March. The Northern Hemisphere was still shivering under the biting chill of winter winds. The early spring sky was a pale, grayish blue, and the tender green buds on the tree branches hadn't yet managed to break through the frost.
Conversely, the Southern Hemisphere was at the very tail end of summer. Young people in board shorts stood on surfboards, desperately trying to squeeze every last drop out of the sweltering heat, their vibrant youth burning brightly under the sun.
Stepping out of the car, lush, vibrant green stretched across her field of vision all the way to the horizon. The sky was so clear it was almost transparent, opening up the world in a vast, sweeping expanse. It felt as if her chest had suddenly blown wide open, making her want to throw her arms out and embrace the entire universe.
Li Lingyu took a deep, passionate breath—
Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!
It was absolutely nothing like the fresh, oxygen-rich air she had imagined. A pungent, suffocating mixture of gasoline, burnt rubber, and dust violently invaded her lungs. Unable to control herself, she descended into a violent coughing fit.
Yet, Li Lingyu wasn't annoyed. Instead, she burst into joyous, unrestrained laughter.
Now she could finally confirm it: this was the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. The 2019 F1 season opener was about to kick off right here.
The acrid smell filling her lungs served as a vivid, visceral reminder that she had actually made it to Melbourne. She was genuinely about to see Kai with her own two eyes, up close and personal.
Just the mere thought of it took root and blossomed. Every single cell in her body began to scream in uncontrollable ecstasy. Her blood began to boil.
Her love for motorsport had started as a complete accident—
It was purely based on his looks.
Yes, she was exactly that shallow.
The very first time she saw Kai, she simply couldn't believe someone that devastatingly handsome, with such clean, elegant features, was actually a race car driver. Weren't all the drivers in the movies supposed to be grizzly, heavily tattooed, leather-jacket-wearing old guys with massive biceps?
It wasn't until much later that Li Lingyu realized her preconceived notions were entirely based on NASCAR and American biker culture. While it was technically still racing, it was a fundamentally different universe from Formula 1. Clearly, she had known absolutely nothing about the sport.
In short, she had been wrong. Spectacularly wrong. It was ultimate proof of her absolute 'outsider' status.
Because of Kai, she had accidentally started paying attention to F1, and subsequently stumbled upon an absolute treasure trove.
Kimi Räikkönen, Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz... The sheer variety of incredibly handsome men was dazzling. She felt like she was going to pass out from happiness. The grid was even better than the supposedly 'model-tier' squads of European football.
However, after giddily surveying the entire paddock, she ultimately, resolutely returned to Kai. And through that journey, she actually fell in love with the sport of racing itself.
Last month, while backpacking across Europe, Li Lingyu made dedicated pilgrimages to Spa-Francorchamps and Monza. Both legendary circuits offered track-day experiences. Any tourist with a valid driver's license could rent a standard performance car and take to the asphalt, personally experiencing the thrill of pushing the limits—
And she had done exactly that.
Now, Li Lingyu finally understood why so many guys were absolutely obsessed with racing. The sheer thrill of speed instantly triggered an explosive surge of adrenaline. The continuous, geyser-like flood of dopamine was highly addictive. It completely altered her perspective on life.
Previously, she couldn't comprehend people who loved racing. Isn't it just driving? Don't you get enough of that sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in the city until you question your will to live?
Previously, she couldn't comprehend people who spent fortunes to attend races in person. Isn't watching the TV broadcast vastly superior? You don't have to fight the crowds, and you get instant slow-motion replays.
But now!
She finally understood. Standing on the outside, criticizing and judging things you don't understand, makes everything seem simple. It's only when you actually step inside, when you see it with your own eyes and experience it with your own body, that you can formulate your own, genuine answer. Whether you love it or hate it, whether it's pure enjoyment or sheer agony... everyone engages with and experiences the world in entirely different ways.
After experiencing the raw passion of speed at Spa and Monza, Li Lingyu's next dream was cemented: to attend an official F1 Grand Prix in person.
Without a doubt, the Shanghai Grand Prix was her absolute first choice. It would be Kai's first time returning to his home race as the reigning Drivers' World Champion. Everything about it was going to be completely different.
She could only imagine how profoundly special that race was going to be.
However, when she found out that a massive group of Chinese fans was organizing a trip to Australia to support Kai at the season opener, she couldn't suppress the urge any longer.
