"It's a good thing."
"I have always believed that racing, like all competitive sports, relies on fresh blood to sustain its future. That is why I have always kept a close eye on the performance of young drivers."
"Kai's meteoric rise, I think, is good for the entire sport. He shows us more possibilities. And it's not just him. Hubert, Russell, Boccolacci, Alesi, Aitken, even Hyman who performed brilliantly today... a group of excellent young people has emerged in the paddock. While the competition is becoming fiercer, it also makes us realize that there are worthy successors."
"I will continue to watch their performance closely and look forward to them continuing to bring surprises."
Wolff was still Wolff.
Low-key, reserved, comprehensive. He handled the response effortlessly, not only mentioning Kai but also praising all the young drivers equally.
Unlike Horner, Wolff targeted the entire group of "young drivers," which responded positively to the topic while avoiding leaving any room for reporters to spin his words.
Perfect.
So, the reporters were lost in a maze again. Was Wolff impressed by Kai or not? And where did Russell fit in?
It had to be said, although Wolff and Horner had slightly different strategies, both were masters of psychological warfare. No wonder the paddock never lacked news.
The buzz continued.
Even as the F2 Sprint Race was about to start, the heated discussion about Kai hadn't completely disappeared, but the focus had shifted to Leclerc.
Whether the two parties were willing or not, and whether the paddock bosses really cared, the onlookers were enjoying the drama.
"Kai vs. Leclerc." This was the focus of the Austrian weekend. First, Leclerc made his move by winning the Feature Race, then Kai countered by sweeping both the Feature and Sprint races. Now it was Leclerc's turn to counter-attack. Would he continue his dominance?
GP3 and F2, two unrelated series, were bridged by gossip and imagination, actually sparking a heated debate.
As professional commentators, Croft and Brundle naturally wouldn't participate in such gossip, but that didn't stop them from caring, and their praise for Kai continued.
"...Viewers who just turned on their TVs to join us for the F2 Sprint Race, you missed a historic moment in GP3."
"A Baby Driver, after sweeping the Spanish Feature and Sprint races, has swept the Austrian weekend as well. If the familiar melody of Justin Bieber appears in the live broadcast next time, we should know that the protagonist of this GP3 season has arrived."
"Now, I finally understand ART's inside joke. 'Baby, baby, baby, oh...' You have to say, it's very fitting."
Croft was in a good mood, teasing and joking effortlessly.
It was perfect timing.
Just last week, a new movie had been released globally. British director Edgar Wright, known for Shaun of the Dead, brought his latest work, Baby Driver, telling the story of a highly talented young getaway driver named "Baby."
The movie was currently in theaters, and unexpectedly, in the real-world paddock, a "baby driver" had emerged out of nowhere to steal the spotlight.
The imaginative Croft immediately connected sports and cinema, half-jokingly using this nickname. It spread through the Sky Sports broadcast, and unexpectedly, the official Baby Driver movie account retweeted a clip of Croft's commentary.
From one "Baby" to another, Kai's image effortlessly entered the minds of netizens.
And it landed safely.
By the time the F2 Sprint Race ended, half the paddock knew Kai's new nickname.
What started as an ART inside joke was now public knowledge.
Why?
Because the F2 Sprint Race was spectacular, further highlighting the brilliance of Kai's double win. Leclerc, regrettably, ended with a DNF (Did Not Finish).
In the F2 Sprint Race, the Red Bull Ring showed its nature again. Young drivers fought tooth and nail.
Leclerc continued his top form from recent times. Starting from 10th, he overtook car after car, reaching 5th by the middle of the race.
Then, a car hit the wall, bringing out the Safety Car. Just like in GP3, after the Safety Car returned to the pits, the race entered "survival mode."
Oliver Rowland (DAMS), running 3rd, tried to overtake Albon (ART) in 2nd. Albon blocked the line completely, forcing Rowland to brake hard to avoid a crash. This, in turn, blocked Fuoco (Prema) behind him, who was trying to pass.
