Chapter 1379 - 518: The Gap Between Ideals and Reality (3)

Chapter 1379: Chapter 518: The Gap Between Ideals and Reality (3)

Even though Verstappen continued to gradually overtake Qin Miao under the worried and even desperate gaze of all Qin Miao’s fans, Verstappen’s overtaking speed began to gradually slow down after Qin Miao activated the full release mode of the ERS.

So much so that by the time they reached the T11 braking point, Qin Miao’s front wing was still dangerously stuck in the position of Verstappen’s left rear wheel.

Seeing that he did not completely overtake Qin Miao before the braking point, Verstappen immediately had a bad premonition.

How the hell do you still have power?

You’ve been running for so long, why do you still have power?

Although a bit surprised in his heart, Verstappen also knew what he would face shortly.

If nothing unexpected happens, that bastard Qin Miao will definitely brake late and compete with him for the position at T11.

Simply, Verstappen made up his mind, preparing to squeeze towards the inside where Qin Miao was little by little.

He wasn’t planning to give Qin Miao too good of a line into the corner, and being on the outside himself, he always had the advantage over Qin Miao on the outer line.

But Qin Miao’s thoughts at this moment were exactly the opposite of Verstappen’s. Qin Miao wanted to go outside to get a slightly wider line, thus allowing himself more operational space with a late brake.

...

"We can see that Verstappen overtook Qin Miao, but not completely; the last chance for braking, can Qin Miao seize it?"

"Qin Miao brakes... what?!!"

"A collision occurred, Qin Miao and Verstappen collided!"

On the track, the situation suddenly changed.

The consequences were already apparent after both drivers made the same choice at the same moment.

After all, Qin Miao was not literally a worm in Verstappen’s stomach; he couldn’t predict Verstappen’s thoughts.

In Qin Miao’s mind, at this time, the best way for Verstappen to defend against him was to take a wider line into the corner, brake late like himself, and rely on the fact that the Red Bull was faster than the Mercedes in the corners to attempt to encircle him from the outside line.

Then Verstappen would temporarily overtake him, but he would be parallel with Verstappen after exiting T11.

After all, at that time he would be on the inside line, and no matter how bad the Mercedes was at cornering, with the inside line advantage, Qin Miao didn’t believe he would be shaken off by Verstappen, given his control over the car.

Next, he and Verstappen would head to T12 together.

At T12, he would most likely be thrown behind by Verstappen because Verstappen would have the inside line.

And by the time they reached T13, Verstappen’s ERS power would be exhausted, and combined with the ruinous effect of these three non-racing lines on the already battered tires, Verstappen’s situation would only worsen.

In the hairpin of T13, he could take a cross line.

After reaching the long straight, he could rely on the terrifying acceleration and straight-line top speed of the Mercedes this season, as well as Verstappen’s slipstream, to overtake Verstappen in the straight between T13 and T14, which is the second longest after the starting straight.

The last two corners have no overtaking spots at all; even if Verstappen gets his DRS, before crossing the finish line, there’s no way for him to overtake.

Even if Verstappen really has an idea, Qin Miao doesn’t mind giving Verstappen another brake test.

As for being hit?

This is the final lap towards the finish; at most, Qin Miao would only suffer damage to the rear diffuser.

Can Verstappen really smash my gearbox?

Finally, he would win the 23rd season opener, the Bahrain Grand Prix, impressively and without danger.

Qin Miao could say that he had calculated everything that might happen next in his mind.

But Qin Miao was truly caught off guard that Verstappen would actually squeeze towards the inside line at this moment.

Don’t you want the cornering space???