Car Racing without Money

Chapter 845 - 347: Monte Carlo Night Battle (Part 2)

The WRC rally license is even interchangeable with F1; a Super Driver’s License allows participation in all levels of rally events, especially in the 2010s when cross-border checks were not very strict.Raikkonen, Kubica, Bottas, and the like would casually race in a couple of rallies during their breaks for fun.

Even in later generations when F1 drivers faced more constraints, superstars like Verstappen wanting to cross into touring car races surely wouldn’t be refused by organizers, would they?

GT events are eager for Verstappen to switch over; even a casual race during a break week can generate massive traffic and exposure, potentially exploding the Nurburgring’s popularity. Ordinary people might have to book months in advance just to run a lap there.

At the entrance of the hotel, Odetto stood there and spoke as soon as he saw him approaching: "Are you sure there’s no issue?"

Odetto had heard of Chen Xiangbei’s impressive rally driving, but he didn’t know exactly at what level.

This time, he’s directly competing against top WRC drivers. Even Kimi Raikkonen, with his immense talent, hovered in the middle ranks during his first year of crossing over.

With Chen Xiangbei having no professional rally training and relying solely on talent and universal car feel, what kind of result could he achieve?

To be honest, the team had no specific expectations for Chen Xiangbei’s rally performance; Odetto’s main concern was about safety.

The Monte Carlo night race is perilous, with reaction speed requirements no less than those in F1. At this crucial point in the championship, any accident causing injury would be a significant loss.

"No problem."

Chen Xiangbei nodded, appearing very relaxed.

Honestly, if he hadn’t been reincarnated in this lifetime, his rally experience might not be less than that in Formula racing.

"Be careful."

Odetto had no more to say. Since Chen Xiangbei was so certain, an adult should be responsible for his actions.

Besides, F1 teams formally signed drivers to restricted contracts only after Kubica’s major accident in 2011. Since then, cross-border races have gradually decreased, and this awareness hasn’t fully developed yet in all aspects.

"Yes, I will."

Chen Xiangbei nodded and turned to walk toward the parked Ford RS WRC.

Inside the car, Emily was already seated in the co-driver’s navigator seat, with mechanical engineer Anderson from the Ford team allocated to Chen Xiangbei seated behind, responsible for tuning and repairs during the race.

If F1 car repairs are about ultimate precision, WRC car repairs can be described as simple and rough. Kicking, tape, and a sledgehammer are the most effective repair methods during field races.

Once Chen Xiangbei got in the car, Anderson immediately reached over to introduce himself: "Bei, I’m Anderson, a mechanic with the Ford team. Pleased to meet you."

Anderson excitedly added, "I’m a fan of yours."

Now, Chen Xiangbei’s influence is no longer limited to China or even Asia; there are fans and enthusiasts globally, especially in the racing community, where his following is remarkably high.

Compared to the general audience, those in motorsports are less influenced by nationality and race, and they can more directly appreciate a driver’s skills and talent, naturally gravitating toward Chen Xiangbei.

A twenty-year-old competing for an F1 world championship, if Chen Xiangbei had a European nationality, he would likely have already been a global top star.

"Hello, I’m Chen Xiangbei. I look forward to working with you."

Chen Xiangbei politely extended his hand for a greeting.

Sitting in the co-driver seat, Emily also wearing racing attire, didn’t reminisce with Chen Xiangbei but directly started: "Bei, we’re tight on time, so I won’t chit-chat and will directly go over key stage information."

"The WRC Monte Carlo track is situated between the Alps in Monaco and France, with an elevation drop from the foot to the peak exceeding a kilometer. This means we’ll experience a transition from dry asphalt to muddy snow-covered roads, demanding high adaptability from the driver, even more so since you need to run a night race."

"Additionally, to align with your F1 schedule, we’re running the first timed segment directly, totaling 116.2 kilometers. Last year, Citroën’s driver Leb took 53 minutes and 6.8 seconds. Completing it within an hour is considered successful for you."

"An hour, is that requirement really so low?"

Upon hearing this time, Chen Xiangbei responded with a smile.

The WRC and F1 competition rules differ; over the entire rally period, it’s more about challenging oneself than surpassing opponents.

The race pace is more akin to F1 rallies, purely focused on the shortest time taken.

Though rally rankings show an incredible polarization, such that over the 300-plus kilometer stage, the first place driver might be 10 to 30 minutes ahead of the last.

Normally, however, the gap between the top few often squeezes within one minute.

When narrowed down to a single timed segment, the difference might only be about ten seconds.

While Leb is currently the strongest WRC driver, almost equivalent in status to Schumacher in F1’s peak, a seven-minute gap in a single timed segment with Chen Xiangbei is indeed somewhat underestimating him.

"Bei, we only have one reconnaissance opportunity. You need to memorize key traits over the hundred kilometers in just a few hours, not to mention the limited visibility during a night race. Completing it within an hour is already commendable."