Fuoco swerved to avoid a collision, unexpectedly hitting his teammate Leclerc, who was accelerating around the outside.
In a series of dense, tight offensive and defensive moves, it ended with Leclerc retiring, and Fuoco losing position, dropping two places.
The crowd gasped.
Everyone sighed with regret. Leclerc was truly unlucky. Without this accident, he could have continued to attack for the podium.
But precisely because of this, it proved again how incredible Kai's feat of sweeping two consecutive weekends was. Look at Leclerc: last week in Baku, he lost the Sprint win due to a penalty; this week at the Red Bull Ring, he retired due to a chain reaction accident. That is the essence of a Sprint Race.
Yet, Kai had achieved the impossible.
So.
When the F2 Sprint Race ended, the heated discussion around Leclerc and Kai heated up again.
Especially the nickname "Baby Driver," which perfectly summarized Kai's identity and status, adding a legendary color to his achievement, perhaps even more magical than Verstappen back in the day.
Unprecedentedly, GP3 occupied such a large proportion of the race weekend discussion. It only subsided slightly when the F1 Grand Prix began. However, even with F1 attracting all eyes, the name "Baby Driver" could still be heard in the paddock air.
There was no helping it. Compared to "Kai Zhizhou," "Baby" was obviously much catchier.
Ferrari Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene was absolutely sick of it.
He hated these media types who chased the wind and clutched at shadows, especially in the social media era.
A little breeze, and they couldn't wait to whip up a storm. Trivial matters always ignited traffic. After a brief noise, the wind blew, the bubbles burst, the truth was revealed, and nothing remained. And those media and netizens, with their goldfish memories, forgot what happened.
Then they repeated the same mistakes, getting sucked into the next wave of traffic to make a fuss.
Stupid!
It was all completely stupid.
"...If anyone says 'Baby' again, I'm going to tear their mouth open."
Cursing and irritable, Arrivabene could barely control his anger. He pushed open the meeting room door heavily. The loud bang, like the anger exploding in his chest, echoed in the air for a long time.
Just like that brainwashing Justin Bieber song, Baby, baby, baby on loop. Extremely stupid, full of irony.
Entering the meeting room, Arrivabene saw his team waiting in full array, and Sergio Marchionne on the projection screen. The atmosphere instantly tightened.
However, Arrivabene wasn't afraid. Although Marchionne was the head of Ferrari and the entire Fiat Group, Arrivabene was no pushover.
He waved his hand. "Sorry, too many flies. The traffic of the social media era is just annoying. Please forgive my language. I'm ready. We can start now."
Arrivabene sat down, taking control. "Sergio, I know you're worried about the team's current position, but I want to say, don't worry. We know our situation, we still hold the initiative, and we know what to do next. Our goal remains unchanged."
Marchionne didn't interrupt. He waited patiently for Arrivabene to finish, then nodded. "I know. I believe in your work. But that's not why I called this emergency meeting."
Arrivabene froze. "It's not?"
Marchionne smiled. "No."
Arrivabene frowned.
This season, the competition between Ferrari and Mercedes was white-hot, a stalemate. Every race could bring change.
The Red Bull Ring was one such case.
Here, Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas took the win, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was second, and Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was third.
Although Vettel still led the Driver's Championship, Mercedes had overtaken Ferrari to lead the Constructor's Championship.
One race, one position change could lead to a chain reaction. Every point was crucial. This put immense pressure on Kimi Räikkönen. Because Vettel was performing strongly, Räikkönen's fluctuating performance could lead to Ferrari's disadvantage in the Constructor's standings.
When Marchionne called the emergency meeting, Arrivabene thought Räikkönen might be under fire. He was ready to defend Kimi, assuming a defensive posture from the start, prepared with logical arguments. He believed he could appease Marchionne.
At Mercedes, internal competition and even division were fierce. Last season, the conflict between Hamilton and Rosberg had intensified completely. This season, people thought Bottas was a "good boy," but unexpectedly, Bottas had expressed his ambition publicly more than once.
