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During the break after Q1, the pit lane echoed with the sharp hum of mechanical adjustments. Mark quickly caught up with Alex Sun, who had just finished the debrief, and laid out his strategy with urgency and conviction.
"We'll go out later in Q2. Wait until the others are on their flying laps before you leave the pits. You'll be able to catch their Slipstream on the straight and gain extra top speed for a quicker lap."
Alex Sun's eyes lit up. He ran through the rhythm of the circuit in his mind and nodded immediately.
"It'll work. Going out later keeps us clear of the early traffic, and the Slipstream will cut drag on the straight. I can push with more confidence."
They exchanged a glance and quickly finalized the details. At 14:37, Q2 began. As planned, Alex Sun remained in the Pit lane, eyes fixed on the live feed, waiting for the perfect release window.
Hitech Racing's Lawson set the pace first. After a warm-up lap, he launched decisively into his flying lap. The engine howled at the limit, his racing line clean and decisive, extracting every ounce of performance from the car through each corner. When he crossed the line, the timer froze at 1:54.500—provisionally P1 in Q2.
The moment Lawson completed the lap, Smedley's voice rang out with excitement.
"Brilliant! Lawson with a 1:54.500! He's provisionally on top in Q2! The Hitech car is perfectly dialed in for the supersoft tyres—his rhythm is flawless. That puts enormous pressure on the rest of the field!"
Almost simultaneously, Sky Sports commentator David Croft added,
"Q2 is heating up! Lawson has absolutely maximized the supersoft tyres on that lap. Anyone who wants to beat him will have to squeeze out every last advantage!"
The domestic live chat exploded instantly, tension and amazement blurring into a flood of messages:
"Lawson's pace is insane! 1:54.500—who can beat that?"
"Why isn't Alex Sun leaving the pits yet? Don't wait!"
"Relax, he's got a plan. Just watch him counterattack!"
"Q1 was luck. Q2 is where real skill shows. Let's go!"
In the viewing area, Rebecca Lin gripped the hem of her skirt, her palms damp with sweat. When she saw Alex Sun finally roll out of the Pit lane, her tight shoulders eased slightly, her gaze locked on the car as if she couldn't look away.
At that moment, Mark's voice came through the TR.
"Lawson's set a 1:54.500, P1 for now. Piastri is already in Sector 3 on his out-lap. You can head out—stick to the plan and take his slipstream."
Alex Sun gave a brief nod and fired up the car, easing out of the Pit lane, the entire sequence already mapped out in his head.
He needed to control the gap precisely—timing it so that as he began his flying lap, he would catch Piastri on the main straight and slot perfectly into the slipstream.
On the out-lap, he worked the supersoft tyres into their ideal window while fine-tuning his pace. He integrated everything he had learned in Q1—the elevation changes, the blind apexes—into his line, all while closely tracking Piastri's trajectory. He anticipated Piastri's rhythm with precision, preparing for a seamless transition into the slipstream later.
The Baku circuit's ultra-long main straight made the slipstream effect especially powerful. The key was distance—close enough to maximize the tow, but not so close as to compromise the car ahead's push lap.
Meanwhile, Piastri's engineer warned him over the TR:
"Alex Sun has left the pits. He's planning to take your slipstream for his flying lap."
Piastri's reply was calm and professional, with no unnecessary chatter.
"Alex Sun, I'll stick to the optimal line. You manage the gap yourself. After Turn 19, hold position. We both go flat out—no interference."
Alex Sun responded just as concisely.
"Copy. I'll follow the line. I'll manage the gap."
Piastri crossed the line first to begin his flying lap, maintaining the optimal racing line throughout.
Three seconds later, Alex Sun followed him across the line. He advanced steadily on his own trajectory, flowing through Turn 19 before entering the massive main straight.
The slipstream effect at Baku wouldn't fully materialize until the latter part of the lap. For now, it was all about his own pace and precision.
Mark's voice cut in again, urgent but controlled.
"Lawson leads with a 1:54.500. You're on your flying lap—full push! Hold the line in Sector 1. Manage tyre temps through Turns 6 and 16. Move your braking point back by 0.3 meters. Save the slipstream for the final phase!"
Alex Sun's gaze sharpened. His fingers tightened instinctively as the engine screamed up to 8,750 RPM, the roar vibrating through his helmet. He planted the throttle flat to the floor.
The car surged down the main straight. As he crossed the DRS activation line, he hit the button instantly. The rear wing adjusted, drag dropped, and the car gained another burst of speed, charging toward the start-finish line.
The moment he crossed it, his flying lap officially began.
Flat out. No lift.
His eyes locked onto the Turn 1 braking marker. At 150 meters, he came off the throttle and stamped hard on the brakes. The carbon brake discs flared bright orange, scrubbing his speed down to 143 km/h within 112 meters as he downshifted cleanly into third gear, slotting seamlessly into the corner.
The car skimmed the inside barrier, clipping the apex precisely. A slight throttle input mid-corner stabilized the revs, and at the exit he went full throttle. The supersoft tyres delivered explosive grip, firing the car out of Turn 1 with composure and authority.
Exiting Turn 1 marked the heart of Sector 1. He stayed flat through the short straight, eyes already fixed on Turn 2.
A precise brake tap at the blue marker dropped his speed from 240 km/h to 110 km/h before downshifting. He rode the curb through the corner, then hugged the left-side barrier on exit, accelerating hard and extracting every fraction of speed.
Fifty-four meters later, he reached the DRS activation line and pressed the button immediately. Drag reduced again, speed climbing rapidly as he shot toward Turn 3.
He closed DRS before turn-in, braking hard from 110 meters out to 150 km/h. A slight bounce from the right wheel over the curb was neutralized with a subtle correction of the wrist, preserving stability without sacrificing speed. He swept through Turn 3, with only a hundred meters separating him from Turn 5—the end of Sector 1 approaching fast.
Turns 4 to 6 formed a narrow, notorious danger zone. The track constricted to just eight meters wide, Armco barriers rising like walls on either side. A single mistake in line choice could mean instant disaster.
Alex Sun's gaze was razor-sharp. He anticipated the line early, braking and downshifting 45 meters out. With delicate throttle control to avoid understeer, he kept a safe but assertive distance from the barriers—neither reckless nor hesitant. As he powered out of Turn 5, he carried that momentum into the next phase of the lap, the run toward Sector 2 already unfolding ahead.
Using the curb at Turn 5 to help rotate the car, he fed in the throttle progressively rather than stabbing at it. He clipped the apex at Turn 6 and exited smoothly, speed stabilizing at 210 km/h. Not a single trace of power was wasted, nor were the tyres subjected to unnecessary strain. The supersoft tyres maintained strong grip, with wear fully under control.
Mark's voice came through again, carrying a trace of restrained satisfaction while remaining professional.
"Perfect first sector. You're 0.05 seconds faster than Lawson there. Tyre temperature at 89 degrees—excellent. Keep this up. Hold the advantage."
A faint smile touched Alex Sun's lips.
"The grip on supersoft tyres really is on another level compared to Medium tyres. There's nothing like wringing every last bit out of the car."
Croft's commentary resumed:
"Beautiful sector execution! Alex Sun isn't just quick—his tyre management is exceptional. In 38-degree heat, keeping supersoft tyre wear and temperature this controlled is remarkable, especially for a young driver.
Now comes the Castle section. Every corner here carries the risk of losing control—especially Turn 8. It's a true test for both tyre and driver."
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