Chapter 255: Good News
During the final awards ceremony, the Italian fans, with a very high tifosi content, cheered enthusiastically.
This is one of the few places where so many fans remain on the track after the race to celebrate with the winners.
Most of them were wearing Scuderia Ferrari team uniforms.
The tifosi are probably the least demanding group of fans.
They have an extremely high tolerance for the team and the drivers.
For example, they now consider it perfectly normal that the newly joined four-time World Champion did not defeat Hamilton and Wu Shi.
After all, the immense power of the Mercedes engine was already demonstrated at the beginning of this season.
And Wu Shi is even the leader in the Drivers' Championship standings.
The tifosi's self-PUA skill is MAX; Vettel making it to the podium today is already something to celebrate.
Scuderia Ferrari, win!
Of course, a large number of tifosi, or rather Italian fans, also cheered enthusiastically for Wu Shi's podium finish.
Even when Wu Shi stood on the podium, he could see many people below holding photos of him in a karting car when he was a child.
He greeted these people warmly, but most importantly, he greeted Louise, who was standing next to the team members.
After opening the champagne, Wu Shi deliberately sprayed the team area below the stage again and again.
Of course, he only sprayed twice before he was ambushed by Hamilton.
So he sprayed back.
After the awards ceremony and interviews, Wu Shi walked back holding the trophy and met Louise, who had come to greet him.
The young girl wasn't afraid of the champagne and sweat on him, and she stepped forward for a tight hug.
"You were amazing!"
"Haha, thank you!"
The two walked to the paddock together.
As soon as he returned to the paddock, Wu Shi saw Jonathan approaching:
"I have good news."
"Have our R&D efforts made a breakthrough?" Wu Shi joked.
"No."
Jonathan shook his head, a smile on his face:
"Just now, the race stewards are investigating Mercedes."
"Oh?" Wu Shi was surprised.
"Their tyre pressure settings were a bit low at the start; Hamilton's was 0.02 bar too low, and Rosberg's was 0.08 bar too low."
"Oh, will that result in disqualification?"
Wu Shi was very concerned about this. Although he had just celebrated with Hamilton, it didn't stop him from hoping Hamilton's result would be cancelled.
The fight for the World Championship has always been like this.
"Mercedes is currently communicating with the stewards, and the result may still take some time," Jonathan said.
Wu Shi was about to ask if the Williams Racing Team would exert pressure, but Jonathan seemed to read his mind and immediately said:
"No, we won't express any opinions this time. Don't forget, our engine is supplied by Mercedes."
"Alright."
Wu Shi could also understand that if he and Hamilton had crashed, then Williams would certainly argue for its driver.
But merely some irregularities on Mercedes' part, Williams would not kick them when they were down.
"Second place was our expectation, don't worry too much, the season is still long," Jonathan said.
"Yes, the season is still long. If only it could end now."
Wu Shi smiled bitterly.
On the other side, Rosberg was being interviewed.
"Nico, we've seen that your performance throughout the weekend seemed to have some issues.
"You mentioned before that it was due to some problems with the engine.
"Can you tell us what exactly led to such an unsatisfactory result for you in this race?"
Rosberg stroked his less-than-bright golden hair and said:
"This race was very difficult. In fact, at the start, my engine power was relatively low, so I had to compromise throughout the race.
"And my luck was also a bit bad. I don't know if it was because we took too many risks, but in the end, the engine blew up.
"However, although I lost a lot of points here, I don't think this will hinder me from continuing to contend for the World Championship.
"I will still fight for the World Championship because I don't know what it means to give up."
Wu Shi happened to catch Rosberg's live interview.
Strong opponents are not only Hamilton but also Rosberg.
Although Rosberg is far from the Championship fight, he can prevent Wu Shi from scoring points.
After the Italian Grand Prix, the Williams Racing Team did not immediately return but stayed locally for promotional activities.
Wu Shi and Massa both participated in the events, and it just so happened that both of them had some ties to Italy.
First was a fan meet-and-greet, signing some Williams merchandise.
Unexpectedly, the T-shirts and hats sold quite well.