"I believe I have the ability to chase the World Championship. If I don't give it my all, I'm not a competent driver."
Currently, Bottas was slightly behind Hamilton in the driver standings, but as he said, he did have a chance at the title.
A little inattention, and the predicament Mercedes faced last season might repeat itself. It was a serious hidden danger.
But Ferrari didn't have such troubles.
Vettel and Räikkönen were both World Champions, but Räikkönen had a peaceful mindset, like a wild crane in the clouds, seemingly having entered retirement mode early. He was fully willing to cooperate with team tactics, contributing to Vettel's Driver's title and Ferrari's Constructor's title.
Ferrari needed Räikkönen. Experienced, capable, and willing to be a team player that was the key to regaining the Constructor's Championship.
Arrivabene had calculated everything. But Marchionne caught him off guard, causing all his prepared drafts to get stuck.
Despite his confusion and irritation, Arrivabene convinced himself to relax. If Räikkönen wasn't the team's biggest crisis, then there was no need to worry.
Unfortunately, his relaxation lasted less than a second. Seeing the bright eyes of Marchionne, filled with eager excitement, a bad premonition hit him.
"Kai Zhizhou. We need to talk about Kai Zhizhou," Marchionne said.
The nerve in Arrivabene's brain snapped. "No, Sergio, no. No! No!"
Sentence after sentence, repeating continuously, forcefully expressing his dissatisfaction, his voice revealing a hint of a wail. He couldn't believe his ears.
"No, Sergio, even you? It's fine if others follow the trend and make trouble, but why you?"
"He is a rookie, a complete rookie. He's only done two races. Even if he's a genius, he's a rookie with only two races of experience."
"Formula racing is a sport that requires talent but even more so experience. Intuitive judgment in a thousandth of a second must be built through countless races. Even Senna and Schumacher were no exception. No one! I mean, no one can break such a barrier! We need to stay awake!"
"I know everyone is losing their minds because of Verstappen, but it shouldn't be you, Sergio. I didn't expect you to mess around like this."
"You should look at Verstappen. No brains, just brute force. Creating chaos at the start of today's race, leaving a mess and retiring, not even finishing the first lap. Isn't this a living lesson right in front of us?"
"He has talent, speed, and ability. I admit that. It's a fact right before our eyes. But he still hasn't mastered how to use his ability. He doesn't belong in F1. He should train in F2 for two more years. Maybe, give him two or three years, he will become a World Champion, but definitely not now."
"The current Verstappen is a ticking time bomb in the paddock. So you're planning to bring in another one? Make the paddock even livelier?"
Crackling like firecrackers, all in one breath.
All day, Arrivabene had been holding it in. From media to spectators to staff, everyone was restless like fleas. But in Arrivabene's view, there was nothing to make a fuss about. These people were just following the crowd blindly.
Now that Marchionne was doing it too, Arrivabene lost control.
The meeting room was silent.
Not a sound. No one even dared to look up, lowering their eyes and hunching their shoulders to hide their presence, avoiding the typhoon.
However, on the other end of the video conference, Marchionne didn't explode in rage. Not only did he not get angry, but the corners of his mouth turned up, revealing a faint smile.
"Calm down, Maurizio. You should have some faith in me. Calm down." Only after Arrivabene had vented all his anger did Marchionne speak. "I just want to talk about Kai Zhizhou, and Charles Leclerc..."
As a result, Arrivabene interrupted again. "Leclerc is the same. He's too young, not ready for F1. I know he's achieved excellent results, and I know his talent is outstanding, but my view remains consistent. They need to continue accumulating experience."
"That whatever-his-name-is... Baby is like this, and Charles is the same."
Decisively, Arrivabene closed off any possibility of conversation.
He didn't care who it was.
Tough, dominant, fierce. Arrivabene was like a lion, strictly guarding his territory, refusing anyone's interference.
Even Marchionne.
