Chapter 271: He's Playing With Me
As pre-race proceedings including the Drivers' Parade wrapped up, the clock struck 13:00 local time, and the Mexico Grand Prix warm-up lap got underway.
Conditions were ideal: air temperature held steady at 22°C, track temperature sat at a tire-friendly 56°C, and rain probability was just 10% — low enough to rule out weather-related surprises.
One Formula 1 car after another thundered through the stadium section, their engines roaring. Even with the current powertrain regulations, the visceral in-person experience remained extraordinary. Fans cheered in Spanish, their voices so loud they cut through the cockpit insulation and reached the drivers inside their helmets.
Wu Shi glanced briefly toward the grandstands before refocusing entirely on his machine. Starting from P3, he ran through his launch strategy in his mind. Of the final three races on the calendar, this one was the most manageable — a top-three finish would meet the team's target, with P2 or P3 both acceptable outcomes. He was confident of a podium, though P2 was still uncertain; failing to secure it would pile pressure onto the next two rounds. Thankfully, recent strategy meetings had yielded contingency plans, though their effectiveness remained to be seen.
Ahead, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton ran close together, showing no sign of backing off. While this suited Hamilton, it did not serve Wu Shi's interests — so he eased off the throttle slightly. But as he did, Rosberg immediately matched his pace, slowing enough to risk overcooling all drivers' tires.
"They're coordinating perfectly now," Wu Shi said over team radio to his race engineer, Jonathan.
"Correct — he's trying to bring your tires down to temperature too," Jonathan replied.
Understanding Mercedes' tactic, Wu Shi stepped back on the throttle and closed the gap. Predictably, Rosberg accelerated in turn, settling into his grid slot in the front row. Wu Shi took his place in the second row; the two Mercedes cars were aligned without side-by-side positioning, suggesting their pre-start duel had concluded.
Sebastian Vettel pulled alongside him in P4, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo took their positions further back. As the FIA Safety Car — leading last-placed Jenson Button — rolled onto the main straight, all cars were lined up and ready.
Race officials waved the green flag, which was run from the rear of the grid to the front. One by one, the red lights illuminated above the start line. Wu Shi narrowed his eyes, fixing every ounce of concentration on the display.
Swish!
The lights blinked out in an instant. Wu Shi released the clutch, gears engaged cleanly, and the car surged forward. His launch was solid and within expected parameters; Vettel got away at almost the same moment. Behind them, however, Verstappen and Ricciardo made unexpectedly quick starts.
Staying committed to the left-hand line, Wu Shi executed smooth gear changes and pushed acceleration to the car's limits. With no major errors, defending from cars behind would be straightforward. Vettel was not so fortunate — starting behind Wu Shi, he was immediately swarmed by the Red Bull pair and forced to defend left and right to avoid being outflanked.
As Wu Shi carried speed through the opening corners, he noticed movement ahead. He had assumed Rosberg would act as the team's second driver to support Hamilton's championship bid, but the German made a blistering start — his No. 6 Mercedes ran side-by-side with Hamilton's No. 44 by the midpoint of the straight. Entering Turn 1 from the inside grid slot, Rosberg claimed the apex first and took the lead.
The two teammates were battling again — and it was Rosberg, not known for strong starts, who had gained the upper hand. Wu Shi felt a surge of satisfaction as his car bounced slightly over the curbs through Turns 1 and 2, mirroring his mood. From his vantage point, he saw Hamilton's rear tires slide marginally on entry, though no time was lost.
Whoosh!
The top three pulled clear, forming a tight train. Rosberg's side of the Mercedes pit wall erupted in quiet celebration — too cautious to make noise with the team's internal tensions so visible. The broadcast director hesitated over whether to show the scene on camera.
"Lewis is just ahead — stay with him," Jonathan advised over the radio.
Wu Shi processed the instruction quickly. Hamilton needed race wins to close his 25-point gap to Wu Shi; a second-place finish would reduce his potential points gain significantly. Wu Shi's priority now was to disrupt Hamilton's rhythm and force him into tire-wearing defensive moves. Even the threat of an attack would be enough to make Hamilton push harder than necessary — a psychological battle that began the moment the lights went out.
Fixing his gaze on Hamilton's rear wing, Wu Shi felt his pulse quicken. Screech! Approaching Turn 12, he feinted to the inside, prompting an immediate defensive adjustment from the Mercedes driver. Jonathan watched the replay on the pit wall, his lips twitching — Wu Shi had understood the strategy perfectly.
While Hamilton may not have registered the tactic immediately, Mercedes' strategy team spotted it at once. "Be mindful of over-defending, Lewis — focus on re-taking the lead," his engineer Peter Bonnington (Bono) warned over the radio.
Now a veteran of the paddock, Hamilton reacted instantly. Through the next sequence of corners, he held his line with deliberate restraint.
At the end of Lap 1, the order was set: Rosberg led Hamilton by 0.6s, Wu Shi by 1.3s, Verstappen by 1.7s, and Ricciardo by 3.4s. Vettel, meanwhile, had suffered a right-rear tire puncture after contact with Ricciardo; he pitted immediately, his race plan in tatters.
