From leading to trailing. It happened so fast.
Russell had no time for regret or frustration. He switched instantly from defense to offense, launching an immediate counter-attack.
He couldn't afford to "save tires" anymore. He had to put that aside and launch an all-out assault on Kai. If he let the gap open up now, closing it later would be ten, maybe a hundred times harder. He had to seize this moment.
He floored the throttle.
Russell consciously worked to spike his tire temperatures in a short burst, closing the gap on the straight, preparing to attack into Turn 4.
Surprisingly, Kai didn't squeeze him on the straight. Instead, he conservatively stuck to his own racing line.
Was Kai saving tires because he'd overheated them earlier? Or had he gotten complacent after taking the lead, thinking he was safe just by holding the line?
Russell didn't care. He didn't have time to psychoanalyze Kai's strategy. He was on the back foot, and there was only one way forward.
Accelerate. Accelerate. Russell pushed his car to the absolute limit, reaching maximum velocity at the end of the straight.
And then!
Kai braked.
Russell: ???
At that moment, Russell noticed Kai braking. It wasn't what he expected. It completely disrupted his plan.
Russell had assumed Kai would brake late. The street racer's biggest strength was his boldness, his willingness to be crazier than anyone else. Surely, he would brake late to defend.
Russell wasn't worried. He was prepared. He would brake even later, taking a wider arc around the outside to force a pass. His tires were hot now, gripping well. He could carry more speed through the corner and reclaim the lead on exit.
But now?
Russell panicked slightly.
But there was no turning back once the arrow had left the bow. Russell decided to trust himself. Sticking to the plan, he aimed for the apex of Turn 4, relying on a controlled slide to get a faster exit.
In his vision, the two red-and-black blurs, which had been inseparable, finally split apart.
In the commentary box, Brundle saw the truth immediately.
The bystander sees most clearly.
"Russell believes Kai will out-brake him. At these speeds and with the turbulent air, both cars are on the limit. Kai, with the inside line, would naturally squeeze Russell."
"Given the grip difference, Russell decided to take a wider arc to completely clear Kai, focusing on his own drive. He's taking the outside line to maintain steering flow and traction efficiency, aiming for a higher exit speed to settle it in the Turn 5-6 complex."
"However, Kai broke the deadlock."
"He didn't brake late. He braked early. He hugged the apex gently, smoothing out his steering to tighten the turning radius, taking the shortest possible path to minimize the distance and get through quickly."
"In doing so, Kai also created separation, avoiding a tangled fight with Russell in the corner. He, too, focused on his own drive, relying on steering and throttle control to maximize his exit speed and pull a gap in the upcoming complex."
"Same core principle, different execution. In this game of chess, Kai thought one move ahead of Russell, extending his advantage."
Gasp!
Brundle finished his analysis in one breath, then sucked in air, staring at the track in awe.
It all came true.
Kai braked early and cut inside. Russell braked late and swung wide. The two cars, which had been wheel-to-wheel, seemed to reach a mutual agreement to part ways amicably.
The two brilliant young drivers each completed the corner in their own style, and both achieved the exit speed they wanted.
But Kai was already slotting in front of Russell. The half-car advantage became a full car length.
He got on the throttle perfectly, finding the traction window, and flowed through the S-bends in one smooth, unbroken motion. His rhythm was superior, his execution seamless, giving Russell no time to breathe. The gap opened up completely.
By the time they exited Turn 6, the race leader had officially changed to Kai.
Russell had lost pole position.
"Baby, baby, oh, baby!"
Croft went crazy, shouting with abandon. If Kai could hear the commentary, he would finally understand where Latifi had gotten the nickname.
Here was the source.
"Unbelievable!"
"Incredible!"
"Kai Zhizhou, the infant of Formula racing! He's been here a month, this is his second official race, a total baby!"
"And yet, on track, the ability and talent he displays, his handling of crises, his skill and control in extreme situations... it's jaw-dropping. He is absolutely not a baby! After Spain, he delivers another surprise. This performance is spine-tingling!"
"George Russell's first and second sectors after the start were perfect. Flawless. His line, braking, throttle, steering everything was textbook. Even a top driver couldn't do better. He maximized his car's advantage."
"But Kai was simply a level above."
"Whether it was the side-by-side in Turn 1, the counter-attack in Turn 3, or breaking the balance in Turn 4, every technical detail was perfect. Facing a top-tier performance from his rival, Kai still cleverly built an advantage, covered his weaknesses, and fully utilized the characteristics of the Red Bull Ring to complete the pass."
"Just one lap in, and we have a new leader!"
"Who could imagine that this driver is a 'little infant' who only entered the Formula world a few months ago?"
Praise, awe, wonder.
Croft almost forgot to breathe, the excitement in his chest exploding. He exchanged a look with Brundle, both their eyes filled with amazement.
Spain was a surprise; Kai had appeared out of nowhere. But they hadn't expected Austria to deliver even more. It had been a long time since GP3 had seen such a high-level duel. Both commentators were fired up.
Finally, Brundle calmed down slightly, regaining his rationality.
"Obviously, Russell won't surrender. At the Red Bull Ring, overtaking opportunities are everywhere. There are three DRS zones, and the lap is short. This means the attack and defense will be constant. The fierce battle between Russell and Kai will continue."
"But for now, let's pull our attention back and look at the replay of the start."
"Besides the battle between Kai and Russell, there was a serious collision in Turn 1."
Only when Brundle mentioned it did Croft remember. Turn 1 had been total chaos. Their attention had been so focused on the front that they had completely forgotten the mess behind.
Wait, who retired?
Croft glanced at the data. He hadn't looked before, but now he was shocked.
Just one lap in, and three drivers had retired. And Boccolacci, who started P4, had fallen to P8. What happened?
~~----------------------
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