However, Marchionne wasn't angry. The boss who controlled an entire business empire didn't just have brute force. Facing people with completely different styles like Jean Todt and Arrivabene, he showed different temperaments and methods, adaptable and blending hardness with softness, controlling the overall situation.
Because Marchionne understood that facing a strong leader with a clear sense of territory like Arrivabene, a head-on collision often yielded poor results and couldn't achieve the goal.
Marchionne wasn't angry. Not only that, but his smile widened slightly, seizing a small flaw in Arrivabene's words. "Oh. Baby... seems you're no exception. Maurizio, I never knew you liked Justin Bieber too."
Arrivabene: ...
Fuming with rage, glaring at Marchionne but helpless. His frustrated look was actually quite funny.
Marchionne stopped while he was ahead. "My point is, we need to pay attention to young people."
"Indeed, we have a luxurious driver lineup, two World Champions, but they are aging. We should plan for the future."
"Of the top drivers in the paddock now, Alonso could retire at any time. Toto Wolff won't let Hamilton go. Of course, I can't imagine him in a red race suit anyway."
"Maurizio, we can't keep leaving the initiative of the driver lineup in the hands of our competitors, always relying on the Ferrari title and checkbook to smash open a path. But the problem is, if Ferrari continues to fail to win championships, how much attraction do you think we still have?"
The topic returned. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last, that Marchionne expressed his philosophy.
Arrivabene knew, of course. Ferrari had been preparing for years. Marchionne's attitude and concept of implementing "young blood" were very firm.
Last year, when Ferrari renewed Räikkönen's contract, it was only for one year. At that time, Marchionne stated that they would look for suitable drivers this year, preparing to introduce a new young driver during the summer break to replace Räikkönen next year.
Arrivabene had always favored mature drivers who had proven themselves. Especially amidst the Verstappen trend, unlike others leaning towards young drivers, Arrivabene believed Verstappen's existence proved his point: experience is more important than talent.
But the arm can't twist the thigh. Arrivabene could only watch and wait, perfunctorily dealing with Marchionne while finding various excuses to stall.
In fact, Arrivabene's plan had never changed. After the one-year contract expired, give Räikkönen another one-year contract. Sign year after year like this.
Until Räikkönen wanted to retire. Then, look for other experienced drivers in the paddock.
Of course, Arrivabene wasn't a naive fool. Marchionne was his boss, and a ruthless, iron-blooded hero. If Marchionne really made up his mind, firing him would take minutes.
Arrivabene could stick to his opinion because he had two pillars of support.
One was support within Ferrari; he had a group of hardcore contacts in the upper management, his backing. The other was Ferrari's number one driver, Vettel.
In fact, Vettel was the biggest supporter of Räikkönen continuing as the number two driver.
Vettel liked Räikkönen. As a friend and as a teammate, he had publicly stated more than once or twice that he hoped to continue partnering with Räikkönen.
Currently, Ferrari had been building the entire team around Vettel, expecting him to lead the team back to the top of the world and win both titles. To some extent, Vettel's wishes were as important as Arrivabene's attitude, and Marchionne couldn't ignore them.
Now, Marchionne had circled back to the "Young Driver Program." Arrivabene had heard these clichés until his ears calloused.
Marchionne noticed the impatience on Arrivabene's face, the loss of focus almost undisguised. This made Marchionne chuckle.
"Maurizio, you haven't watched Kai's races, have you?"
Arrivabene was stung. He hadn't watched, and he didn't plan to, but how could he show weakness?
"Sergio, I believe he is very talented..."
"But lacks experience, right?" Marchionne automatically finished the sentence. "How many times have we had this conversation? Just as you know the second half of my sentence, I know yours."
"But I still bring this up because he is different."
"Aitken. Russell. Alesi. Boccolacci. These young men are experienced drivers. But among them, Kai still steadily suppresses them. The maturity and calm he shows on the track, I can guarantee, is absolutely not an infant."
Arrivabene wasn't so easily convinced. "Yes, that's GP3."
