Chapter 183: Ciallo~ (∠ω<)⌒☆
Vettel heard the host's question. His voice was hoarse, almost choked with emotion.
Holding the microphone, he looked down shyly, like a rookie on his first podium.
"It's been a long time since my last win… and this is my first victory with Ferrari. I… I don't even know what to say…"
Behind him, Wu Shi wiped the champagne off his face with a towel. Hamilton glanced over and smiled, giving him a light punch on the arm.
They watched Vettel try to steady himself.
Vettel continued, voice trembling slightly.
"When the gates of Maranello opened to me, it was a dream come true. I used to watch Michael Schumacher driving for Ferrari through the fences… and now, I'm driving the red car myself."
"This is incredible."
"Today the whole team was perfect. Strategy, race pace — everything. We beat Mercedes fairly. Thank you to everyone here, and thank you to everyone back in Maranello. It's a perfect, perfect day."
Wu Shi sat beside him and took a sip of champagne.
Still not as good as ice water.
On the other side, Hamilton kept drinking, occasionally turning to wave at the crowd when the cheers rose.
Wu Shi looked past Vettel and caught the light in Hamilton's eyes.
No one knew that when Mercedes could no longer deliver championship-winning machinery, this world champion would also choose Ferrari.
At this moment, the three drivers on the podium…
might all one day become part of the same "Ferrari dream."
Eddie Jordan continued the interview.
"Do you believe you can win a world championship with Ferrari?"
Wu Shi watched Vettel closely.
Vettel smiled.
"I hope so. That's why I signed with Ferrari. That's my goal — my mission. I want to bring the world championship back to Maranello."
As he spoke, his smile grew wider, as if he could already see that future.
Wu Shi glanced at Hamilton.
Hamilton kept smiling — but his eyes were distant.
What was this champion thinking right now?
Eddie Jordan nodded, then turned to the crowd and shouted:
"Ladies and gentlemen — Ferrari are back!"
"FERRARI ARE BACK!!!"
Vettel stood up and waved both hands.
The circuit exploded in cheers.
The Malaysian Grand Prix was over.
---
But Formula 1 is never just about the three hundred kilometers on track.
The paddock stories and fan debates are just as much a part of the sport.
After two races, Hamilton and Vettel each had a win.
Naturally, the hottest topic was Ferrari's so-called "resurgence."
Some fans were already talking about a new dynasty.
Others were less convinced.
"Ferrari won this race mainly because of tire degradation. James Allison said the SF15-T was very gentle on the tires in high temperatures. Tire wear varies hugely from track to track — it's too early to say Ferrari is truly back."
But rational analysis rarely won popularity contests.
"Didn't you see Vettel pulling away every lap? If it was just tires, why couldn't Hamilton and Wu Shi close two seconds per lap on fresher rubber?"
"Mercedes and Williams are only strong because of engines. Once Ferrari's engine catches up, they're done!"
At the same time, people were also watching the championship standings.
"Mercedes still leads the Constructors', but it's not safe anymore."
"That's because Rosberg is dragging them down."
"If you say that, isn't Williams also dragged down by Massa? Wu Shi keeps getting podiums in that car — why can't Massa?"
"Stop arguing. Kimi only scored ten points. Once both Ferraris start scoring together, everyone ahead will be in trouble."
"By the way… Wu Shi is actually third in the standings. He's nine points ahead of Rosberg."
"…That rookie is terrifying."
"And next race is Shanghai. What will he do in his home Grand Prix?"
"Isn't Wu Shi's home race Italy?"
IP: Italy.
"???"
Red Bull also became a frequent punchline.
Toro Rosso once again outscored Red Bull Racing. The one-point gap between rookie Verstappen and Ricciardo was downright embarrassing.
But for Red Bull, this kind of thing wasn't exactly new.
Still, some fans began speculating seriously.
"Looks like Verstappen might get promoted to Red Bull soon. Kvyat could be demoted."
"Already?"
The rumors had no solid basis, but with Red Bull's ruthless promotion system, nothing felt impossible.
Most people still believed it wouldn't happen this early in the season.
---
None of the outside noise mattered to Wu Shi.
He was already back at the Williams factory, working on car setup and development.
With every race, he understood the FW37 a little better. Large amounts of feedback and data were being fed back to the engineers.
Williams and Mercedes shared the same power unit, so in theory the performance gap shouldn't be huge.
But from Massa's struggles, it was clear the FW37 still couldn't match the W06 in overall balance and aero efficiency.
"Are you familiar with the Shanghai circuit?" Jonathan asked.
Wu Shi scratched his head awkwardly.
"I've never raced there… but I watched the 2007 Chinese Grand Prix. So… kind of familiar?"
The female engineer beside them burst out laughing.
Jonathan shook his head, smiling.
"Track-specific setup is extremely important. If you have any reference points, we can fine-tune things more accurately."
Wu Shi paused.
Was he actually getting personalized setup input?
For midfield teams with limited budgets, it was normal to prioritize one driver once results justified it.
"I have some ideas. I'll try them on the simulator first," Wu Shi said.
"Good. Let's start there."
He climbed into the simulator.
In this life, Shanghai was unfamiliar.
But in his previous life — he knew it very well.
Sepang and Shanghai were both designed by Hermann Tilke, and their corner sequences shared similarities. But the climate was completely different, and that meant very different setup priorities.
F1 setup was never just about stiffening or softening suspension. It was an entire system — aero balance, differential, braking stability, tire management.
Wu Shi's role wasn't to tune the car himself, but to describe exactly where the car felt slow, unstable, or limited — and why.
Simulator.
Data.
Debrief.
Adjustments.
Two weeks passed quickly.
The day before flying to Shanghai, Louise called.
"Ciallo~ (∠ω<)⌒☆"
"…?"
Wu Shi froze.
"Why aren't you talking?" Louise laughed.
"I… didn't understand. My brain stalled."
"It's a mix of Italian ciao and English hello. A greeting~"
Wu Shi wisely did not ask where she learned that from.
Asking further might lead to dangerous territory.
"And Mom and I already decided — we're going to the Chinese Grand Prix together!"
"Oh? That's great. You skipped the first two races, it really felt like I was fighting alone," Wu Shi joked.
Old Verstappen, on the other hand, attended every race.
But that was different — he was already part of the F1 paddock with Max.
"I wanted to go to Australia, but I had exams. And Mom wouldn't let me go to Malaysia either — she said it wasn't safe," Louise sighed.