Chapter 132: Wu Shi Is Behind Me?
"Wu, is your ringtone a song from China?"
Wu Shi had just ended the call with Louise when a mechanic leaned over and asked curiously.
"Yes," Wu Shi replied with a smile. "Sounds pretty energetic, doesn't it?"
The mechanic nodded eagerly. He was well known in the garage as a music fanatic, listening to different genres depending on his mood.
"Can you recommend something to me?"
"Of course."
With Verstappen successfully overtaking Ocon, the remainder of the race unfolded without further drama.
At 11:40, the chequered flag waved. Moments later, the long-absent chorus of du—du—du—du echoed throughout the circuit.
Verstappen stood atop the podium, lips pursed in a shy smile, gently swaying from side to side.
As soon as the national anthem ended, he grabbed his champagne bottle and sprayed it toward Wu Shi below the rostrum.
"Damn it!"
Caught completely off guard, Wu Shi was drenched in foam from head to toe.
"Hahaha!"
Verstappen laughed openly, then symbolically sprayed Ocon and Lucas alongside him.
---
The qualifying session began at 16:00.
Compared to the previous day, overall performance dropped. Wu Shi was the first to set a representative lap—48.081 seconds—and had intended to push for further improvement.
However, no one managed to break into the 48.1-second range.
Even so, due to his penalty, Wu Shi would drop ten places on the grid regardless of lap time.
It was a harsh sanction, effectively costing him several races' worth of opportunity.
After qualifying, Verstappen walked over with a bright, unmistakably competitive grin.
"Why don't you try fighting your way back from tenth?" he said. "Then we can keep our rivalry going."
Verstappen was famously competitive. He once argued with his sister over a Mario Kart loss, then bought a console just to practice and demand a rematch.
For him, competition meant winning—no exceptions.
"Let's race, then," Wu Shi replied casually. The circuit offered poor overtaking opportunities, and he didn't expect an easy escape from midfield traffic.
"All right," Verstappen said, eyes gleaming. "I won't let you ruin my rhythm this time."
---
The next morning, light rain fell briefly. By 11:00, the track had fully dried.
Given the conditions, the team opted for slick tyres.
During the formation lap, grip was noticeably inconsistent. Rear wheels stepped out repeatedly under throttle—more like a drifting exhibition than a warm-up.
Five red lights illuminated.
Then went out.
Twenty-six cars launched off the line.
0.164 seconds.
Wu Shi's reaction time was solid. He short-shifted smoothly and immediately aimed for the visibly dry strip in the middle of the track.
The central racing line offered significantly more grip, allowing him to apply power earlier.
Shrrk!
He cleared two cars instantly, but another driver ahead had chosen the same line, blocking further progress.
Approaching Turn 2, most drivers braked early—uncertain of grip levels.
Wu Shi saw it instantly.
He braked late.
Very late.
He moved decisively to the outside.
"Wu's gone to the outside! Is he really trying it there?" the commentator shouted. "The only dry line is on the inside!"
"The rear's sliding—no, wait—the front end is holding! How is he doing this?"
Wu Shi balanced throttle and brake with microscopic precision. Every vibration fed directly into instinctive correction.
Despite the damp outer line, the car remained stable.
While others were trapped in traffic, Wu Shi surged forward through clean air, leaping straight up to P5.
Seeing this, several drivers followed—only to find the grip wasn't nearly as forgiving.
The field stretched into a long train.
Yellow flags waved.
The Safety Car was already waiting at pit exit.
Alan (TR): "Goddard and Guimarães have collided. Safety Car for approximately three laps."
Wu Shi (TR): "Copy."
On the second Safety Car lap, Wu Shi spotted a Mercedes GLC towing a blue, heavily damaged car away from Turn 2.
By lap three, the racing line had dried significantly.
Lap four.
The Safety Car peeled in.
Out of Turn 8, Verstappen reacted instantly, going flat-out.
Across the start-finish line, the race resumed.
Wu Shi held P5.
Ahead of him was Lucas Auer.
The German cars appeared exceptionally strong around this circuit, maintaining impressive consistency.
Wu Shi stayed patient, closing the gap lap by lap, waiting for Turn 2.
By lap eleven, the track had dried further.
Lucas hesitated.
Out of Turn 8, Wu Shi tucked into the slipstream.
At Turn 1, he feinted right.
Lucas defended.
Exactly as expected.
Before Turn 2, Wu Shi snapped back to the inside.
The car straddled the edge between dry asphalt and damp paint.
Lucas reacted late and turned inward again.
Instantly, his left rear lost traction.
Lucas Engineer (TR): "Differential to mode eight!"
Too late.
The power imbalance sent the car snapping sideways.
Wu Shi drove straight through the opening.
P4.
Ahead was Jake Dennis.
Just as Wu Shi began to pressure him, light rain returned.
Alan (TR): "Rain increasing. Be careful."
Wu Shi (TR): "Understood. How far to Verstappen?"
Alan (TR): "Five seconds."
Wu Shi (TR): "Copy."
Moments later, Dennis slid wide.
Wu Shi capitalized immediately.
P3.
Only Jordan King and Verstappen remained ahead.
Before another attack could develop, a heavy crash brought out yellow flags again.
Wu Shi (TR): "He's too slow. Blocking me."
Alan (TR): "Yellow flag. No overtaking."
Wu Shi (TR): "I know. Just venting. It's like someone occupying a toilet and not using it."
Alan didn't respond.
By lap nineteen, the yellow flags escalated to a red flag.
The field was instructed to switch to wet tyres.
Under Safety Car guidance, cars lined up on the grid.
Wu Shi stopped directly behind Verstappen.
In his mirrors, he saw the familiar Red Bull livery.
Verstappen (TR): "Is Wu Shi behind me?"
Engineer (TR): "Yes."