"Get ready, the next activity is answering 10 questions," Gianfranco came up and whispered to Wu Shi.
"Oh, can I know what the questions are in advance?" Wu Shi asked.
Gianfranco smiled politely.
"Don't mess this up! What if they ask questions I can't answer?" Wu Shi was anxious.
"Don't worry, we will vet the questions," Gianfranco patted him.
"This should be your first time participating in such an event?" Massa asked after signing a hat.
"Yes, I remember the race organisers held a few before, but I didn't participate in any of them," Wu Shi nodded.
"Then I'll teach you a secret," Massa said mysteriously.
"What secret?" Wu Shi asked.
"You don't have to tell the truth," Massa laughed.
"Did you always tell the truth on camera before?" Wu Shi retorted.
"Oh, don't say that. At least my arguments with Alonso before were real," Massa said.
"But you two argue, yet you're still good friends. I saw a quote in the media before," Wu Shi said.
"What?" Massa was a bit curious.
"They said the two drivers who argued the most fiercely in the paddock are still close friends, while the two drivers who embraced each other in 2014 have now become sworn enemies."
After hearing this, Massa quietly signed some autographs before continuing:
"That's how racing is. You can't expect a group of drivers who fight at deadly speeds every day to calmly discuss friendship."
"Hmm, it's good to separate what happens on and off the track. Like me, I've made all the preparations," Wu Shi said with a hint of ease.
"What preparations?" Massa asked again.
"I've prepared to do everything possible to win on the track. This might hurt others, but that's just track business. Once we're off the track, we don't discuss those things."
Massa listened, looked at Wu Shi, and smiled, but said nothing. He turned back to continue signing, and then, as if something came to mind, he smiled again.
"Many points battles don't just happen on the track; they also happen off the track. You just haven't experienced it yet," Massa said.
Wu Shi was somewhat silent after hearing that.
Why do people always like to talk about paddock politics when discussing the paddock?
That's naturally because in the history of F1's development, at least in the 20 years around the millennium, too many things happened.
And Massa was a personal witness to these events.
Things like 'Spygate' and 'Crashgate' can be summarised in three words: how much behind-the-scenes manoeuvring was there?
Take 'Crashgate' for example; if Piquet Jr. hadn't revealed it himself, that secret might have been buried forever.
"Sometimes you feel very powerless. I know you want to maintain sufficiently friendly relationships with everyone.
"But in the paddock, when you sit in the car of a certain team, you are not just one person.
"The things you do might not be your original intention, but the team, for some benefit, will demand that you execute them. In such a situation, what do you do?"
Wu Shi knew that the things Massa was talking about would definitely harm other drivers.
"Alright."
Wu Shi pursed his lips and did not continue the topic.
Massa's career had too many regrets.
After the signing session, the fan-favourite Q&A segment began.
"We've selected 10 questions from those submitted by fans for you to answer," the host said with a beaming smile.
"Oh, no problem," Massa nodded.
"I'm a bit curious what questions they'll ask?" Wu Shi laughed.
The host made an exaggerated expression and said:
"Then do you want to know who these 10 questions are mainly aimed at?"
Seeing the host's demeanour, Wu Shi had a premonition. He made a surprised expression and pointed to himself.
"That's right, it's you," the host smiled even more happily, then looked at the cue card and said:
"Let me see what the first question is. Hmm, the first question is for Wu Shi."
"A fan asked, do you have a girlfriend now?"
"Oh, why is the first question such a private one?"
Wu Shi scratched his head and said, "NO."
"If it's the kind of confirmed relationship, then not yet."
He then added.
The host widened her eyes and nodded, then shouted to the crowd:
"Girls, pay close attention! This is a great opportunity!"
"Alright, let's look at the second question.
"This is for Felipe, how is your relationship with Wu Shi?"
The host asked.
Massa held the microphone and answered with a smile: "Very good, as you can see."
Subsequently, the host asked several questions.
As expected, they were all pre-selected by Gianfranco, with no extremely difficult questions to answer.
The main purpose of such events is to allow F1 drivers and fans to interact well and show their unknown side off the track.
"If possible, I still don't really like participating in these activities," Wu Shi scratched his head.
