RoleplayNovel Chapter 63 Pushing the Limits
Chapter 63 Pushing the Limits
The Monte Carlo circuit is 3.337 kilometers long, making it the shortest circuit on the F1 calendar.
The track was temporarily closed and converted from a public road in Monaco. The surface was ordinary urban asphalt, full of seams, manhole covers and oil stains, resulting in extremely unstable grip and a bumpy ride.
The track features an elevation change of over 40 meters, climbing from St. Dewater's Bend to the Casino Plaza, then descending sharply to the port. Some corners have noticeable road surface tilt (outward or inward), further increasing the driving difficulty.
The track has 19 corners, averaging one corner every 175 meters. The corners connect very quickly, demanding a high level of driver skill. 14 of the 19 corners are low-speed, with Turn 6 (Grand Hotel Turn) being the slowest corner in F1, requiring a speed of only about 30 km/h. Only one section of the DRS area—the tunnel section and the port straight—is a medium-to-high-speed zone.
Now tell me, what kind of setup is suitable for this track?
With many low-speed corners and few medium-to-high-speed areas, should a race car have high or low downforce? Should the brake cooling system be upgraded?
The track is bumpy, should the suspension be adjusted to be softer or stiffer? Should the floor be raised or lowered?
Considering the impact of speed and floor height on ground effect, should the vehicle's aerodynamic kit be adjusted? If so, how?
Considering the extremely large turning angle at the large hotel bend, should the steering system be adjusted? If so, how?
Answer me!
Kakuta, you speak!
Tang Che: Hold on! Hold on! I won't be using Kakuta in the Monaco practice session! Kakuta doesn't need to be mentioned! This track demands high precision, and to achieve the best, I need to make the most of every minute of the practice session!
With the yellow tires installed, Tang Che left the station for his first training match!
The track temperature was 54℃, making the test drive a bit of a hassle.
"The rear brakes are prone to overheating," Tanger said in TR.
Mercedes: Isn't it just that the brakes overheat easily? What's the big deal? My car is so bouncy, did my driver say a word?
Hamilton: This bounce is insane! I'm fucking dizzy from all the jolting! I need to wear elbow pads in the cockpit! I'm going crazy!
Mercedes: ...
I hope the Dolphin Jump will defeat... I hope Mercedes-Benz will defeat the Dolphin Jump soon.
Mercedes: It's not a dolphin jump! No! We've defeated the dolphin jump! It's a mechanical bounce caused by road bumps!
Anyway, Good luck to Mercedes.
The four guys from the Mars group swept the top four spots on the lap time leaderboard during practice.
Tanger p5, Gasly p7. Although practice lap times are not very useful for reference, they are still a positive sign to some extent.
The presence of Russell (p9) and Hamilton (p11) in particular underscores this positive trend.
In the second practice session, Townche and Gasly gradually improved, while Mercedes continued to struggle with jumping ability.
Listen to the Dragon's Roar (TR of racing emperor Russell): The car is extremely bumpy at Turn 5 and the pool area, constantly hitting the ground... The steering feedback is very vague, and I can't accurately judge the entry point... Can we soften the front suspension a little? It's too stiff right now, and the tires can't maintain contact with the ground at all...
The Emperor ranked P7 on the lap time leaderboard; he's passed away, but not completely.
The cupping master has completely passed away; he is listed on page 13.
Tang Che remains P5, Gasley remains P7, and those four guys from the Mars team still dominate the top four spots.
After three training sessions, Townche and Gasly were already in their element, but Mercedes still couldn't solve their jumping problem.
Hamilton: The bumpiest track I've ever driven, it's like a roller coaster!
Although the Cupping King was very unhappy, he still ranked 8th on the lap time leaderboard, going from dead to half dead.
The Emperor ranked 10th on the lap time leaderboard! He's dead!
Similar to the Miami Grand Prix, even though practice lap times are not very useful, car bounce is very useful.
Enzyme Benzene ______!
On the other hand, Alfa Romeo's Totti had a P5 in practice and a P6 in practice. Putting aside the reference value of practice lap times, the team's morale was at least at its peak!
Ranked matches are in the works!
Honorable gentlemen! Distinguished officials! Monaco is about to present a qualifying match that will demand an extreme level of precision!
The Monte Carlo circuit is extremely narrow and has no run-off areas. To maximize cornering speed by extending the turning radius, the car must cut close to the inside wall, especially at Turn 4 (Casino Corner), Turns 13-14 (Pool Corner Group), and Turn 17 (Rascasse Corner). Avoiding the inside wall will result in a 0.3-0.7 second slower turn. However, cutting close to the wall demands extremely high driver precision! Any tiny mistake could lead to a crash and retirement from the race!
Who has the most precise scalpel? Who has the crudest butcher's knife? The rankings will reveal the truth!
