Chapter 274: There Are Such Drivers Every Year
Race cars trickled past the main straight at walking speed, all passing the Williams parked against the guardrail. The rear, once engulfed in flames, was now smothered in thick white ash.
"Wu Shi? What happened – is he okay?" Max Verstappen asked his team over the radio.
"He's fine. Won the race – an incredible drive."
"Haha, typical of him! Mercedes is in for it now," Verstappen laughed.
Wu Shi made his way down the pit lane, where the entire Williams crew waited eagerly. Claire Williams had held them back – veterans of the paddock knew that when on-track chances shrink, off-track maneuvering often rises.
"Congratulations! Another phenomenal win!" Claire said as he approached.
"Thank you – we did this together," Wu Shi replied, exhaustion softening his excitement.
Behind him, engineers erupted in cheers. Jonathan walked over, clapped his shoulder, sized him up, then smiled: "Great job. Time for the podium."
Hamilton parked his Mercedes beside the second-place marker and sat inside for a long moment before climbing out. Nico Rosberg, already greeting his crew by the fence, turned to him: "Tough break."
Hamilton ignored him, removing his helmet and heading for the drivers' corridor. Rosberg smiled – he didn't mind seeing his teammate frustrated.
In the lounge, a slow-motion replay played on TV: smoke had begun seeping from the Williams' rear before the finish line, with the explosion only striking as Wu Shi crossed. A fraction earlier, and victory would have been Hamilton's.
But racing has no "what-ifs."
Rosberg replayed the moment in his mind while Hamilton sat nearby, dabbing his face with a towel. Then Wu Shi entered.
"Hey Wu – lucky break, mate! Congratulations!" Rosberg beamed, stepping forward to shake hands.
Rarely had Rosberg been so warm, but Wu Shi didn't dwell on it. "Maybe luck's part of the package?" he said with a raised eyebrow. Only he knew how tightly he'd clung to control in the final lap.
"Absolutely – no denying that," Rosberg laughed.
The host's voice echoed from outside; event staff signaled the podium trio to head out. Wu Shi should have led, but Rosberg stepped forward wearing an oversized black wide-brimmed hat – nearly half a meter across, catching Wu Shi's eye.
The corridor to the podium was lined with Mexican performers in traditional dress. They paused at the entrance, where Hamilton finally spoke: "Congratulations – that was a hell of a race."
"Thank you!" Wu Shi turned to reply.
One by one, they ascended the podium.
The ceremony was staged at the track's center. As Wu Shi waved to the crowd, the Williams garage section roared. Stands behind remained packed, fans cheering without pause.
The national anthem played, flags unfurling in the breeze. When it ended, Wu Shi donned the wide-brimmed hat as Mexico's Foreign Minister presented the trophy. Though light in weight, it felt heavy as he lifted it high – a gesture met with deafening cheers.
Bang!
Confetti exploded in red, white, and green; colored smoke billowed from around the stadium. After 23 years away, F1 had returned to Mexico – and the country had welcomed it with unmatched fervor.
Champagne sprayed between the three drivers before the interviewer took the stage. Wu Shi did a double-take: it was Nigel Mansell – 1992 F1 World Champion, and a Williams legend.
Mansell, whose Mexican Spanish was shaky at best, shouted "Viva México!" to the stands. The crowd roared back despite his mispronunciation. He turned to Wu Shi with a grin:
"Wu Shi! Congratulations on this incredible win! We saw your engine let go right after the line – but you held on to take it!"
Wu Shi waved to the crowd in fluent Spanish before answering:
"It was a tough fight. In qualifying, we knew Mercedes had the edge – our pre-race target was second place, so we planned to stretch the second stint as long as possible to save tires for a late charge."
Mansell cut in: "That 'stretching' led to the safety car. What was going through your head when you were behind it?"
Wu Shi wiped sweat from his brow: "Pure excitement. The car was moving slow, but my heart was racing faster than on any straight. I knew victory was within reach – all that mattered was me and the car.
"Of course, this isn't the end. The engine's destroyed, so we'll face a grid penalty next time out. But I have to thank the team for their work this weekend, and all the amazing fans here today!"
Another wave to the crowd drew thunderous applause – excellence always earns respect.
"Williams hasn't had a title contender in 17 years – you're the closest they've come in 18!" Mansell said. "I won my only championship there, so this feels special. I can't wait to see how the season ends!"
He moved to Hamilton, whose expression was stone-cold: "Lewis, your pace was strong all day, but the safety car changed everything. We heard some back-and-forth with the team during your last stop."