She was itching for action. Her heart was pounding. She simply couldn't miss it.
She was going to watch the Melbourne opener, and she was going to watch the Shanghai home race too.
Kai.
An outsider. A challenger. A rule-breaker. Exploding out of nowhere with unbelievable momentum, he had single-handedly upended the entire paddock, sending massive shockwaves through the sport. It wasn't just the 'Big Three'; every single team on the grid had felt the impact. The earthquake had even shattered the foundations of the lower-tier formula series.
Drivers' World Champion!
Standing at the absolute summit of the world, officially joining the pantheon of legends. Even if Kai pulled a Nico Rosberg and immediately announced his retirement, he had already carved an indelible, impossibly vibrant mark into the history of the paddock. It was a legacy that could likely never be surpassed; even attempting to replicate it would be a near-impossible mission.
Yet, what Li Lingyu truly loved—aside from his face, obviously—was the absolute extreme Kai displayed on the track. It was a pure, unadulterated, singular focus on chasing speed. It was simple, yet overwhelmingly intense. When everyone else assumed Kai was chasing the championship, or chasing Hamilton, Li Lingyu firmly believed that Kai's only true opponent was himself. In his world, there was only him and the Number 22 race car.
Singapore was the race that officially dragged her into the fandom.
But Interlagos was the race where she lay down at the bottom of the pit, utterly refusing to ever leave.
Since the season ended, she had rewatched the Interlagos race over a dozen times. Even just closing her eyes and whispering the word 'Interlagos' made her heart pound wildly out of control. Her blood boiled. It felt like a religious pilgrimage.
Regardless of the final season results, after Interlagos, Kai was already the World Champion in her heart—
Absolutely unique. One of a kind.
Kai's face was breathtaking, and she remained a devoted fan of his looks. But the moment Kai strapped into the Number 22 car, he ascended to an entirely different level. He became a transcendent, untouchable entity, commanding absolute awe and reverence.
Today! Everything was happening today!
She was finally going to see Kai with her own eyes!
And tomorrow, she was going to witness Kai driving the Number 22 car at Albert Park!
Just the thought of it sent all the blood in her body rushing violently toward her heart. The sheer excitement and euphoria seeped directly into her soul, ironically rendering her completely quiet and still.
Taking another deep breath, Li Lingyu squared her shoulders and marched forward with unwavering determination. For this moment, enduring the noise and discomfort of sleeping on a tiny bunk bed in a cramped, twenty-four-person hostel room felt like absolutely nothing.
The moment she had waited for, dreamed of, and agonized over, had finally arrived!
In truth, Li Lingyu had mentally prepared herself. She knew Albert Park was going to be a sprawling, chaotic sea of humanity today. It was guaranteed to be a grueling battle—
This year was slightly different. For the first time in history, F1 was hosting a massive, official season launch event right here at Albert Park. All the teams were gathered together. The Team Principals were leading their drivers out onto a central stage to interact and celebrate with the fans. Furthermore, admission to Albert Park today was completely free, actively encouraging all fans to attend.
You didn't need to be a genius to realize that the fans were going to show up in absolute droves. The Hamilton fans and the Vettel fans, in particular, were absolutely not going to miss this opportunity.
And as for Kai? Even though his rise was an unstoppable force of nature, he had ultimately only been in the paddock for a single year. His foundation of hardcore, traveling fans wasn't as deeply entrenched. It was highly likely he would be significantly outnumbered.
Therefore, this dedicated group of fans who had traveled thousands of miles from China to Melbourne had made a firm resolution: they arrived three full hours early. They were determined to twist their collective strength into a single, unbreakable rope, ensuring Kai truly felt their presence—
Melbourne, just like Singapore, should feel like half a home race for him.
However!
As she took her first steps into the venue, the scene slowly unfolding before her completely shattered her mental preparation inch by inch. She was instantly paralyzed by sheer awe. Every thought, every word, was violently choked off. She turned into a walking zombie, stumbling forward mechanically, having lost all capacity to process what she was seeing.
Unbelievable!
People. People, people, and more people.
A dense, suffocating, endless expanse of bodies stretched out continuously, merging with the horizon, seamlessly connecting the earth to the sky. They filled every single corner of her vision, devouring all other sensory input with devastating force. Even the emotions of shock and awe were entirely wiped clean. She just stood there, rooted to the spot, profoundly aware of her own microscopic insignificance.