The subtext was: Kai's competitors were also a bunch of wet-behind-the-ears kids.
"So, the most suitable next step for him is F2," Arrivabene said.
Marchionne: "What about Leclerc? If he wins the F2 championship this year, the next step is F1."
Arrivabene didn't hesitate. "Wait until he wins the championship. Look at the Sprint Race today; he was still too impatient."
Marchionne: "Oh, it seems you did watch Leclerc's race, but not Kai's."
Arrivabene: ... "My point is, maybe Leclerc has shown talent and can advance to F1 next year, but he is still too raw. When Verstappen entered F1, he also spent a year at Toro Rosso first."
Arrivabene noticed a glint in Marchionne's eyes, but before he could think about what it meant, Marchionne continued.
"Yes, exactly."
"So, what I'm discussing is whether we should let them join F1 next year. I'm thinking, Leclerc to Sauber, Kai to Haas."
Arrivabene held his breath. Only now did he realize that Marchionne had circled around, and this was his real goal. Ginger gets spicier with age.
He'd been played.
Arrivabene gave a helpless smile. "Are you that impatient? GP3 has only had two races. Two races, Sergio. Even a new product trial should be at least three to six months. Being so impatient after two races lacks the dignity of Ferrari."
Sarcastic, but the sharpness was gone.
Marchionne knew the first step was achieved.
"You should watch his races. He shows more than just talent. Just two races, such a phenomenal performance only further proves his excellence. Now, it's not just us watching him. Toto Wolff and Christian Horner have noticed him."
"You wouldn't want to see him in a Silver or Blue race suit. That would be a disaster. From a racing perspective, and from a PR perspective. From any perspective."
Unhurried, advancing layer by layer. It had to be said, Marchionne showed his experience again. Arrivabene had stepped into his trap.
But Arrivabene wouldn't surrender so easily. He remained calm, and stubborn.
"No, it's all just surface appearances."
"Wolff is still evaluating Bottas. He wouldn't want to bring in young blood to compete head-on with Hamilton. A young person is more dangerous than Bottas."
"Horner is just throwing smoke bombs. I know the grudges between him and the Verstappen father and son. Jos Verstappen is indeed a firecracker; he lacks other skills, but his ability to draw hate is top-notch. But Horner can't replace Verstappen, and Red Bull won't allow Horner to risk another experiment in just three years."
"They are a bunch of lunatics, but they are used to letting young drivers go crazy, not sacrificing their own interests."
Objective, sharp, accurate.
Stubborn as he was, Arrivabene's judgment wasn't unreasonable.
It was just that Marchionne had a different view.
"Toto Wolff doesn't need a young competitor, but he doesn't mind raising a successor. Hamilton is thirty-two this year. How long is his peak? Three years? Four years? After thirty-five, Hamilton's competitiveness will fall off a cliff."
"Wolff is planning for a rainy day. He's cultivating a newcomer, waiting for them to take over in three or four years, seamlessly completing the transition from old to new at Mercedes."
"Wolff is casting a net now. Russell is one, Kai is another. His vision is always long-term."
"Maybe Wolff won't promote a young driver next year, but imagine if we don't promote a young driver next year, or don't even give Kai a positive signal. We give Wolff an opportunity. He spends two years laying the groundwork, observing, building a bond. When we want to promote Kai then, who do you think he will choose?"
Arrivabene pursed his lips tightly, silent.
Only Marchionne's voice filled the meeting room. But clearly, Marchionne wasn't rushing. He wasn't aggressive; instead, he slowed down slightly, spreading out his aura.
"And Horner. Yes, you are right. Horner won't replace Verstappen. Even if he wanted to, the Austrian Red Bull side would never allow it."
"So, Horner's goal was never the Red Bull seat. He never thought of dismantling his competitiveness from the inside."
"He needs an illusion."
"On one hand, he needs Verstappen to be nervous. Kai is like a catfish. Horner is trying to use Kai to keep Verstappen's nerves taut, to make him realize his position isn't so secure, to make him realize he needs to cooperate with Horner for a win-win."