By Lap 2, gaps began to stabilize — Rosberg stretched his lead over Hamilton to more than a second, while Wu Shi stayed glued to the Mercedes' gearbox, waiting for DRS to activate. On Lap 3, Hamilton suddenly picked up pace, setting a 1:24.889 lap.
"Lewis has switched to higher engine mode," Jonathan informed Wu Shi.
"Should we match it?" Wu Shi asked.
"Negative. As long as Rosberg leads, his pace won't matter. Get back within 1 second to activate DRS," Jonathan replied.
The Williams FW37's improved mechanical grip — the result of heavy R&D investment throughout the season — allowed Wu Shi to stay close, though tire wear was the trade-off. Pressure him, Wu Shi thought, gritting his teeth as he pushed deeper into the lap.
Swish! On Lap 4, he set the race's fastest lap so far: 1:24.313. He was now within Hamilton's 1-second DRS window, and with two DRS zones on the track, he could mount attacks at will.
"Mercedes now faces a dilemma," commentator Bing noted. "We've long framed Hamilton as the championship favorite — and he has all the tools to win races. But we underestimated Williams: they may not be able to take the title themselves, but they can certainly prevent Hamilton from taking it. If he doesn't win here, Wu Shi's lead becomes far more comfortable."
Co-commentator Fei shot back: "Couldn't Rosberg just let him pass now?"
"Out of the question — their rivalry is too intense," Bing stated firmly.
On track, Wu Shi used DRS and slipstream on the main straight to push his speed beyond 360kph. Hamilton could see the white Williams closing fast in his mirrors and was forced to take a defensive middle-inside line into Turn 1, even though he knew an overtake was unlikely.
"Are we going to keep doing this?" Hamilton asked Bono.
"Not indefinitely — we're in discussions," Bono replied.
In truth, Wu Shi could not sustain his current pace much longer. Though his tires were from a low-usage Q2 set, aggressive driving was taking its toll. Jonathan monitored the telemetry data closely but kept his counsel — the longer Mercedes believed Wu Shi was genuinely attacking, the more time they would spend managing Hamilton's position. Even a P4 finish would only cost Wu Shi 3 points relative to P2, a small price to pay if it stopped Hamilton from winning.
Sizzle — The Mercedes team radio crackled: "Nico, you need to let Lewis pass."
"What if Wu Shi follows through?" Rosberg countered.
Silence on the radio.
"Hahaha! I told you he wouldn't yield that easily — remember how Hamilton treated him earlier in the season?" Bing laughed.
"Rosberg has a point, though — letting Lewis by could open the door for Wu Shi too," Fei said.
"Hmm, fair — but Mercedes could always tell Rosberg to attack Wu Shi afterward," Fei added a moment later.
"Right you are!" Bing slapped the desk. "If we can think of that, so can Mercedes — which means Rosberg is just stalling for time!"
Moments later, Jonathan spoke to Wu Shi: "Save your tires now."
Wu Shi immediately backed off his lap times, protecting his rubber to complete the planned first stint.
"What's Williams playing at now?" Bing wondered aloud.
Fei fell silent, then nodded slowly. The strategy was clear: Wu Shi had pushed hard only to wear down Hamilton's tires and keep Rosberg from ceding position voluntarily. If Hamilton finished P2 and Wu Shi P3, the gap would narrow by just 3 points — leaving Wu Shi needing only consistent podiums in the final two races to secure the title.
"Third place isn't impossible for Wu Shi," David, the lead commentator, noted as he checked the timing screens. "But two P2s and a P3 would be a tall order — especially with Mercedes continuing to develop their car, just as Williams has."
Tired of the cat-and-mouse game, Hamilton eased his pace. He knew Rosberg would not yield willingly, but also that the team would intervene if needed. Then, to his frustration, Rosberg slowed too.
"Does Lewis have DRS?" Rosberg asked over his radio.
"He does, Nico — but we're not just asking you to give him DRS range. We need you to cede the position. This is a team directive, and we expect you to execute it," came the reply.
"I am executing it — but he needs to catch up first, doesn't he?" Rosberg responded calmly.
"Rosberg is clearly seeking payback," Bing observed.
"His resentment toward Hamilton runs deep," Fei agreed. Throughout the season, Hamilton had adopted an "either yield or crash" approach when attacking his teammate, and Rosberg's repeated concessions had only emboldened him.
Rodrigo, a member of the FIA's strategy group, watched the scene with a more pragmatic eye. While the broadcast team laughed at Rosberg's tactics, he knew Hamilton would almost certainly retake the lead — team dynamics always trumped driver rivalries when championships were on the line. Even if Rosberg had internal support at Mercedes due to his nationality, the decision-makers prioritized results and commercial interests above all else. Defying team orders completely would carry consequences Rosberg could not afford — contractual, professional, and public relations-related.
Rodrigo's assessment proved correct: after two laps of toying with Hamilton, Rosberg finally moved aside and let him through.
In the Williams garage, Rodrigo squeezed his headset, reviewing the pre-race contingency plans one last time. After a long pause, he said to Jonathan: "We're switching to Plan C."
Jonathan hesitated before responding: "The simulations show once the gap opens, we can't close it — not even with Wu Shi's pace."
"Then we'll have to make it work anyway, won't we?"