Li Lingyu had honestly thought she was mentally prepared.
Clearly, she was wrong.
Rewind the clock exactly five days. To hype up the official launch of the new F1 season, Netflix released their meticulously crafted, ten-episode documentary series, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, all at once. For motorsport fans, it was practically Christmas.
And it wasn't just the existing fans.
Within less than twenty-four hours, Drive to Survive rocketed to the absolute number one spot on Netflix's global streaming charts, igniting a massive, explosive wave of global discussion. And it didn't slow down. It dominated the number one spot for five consecutive days. Viewership numbers continued to climb exponentially. It aggressively broke out of the motorsport bubble, becoming the single largest cultural phenomenon of early 2019.
Social media was a blazing inferno of hype. The debates and discussions grew fiercer by the hour.
Everything was playing out exactly as the FIA and Netflix had planned. They had signed the agreement, thrown massive promotional resources behind the series, and successfully executed their primary objective: violently cracking open the lucrative American market, smashing through cultural barriers, and significantly elevating the global influence of Formula 1.
However, a plan is just a plan. The actual results far, far exceeded their wildest imaginations. Shattering the expectations of both the FIA and Netflix, the discourse surrounding the documentary spread like wildfire across the globe.
Daniel Ricciardo, the undisputed main protagonist of the first season, didn't exactly capture the level of adoration they had anticipated. It was unexpected, but understandable, given his highly disappointing second half of the season. However, Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner becoming an overnight, breakout sensation was the surprise of the century.
Drive to Survive—affectionately dubbed DTS by the fans—didn't focus on the heart-stopping, title-deciding battles between the 'Big Three.' Instead, it took a completely different path, shining a spotlight on the brutal, desperate survival philosophies of the midfield and backmarker teams.
While the hardcore fans were entirely focused on the championship chase at the front, the cutthroat, vicious dogfights in the midfield and the agonizing struggle for mere survival at the back were equally compelling. DTS showcased the brutal, unglamorous, and incredibly fascinating underbelly of the paddock.
Haas, experiencing a wildly dramatic, rollercoaster season, instantly stood out from the pack. Steiner—with his relentless stream of profanity, furious rants, and unfiltered, authentic personality—effortlessly captured the spotlight, amassing a massive, dedicated following.
Historically, the fanbases of the 'Big Three' dominated the globe, holding absolute, unshakeable supremacy. But after the premiere of DTS, Renault, McLaren, and Haas were all seeing explosive, exponential growth in their follower counts.
Now everyone finally understood Zak Brown's visionary foresight.
Netflix. The FIA. Everyone was making money hand over fist. It was a massive win-win.
However, amidst this roaring, chaotic success, there was undeniably a massive sense of regret. Everyone immediately recognized that the blatant absence of Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz severely diminished the documentary's ultimate potential.
Whether it was Ferrari's agonizing, heartbreakingly close battle for the Constructors' Championship that fell short at the very last hurdle, or the undeniably explosive behind-the-scenes drama between Kai and Vettel... the role that internal team orders played at Ferrari was prime fodder for endless speculation and drama.
And then there was Kai's miraculous, unyielding counter-attack, snatching the Drivers' World Championship from the jaws of defeat. The raw, visceral intensity of Kai going head-to-head with Hamilton, pushing the four-time World Champion into a corner and forcing him to lose his legendary composure... those were rivalries and storylines that simply could not be missed.
Millions of viewers, discovering F1 for the first time through DTS and realizing there was an entire, thrilling universe outside of football and basketball, were left feeling incredibly frustrated. Because the cameras had missed the ultimate clash of titans. Once these new fans started digging deeper and discovered just how insanely spectacular the actual on-track racing of the 2018 season had been, the internet revolted.
"Why aren't Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz in this?!"
"Kai and Hamilton's ultimate showdowns in Interlagos and Yas Marina aren't even mentioned? Absolute garbage, zero stars!"
A small faction of confused viewers, not understanding paddock politics, tried to defend Netflix. They argued that skipping the overexposed, mainstream giants like Ferrari and Mercedes was a brilliant creative choice. It allowed people to see that there was a vast, fascinating world beyond the front-runners, proving that midfield teams had compelling stories too. But Netflix immediately rushed out to issue a clarification—
It wasn't that they didn't want to film them. It was because Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz actively refused to cooperate.
"It is precisely because certain people refused to cooperate that we were forced to create this specific title sequence."
