The twenty-four cars swiftly drove out of the pit and onto the main track, while the team's technicians rushed like a tide towards the temporary opening in the fence, carrying various equipnt and tires to provide pre-race support for the drivers.
Odetto and other strategy team mbers did not follow closely behind the cars this ti, but had already taken their seats at the outdoor command station, keeping a close eye on changes in the weather and wind direction.
Late April and early May in the East Sea is considered the most suitable climate phase of the year, neither cold nor hot, with no storms or heavy rain.
Because of this, this year's F1 qualifying rounds have repeatedly set track records, as if showcasing the 25th season ahead of ti.
Only this ti, there was an additional figure at the outdoor command station, the HRT manager Briatore.
"Weren't you reluctant to co outside?"
Looking at the old Italian rascal beside him, Odetto replied grumpily.
In his decades-long career working with many professional managers, only Briatore preferred to stay in the P room enjoying air-conditioning because of the heat, rather than closely monitoring the drivers' race performance outside.
Of course, Briatore had his own excuse, which was that specialized jobs should be done by professionals.
But as the team manager, even if he did nothing, appearing at the outdoor command station would be a moral support to the drivers.
Obviously, the old tyrant was just indulging himself!
"The weather is pleasant, it's very refreshing outside."
Briatore sensed Odetto's sarcasm but, fortunately, he was honest!
Anyway, it wasn't like he was answering a reporter's questions, he's the boss of the team, so he could say whatever he wanted, whether others liked it or not.
Faced with such shaless behavior, Odetto could only be speechless.
Actually, Briatore didn't just co for the refreshnt, he had sothing to ask.
"Odetto, what's the probability of Xiangbei winning the championship this race?"
"What's your agenda?"
Odetto didn't directly answer but retorted instead.
"Nothing much, I've signed a wager agreent with several Chinese companies, if Xiangbei wins the championship, the endorsent contract amount will double."
Briatore was blunt, the endorsent fee differed if whether he was the champion or not.
"Heh, you are always the sa."
Odetto snorted coldly, besides money, Briatore had no other pursuits.
"What else, are championships achieved through dreams?"
"Rember, it's achieved through money!"
Briatore wasn't a generous person, he tolerated Odetto partly because the old man had true abilities, and partly because Chen Xiangbei and the Chinese shareholders were backing him, making it hard to dismiss him.
But Odetto's stubbornness and naivety certainly tested Briatore's patience.
If not for his money-making and sponsorship initiatives, how would the HRT team have any chance at a championship? Did anyone really believe Chen Xiangbei could win with a tractor?
Even Senna and Schumacher couldn't do that!
No matter the reason, at least his and Chen Xiangbei's interests aligned, whereas Odetto was too hostile.
Listening to Briatore's words, Odetto fell silent again.
He understood the rationale, but Briatore was like a sugar-coated bullet, if one ever let down their guard, they would be sold while still counting money for him.
Even Chen Xiangbei was only valuable to Briatore for the benefits he could bring, without which, he'd be rcilessly abandoned, much like the once "darling" Trulli.
"One percent."
After a while, Odetto responded.
On a regular track with no rain probability and not being overwhelmingly superior like a Mars Rover, theoretically, the championship chance was zero.
But the world was full of surprises. If Chen Xiangbei happened to benefit from a safety car, or if the leading drivers faced accidents or failures and retired, grabbing a race championship wasn't impossible.
The one remaining possibility was called luck.
Upon hearing Odetto's answer, Briatore displayed a aningful expression.
Seems sitting at the outdoor command station wasn't a bad choice, he indeed needed to step in.
While the HRT team managent was conversing, other team managents were mostly communicating with their drivers.
Especially Indian Force's Sutil who was in twelfth place, and Renault Team's Kovalainen who was in thirteenth, they were finally waiting for another chance to launch an attack on Chen Xiangbei, and professionally and privately, they wouldn't miss it.
"Sutil, leverage your advantage with the red tires, attack those two at the start!"
The Indian Force boss and team leader Marya decisively issued the order.
No matter the ranking, it was crucial for the team and Sutil personally to beat the two drivers of HRT.
Seeing both Chen Xiangbei and Trulli switching to dium yellow tires, they imdiately realized the HRT team had opted for a conventional one-stop or two-stop tire strategy, so Indian Force had to go against it.
Utilize the warming and gripping advantages of the red tires and seize the initiative!
Only by gambling on a safety car being deployed in the first few laps could they freely benefit from a pit window period, then switch to yellow or white tires and run normally.
In fact, this was a tactic used often by small and dium teams, making a bold move and pinning hopes on safety car timing, otherwise running normally had no possibility of entering the points area.
"BOSS, I will."
Sutil coldly replied.
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