How Did I Become an F1 Driver?

Chapter 1156 - 437: Italian Grand Prix (2)

Given how the Red Bull cars performed on the track this season, next week’s Italian Grand Prix will basically see them starting at the back of the grid.After the race during the podium phase, once all the drivers had returned their cars to the pit area, Alonso, Stroll, and Zhou Guanyu gathered around Perez’s car and started examining the Red Bull car.

But no one knew exactly what conclusion the three of them came to.

After the race ended, Qin Miao, Hamilton, and Toto were naturally all smiles as they carried their trophies back to the team’s pit room.

After taking a team group photo at the pit room entrance, all the work for the Mercedes team for this race was considered completed.

Today, Qin Miao also attended the team’s post-race interview.

Qin Miao attended the post-race interview mainly for the dumplings and vinegar sauce.

He just wanted to slyly mock the Dutch audience during the post-race interview.

However, Qin Miao was mainly doing it for fun and didn’t intend to completely offend the Dutch fans, since after a Dutch Grand Prix, Qin Miao earns significant profits from selling merchandise and advertising rights, without needing to lift a finger—just waiting at home to count the money—and it comes to nearly 400,000 US Dollars.

And that’s not including the prize money from the team, sponsor bonuses after winning, and such.

After the race ended, this being the second of three back-to-back races, the next week was set for the Italian Grand Prix.

The team started packing right after the race finished, managing to pack and move the team’s equipment from Holland to Italy overnight.

Euro Truck Simulator players rejoice.

Because the team’s equipment was transported by big trucks.

Europe isn’t that big, and many places don’t have traffic restrictions and such, so you can just drive right through.

By the next Monday morning, the equipment had arrived at Monza in Italy and started unpacking.

But none of this had much to do with Qin Miao; after the race, Qin Miao first returned to the UK to rest for a day, and then on Tuesday he went to Italy.

Italy holds a complex place in Qin Miao’s heart and emotions.

After all, it’s the starting point of his F1 racing dream. Qin Miao spent a considerable time in Maranello and got somewhat familiar with the local culture, making quite a few friends.

But due to some clever internal dynamics at Ferrari, Qin Miao left the team.

Inside, Qin Miao felt a certain guilt towards the local Italian fans.

Although this feeling might gradually fade with time, at least in the second year of his career, Qin Miao still harbors such emotions.

Upon arriving in Italy, Qin Miao of course checked into his hotel immediately.

However, Qin Miao knew too many people here, so after settling into the hotel, he quickly drove out.

First, he went to Vicenza.

After arriving in Vicenza, of course, Qin Miao first visited Prema Racing to catch up with old friends.

Roxin and the others were not surprised by Qin Miao’s visit; after all, Qin Miao makes it over here every year at the start of the Italian Grand Prix.

However, since this week marked the end of the back-to-back triple race, Qin Miao didn’t stay in Vicenza for long.

After lunch and leaving some group photos and autographs, he drove to Maranello.

In Maranello, Qin Miao met Li Qin and the guys from Ferrari’s racing department who helped modify his car and went out for dinner.

In one day, he handled all social interactions and obligations.

The only thing that left Qin Miao a little helpless was that photos of him dining with Li Qin and the others ended up getting exposed.

Soon, rumors spread inside and outside the circuit about the possibility of Qin Miao returning to Ferrari after the 2023 contract concludes.

Iron Buddha Temple enthusiasts might very well see Qin Miao putting on Ferrari’s racing suit and getting into the car again in 2024!

After all, Qin Miao was indeed joking and chatting harmoniously while dining with the Ferrari people; it didn’t seem awkward or hostile at all.

Some Ferrari personnel even stepped up at this time, expressing hope to see Qin Miao in the Ferrari driver’s seat next season.

These guys were purely stirring the pot.

However, Mercedes didn’t exhibit much of an extreme reaction this time, since before heading to Vicenza, Qin Miao explained to Toto about his plan to meet old friends who assisted him during his F2 days.

Setting aside Qin Miao’s identity, this was just a perfectly normal friends gathering.

Moreover, for Mercedes, if Qin Miao was really going to Maranello for talks about a driver’s contract with Ferrari, this wouldn’t be the time.

After all, there’s over a year until Qin Miao’s contract with Mercedes expires.

Back when Mercedes bought out Qin Miao’s Ferrari contract, it was because it was a rookie contract, and even though the penalty fee was high, it wasn’t unmanageable.

In hindsight, acquiring Qin Miao’s contract from Ferrari turned out to be quite the profitable move for Mercedes.

However, now the breach penalty for the contract with Mercedes is rather exorbitant, making it unlikely Ferrari would pay to buy it out from Mercedes.

Simply because it wouldn’t be worth it.

Anyway, right at the start of the Italian Grand Prix week, there was already quite a buzz going around the paddock and beyond due to this news.

But the rumors didn’t affect Qin Miao; he continued singing and dancing as if oblivious.

On Wednesday, upon reaching Monza, he had a meal with Leclerc.

However, the main focus wasn’t Leclerc; it was Leclerc’s brother, Arthur.

After the Dutch Grand Prix last week, Qin Miao hurried out of the circuit due to the tight back-to-back races. Though he was relatively relaxed, celebrations and work after the race kept him quite busy.

Thus, Arthur didn’t have the opportunity to thank Qin Miao personally for his great performance at the track.

So it was put off until now.

During the meal, Qin Miao learned that Arthur had won the F3 main race at the Dutch Grand Prix last week.

According to Arthur, he utilized many of the little tips Qin Miao taught him during the race, which helped his pacing and long-distance speed significantly.

Upon hearing this, Qin Miao simply waved it off, saying: "What’s this got to do with me? I only shared some basic principles and methods that almost everyone in the paddock knows."

"It was not me who enabled you to win the race; it was you applying what you learned during the race," Qin Miao told Arthur.

"Honestly, sometimes I really don’t get why you Chinese folks are so humble," Leclerc remarked with a laugh.

To them, Arthur’s victory was attributed largely to Qin Miao’s guidance post-lesson, proving his pivotal contributions.

Yet, Qin Miao seemed indifferent.

"It’s not humility; I genuinely think so," Qin Miao replied.

...

The meal didn’t take long, but apart from encouraging Arthur, Qin Miao didn’t dwell much on his F3 performance.

He doesn’t want to become that type of adult whom children find annoying for being overly preachy.

On Thursday, Qin Miao attended the pre-race press conference at the paddock as usual and participated in media day activities.

Meanwhile, the presence of Asians in the paddock gradually increased; Qin Miao spotted quite a few Chinese people.

They were all sent by Geely for F1 research.