"This is unavoidable; the FIA will also organise many events," Massa said.
The Italian Grand Prix ended with Hamilton's victory.
The race stewards ultimately did not penalise Hamilton for the tyre pressure issue.
According to Mercedes' explanation, this was because the tyre warmers had an issue, leading to an error in the initial tyre pressure setting.
This was very concerning for Wu Shi, as his lead in the Drivers' Championship standings was now only 11 points.
Hamilton's pursuit was so strong that many media outlets were speculating how long Wu Shi's points lead could last.
Some places even opened betting, saying that Wu Shi would lose his lead in the standings in as few as a few more Grands Prix.
This kind of public clamour was fuelled by some people behind the scenes, and others wanted to profit from it.
The British media was very active, with the BBC, which had a grudge against Wu Shi, stating directly:
"Wu Shi will end his lead in the standings at the Singapore Grand Prix."
Wu Shi, unwilling to tolerate the BBC, posted a message on social media:
"The BBC is a good media outlet, if they could just keep their mouths shut. Perhaps they've dealt with animals for so long that they're no longer good at normal human communication."
These words naturally sparked considerable controversy, as the generalisation was too broad.
Other, slightly better media, in fair predictions, also believed that Wu Shi would leave the top of the standings in at most two Grands Prix.
The Italian media, however, stood with Wu Shi, believing:
"Hamilton's victory stems from the team's resource allocation. If Rosberg and Hamilton were allowed to compete normally, then perhaps Wu Shi could still lead after a few more races."
The Italian media's statement was very interesting, subtly criticising Mercedes, and in reality, they probably hoped that Mercedes would experience some turmoil as a result.
After all, the Italian media not only spoke in support of Wu Shi, but they were more concerned about whether Scuderia Ferrari had a chance to take a bite out of Mercedes.
Of course, these media outlets attacking each other after each race, supporting their respective sides, had long become a norm.
Most fans also followed along, enjoying the gossip and spectacle.
A small number of overly emotional fans would cause a stir on social media.
However, no matter what the public opinion was, ultimately, it still came down to the race results.
So, before the Grand Prix ended, many uncertainties remained in the race.
The truly significant insider news was Bernie Ecclestone's condemnation of the current overly democratic governance of F1.
This was affecting F1's development.
In fact, his underlying purpose was to criticise the FIA for not actively envisioning changes to the sport during its development.
This has led the sport to face a very significant financial crisis.
But Jean Todt had more considerations. Whether it was forming a Strategy Group or formulating technical standards for manufacturers through consultative agreements, it was actually to coordinate the interests of all parties.
F1 is a very expensive sport. To ensure a sport's long-term success, it is essential to guarantee its economic benefits.
At the same time, it is also necessary to protect the interests of all parties participating in the sport.
Therefore, the FIA finds itself in a very difficult position.
And a week before the Singapore Grand Prix, a massive fire broke out on Sumatra Island.
The thick haze produced by this fire enveloped Singapore, making Singapore's air quality very poor.
This would not only affect the drivers' visibility but also impact their health.
Therefore, the Singapore Grand Prix was at risk of cancellation.
Mercedes stated that every Grand Prix has its significance and should not be cancelled for some reasons.
In reality, they were afraid that cancelling a Grand Prix would reduce Hamilton's opportunities to gain points.
Williams remained silent.
Fortunately, by Wednesday of race week, air quality continuously improved, and the Grand Prix would not be cancelled.
Button did express some concerns in the media. He hoped that the air quality would be better over the weekend, otherwise, drivers inhaling these fumes would have a very significant impact on their health.
It is well known that F1 drivers' heart rates can reach as high as 190 while driving a race car.
In such a situation, breathing is very rapid and requires a large intake of air. If the air quality is too poor, then let alone an entire race, a driver's lungs might burst halfway through.
It is normal for Button to have such concerns.
However, to ensure the smooth running of the Grand Prix, Singapore was also working hard to improve air quality.
And this year's Singapore track was different from last year.
There were slight modifications between Turn 11 and Turn 13, causing a change in the contour of Turn 12.
The Singapore track is like this, with frequent changes in recent years.