The autograph session was already packed with long lines, a mix of local fans and foreigners supporters who had traveled specifically for the event.
Alex Sun patiently accepted every poster and cap handed to him, his pen moving swiftly across the surface. From time to time, he would look up, meet a fan's gaze with a smile, and softly say, "Thank you for your support."
One young fan held up a model of his race car and asked which corner of the Baku circuit was the hardest to master. Alex Sun answered carefully and in detail, his tone gentle yet professional.
After the signing session came the media group interview. The reporters' questions revolved around his preparation, the progress of his new team, and his expectations for this race weekend.
Faced with sharp and probing questions, Alex Sun remained composed throughout. He neither revealed too much critical information nor brushed them off perfunctorily. A simple line—"We'll give it everything to chase a strong result, and everything else is moving forward according to plan"—neatly deflected many follow-up questions.
During the session, he also ran into Guanyu Zhou, who was taking part in the same group interview. Their eyes met, and they exchanged a knowing nod. No words were needed to establish a quiet, pre-race understanding.
In the afternoon, Alex Sun also took part in a sponsor-organized track experience event. Riding in a demonstration car, he guided sponsor representatives around the circuit, briefly explaining racing lines and speed-control points at each corner. His professional performance earned unanimous praise from the sponsors.
The entire Open Day schedule was tight but well-organized. Alex Sun maintained peak form throughout, fulfilling all event requirements while preserving both his personal image and that of the team.
When the Open Day finally came to an end, Alex Sun returned to the lounge area for a short rest, a sharp glint still lingering in his eyes.
After days of intensive training and track refinement, he had finally maxed out his Baku track proficiency at the F2 stage. He immediately invested the accumulated 10% proficiency in one go, successfully breaking through the bottleneck and stepping into the F1 Master tier, unlocking an additional 7% circuit-specific bonus.
With a single thought, the system prompt sounded in his mind, and a pale-blue driver panel appeared clearly before him:
Launch Control: 57 (60, Baku Circuit F1 – Master Tier +7%)
Driving Technique: 83 (84, Baku Circuit F1 – Master Tier +7%)
Resource Management: 55 (58, Baku Circuit F1 – Master Tier +7%)
Track Tactics: 74 (79, Baku Circuit F1 – Master Tier +7%)
Physical Endurance: 70 (74, Baku Circuit F1 – Master Tier +7%)
Emergency Reaction: 53 (56, Baku Circuit F1 – Master Tier +7%)
Alex Sun skimmed through the stats and their real-world effects, his fingers lightly tapping the table. His gaze settled on "Resource Management," confidence already taking root.
With the 10% overall consumption reduction from the "Guardian of the Machine" trait, he had found the key to breaking through in the next day's practice session.
...
The next day, Friday, June 4. On the eve of practice, the pit lane buzzed with voices and the roar of machinery as every team carried out their final preparations.
Alex Sun's race engineer, Mark, was crouched beside the car, checking tyre parameters. When he saw Alex Sun approach, he straightened up with a grin and joked, "You've poached our entire core team from the old place. Should I be calling you boss now, or can I still call you Alex Sun?"
Alex Sun bent down to check the responsiveness of the steering wheel buttons. Hearing that, he turned back with a smile. "Still Alex Sun, of course. You're my race engineer—my most trusted partner. We each do our own job."
As he spoke, he gave Mark a light pat on the shoulder, mutual understanding clear in his eyes.
Mark chuckled, instantly switching back into work mode as he pointed to the tyre stacks nearby.
"Same plan as usual? The car's already set up based on the simulator. We'll start with a set of supersofts (SS) to feel the track, adapt to real-time conditions and crosswinds. After that, we'll switch to mediums (M) for a long run and see where we need fine adjustments."
The allocation this session is two sets of M and two sets of SS. We'll run one new M for the long stint and one new SS for a flying lap. One used M has to be returned after practice, so we'll keep the remaining used M available to cover the medium requirement for qualifying.
With the plan confirmed, the mechanics immediately began fitting the first set of brand-new supersoft tyres. Mark kept his eyes on the setup data while giving instructions.
"Go straight out on the supersofts for the installation lap. Focus on how the real-time track conditions and crosswinds affect the tyres. Pay attention to your feedback and see where we need targeted adjustments."
Alex Sun nodded, pulled on his helmet, and strode toward the car, ready to head out.
As the practice flag waved, the Sky Sports F1 commentary instantly filled the circuit.
