Chapter 31: Group Photo

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Group Photo

The 56-lap race was already more than halfway through. The positions of the front-runners were quite stable, so staying in the stands mainly meant watching the chaotic battles in the mid-pack.

So, compared to watching the race, heading to the pit building was definitely more appealing.

Wu Shi barely hesitated or agonized over the decision. He quickly made his way through the barriers and was led into the pit lane by two staff members.

"You’re here!" Zhi Shiwei was wearing a windbreaker, a Big Eye News press pass hanging from her neck.

"Yeah."

Wu Shi nodded, but his eyes were darting around. ’By this point, Hamilton should have returned on the back of a scooter.’

"Who are you looking for?"

"Hamilton," Wu Shi said frankly.

"I heard he just retired from the race. Not sure if he’s back yet," Zhi Shiwei said, shaking her head.

"Reporter Zhi, you said you wanted Wu Shi to come down to help with a story. What kind of cooperation do you need?" Wu Zhenlin was more concerned with the official business.

"Oh, we invited a few reserve drivers. We were planning to have Wu Shi and them..."

Zhi Shiwei was mid-sentence when Hamilton was escorted back by the staff.

After taking off his helmet, he grabbed a towel to wipe away his sweat. The expression on his face was complex.

Wu Shi followed him directly to the McLaren pit garage.

"Hey! Kid, don’t run around in here," a staff member shouted.

"Hello, I’m a reporter from Big Eye News. We were invited to interview Hamilton," Zhi Shiwei, who was following behind, said immediately.

’Just like a journalism major. The invitation was clearly for the reserve drivers, but the moment she spoke, it became about Hamilton.’

But this was also a technique for getting things done: don’t ask for permission, just do it.

The trackside staff wasn’t aware of the specific arrangements, so they assumed she was telling the truth and let them pass.

But by the time they entered, Hamilton was already gone.

"Did he leave?"

Zhi Shiwei asked. As a reporter, she had done her homework and knew this Black driver was a huge potential news story.

"Let’s wait. He probably went to change."

For most drivers, the first thing they do after retiring from a race is get out of their racing suit. Even if the suits are custom-tailored, they’re far from comfortable.

A few minutes later, Hamilton emerged from the back.

He had short hair at the time, and his features were sharp and clear. His eyes were especially striking, like gleaming jewels.

The young Hamilton came out with a calm expression on his face. He went around patting his team principal and mechanics on the shoulder, shaking their hands, and after a few words, he even managed a smile.

’Strong.’

This was Wu Shi’s gut reaction. His long-held belief was that racing was a mental game first.

And right now, Hamilton’s demeanor showed he had completely mastered the negative emotions from his unexpected retirement. That was incredibly important!

After he finished his greetings, Zhi Shiwei, the extroverted reporter, immediately walked up to him.

Her arrival naturally surprised the staff in the pit garage, but she didn’t care in the slightest. She asked Hamilton in fluent English:

"Lewis Hamilton, hello. I’m a reporter from Big Eye Consulting. I’m very sorry about your retirement from the race just now. I was wondering what your own thoughts are on what happened?"

A brief look of confusion crossed Hamilton’s face, probably because he didn’t expect to be suddenly interviewed.

But he quickly composed himself, gave a helpless shrug, and looked out toward the track, his bright eyes on camera as he began to speak:

"Retiring on the track is a very sad thing for any driver, but it’s also something every driver has to go through. I think I’ve been very lucky. It was just at the end, the tire wear was too severe, and with the standing water at the pit entry, it was very difficult for me to control the car.

"After I went into the gravel, I called for people to help get me out. But when I saw the front-left wheel spinning freely when they pushed it, yet the car wouldn’t move, I knew I was completely stuck in the gravel.

"Without a doubt, it’s a painful thing. I had to give up the race."

Hearing these words, Wu Shi knew that Hamilton was feeling terrible inside, but he had to endure it all. This was a necessary step on his path to becoming a mature driver.

"Lewis!" someone from the team called out.

Hamilton turned his head, realizing this wasn’t an interview arranged by the team. But that didn’t matter. At this moment, he truly wanted to vent his emotions.

"Hello, Lewis! Can we get a picture together?"

Seeing that they were about to be shooed away, Wu Shi quickly spoke up. ’Otherwise, this whole trip would have been for nothing, right?’

"Of course," Hamilton nodded. He couldn’t do an interview, but just taking a picture wouldn’t violate the team’s rules.

"Let me introduce you. This is Wu Shi from Hua Country. He’s already won four races in our youngest karting division this year and is extremely passionate about racing," Zhi Shiwei added, while also waving to the cameraman behind them to get ready.

"Wow, that’s pretty good. I also came up all the way from karting," Hamilton said with a smiling nod.

"You’re my idol, but more than that, you’re the target I’m chasing! I’m going to become an F1 driver too!"

Wu Shi said with a smile as well. He admired every technically skilled driver equally, so using the word "idol" here was appropriate enough.

Hamilton didn’t think the young boy in front of him was just daydreaming. So, he pursed his lips into a kind smile, gave him two thumbs up, and said encouragingly:

"Of course. That’s a great dream. I’ll be cheering for you. I look forward to the day I see you driving in F1."

"Thank you!" Wu Shi extended his hand.

Hamilton was a little surprised, but he reached out and shook it.

CLICK~

It wasn’t just the Big Eye News cameraman taking pictures; the official race photographers were also documenting it. Footage like this was a great opportunity to showcase Hamilton.

Interacting warmly with a child from Hua Country at their home race was naturally good promotional material.

Once the chat and photos were over, Wu Shi didn’t linger.

As he left, he couldn’t help but miss the atmosphere in the pit garage. ’I really want to get back into an F1 cockpit soon.’

’In my past life, how many hardships did I have to endure to achieve that goal?’

’This life will definitely be much easier.’

’Never mind the driving experience I was born with this time around; just the race craft that improves with every vehicle I drive is enough to make me a top-tier driver!’

"Are you a fan of Hamilton’s?" On the way back, Louise suddenly asked.

"Yeah, you could say that." Wu Shi knew the girl had overheard their conversation and remembered the question he had asked her before the main race started.

"So that’s a yes, then?" Louise asked, stuffing her hands in her pockets.

"It’s not an important question," Wu Shi said, shaking his head. It wasn’t like he was some crazed superfan.

Back at the trackside, the race was down to its final single-digit laps.

The rain that followed was indecisive, only dropping a few sprinkles here and there. In the end, the track remained dry.

In the end, Kimi took the win, with Alonso finishing second. The suspense for the 2007 F1 Grand Prix World Champion would carry over to the next race.