second. Other iconic moments, like "clearing the table with one shot," were also etched in his mind. But these were irrelevant to his current task: configuring the FW37 for the track.
In terms of characteristics, the Hungaroring mirrors Monaco. While purpose-built (not a street circuit using public roads), it was designed with narrow sections averaging just 8 meters wide—meaning front-row starters can effectively block overtaking. Qualifying is therefore critical to race success.
Unlike Monaco, however, Hungary's hot summer conditions and numerous slow corners with heavy braking zones lead to severe tire wear. Over 70 laps, two-stop or three-stop strategies are standard; a one-stop approach is impractical due to degradation risks and lap-time losses. Final strategy decisions will depend on practice data.
On July 18th, Jules Bianchi traveled to England to meet Wu Shi, sharing a dream he had experienced the previous night—one that mirrored the accident that would have nearly cost him his life. Wu Shi took half a day off to speak with the driver widely regarded as France's future F1 star. As they talked, he recalled that in the original timeline, Bianchi had passed away in his hometown on July 17th, nine months after falling into a coma. His presence had clearly altered events.
"By the way, Nicolas has shown considerable interest in the racetrack I'm building—especially after hearing you've joined," Bianchi mentioned.
Nicolas Todt, son of FIA President Jean Todt, is one of the paddock's most influential agents. Wu Shi was unsure why Todt would discuss the project with Bianchi—Todt represents Massa, and while they had met formally several times, their interactions were limited.
"All the big teams are establishing driver academies now," Bianchi explained. "As a professional manager, opportunities to scout independent talent are shrinking."
"Oh? So he's planning to join your project to identify young drivers?" Wu Shi asked.
"He's considering it—he even regrets not connecting with you a few years earlier."
Todt had previously contacted Sid to offer guidance on a potential path to Ferrari, though Sid had deemed it unnecessary given Wu Shi's existing ties to the manufacturer.
"If he's interested, I'd be glad to have him on board," Wu Shi said. "He has the connections to give opportunities to kids who might otherwise never enter the sport."
"That's easy to say," Bianchi smiled brightly.
They discussed Charles Leclerc, the talented Monegasque teenager competing in F3 with strong results. Only those who had driven for Van Amersfoort Racing understood how difficult it was to win championships with their machinery—prior to Leclerc, only Wu Shi and Verstappen had managed it, and it would likely prove rare in the future. Major teams were increasingly focusing on lower-tier series to recruit talent; Mercedes would eventually scout directly from karting ranks, leaving small teams like Van Amersfoort with fewer prospects.
Beyond Leclerc, F3 featured other familiar names: Lance Stroll, George Russell, Alexander Albon, and more. Wu Shi also thought of his 2014 F3 rivals—Esteban Ocon was racing in GP3 and showing impressive speed, though financial constraints likely prevented him from moving to higher categories sooner. Progress in motorsport requires significant investment at every stage, but Ocon's talent had already attracted F1 interest.
The paddock's resistance to "accelerated development" had softened considerably. After Williams and Red Bull promoted drivers directly from F3 last year—one now leading the championship, the other demonstrating exceptional skill—teams were increasingly willing to take risks on young talent. Was this a generational surge, or simply a new trend? Either way, every team hoped to discover a talent like Wu Shi.
That evening, Bianchi departed for France—his visit brief and unplanned, as everyone in the paddock was consumed by their own responsibilities.
Wu Shi walked alone for two hours under a gloomy sky. Without engine noise, fuel fumes, or a steering wheel in his hands, he felt unburdened and relaxed. Temporarily setting aside all pressures, this quiet emptiness helped renew his spirit.
Pausing to observe the world around him, he reflected on the purpose behind nearly a decade of effort—since he was nine years old.
Breathe!
Neon lights flickered in the distance, a reminder that the race was far from over, and his work could not stop.
The next day, he returned to the factory and climbed into the simulator.