David Croft's signature, high-energy voice cut through the noise, followed closely by Martin Brundle's steady, technical analysis. One fast, one composed—the combination immediately elevated the atmosphere.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the F2 Baku Friday practice session is officially underway!" Croft announced with palpable excitement. "Every team has two sets of medium tyres and two sets of supersofts today. The strategic battle starts right from the first lap!"
Brundle's tone was calm and precise. "There are three core objectives—long runs on new medium tyres, flying laps on new supersofts, and returning used tyres while managing qualifying allocations. It's a test of teamwork between driver and crew."
Croft suddenly raised his voice, excitement surging. "Look at Alex Sun! He's heading straight out on brand-new supersofts for his installation lap! Completely opposite to everyone else running mediums! That's bold—seriously bold!"
Brundle replied coolly, with a sharp edge to his analysis. "Baku has dense high-speed corners and a bumpy street section. Supersoft tyre wear is already extreme. He's collecting data while pushing at the same time. Big ambition—now we'll see if the setup can keep up."
Alex Sun completed his first lap on supersoft tyres. As he crossed the line, the system notification sounded in his mind—mission reward unlocked: Baku Circuit–specific optimized setup concepts.
He immediately backed off and returned to the pit box. With Baku's fast corners and bumpy street sections, the grip and crosswind data from the first lap needed to be combined with the newly unlocked concepts to fully unleash the supersofts' flying-lap potential.
As soon as the car came to a stop, Alex Sun signaled to Mark, syncing over the system-provided, track-specific setup parameters. The goal wasn't just to suit the circuit, but to tailor everything precisely to his driving style.
Mark quickly cross-referenced the telemetry from the first lap, accurately capturing Alex Sun's inputs. He immediately directed the mechanics to make targeted adjustments.
Front wing downforce was increased slightly to suit Alex Sun's tendency to hug the edge through high-speed corners. Rear damper settings were fine-tuned to match his rhythm over bumpy sections. Brake balance and differential settings were optimized in parallel, bringing the car fully in line with his driving style. The entire process was fast and precise, completed in moments.
"Perfect. It matches your style exactly," Mark said firmly over the radio. "Stay on the supersofts and go for the flying lap. Just let it rip."
Alex Sun put his helmet back on and rejoined the track, launching into a full attack on the flying lap. The engine screamed as it climbed to maximum revs. The car, now perfectly suited to him, felt like an extension of his own body. It hugged the edges of high-speed corners with rock-solid stability and maintained grip through the bumps, flowing entirely to his rhythm.
He nailed every racing line with precision. The lap time on the dash flickered rapidly before locking in at 1:54.6.
That was 0.3 seconds quicker than his best pre-race simulator time, and nearly 0.15 seconds faster than any flying lap recorded so far—instantly sending him to the top of the timesheets.
A low cheer erupted in the pit box. Mark clenched his fist and slammed it onto the telemetry stand, his voice over the radio brimming with excitement.
"Beautiful, Alex Sun! A flawless flying lap! That pace crushes the field! Lift and come straight back to the pits—we're switching to mediums for the long run. Let's keep this advantage going!"
Over the radio, Alex Sun gave no extra commentary, only a calm, "Copy." A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes—the edge of someone at the top, and absolute confidence in what came next—as he guided the car steadily back toward the pit lane.
Engineers from a neighboring team leaned out to stare at the lap time on their screens, scratching their heads in disbelief. Some even forgot the tools in their hands, muttering, "How is that possible… that's a supersoft after a flying lap, and it's still that fast?"
Inside the pit box, René Rosin was also watching the times, a helpless, wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as his fingers unconsciously brushed his cuff.
Thinking back to the bet he'd made with Alex Sun, the surprise in his eyes had long faded, replaced by undeniable appreciation and admiration. He couldn't help but think to himself: This kid is improving far too fast—faster than I ever expected.
After setting the time, Alex Sun parked the car cleanly in the pit box. No further setup changes were needed—just a tyre swap to transition into long-run conditions.
The car had barely stopped when Mark hurried over, patting the cockpit cover, his voice still charged with excitement as he signaled the crew.
"The setup's spot-on. Guys, swap on the first set of new medium tyres! Alex Sun, take thirty seconds, then head back out. I'll monitor the telemetry the whole time—just run your rhythm."
The mechanics moved swiftly, completing the medium-tyre change, pressure calibration, and temperature checks with practiced efficiency, confirming everything met long-run testing standards.
Alex Sun fired the engine once more, rolled back onto the circuit, and officially began the multi-lap long-distance endurance run.
...
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