With that context, people finally stopped fast-forwarding and paid attention to the opening credits. They suddenly realized the hilarious, petty reality: all ten episodes exclusively featured footage of a Ferrari pit stop going wrong. It showcased the Netflix production team's elite-level, vindictive trolling.
The internet collectively lost its mind laughing.
Now, the situation was truly fascinating. On one hand, everyone agreed the first season of Drive to Survive was phenomenally entertaining. On the other hand, they were agonizing over the fact that Netflix had missed documenting the greatest historic, once-in-a-decade championship battle. Consequently, everyone turned around and frantically began researching and rewatching the recently concluded 2018 season.
The entire world was boiling. F1 was currently commanding an unbelievable, unprecedented level of global attention.
Anyone with eyes could see it: motorsport was aggressively, forcefully breaking into the mainstream!
No wonder there was a saying that had circulated in the sports world for decades—
The three greatest sporting events on earth: The Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, and Formula 1.
Previously, many couldn't understand the inclusion of F1. But now, they were finally catching a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg.
It was exactly within this hyper-charged atmosphere that Netflix officially announced they had renewed Drive to Survive for five consecutive seasons. Furthermore, starting with Season 2, Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz had officially agreed to participate.
BOOM!
The internet detonated instantly.
All of this had transpired in the span of just five short days. Every major news outlet and media organization was operating at a fever pitch, rubbing their hands together with massive expectations. The anticipation for the new season had reached an unprecedented, historic high. Riding this massive wave of momentum, the official F1 organization launched the first-ever season opening ceremony, explicitly designed to detonate social media traffic and cater to the tastes of this massive influx of new, younger viewers.
Li Lingyu had mentally prepared herself for this. She knew the venue was going to be packed and chaotic. But honestly, she had assumed that no matter how crazy the DTS hype was, it had only been out for five days. The scope and depth of its impact had to be somewhat limited. Even if the crowds in Melbourne were huge, they couldn't be that absurd.
However, Li Lingyu was wrong.
Pop.
Like a swimmer breaking the surface of the water, the deafening noise shattered the illusion of quiet, crashing down on her instantly. She had zero time to react before she was completely swallowed whole.
The entire world was boiling, exactly like a pot of rolling, scalding water.
One hundred thousand people? Two hundred thousand?
The actual number was likely significantly higher. It was highly probable that not even the F1 officials had predicted that a trial-run opening ceremony would generate such a terrifying, apocalyptic level of foot traffic.
What exactly had they miscalculated?
At this point, using your eyes to count was impossible. There was no end in sight. You could only feel it with your body—the crushing weight of the crowd, the stale, suffocating air, the heat radiating from thousands of bodies, the physical vibration of the ground beneath your feet. Transported instantly from the crisp chill of Shanghai to the oppressive heatwave of Melbourne, she was lost before she could even process the transition. The endless, rolling madness had completely consumed Albert Park. Her vision, her hearing, even her sense of smell were overwhelmed by the sheer force of the human tide.
Li Lingyu felt exactly like a tiny ant that had fallen into a raging ocean. Her struggles against the crushing waves felt entirely pathetic and insignificant.
She was dizzy and disoriented, yet her blood was absolutely boiling.
The smile on Li Lingyu's face widened completely. She dropped all her burdens, threw away her reservations, and completely surrendered herself to the boiling heat, fully committing to enjoying the unbridled carnival.
And then, it began—
Accompanied by the deep, resonant blast of a ship's horn, a vessel slowly docked at the Albert Park river pier. One by one, familiar and unfamiliar faces from the paddock stepped off.
"George Russell!"
"Checo! Che... co..."
"Seb AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Countless shouts intertwined, overlapped, and erupted simultaneously. The surging crowd ignited, screaming the drivers' names until their voices cracked.
Regardless of who it was, any figure that appeared in their line of sight was treated like a superstar who had just smashed through the television screen to appear in reality. The screams bypassed all rational thought, ripping naturally from their throats. When Daniel Ricciardo appeared, decked out in vibrant Renault yellow, the crowd's energy lost control for the very first time.
But before the noise could even reach its absolute peak, it was violently, abruptly overwhelmed by a tidal wave of energy that crashed down upon them, instantly drowning out the entire world in a deafening roar.
Then, only a single sound remained hammering against their eardrums, repeated over and over again in a terrifying, unified chant.