With an air temperature of 26°C and a track temperature of 48°C, the Monte Carlo circuit is prone to heating up and retains heat very well due to the heat absorption of asphalt, the urban heat island effect, and good sunlight conditions. The air temperature is not very high, but the track temperature is already comparable to that of the Miami Circuit and the Barcelona Circuit.
It doesn't have much of an impact; the temperatures were similar in all three practice sessions, and the drivers are already used to it.
Q1 begins, Alfa Romeo's two cars exit the pits! Both drivers are using red tires for their times!
On this narrow track, the more cars there are, the more congested it becomes. In Q1, twenty cars are simultaneously setting times, and every single one of them could get stuck in traffic. Being stuck can result in a loss of one or two seconds in lap time, essentially rendering a flight lap invalid. In the worst-case scenario, every single flight lap could be blocked, meaning even a high-performance car might be eliminated in Q1.
Tang Che's first flight loop... First timeout green! Second timeout green! Third timeout purple!
There were no traffic jams at all!
1:13.420! Outperforming all four Mars rover teams! Currently ranked p1!
Although they have temporarily suppressed the Mars team, everyone knows that the Mars team will definitely turn the tide in the next flight cycle, and will likely take a significant lead.
Gasly got stuck! His lap time... 1:15.492.
Based on practice data, the team estimates that the qualifying time for Q1 should be around 1:13.500.
Tang Che's first flight loop was not a sure way to advance, and Gasly's first flight loop was practically a failure.
Both Tontatta and Gasly need to set faster lap times!
反观梅赛德斯，W13仍然十分动感。拔罐王的第一个飞行圈……1:15.391……薨！赛车皇帝的第一个飞行圈……1:16.628……驾崩！
While Towne and Gasly were working on the cooling loop, the Mars team's second flight loop arrived:
Vestager 1:13.402, La.
Perez's score was 1:13.292, slightly better than Verstappen, but still a step down.
Sainz 1:13.292, the same as Perez.
These two guys are driving a Mars rover, and a Mars rover should be at least 1:13 scale to be considered real!
Leclerc 1:12.939, barely acceptable.
Tang Che's second flight loop... First timeout: green! Second timeout: purple! Third timeout: green!
1:12.999! Currently ranked P2! This lap time is definitely enough to advance to Q2!
Gasly's second lap... First timeout green! Second timeout green! Third timeout green!
1:13.291! Currently ranked P4! This lap time should be enough to advance, but to be on the safe side, it's best to do another flying lap.
Alfa Romeo and Toli both pitted. Tontaffre didn't plan to pit for the time being. Gasly waited, planning to pit once the track thinned out for a flying lap.
Looking back at Mercedes: Cupping King 1:14.790, not resurrected; Emperor 1:14.571, not resurrected.
Come on, Mercedes! Their jumping ability is almost surpassing Mercedes's! Mercedes really need to step up their game!
The Cupping King made a pit stop for a short adjustment; the Emperor stayed on the track for a cool-down lap, waiting for another opportunity to personally lead the expedition.
The third orbit of the Mars group:
Perez 1:13.004, Vella.
Verstappen's score of 1:12.993 is barely acceptable.
Sainz 1:12.616, good.
Leclerc 1:12.569, good.
With just over 5 minutes left in Q1, Cupping King returned to the track, completed his exit lap, and immediately began his third flight lap.
When Cupping King finished the first timed segment, Emperor began his third flight lap, and Gasly returned to the track at that moment.
Cupping King's first time trial is green! Second time trial is green! Third time trial is green! 1:13.444... This lap time is risky! Cupping King needs to do another flying lap!
The Emperor's first time trial ended in purple! The second time trial ended in green! The third time trial ended in green! 1:12.787! The Emperor has been resurrected!
Jasley started rushing towards the third flight circle... First timeout turned green! Second timeout turned green! Third timeout turned... red flag!
Gasly: ********! ********!
Four-time world champion Vettel had a tire blowout! No crash... he only grazed the guardrail after the blowout, and the car showed no obvious damage.
A question mark popped into the minds of the gentlemen in Weichang: Why the hell is the red flag being raised?
FIA: Matthew thought the red flag should be raised in that stage, so he waved it.
Gentlemen: Uh oh! (Puts the rice on the table)
FIA: Regardless of the circumstances, the red flag has been raised, and all cars on the track must return to the pit lane!
With the red flag raised, there were only two and a half minutes left in the race, and all the drivers who still needed to complete the flying laps only had one chance to do so.
With so many drivers crowding together to attempt laps in just two and a half minutes, you can imagine how congested the track would be, and you can imagine that some drivers' laps would be canceled due to the congestion.
The location of your exit is particularly important at this moment—the later you exit, the more likely you are to get stuck in traffic.
The red flag had just been removed, and the pit lane exits weren't even open yet, so McLaren immediately sent Norris and Ricciardo to line up in the pit lane.
Ricardo P15 and Norris P16 are both on the verge of being phased out, and desperately need to achieve a faster flight lap, so they dare not waste a single moment.
