Car Racing without Money

Chapter 789 - 321: Time to Step Up the Intensity (Part 2)

Many people know Rosberg is German, but they don’t know he’s also a Monaco resident.This nationality combined with his looks and certain "princess-like" personality has earned him the nickname "Princess of Monaco."

Because of this, Vettel was seen as Schumacher’s successor, rather than Rosberg from almost the same era.

"Rosberg, North is very fast in this lap practice session, he’s about to overtake you."

Mercedes Race Engineer Clear reminded him, aware that Rosberg had never accepted Chen Xiangbei’s success. Finally, he awaited this home court track, possibly the only place to avenge and prove himself.

"Received, I can go faster."

Rosberg calmly replied, his tone full of confidence.

This doesn’t mean he’s unaware of his limitations, rather Rosberg truly had the strength on the Monaco Circuit.

In the later seasons from ’13 to ’15, Rosberg claimed three consecutive victories on the Monaco track, ignoring the ancient F1 records, this was the third driver after Prost and Senna to achieve a Monaco triple crown in nearly thirty years.

Neither the once-dominant Schumacher nor future Verstappen achieved this!

And considering Rosberg’s opponent, the famed seven-time champion Hamilton in his prime, further showcased the significance of this triple crown.

"GOOD, shock Monaco!"

Clear was completely confident in Rosberg’s prowess on the Monaco Circuit, unapologetically stating that the team’s internal racing simulator drives, this young man has already crushed Schumacher.

Yes, crushed, indeed!

There may be generational gaps, and Schumacher’s senior drivers’ unfamiliarity with simulators, similar to Alonso basically not using simulators much.

Yet, achieving simulator lap times to crush Schumacher, there’s likely no second person in the world.

With one press of the accelerator, Rosberg’s speed began to soar, visibly.

In the Monaco Circuit broadcast room, sat F1’s official commentator Red and local commentator Henry, as with previous races’ combinations.

As a local commentator, Henry naturally favored home driver Rosberg, seeing the speed increase and excitedly said, "OH, Rosberg’s speed in this lap is extremely fast, I sense he can surpass Vettel at the top, to announce his dominance over the Monaco Circuit!"

Henry was proud, though Rosberg held dual nationality, Monaco’s emergence of a driver competing on their home soil was already a victory.

Remember, this is a country with only thousands of residents, the chance of producing a "purebred" F1 driver is minuscule.

Of course, later on, that almost impossible chance occurred, his name is Leclerc.

"First timing section shows Rosberg’s lap is indeed very fast, obviously confident with the Monte Carlo Circuit, pushing the car to its limits, nearly consuming the entire road shoulder."

"However, we can also see Xiangbei’s first timing section is equally improving, while Vettel is preparing for another technical validation lap, it seems young drivers all hope to wear the Monaco King crown."

Red agreed with Henry simultaneously praised Chen Xiangbei and Vettel, his comments were masterful.

Yet Henry wasn’t bothered to hide his true thoughts, he immediately emphasized with certainty.

"None of them can outrun Rosberg, this lap will definitely refresh the speed leaderboard!"

"Oh, you seem quite confident?"

Red teasingly asked back.

"Of course, according to inside information from the Mercedes Team, Rosberg’s simulator lap times are fearsome."

"How fearsome?"

"Faster than Schumacher’s pole record by one second."

Initially, Red dismissed Henry’s boastful tone.

But upon hearing Rosberg could achieve simulator lap times faster than Schumacher’s pole record by a second, he couldn’t hide his surprise.

What does one second mean?

On the short and slow Monaco track, the distance from Q3 to Q1 in a qualifying race may not be within one second.

Even if it was a simulator lap time, there were slight discrepancies, it was still astonishingly exaggerated.

Implying Rosberg has the capacity to match the fastest track lap record!

Originally Red wanted to question its truthfulness, before he could ask, Rosberg’s lap time had already appeared on the large screen.

minute 12.997 seconds!

As soon as this figure appeared, the entire audience, including the team members in the pit lane, erupted in surprise.

During the practice session, everyone ran cautiously, getting familiar with the track and tuning the car and numerous slow cars obstructed the path, with average lap times circling around 1 minute 16 seconds.

Only a few top drivers broke into the 1 minute 15 seconds realm.

Rosberg’s lap directly went into the 1 minute 12 seconds realm, merely 0.3 seconds away from Schumacher’s track record.

If placed in a qualifying session, it would easily enter Q3, even in certain years, it might seize pole position!

Exaggerated, overly exaggerated.

Including Henry, he had only thought Rosberg might run into the 1 minute 14 seconds, securing the top spot in the practice session, never did he expect him to run into the 1 minute 12 seconds.

Seems the Mercedes Team members weren’t exaggerating, the simulator indeed surpassed Schumacher by a second!