Hamilton shifted his weight, then spoke: "I thought medium tires could go the distance, but the team was right. Without their call, degraded rubber would have cost me position. We were solid all weekend – just had some late surprises."
Mansell nodded and moved to Rosberg: "Nico! You've been quick all weekend, even if third was the result today. We know you're capable of more."
"YES!" Rosberg emphasized first, then smiled: "The next races will be harder, but I'll bring everything I have for the team."
His answer neatly sidestepped questions about team orders.
Only when the interviews ended did fans begin filing out – a scene that moved FIA and F1 officials alike. Who says the sport is losing its spark?
As Mexico's fervor lingered, debate over the final laps intensified. With this win, the championship scales had tipped decisively toward F1's youngest ever front-runner – the gap between Wu Shi and Hamilton now stood at 32 points. Even skeptical media could no longer claim Hamilton would retain his title.
A 10-place grid penalty at the next race would barely matter: Wu Shi needed just one point there, then second place in the finale to secure the crown. The title was now in his hands.
Commentators focused on his consistency – aside from a qualifying error in Monaco, the rookie had made no major mistakes all season. Pair that with a reliable car, and results were inevitable.
Reporters swarmed the paddock looking for headlines. When they asked Sebastian Vettel about his late-race incident, he frowned:
"F1 is about pushing limits – a small slip can end it. Reasons vary: grip loss, late braking… there's no 'perfect timing' for mistakes."
Their provocative tone drew criticism from most teams – though not Mercedes. When pressed on his late pit strategy, Wu Shi was blunt:
"Like I said – we were saving for a last-ditch push with soft tires. It might have looked impossible, but 'impossible' isn't a reason to quit. When the world title's on the line, do you really say 'the odds are too low'?"
The response silenced follow-ups, so reporters turned to Toto Wolff: "If you hadn't swapped Rosberg and Hamilton earlier, would the result have changed?"
Wolff's face tightened. Truthfully, newer tires for Hamilton might have turned the race – but he held his ground:
"What's done is done. Our strategy was sound, and without the safety car, we'd have gotten Lewis over the line. F1 is full of surprises – we're focused on the final two races."
When asked about Wu Shi nearly joining Mercedes before the season, Wolff's jaw clenched. At the time, the board had seen no reason to choose a rookie over their proven duo. Now, he spoke calmly:
"Our relationship with Wu is good – his move to Williams came down to many factors. Discussing it now won't help; we're looking forward, not back."
Hype around the race refused to fade. Highlight reels of Wu Shi spread across YouTube – some from China, others edited by fans worldwide – showcasing his overtakes, defensive battles, "Starry Lap" qualifying runs, and unexpected wins. The Mexico clip, with its tense duels and finish-line flames, was the most shared.
Comments flooded in:
- "This is pure legend material!"
- "How does he get so close to the edge without going over?!"
- "The flames at the end were insane – is that even legal?!"
- "Will we see the youngest WDC ever? Go WU!"
His fame surged beyond motorsport, pushing F1's search rankings upward and flooding his Instagram with new followers. For first-time viewers, he'd become an idol – a reason to tune in.
In France, Jules Bianchi watched the videos too. Having partnered with Wu Shi to support young drivers, he told kids at his kart track: "This is what a racer looks like." Many went home asking to watch more, and while some parents encouraged them ("Be like him"), others hesitated: "It might discourage you – he's on another level."
Critics still tried to diminish his achievements, but nothing could change the reality: Wu Shi had one foot firmly in the World Drivers' Championship door.
Legendary breakout stars always breathe new life into sports – and F1 was no exception. Bernie Ecclestone posted on social media: "F1 is magic because every year, drivers like this arrive to write new legends."
Old fans pushed back immediately:
- "Bullshit! 2014 was boring as hell!"
- "Every year? You're delusional – step aside and let someone with vision lead!"
Bernie rarely read comments, but he knew dissatisfaction ran deep. The Strategy Group had been formed to fix F1's dull stretches – without Williams' rise this year, races would have been little more than Mercedes infighting.
He also knew what lay ahead: Williams, having poured all resources into this season's car, would face a steep decline in 2016. Other teams had invested heavily in next year's development; Williams had borrowed from the future to chase a title.
A driver's championship would make the gamble worth it – but it wouldn't stop them from falling back. By 2016, the sport might return to predictable races, with champions decided long before the final round.
What fun is that?