Cupping King is currently ranked slightly better than Norris and Ricardo, but it's not stable, so you should hurry up and queue in the repair area.
Gasly has a high probability of advancing. He's just doing another flight lap after leaving the pit stop to be on the safe side. He'll be much more relaxed going up to the pit lane than the others.
Q1 starts again, let's rush for the last flight lap of Q1! Fight to the very last moment! Self! Slit! Return! to the heavens!
The cupping technique failed because it got clogged!
Gasly is trapped! Defeat!
However, Cupping King and Gasley are still in the top 15, with Gasley at P10 and Cupping King at P14, both advancing to Q2.
Martin was eliminated, Williams was eliminated in both cars, and Aro was eliminated in both cars.
Before the race, many inside and outside the paddock believed that Arro would be stronger in Monaco because they performed well in the low-speed corners of the Barcelona circuit, which is full of low-speed corners.
After arriving in Monaco, Arro encountered a few minor problems with car setup, and was unable to get the car to its optimal condition, resulting in a major upset and both cars being eliminated in Q1.
While each team in the Earth Group has its own shitbox moments, Arroy has had far too many this season, tormenting Zhou Guanyu for three consecutive races.
I strongly suspect that Wofa packaged up all the unused ethane and sold it to Arro. (crossed out)
Starting from Q2, 15 race cars exited the station in sequence.
Verstappen was the first to start making flying circles.
First time slot, I got a purple card! Then Perez cleared it in the blink of an eye!
"It would be a real problem if Perez wasn't ahead of Verstappen in this match." — Fei Ge
Second time slot, I got a purple card! In the blink of an eye, I was overtaken by Sainz! In the blink of an eye, I was overtaken by Sainz!
The third time slot was purple! It was instantly overtaken by Tang Che!
Verstappen 1:12.551!
Sainz 1:12.074!
Perez 1:12.059!
Tang Che 1:12.211!
On this track, the lunar rover can really battle the Mars rover!
The cupping king and the emperor are here to fly around!
Cupping King's first timer segment turns green! Second timer segment turns green!
The Emperor's first time slot is green!
The third timer for the cupping king has turned green!
The Emperor's second time trial turns green! His third time trial turns green!
Cupping King 1: 12.843, much faster than Q1, currently ranked P5, revived!
Emperor 1: 12.917, slightly slower than Q1, currently ranked p7, not counted as having passed away!
Norris 1:12.678! Beating Mercedes! Currently ranked p5.
Brother Tou is here! 1:12.721! He outperforms the cupping king! Currently ranked p7!
"Mercedes-Benz's rivals at this race aren't just McLaren, but also Alpine." — Fei Ge
"What about AlphaTori?" — Soldier
"Look where Little Tang is right now, okay?" — Fei Ge
Just as Tang Che was about to complete his second flight lap, he suddenly spun out at turn 3! Tang Che reacted quickly! He drifted through the turn! He accelerated out of the turn and straightened the car!
"It seems like my right front wheel got caught on something." — Tang Che
"Box! Box! Box!" — Mattia
Upon entering the station, guess what? Hey! A ribbon that flew in from who knows where has gotten here and gotten all over the right front tire!
After resolving this minor issue, Tang Che did not leave the station again.
Only the second lap of the fourth-place finisher in the Mars group was faster than Tang Che's first lap. The second laps of the other riders were not as fast as Tang Che's first lap. Moreover, only Norris's second lap was close to Tang Che's first lap. The fastest of the rest was 0.25 seconds slower than Tang Che's first lap.
Tang Che advanced to Q3 after one lap.
Gasly's third lap was excellent, 1:12.511, beating Mercedes! P6 advances to Q3.
Cupping King P8 advances to Q3, Emperor P10 advances to Q3, half-dead and not dead, half-deceased and not dead.
Q3 is here, it's time to show our true technology!
"Let's look at the battle for pole position. I feel that Tangche has a chance to fight for pole position this time." — Fei Ge
"That's hard to say, Ferraris and Red Bulls still have certain advantages." — Ran Ge
"Come on, let's see what Perez has to offer." — Soldier
勒克莱尔最先来做飞行圈……第一计时段刷紫！18秒8！快得离谱！第二计时段刷紫！还是快得离谱！第三计时段刷紫！1:11.376！比勒克莱尔在Q2刷出的最快圈还要快0.5秒！
The Prince of Monaco arrives in Monaco today!
Nesting method_____!
Tangche's first flight lap... First time trial green! Second time trial green! Third time trial... Pool bends, Rascasse bends, the AT03 was practically glued to the wall! The line was pushed to its limit! ... Purple!
1:11.559！仅比p2的赛恩斯快0.002秒！但快0.001秒也是快！快过三台火星车！
Tang Che is temporarily listed as p2!
Can the three Mars team members below Tang Che defeat him? Can Tang Che go even faster?
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Bonus: 100 Facts About Tang Che (1)
The AT03 didn't actually have downforce; it relied entirely on the weight of the Himalayas to keep it on the track.