"Lewis!"
The earth was shaking. It felt like standing directly on the edge of an active volcano, using your feet, your body, and your heart to physically feel the violent, subterranean magma surging upward, ready to erupt in a cataclysmic explosion.
It was a torrential flood, a mountain-shattering tsunami. Standing in the middle of it, every single cell in your body felt like it was soaking in boiling lava. Swept up in the hurricane, the world spun wildly out of control.
The heatwave, the shockwave, and the sheer volume of the roar instantly stripped away all five senses with devastating force. Not just sight, hearing, and touch; even smell and taste were overwhelmed by the apocalyptic energy. The rhythm of her own heartbeat was completely lost amidst the endless, unified chanting of "Lewis!"
In this singular moment, the entire universe seemed to fall to its knees at Hamilton's feet, bowing in absolute worship.
The sprawling, endless sea of people stretched out infinitely. A flowing tide of silver forcefully conquered Albert Park, aggressively asserting the sheer dominance and terrifying power of Mercedes-Benz. The ear-splitting roar tore through the chaos with the force of a god splitting the heavens, proudly and arrogantly declaring their absolute resolve and towering ambition for the new season.
Clearly, they had come fully prepared—
The Mercedes-Benz army and Hamilton's fanatical devotees were determined to make their voices heard. They were entirely, utterly dissatisfied with every single detail of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. They remained unshakably convinced that Hamilton's rightful fifth Drivers' World Championship trophy had been stolen by a thief.
The FIA had failed to deliver a just ruling. These fans were not only furious and frustrated, but they had united with a singular, terrifying purpose. They had forged a towering ambition: in the 2019 season, they would personally reclaim their justice. They would deliver a devastating, annihilating blow to their rivals on the asphalt, reclaiming their championship with absolute, undeniable dominance.
The season had barely begun, yet the fires of war were already raging out of control.
For this exact moment, these fans had been meticulously planning and coordinating for over a month. Supporters from all over the globe had converged on Melbourne, using their physical presence to prove they were the ultimate, terrifying vanguard of Mercedes-Benz and Hamilton. It was a stark warning: Do not provoke us, or you will face total annihilation.
Having waited and waited, having built up the pressure for months, the moment Hamilton finally stepped into view, they unleashed everything they had in a single, devastating blast.
Earth-shattering.
Forget about the bystanders; even Hamilton himself was momentarily startled. He had been mid-conversation with Wolff and Bottas when the sudden, explosive energy swept over them like a conquering army, drowning out every other sound in existence. In the blink of an eye, the entirety of Albert Park was flashing a brilliant, blinding silver.
Pausing slightly, Hamilton raised his right hand, offering a majestic wave, looking exactly like royalty acknowledging his subjects.
Ah!
With that single, simple gesture, the boiling roar of the crowd incredibly managed to climb to an even more terrifying height.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
All other voices, all other noise, was completely swallowed. The entire world seemed to shrink until only Hamilton existed. Even Wolff and Bottas were temporarily ignored, let alone anyone else. The other teams and drivers were left trembling, deeply, viscerally feeling the terrifying, unrivaled drawing power of Mercedes-Benz.
Of course, not everyone was intimidated.
For example... Lance Stroll.
Standing a short distance away, the young master of Racing Point looked half-asleep. His eyes were bleary and confused, seemingly entirely oblivious to the massive sea of humanity screaming just yards away. The only thing he cared about was the walkway.
The docking area was incredibly cramped. There was very little space to stand, and the actual path to walk through was extremely narrow. Yet, these Mercedes guys were just standing dead center in the middle of the walkway, completely lacking any basic situational awareness. What were the people stuck behind them supposed to do?
Stroll tried to squeeze past on the left. No space.
He tried the right. Still no space.
Stroll simply reached out and tapped Hamilton on the shoulder, offering a polite nod. Hamilton instantly realized he was blocking the path, nodded back in acknowledgment, and stepped aside.
Stroll didn't say another word. He just slipped past, completely ignoring the thousands of fans screaming their lungs out on either side of the barricades. Hands shoved deep into his pockets, he sauntered away with a slow, lazy swagger.
Behind him, Sebastian Vettel—harboring a complex, heavily conflicted mix of emotions—had been patiently waiting. Seeing the opening, he didn't have time to sort through his feelings. He quickly followed Stroll. His eyes met Hamilton's, and the two men offered each other a polite, professional nod. Without pausing, Vettel walked past.
