The afternoon races finished early. After dinner, back at the hotel, Liam couldn't sleep. He took a shower and picked up a book to pass the time.
"Hi~! Liam!" Louise jumped onto his bed. She glanced at the complex English text on the page, instantly lost interest, and leaned against Liam's shoulder.
"Liam, Mamma said you might come to Italy. Should I teach you Italian first?"
Liam looked at Louise, feigning confusion.
"Argh! So annoying! Mamma, come translate!" Louise shouted.
Hiss!
The little girl's piercing shriek made Liam wince and turn his head away.
"Louise, stop bothering Liam. Let him rest," Martina scolded gently from the other side of the room.
"But isn't he going to Italy? I want to teach him Italian."
"I think hiring a professional tutor would be better. Your thick accent isn't exactly suitable for teaching," Martina teased.
It was true. Louise's English was heavily accented with Italian flair. For a fluent speaker, it was charming, but for a beginner, it was a recipe for disaster.
In reality, Liam already spoke fluent Italian. In his past life, as a Ferrari F1 driver, he'd spent years living in Maranello.
Speaking of which... at my age, won't I be entering F1 around the same time as Leclerc?
Liam suppressed a smile. There was a good chance he might steal Leclerc's Ferrari seat before Charles even got there.
In his previous life, by the time he reached F1, Leclerc was already a veteran, while Liam was the hotshot rookie.
But then he remembered Ferrari's notoriously chaotic strategy calls, and his smile vanished.
As a Ferrari driver, you had to be your own strategist. Otherwise, there was a 90% chance the pit wall would ruin your race.
I wonder what exactly Martina does over there. I need to ask Dad about the details.
If he could secure backing from Italian corporate interests early on, it would give him significant political leverage within the team.
F1 wasn't just about driving fast. Internal politics and paddock power struggles were half the battle.
Liam's thoughts wandered for a moment. When he turned back, he realized Louise had fallen asleep leaning against him.
This kid... sleeps like a log.
He was envious.
At his age, he should have been sleeping soundly too. But his mind was too heavy. He'd never enjoyed the luxury of hitting the pillow and instantly drifting off.
"So? Isn't Louise cute when she's quiet?" Martina walked out of the bathroom, drying her hair.
"Yeah. Like a doll," Liam nodded, not feeling embarrassed at all.
She really did look like a doll—delicate features, platinum-blonde hair. She definitely fit his aesthetic preferences. Who didn't have a soft spot for white hair?
"It's just that sometimes she's too annoying. Always making noise."
"She's a kid. It's nor—" Liam cut himself off. That sounded weird coming from me.
"Pfft!" Martina laughed. "Aren't you a 'kid' too? You talk like an old man."
"Hehe." Liam put on his best innocent smile.
"Alright, get ready for bed. You need your rest."
Martina came over and gently picked up the sleeping Louise.
Liam tossed his book onto the nightstand and stretched. He wanted to stay up late, but there was no opportunity.
Besides, it was 2007. Staying up late meant either watching cable TV or... staring at the wall. Not much to do.
The next morning began with an opening ceremony. Local officials gave speeches congratulating everyone on their "sportsmanship," delaying the actual racing. Finally, it was time for the Pre-Final.
Based on yesterday's heat results, Liam had three wins (0 points) and started on Pole Position.
Tyler was P2. He had only lost one heat (against Liam), scoring 2 points.
Linus was P3. He had three 2nd place finishes, scoring 6 points.
Zach was P4. He had a rough run against Liam (5th place) but recovered in other heats, totaling 10 points.
Since all 21 drivers were on the grid, the Pre-Final would use a rolling start.
"Hi, I'm Tyler. After the race, can I ask you some questions?"
Before they headed to the grid, Tyler found Liam.
"Oh, sure," Liam nodded. He was always generous with fellow racers who genuinely wanted to improve.
"Me too! Liam! Please teach me! How do you take Turn 1?!" Zach ran over as well.
Not far away, Linus put on his helmet with a stiff expression, ignoring them.
At the pit exit, the karts lined up in grid order.
The race director waved, signaling Liam to lead the field out for the warm-up lap.
Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!
The Cadet Class Pre-Final was underway!
In the grandstand, Martina spoke to Mr. Chen. "Liam's talent really is exceptional."
"Yeah, I can see that. I went to Shanghai a few days ago. Too bad Ma Qinghua is already training with another team, or I'd try to get him here as a coach," Mr. Chen said.
"Ma Qinghua?" Martina asked.
"2004 Asian Formula Renault Challenge champion. Also the ICA Karting Champion in Shanghai."
"Oh, impressive. How old is he?"
"Around twenty, I think," Mr. Chen said, his expression darkening slightly.
"Is he planning to go to Europe?"
"Heard he has plans. Trying to break into formula racing," Mr. Chen replied.
"He's starting a bit late," Martina noted with a hint of regret.
Mr. Chen didn't reply. That was his worry too. Even someone as talented as Ma Qinghua waited until he was twenty to have the funding and resume for serious formula cars. What about Liam?
He knew Arthur Vance was wealthy, but money was just the entry ticket. To go all the way, you needed connections.
Back on track, the warm-up and formation laps were complete. The race director took a deep breath and waved the green flag.
The Pre-Final was live!
Vroom!
Karts surged forward. Several drivers pulled out of line immediately, making the main straight a chaotic mess of weaving machines.
The young drivers had to juggle overtaking opportunities while avoiding collisions in the pack.
Whoosh!
Liam executed his trademark light-braking entry into Turn 1, instantly pulling a 0.3-second gap on P2.
The coaches watched intently, trying to decipher his technique.
"I don't get it!"
"Me neither." Two coaches shook their heads.
"What's wrong with the last two karts? Engine trouble?"
On the track, two backmarkers kept reaching back to adjust their carburetors. It looked like they might retire due to mechanical issues.
"Hey, isn't that your kid? What's going on?" A mother asked the man next to her.
"Uh, I don't know," the parent shook his head awkwardly. He knew exactly what was going on. But hey, five thousand dollars was five thousand dollars.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Liam quickly completed the first lap. As he approached the Turn 1 complex again, he saw the two slow karts ahead. He adjusted his line early to lap them safely.
Even though he was leading, the gap wasn't huge yet. Tyler and Zach were pushing hard behind him. If he got held up by traffic, they would close in instantly.
Marshals were waving blue flags, ordering the backmarkers to yield.
The racing line opened up. Liam checked over his shoulder—still clear.
But just then, one of the slow karts suddenly swerved, cutting directly across his nose.
Shit!
Liam was startled. He hadn't expected such a blatant move.
He yanked the wheel and slammed the brakes simultaneously.
Screech!
Bang!
Rubber shrieked against asphalt. Despite his reaction, his left front tire clipped the rear bumper of Kart #315.
What the hell are you doing?!
He managed to avoid a catastrophic crash, but the momentum loss was massive. In that split second of hesitation, Tyler's kart shot past him on the inside.