After securing sixth place, Alex Sun wasted no time turning his sights on Daniel Tickton in fifth.
By now, Tickton's supersoft tyres were suffering heavy degradation. Under the hard braking into Turn 10, the La Rascasse hairpin, his wheels were visibly locking up. His braking points crept earlier and earlier, completely erasing the pace advantage he'd had at the start. On corner exit, the car even began to slide momentarily.
Alex Sun didn't rush to force a move at La Rascasse. Instead, he held a precise line through the apex.
His soft tyres still delivered consistent grip, letting him get back on full throttle earlier on exit. Tickton's supersofts, on the other hand, were completely spent—his exit line drifted wider and wider, his acceleration utterly lifeless.
Exploiting the difference, Alex Sun surged forward on the short run before Turn 12, pulling alongside and completing the pass, his nose firmly ahead.
Already unable to sustain his rhythm due to tyre degradation, Tickton had no answer. He could only watch as the gap opened, powerless to mount any response.
Alex Sun calmly stabilized the car, carried his advantage through Turn 12, and pulled clear, moving up to fifth place.
By lap 25, his next target was Yuri Vips in fourth. Vips's supersoft tyres were also at the end of their life, his pace steadily falling away—this was the perfect opportunity.
"My goodness! Overtake after overtake! Alex Sun gives Tickton absolutely no breathing room! Shadowing him through La Rascasse, then the decisive move into Turn 12—smooth, clean, all in one go!
He's like a precision machine, striking at exactly the right moment every time! From Lawson to Tickton, the supersoft tyres have been helpless against his soft tyres! He's up to fifth now, just one step from the heart of the points!"
The commentator rattled on at breakneck speed, his voice filled with disbelief.
Just as Alex Sun closed in on Vips, a sudden burst of flames flared up near Turn 11 at the Piscine section, followed by a piercing screech of metal. Mark's voice exploded over the team radio:
"Gianluca Petecof! Car 22 has lost control and hit the wall! Safety Car deployed! Lift and maintain the gap!"
Alex Sun immediately came off the throttle and brushed the brakes, his speed dropping sharply. The field bunched up into a single train as the gaps disappeared. He knew it clearly: Turn 1 after the Safety Car restart would be his final chance to pass Vips and lock in fourth place. He had to take it.
He stayed glued to Vips's rear wing, eyes fixed ahead. After 25 laps, his soft tyres had begun to fade slightly, and the car setup wasn't perfect. He reminded himself again and again—he had to seize the restart.
The cars rolled past the accident scene. Petecof's car had severe damage to the sidepod, marshals spraying foam over the remaining flames.
The Safety Car led the pack for three laps while debris was cleared. Mark came back on the radio:
"Safety Car in this lap. Vips is P4 ahead. Stick with him. The soft tyres are degrading—protect the car and pick your moment. Trust yourself. You can do it."
"Copy," Alex Sun replied calmly, his foot resting on the throttle as the revs began to rise.
The moment the Safety Car's lights went out, green lights and flags appeared at the control line—the race was back on. Alex Sun planted his foot.
Approaching Turn 1, Vips's supersoft tyres were completely past their peak. Grip was gone. He braked early, the car pitching forward and drifting toward the outside line. Alex Sun's eyes sharpened—this was it. He delayed his braking.
Nearly 0.3 seconds later than Vips, he hit the brakes, holding the inside line with authority. He could clearly feel the baseline grip his soft tyres still offered. The steering wheel responded perfectly under his fingertips as the car carved an ideal arc through the apex.
The moment he cleared the apex, his front wheels were already ahead of Vips's rear. He went straight to full throttle on exit. The position indicator on the steering wheel flicked to "4".
Fourth place.
His fingertips tingled with intense focus and a surge of excitement, yet his grip on the wheel never loosened.
"A historic moment! Alex Sun passes Vips and moves into fourth! At Turn 1 after the Safety Car restart, he seized the very last overtaking window of the race! Late braking, inside-line control, a flawless exit—this is a textbook overtake!
Who would've thought that starting on soft tyres would carry him from ninth all the way to fourth? Strategy and courage, perfectly combined—Alex Sun has proven himself in a single race!"
The commentator's voice was hoarse with excitement, igniting the atmosphere around the circuit.
The move was clean and decisive, built entirely on exploiting the fatal weakness of Vips's degrading supersoft tyres, leaving no room for retaliation.
Mark's voice burst onto the radio again:
"Final lap! Hold P4! That's five points!"
Alex Sun took a deep breath, forcing down the emotions surging in his chest, keeping his breathing steady.
A quick glance at the mirror showed Vips falling back, his pace clearly gone. Alex Sun gripped the wheel, eyes sharp and unwavering, threading the car through each corner on the optimal line—no overdriving, no lapses.
The finish lights grew closer, their glare making him instinctively narrow his eyes. As he crossed the line, he eased off the throttle and let out a long breath. The tension that had gripped him all race finally released, leaving him briefly light-headed.
From ninth to fourth—the rollercoaster was over.
"Across the line! Alex Sun finishes fourth! An unbelievable comeback! From the madness of being the only driver to start on soft tyres, to controlling the pace like a train, to slicing his way into the top four—Alex Sun has written a classic F2 Monaco comeback in a single race!
Without question, the finest performance of his career so far!"
The Sky Sports commentator, exhausted yet exhilarated, brought the broadcast to a close.
Alex Sun lifted a hand in a small wave. Through his visor, the pit lane was a blur of celebration. Prema's mechanics ran toward him waving flags, some punching the air, others hugging and jumping. Even through the helmet, the cheers were unmistakable.
Up ahead, Guanyu Zhou crossed the line to take the win, with teammate Felipe Drugovich close behind in second. UNI-Virtuosi claimed a one–two finish, while Ralph Boschung secured third.
Alex Sun gradually slowed the car on the way back to the pits. Every turn felt heavy now, the tyres clearly exhausted.
Yet his mind was calm. Mark's excited voice came over the radio once more:
"Brilliant job! Fourth place! Five points!
Also, your teammate Piastri finished ninth, and DAMS driver Marcus Armstrong set fastest lap for the extra two."
As he rolled into the pit lane, mechanics surrounded the car, patting his helmet in congratulations. Oscar Piastri, who'd finished ninth, walked over and bumped fists with him, grinning.
"You were flying today. That move was beautiful."
Alex Sun wiped the sweat from his face and smiled back.
"Well, I did start on soft tyres like a madman."
He glanced at the final classification. Roy Nissany, who had started eleventh, finished fifth—right behind him. No driver could ever be underestimated.
The flames at the Pisine section had long since faded, and the sprint race—won through patience and boldness—had come to an end.
Tomorrow, Alex Sun would finally be able to settle down and focus, searching for the perfect setup tailored to this circuit.
...
(20 Chapters Ahead)
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