From Red Bull, to Ferrari, and now to Racing Point. Although this wasn't the first transfer of Vettel's career, nor was it the first time he was facing a completely unfamiliar environment, his mindset was fundamentally different now. He had ended the previous season as the primary contender fighting for a fifth World Championship, yet it concluded with him walking away in defeat. Now, in the twilight of his prime, he was joining an emerging, midfield team. The sheer volume of uncertainties and anxieties were constantly buzzing in his mind.
Seeing the god-like reception Hamilton was receiving, and comparing it to his own current, diminished status, it was impossible not to let his thoughts wander into dark territory.
Vettel wasn't the type to wallow in self-pity, but a bitter taste involuntarily spread across his tongue. He lowered his head slightly, lost in his own thoughts. His mind was crammed with a chaotic mess of reflections he couldn't immediately untangle.
And then—
"Seb!"
In that exact moment, an unbelievable, piercing shout erupted from the crowd. It drilled straight through the suffocating, solid wall of Mercedes cheers, instantly grabbing his ear.
Vettel snapped his head up.
The next second, a massive, rolling chant rapidly began to spread. They stubbornly, relentlessly fought their way through the vast ocean of silver, desperately fighting to prove they were still there.
Vettel's fans were making their voices heard. They had never abandoned their idol; they had followed him faithfully. Whether it was Ferrari or Racing Point, wherever Vettel went, their hearts followed. As the most successful German driver since Schumacher, Vettel remained the undisputed king in the hearts of millions.
A brand new team, a brand new beginning, a brand new challenge. Who said Racing Point couldn't fight for championships? Who said Racing Point couldn't shatter the established dominance of the 'Big Three'?
They still believed!
Chant after chant, the sound rolled across the park. The sheer, unyielding volume of that support made Vettel straighten his spine. The spark of passion reignited, blazing fiercely in his chest once more.
"Lewis!"
"Lewis!"
"Seb!"
Although the Hamilton fans still maintained a crushing, absolute advantage—the burning humiliation of the "stolen World Championship" fueling an unparalleled explosion of energy at the dawn of the new season—amidst the deafening, overwhelming chaos, Vettel still commanded an unshakeable, undeniable presence.
Li Lingyu felt a surge of panic. Trapped within this terrifying tsunami, she felt completely helpless. She was acutely, painfully aware of just how weak and insignificant her single voice truly was.
This scene wasn't entirely unexpected.
They had seen the massive mobilization of the hardcore Hamilton fans on social media. Terrified that Kai would be completely drowned out and humiliated at the season opener, they had rallied together. Traveling thousands of miles across oceans and continents, they had arrived in Melbourne determined to serve as Kai's absolute, immovable vanguard at Albert Park.
However, the reality was infinitely more brutal than they had imagined. Even Vettel's massive, historically entrenched fanbase was struggling to fight back. The Hamilton fans had unleashed an unimaginable level of energy. With absolute, tyrannical dominance, they had completely conquered Albert Park, leaving absolutely zero breathing room for Ferrari or Kai.
Without a doubt, Mercedes-Benz had come fully prepared.
They were using physical action to deliver a manifesto. It wasn't just a warning; it was a literal, tangible declaration of war—
Do not provoke us.
Perhaps people thought Mercedes-Benz was already dominant and arrogant. But that was only because they had never witnessed Mercedes-Benz and Hamilton operating in a state of absolute, unhinged fury. No one truly understood just how much destructive energy they could unleash when genuinely enraged—a power capable of turning the entire world to ash.
So, are you terrified yet?
"Lewis!"
"Lewis!"
Layer upon layer, blanketing the sky and covering the earth. The rolling heatwave continued to escalate. The entirety of Albert Park was trembling in submission at their feet. With so many teams and drivers present, it felt as though Hamilton was the only person in existence.
Even Toto Wolff happily took a step back, yielding the entirety of the spotlight to Hamilton, content to quietly witness the magnificent spectacle unfolding before him.
Li Lingyu took a deep, shuddering breath and slowly straightened her spine. After enduring the initial wave of anxiety, panic, confusion, helplessness, and fear... she quietly clenched her fists—
No. I am not afraid.
She refused to retreat. She refused to yield. She refused to surrender, refused to give up, refused to run away, and absolutely refused to bow her head.
