Chapter 172: I Only Did My Part
The idea that "the rain will stop soon" proved to be nothing more than wishful thinking.
The downpour eased slightly, but it never truly stopped.
"Race Control notification received—Q3 preparation," Jonathan said over the radio.
"Understood," Wu Shi replied.
He said nothing more. After pulling on his balaclava and helmet, he climbed into the cockpit.
Rain-affected qualifying presents two fundamental challenges.
The first is obvious—driving in wet conditions is inherently difficult.
The second is far more unpredictable: track evolution.
If the rain lightens, the final driver on a flying lap may gain a decisive advantage.
If it intensifies, early laps become priceless.
"According to the forecast, rainfall should remain stable for the next twelve minutes," Jonathan said. "No need to worry too much about timing."
"Copy."
Wu Shi truly wasn't concerned.
Predicting the weather wasn't his responsibility. His job was simple—drive whatever the heavens delivered.
"First lap is reconnaissance," Jonathan added. "No risks. Bring the car back safely."
This was the standard concern of every engineer: a rookie's wet-weather control—no matter how dominant that rookie had been in junior categories.
Wu Shi raised an OK signal. The crew released the car.
---
Out on Track
The Williams rolled out of the pit lane and into the rain.
Without the shelter of the garage, droplets hammered against the helmet. Though the visor's hydrophobic coating shed most of it at speed, faint streaks lingered until the airflow cleared them away.
Wu Shi exited last.
Clearly, the team wanted cars ahead to carve out a visible racing line for him.
His out-lap was anything but conventional—wide arcs, sudden line changes, exaggerated steering inputs.
"What is he doing… warming intermediates?" Jonathan muttered.
No.
He was reading the surface.
The storm had washed gravel onto the racing line and scattered rubber debris across the track. Grip levels varied dramatically from one meter to the next.
Sepang's elevation changes and undulating surface meant water accumulation was wildly uneven.
By the end of the out-lap, Wu Shi had mapped it all.
"Preparing for flying lap," he said calmly. "Please update track conditions."
---
First Flying Lap
The wet tyres cut through standing water, ejecting it violently through the grooves, forming a towering wall of spray behind the car.
"In conditions like this, spray can rise over six meters," commentator David explained.
"Sepang's weather is famously unpredictable, and today is no exception."
"In wet conditions, absolute lap times drop—but the gaps between drivers increase dramatically."
He didn't say it outright, but everyone knew:
surviving without spinning already made you competitive.
"We can see both rookies—Wu Shi and Verstappen—have reached Q3," David continued.
"Wet-weather laps will be a major test."
"Both showed excellent rain performance in F3. Wu Shi dominated two wet races, while Verstappen defeated him at Norisring in the rain to win the title."
"However, Formula One is an entirely different animal."
---
Wu Shi crossed the line to begin his first flying lap.
Massa and Verstappen were also on their opening attempts.
No one pushed.
In the rain, a flying lap is often just reconnaissance.
Grip varied corner by corner. A misjudged puddle could cost tenths—or send you spinning.
Unlike road cars, F1 machines can compensate for uneven grip through differential adjustment.
But who could constantly recalibrate it in real time?
Wu Shi could.
He used the lap to absorb everything.
Every car ahead altered the surface slightly. Waiting for the final moments would only introduce more uncertainty.
After a single cool-down lap, he went again.
---
Second Flying Lap
Jonathan hesitated.
"I wouldn't recommend pushing this early—but traffic is clear."
"Mm."
Wu Shi slowed through Turn 15, weaving gently.
Only when he felt clean, stable friction beneath the tyres did he line up the main straight.
---
Full Commitment
The Williams lunged forward.
Rainwater slammed into the chassis, then vanished into the airflow.
Turn 1–Turn 2 complex.
Normally, the optimal line enters Turn 1 from the left.
But today, the right-hand side offered more consistent standing water, meaning predictable grip.
Wu Shi chose stability.
He braked late, traced a wide arc through the Ω-shaped Turn 1, clipped the exit apex, straightened the wheel—
—and flowed immediately into Turn 2.
Turn 3 opened up.
Full throttle.
The car surged, spray billowing like wings.
"Turn 4—Verstappen passing ahead," Jonathan warned.
Wu Shi adjusted his line instinctively.
In the wet, attacking kerbs meant surrendering grip.
Turns 5 and 6—the fastest directional change on the circuit—were terrifying in these conditions.
Downhill.
Low downforce.
Average speeds above 220 km/h.
Throttle control here separated the great from the reckless.
Wu Shi's inputs were microscopic.
So precise that Jonathan mistook them for chassis feedback.
---
Near Disaster
Approaching Turns 9 and 10, Jonathan warned of traffic.
Visibility vanished—white spray everywhere.
Wu Shi edged right, wheels brushing the painted line, refusing to touch the kerb.
He turned in almost parallel to the apex—
—and cut sharply into Turn 10.
His rear missed Ricciardo by centimeters.
Ricciardo slammed the brakes, barely holding the car.
He said nothing on the radio.
Only watched the rain mist vanish ahead.
---
The Final Push
Turns 11 through 14 were wide, fast, and unforgiving.
Wu Shi took them all flat.
Onto the back straight.
"Tailwind," Jonathan warned. "Brake thirty meters earlier."
Turn 15 arrived.
The rear stepped out.
Instant counter-steer.
Throttle feathered.
Grip returned.
The Williams launched forward.
The final straight opened.
Car No. 59 blasted through the rain—
and crossed the line.
---
Silence
"How much?" Claire asked.
Jonathan stared at the screen.
"…1:49.779."
The garage froze.
Rosberg's benchmark had been 1:50.376.
Wu Shi's voice came over the radio:
"I made a mistake at the end. Rain increased—too slippery. Didn't account for wind change."
Jonathan exhaled.
"No. That was phenomenal."
---
Aftermath
No one else improved.
Hamilton came closest—1:49.834, fifty-five thousandths slower.
Vettel missed by even more.
Rosberg spun.
The Williams garage exploded.
Engineers swarmed Wu Shi, lifting him off the ground.
Claire finally broke through, pulling him into a fierce embrace.
"For a moment," she whispered, eyes wet, "this feels unreal."
The pressure she carried—leading Williams while her father's health declined—was crushing.
Wu Shi had given her something priceless.
Hope.
"I'm part of the team," Wu Shi said gently. "I just did my part."
Applause erupted.
Everyone knew it was true.
---
Official Result
At 16 years and 115 days old,
Wu Shi claimed his first Formula One pole position.
The youngest pole-sitter in F1 history.
Top 10:
1. Wu Shi
2. Hamilton
3. Vettel
4. Rosberg
5. Ricciardo
6. Kvyat
7. Verstappen
8. Massa
9. Ericsson
10. Bottas (later penalized two grid places)
The paddock buzzed.
Reporters surged forward.
A storm had rewritten history at Sepang.