Chapter 195
"So we're finishing behind the Safety Car? If that's the case, can you tell the guys behind to stop weaving?"
Hamilton asked over the radio.
The team ignored the second part of the question and simply replied:
"Yes, Lewis. That's how it will finish."
At Turn 16, green flags were waved — though they were largely symbolic.
A rolling restart on the main straight posed no real challenge, and race control only did this because finishing behind the Safety Car looked a bit too awkward for television.
For the front runners, already lined up onto the straight, everyone knew what to do — squeeze the throttle, shift up, and cross the line.
But for the cars still threading through the final corners, positions were still very much up for grabs.
So on the main straight, the audience still witnessed fighting that looked almost like a race start all over again.
Then Wu Shi crossed the line.
Red flags waved around the circuit, and the grandstands erupted in deafening cheers.
"Congratulations! Podium at your home Grand Prix — this is going to be something you'll never forget," Jonathan said at just the right moment.
"Yes! Yes! I'm already losing my mind here!"
Wu Shi's voice jumped several octaves. As he passed the grandstands, he lifted his right hand and waved hard.
"Slow it down and let the others go by first. After that, you're allowed one extra lap. Do your donut on the start–finish straight," Jonathan reminded him.
"Oh! Good thing you told me — I totally forgot! All I can think about right now is getting on that podium!"
Thunderous applause rolled through the circuit, cheers shaking the air.
"Congratulations to Wu Shi! Podium in his first home race!"
"What a historic moment! After so many years, we finally see our own driver on the podium!"
Brother Bing and Brother Fei were clapping in unison, hands already red.
Even the official international commentator, David, prepared a long tribute and spoke with rare emotion:
"Let us congratulate this young man from China.
And please don't misunderstand the word 'young' — there is no condescension here. He truly is astonishingly young.
"Everyone should remember his age today, because what we are witnessing is not just history, but a record destined to remain in Formula One forever.
"At just sixteen years old, this driver has completed his first three Grands Prix with three podium finishes.
"I have already given him countless compliments, but today I must congratulate him again — because this podium carries extraordinary meaning for him, and extraordinary meaning for Formula One in this country.
"Twelve years ago, Formula One first arrived here, racing on this circuit, in this city.
"Fans witnessed legendary champions, heartbreaking defeats, and moments that lingered long after the chequered flag.
"But no matter how passionately people cheered, there was always an invisible distance —
"Because all of it was performed by outsiders.
"And now, twelve years later, finally, a driver who truly belongs to this country stands on this track.
"Wu Shi. He earned this podium with pure speed and strength.
"From today on, the cheers of Chinese fans have a real foundation.
"And this young driver has only just begun his Formula One journey.
"I believe that one day, people here will not only dream of a podium — they will dream of the top step, of their national anthem playing, of their flag rising above all others.
"This kind of hope once belonged only to countries like Britain, Italy, Germany…
"But today, that hope also belongs to China.
"Once again, congratulations to Wu Shi — podium at his home Grand Prix."
As David's passionate voice finally faded, Wu Shi had completed his cool-down lap and returned to the main straight.
By now, all other cars had already entered the pit lane.
He guided the Williams to the middle of the track and slowed almost to a stop.
"Wu Shi! Wu Shi!!!"
"Aaaahhhhh!!!"
"Woooooo!!!"
The grandstands seemed to ignite, waves of red flags shaking violently in the air.
Wu Shi hadn't expected the roar to be this overwhelming.
His vision blurred, so he simply closed his eyes and focused on the cockpit of Car No. 59, his Williams.
VROOOOM!
He buried the throttle.
Torque surged, rear tyres spinning wildly, thick white smoke exploding from the back as the car rotated in place.
Vroom—ROAR!
Vroom—ROAR!!
The engine note pounded like drums echoing with the crowd.
Five full circles later, the car came to rest, nose pointed straight down the start–finish straight.
Wu Shi lifted both hands from the wheel and waved to the grandstands on either side.
The chant grew louder, more unified.
It was his name.
It was his moment.
---
In the stands, Zhi Shiwei wiped at her eyes.
Nearly ten years in sports media, and this was the most emotional moment she had ever experienced.
Back in 2007, fresh out of university, she had once interviewed a boy named Wu Shi.
Who could have imagined that nine years later, she would watch that same child stand where no compatriot had ever stood before?
She, too, was a witness to history.
Ye Zhaohui sniffed quietly.
Afraid of being swept up by emotion, he deliberately turned away from the track — only to find that his sister was already crying openly.
Nearby, Boss Chen lifted his son onto his shoulders, pointing excitedly at the car on the straight.
"See that? Your dad watched him run just one lap back then and knew he was one in a million.
"Today, after all these years, we finally have a driver from our own country on the podium!"
On another section of the stands, Ling Kang and Zeng Tianyi were shouting until their voices cracked.
"Cough—hey, you've got the college entrance exam next year, right?" Ling Kang wheezed.
"Yeah… sometimes I wonder, if I'd kept racing back then, could I be standing there too?" Zeng Tianyi said quietly.
"Hahaha, dream on. Look at me — still racing F3 only because of Boss's connections," Ling Kang laughed hoarsely, voice trembling despite the joke.
---
In the Williams garage, Wu Zhenlin watched everything in silence.
He didn't fully understand the fans' emotions.
But he understood one thing very clearly:
The boy receiving all those cheers and blessings on the main straight…
was his son.
He must be enjoying this moment, he thought.
Is this what he's been chasing all these years?
As he watched the smoke slowly fade from the track, pride and warmth filled his chest.
And for the first time in a long while…
He allowed himself to simply enjoy it.