Facing a storm capable of tearing up trees and destroying mountains, she planted her feet firmly, puffed out her chest, and faced it head-on.
Did they forget Interlagos?
The timing, the environment, the people—absolutely every single factor was stacked against Kai. The entire world seemed to be preemptively celebrating Hamilton's coronation. Even the Ferrari pit wall had lost their fighting spirit, believing the Gods of Fate had already finalized their decision and written the ending to the 2018 season.
Everything was supposedly set in stone.
Yet, standing before the immovable weight of destiny, Kai never once surrendered. He fought every inch of the way, sprinting blindly through the dark, and relying purely on his own strength, he had completely rewritten the ending.
This was the exact same situation.
Yes, Kai had violently ripped the Drivers' World Championship from the jaws of Mercedes-Benz, awakening a slumbering leviathan. The monster that had ruled the paddock with an iron fist for five years was finally awake. They were fully armed, completely focused, and prepared to demonstrate their absolute, terrifying supremacy to the entire motorsport world.
Perhaps Mercedes-Benz would reclaim the throne. Perhaps Ferrari and Kai would ultimately fail to permanently alter the paddock's hierarchy. Perhaps they would win, perhaps they would lose. Everything was unknown.
But Li Lingyu believed in one absolute certainty: they would fight to the bitter end. Regardless of the adversity, regardless of the final outcome, they would burn every last ounce of their energy until the final checkered flag fell.
So, if Mercedes-Benz wanted to reclaim their championship throne, they were going to have to step down into the mud and fight for it. They would have to battle tooth and nail, earning every single inch of asphalt.
They would not cower. They would not fear. And they absolutely would not retreat.
The anxiety and fear were genuine, but the stubborn resilience and unyielding grit forged in desperation were equally genuine. This was exactly why Li Lingyu loved Kai.
The stronger the storm, the fiercer the counter-attack.
Li Lingyu straightened her spine again, a fierce smile breaking across her face. Just as she was about to turn and encourage her friends, she noticed that every single one of them had already puffed their chests out. They were standing on their tiptoes, looking past the mob, their eyes shining brightly as they desperately searched the crowd for Kai. Noticing Li Lingyu's gaze, they turned to look at her.
They exchanged a single glance, and simultaneously burst into laughter—
As expected, they were true Kai fans. The fans perfectly reflect the spirit of the driver.
If people believed that winning the World Championship would cause Kai to lose himself and forget his roots... After all, he was just a nineteen-year-old kid. Achieving the ultimate pinnacle overnight, instantly being swept up in a hurricane of fame, fortune, and adoration... it was easy to assume he would become arrogant, conceited, and complacent, ultimately losing his razor-sharp edge and fighting spirit.
If they believed that, then they knew absolutely nothing about Kai.
Perhaps other young drivers would succumb to the pressure. But absolutely not Kai. For this young man to step into the cockpit of a Ferrari at eighteen, and then completely obliterate the history and legends of F1 at nineteen, required far more than just the arrogant bravery of youth.
The 2018 season was merely the first step. Clearly, standing at this brand new, terrifying height, facing an entirely unknown world, Kai was fully prepared to continue his ascent.
Amidst the boiling, chaotic noise, Li Lingyu completely tuned out the deafening screams. She searched frantically through the sea of bodies, until finally... she found him.
There! Right there!
Just a single glimpse was all it took. Standing out like a crane among a flock of chickens, even amidst the crushing, chaotic sea of humanity, Li Lingyu effortlessly located the man.
Tall, slender, and standing perfectly straight. The corners of his mouth were pulled up in that signature, slightly lazy smile. His clean, elegant features made him look exactly like the perfect student or the good boy next door. If you weren't paying attention, you might accidentally overlook him. But the moment your gaze casually swept past, you couldn't help but look back, desperately searching for the eyes you had just briefly encountered.
Deep, bright, yet harboring a dangerously sharp edge.
He didn't need flashy, extravagant clothes. He didn't need the embellishment of sunglasses, hats, or expensive jewelry. He didn't even need exaggerated, dramatic movements to steal the spotlight. He was dressed in the simplest possible attire, standing quietly. Yet, he radiated a completely unique, magnetic aura, silently and effortlessly drawing every eye toward him.
Right now was the perfect example.