"On the other hand, he needs the card of Kai to curry favor with Thai Red Bull, to draw closer to them. To make them think he is introducing an Asian driver, and that Marko and Verstappen are the obstacles to achieving this. Pushing Thai Red Bull out to confront the Austrian side."
"To Horner, Kai is just a pawn, a tool."
"But the key is, Horner is good at using public opinion. We can see the intertwined interests inside, but the sponsors and drivers can't. If we allow Horner to be so unscrupulous, how will sponsors view how Ferrari treats its own academy drivers? And how will the young people in our academy view Ferrari?"
"Also, what if Horner really finds a loophole? Do you think he'll let it go easily? Is there really zero possibility of Kai joining Toro Rosso?"
Step by step, Marchionne hit the mark.
Arrivabene's back was covered in cold sweat.
Marchionne's tone softened again. "Indeed, it's only two races. It's too early to say anything. Kai doesn't even have a Super License yet."
"But, we need to lay the groundwork."
"So, Maurizio, I am asking for your opinion. What do you think about the idea of Leclerc to Sauber and Kai to Haas?"
Arrivabene choked on a breath. Subconsciously, he resisted because this wasn't his method or technique for selecting drivers. He couldn't approve of what he saw in Leclerc and Kai.
But Arrivabene wasn't a fool. He understood Marchionne's overall layout.
Maybe, as always, the "delaying tactic" was the best solution.
For example, with Kai. Maybe watch for two or three more races. If the halo faded and the true form was revealed, Arrivabene wouldn't even need to fight hard; Marchionne would naturally abandon the plan. After the social media traffic dissipated, the ugly duckling would be revealed.
Arrivabene swallowed his objection. "If they have no objections, what standing do I have to oppose?"
A smile appeared in Marchionne's eyes, accurately seeing through the reluctance and perfunctoriness behind Arrivabene's words. "Maurizio, we all want to see Ferrari return to the top of the world. In this matter, we should be partners."
Arrivabene's face remained stiff. "I know. But the point is, I am the Team Principal. Team matters should be left to me. You are the CEO of Ferrari, so focus on Ferrari's operations. I don't interfere with your work, and you shouldn't interfere with mine."
Marchionne raised an eyebrow. "So, I am asking for your opinion, and spending a lot of time explaining my ideas, seeking your approval."
Instead of issuing a direct order.
Arrivabene caught the sharpness in Marchionne's words. He swallowed. He had already stated his position and attitude; there was no need to continue being tough. "For this, I have always been grateful, Sergio. It has always been an honor to work with you."
"But, Sergio, please respect my judgment, okay?"
At this point, his tone had softened, but he hadn't completely bowed his head.
Marchionne chuckled. "If you don't want me to interfere with the process, then let me see results. I don't want to see us in second place in the Constructor's standings."
The air went completely silent.
Arrivabene sat up straight immediately. All sophistry, all resistance was extinguished. Even the drafts of excuses in his mind vanished completely.
Then, Marchionne said no more and cut the call, ending the meeting.
The conference room was silent. Arrivabene sat there in a daze, then stood up wordlessly and stormed out of the room.
Only now could the staff playing ostrich finally breathe. After looking at each other, their eyes gathered on a nerd with curly hair and glasses.
"Mattia, what do you think?"
Mattia Binotto. Joined Ferrari in 1995, became head of the engine department in 2013, and was promoted to Technical Director in 2016.
As a top student in mechanical and automotive engineering, Binotto's professional knowledge was excellent. Under his leadership, Ferrari had regained vitality in the last two years, finding competitiveness for the first time since the hybrid era began in 2014, returning to the ranks of podium contenders.
Undoubtedly, Binotto's position in the team was crucial. Although their focus today was Sauber and Haas, they all knew that Ferrari was already enveloped in the storm. No one was exempt.
Binotto didn't speak immediately. He was silent for a moment. "Why don't we watch the replay of the GP3 race?"
~~----------------------
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