A simple red Ferrari t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Casual, clean, and entirely devoid of unnecessary clutter. He was walking alongside Leclerc. The two young men were chatting and laughing, the atmosphere incredibly relaxed. The brilliant, radiant smile on his face shone like the sun, effortlessly capturing the field of vision. It was an absolute visual feast.
Li Lingyu instantly held her breath. The sound of her heart hammering against her ribs grew louder and louder, echoing endlessly like a shout in a canyon—
As expected, she was still a hardcore fan of his face. Even standing next to the undeniably handsome Leclerc, her eyes simply refused to leave Kai.
Perhaps, initially, at first glance, you might notice Leclerc first. He had the classic, textbook features of a Disney Prince—thick eyebrows, large eyes, perfectly aligning with traditional beauty standards. But your gaze would inevitably, uncontrollably drift back to Kai. You take one look, then another, and before you even realize what's happening, you've completely fallen for him.
Buzz.
Li Lingyu didn't even realize it was happening. Her mind went completely blank. She forgot to breathe, forgot to scream, forgot to react. She stood there like a wooden statue, having entirely lost her ability to function.
Even though she had seen that face countless times on her computer and phone screen, witnessing it with her own eyes in the real world was a fundamentally different, earth-shattering experience.
Through the screen, Li Lingyu always felt Kai looked a bit too slender. Because of his height, he had to strictly control his weight to avoid adding unnecessary ballast to the car. But seeing him in person, the visual impact of his broad shoulders and narrow waist was overwhelming. The effortless, innate elegance radiating from his every movement made it impossible to look away. All the noise and chaos completely faded away. In her entire universe, only she and Kai existed.
In one single second, she surrendered completely.
An absolute, total surrender. She was utterly defenseless.
Thump. Thump.
The world was dead silent. Only the sound of her heart violently slamming against her chest remained, echoing with true resonance, vibrating through her core and slowly settling into the very depths of her soul.
"Lewis" vanished. "Seb" vanished. Even the frenzied screams and cheers completely evaporated. Absolute silence.
Time froze in this exact moment. The arrival of Ferrari's Twin Stars effortlessly hijacked the entire focal point of the event. Melbourne had literally stopped in its tracks for them.
And then.
—Click.
The sound of a single camera shutter echoed, like a pebble dropped into a perfectly still lake, sending ripples outward. Only then did she realize that it wasn't just the fans; the media and journalists were exactly the same. Their eyes, their attention, and their focus had all been violently hijacked by the Ferrari duo. Even though Hamilton and Vettel were still standing right there in plain sight, their hearts uncontrollably gravitated toward the two young figures.
When that first shutter clicked, and the first lens shifted focus, the entire media corps followed suit like falling dominoes. With an unstoppable, cascading momentum, they completely pivoted.
The next second: Click! Click-click-click-click!
The overwhelming barrage of camera shutters escalated rapidly, sounding like a massive waterfall crashing down from the heavens. Without leaving a single millisecond to react, it mutated into a deafening roar. The explosive, overlapping sound violently assaulted their eardrums, tearing through the silent air, unleashing a rolling, torrential wave of heat.
The silence was shattered. The souls that had been freely wandering the universe were violently yanked back into their bodies. The paused passion instantly detonated.
"AH!"
It was pure instinct. A conditioned reflex. The scream broke free from all constraints and exploded. Before she even realized the sound was coming from her own throat, every ounce of energy in her body surged outward. Li Lingyu clenched her fists tightly, grabbed hold of that single, vital thought deep within her soul, and transformed her scream into a roar.
"CAPTAIN!"
It was just one word. Yet, in this specific moment, it erupted with an unimaginable, terrifying energy. Li Lingyu was emptying every last drop of primordial force within her body, desperately attempting to use her tiny, flickering light to illuminate the entire world.
And then, Kai seemed to hear the shout. Following the sound, he turned his head. Piercing through the massive, dense crowd, his gaze landed flawlessly, accurately, squarely on Li Lingyu.
A violent shiver shot from the soles of her feet straight up to her scalp. Her entire body began to tremble uncontrollably. Her mind went instantly blank. In the next second, she unleashed an energy she didn't even know she possessed. Amidst the earth-shattering wave of passion and boiling blood, her logic was entirely incinerated. She knew, with absolute certainty, that she would never, ever forget this moment for as long as she lived.
The world seemed to shrink until it was just him and her. Just the two of them. Everything else dissolved into a blurry, insignificant void. Nothing else mattered anymore.