In the living room, the commentary from F1 TV intertwined with the roar of racing engines. Alex Sun's parents stared intently at the television, which was broadcasting the F2 Baku Sprint race live.
Alex Jacques' impassioned voice rang out first:
"Alex Sun is up to P10! The three cars ahead have formed a DRS train—this kind of defensive wall is incredibly hard to break in a sprint race!"
Jolyon Palmer followed immediately:
"That's right. The combined effect of slipstream and DRS creates an aerodynamic barrier. For the car behind, it's almost impossible to crack."
The elderly couple fixed their eyes on the tightly linked cars onscreen, utterly baffled by the professional jargon.
Miss Sun frowned and tugged at her husband's sleeve.
"What are they talking about? Why does bunching up like that make it so hard to overtake?"
Mr. Sun looked equally lost. His gaze drifted across the flood of unfamiliar terms in the live chat—"slipstream," "DRS activation." Finally, he pulled out his phone, opened the comment section, and typed sincerely:
"Could someone explain what a DRS train actually means?"
Replies flooded in almost instantly:
"Sir and Ma'am! A DRS train is when several cars link up. The front car gives the one behind a tow, and the trailing car can activate DRS to boost speed. The defense becomes airtight—most drivers just can't break through!"
"No pit stops in sprint races, so this setup is basically a deadlock. You need tire advantage and perfect tactics to stand a chance!"
"Alex's tires are in great shape. It all depends on whether he can find the breakthrough!"
Some fans even simplified the explanation further, repeatedly emphasizing how stubborn and difficult this formation was. Between the lines, there was nothing but expectation and trust in Alex Sun.
After reading the replies, Miss Sun finally relaxed a little, though she still murmured softly, "Don't push too hard."
Mr. Sun nodded slowly, eyes returning to the red-and-white car on the screen, unwavering confidence in his gaze.
The livestream exploded with gifts and cheering comments. The tension on track surged to its peak.
…
Alex Sun's situation, meanwhile, was far more complicated.
He sat steadily behind the DRS train, eyes sharp as a hawk, poised to strike.
Up ahead, P7 Vips, P8 Beckmann, and P9 Viscaal were tightly chained together. The front car provided slipstream, the following cars held their lines with precision. The stacked aerodynamic advantage formed a natural barrier.
Even with a speed edge, Alex Sun couldn't find the slightest opening.
This kind of group defense was a nightmare for the trailing driver—especially in a no-stop sprint race. Every reckless attempt would cost precious tire life. Not worth it.
Yet inside the cockpit, Alex Sun remained perfectly calm.
He adjusted slightly in his seat, fingers resting lightly on the steering wheel, eyes locked on Viscaal's trajectory at the back of the train.
His tire wear was only 18%. The car's feedback was at its peak. Compared to the roughly 20% wear on the three cars ahead, he had better tires, better grip, and stronger pace.
That was his foundation.
In the pit bay, Mark stared at the data panel, voice urgent but controlled over TR:
"The train's formed. Viscaal drifts left on entry. Beckmann's braking point is fixed. Be patient—wait for it."
Rebecca Lin stood beside him, hands clasped tight, eyes glued to the screen. Her palms were damp with sweat, but her trust never wavered. She knew Alex Sun would never be trapped by the situation in front of him.
Lap 11. The race entered the second DRS zone. Alex Sun launched his first probe.
He pulled out decisively, using the slipstream to close rapidly on Viscaal's rear wing. The overtake looked imminent.
But the moment he fully left the tow, air resistance spiked. The closing gap vanished in an instant. The aerodynamic wall of the train strangled his momentum.
He backed out immediately. No hesitation.
A slight steering correction, back into line.
A confident smile touched his lips instead.
If one method doesn't work, change it.
His fingers tightened slightly on the wheel as he committed the details to memory:
Viscaal preferred tight inside entries, compromising his exits.
Beckmann defended conservatively, braking early at fixed points.
Vips had no obvious flaws—except his pace wasn't quick enough.
That alone was fatal.
…
Entering Baku's second sector—where DRS wasn't available—Alex Sun targeted P9 Viscaal first.
On the short straight before Turn 7, Viscaal sensed the threat and moved early to the inside, blocking Alex Sun's trademark late-braking line.
In that split second, Alex Sun's racing instincts took over.
Instead of forcing the inside, he held the outside line.
He braked earlier than expected, using the deceleration phase to smoothly shift from Viscaal's left rear to the right side, avoiding the defensive block entirely.
Early braking neutralized the defense—and set up a perfect crossover.
On corner exit, Alex Sun was already half a car ahead.
With 18% tire life and a lighter fuel load working in his favor, he extended the advantage toward Turn 8 and seized the apex first.
Turn 8—the narrowest corner in the Old Town section.
Seeing Alex Sun claim the apex, Viscaal had no choice but to lift and yield. His defensive rhythm shattered. A frustrated curse burst over team radio.
Alex Sun controlled the line cleanly and precisely. By the time they exited Turn 12, Viscaal was fully behind him.
P9 secured.
A clean cut through the first carriage of the DRS train.
"Brilliant! That crossover was textbook!" Alex Jacques roared. "He read Viscaal perfectly!"
Jolyon Palmer broke it down:
"He anticipated the inside defense, chose the outside, braked early to maximize exit speed—turning defense into attack in one seamless move. That's Top 10 material for sure!"
The livestream erupted.
"The train's broken!"
"Next up, Beckmann!"
"That racecraft is insane!"
In the pit bay, Rebecca Lin finally exhaled and clapped along with the mechanics.
Mark's voice came through TR again:
"Great job! Beckmann ahead. Early braker—Turn 16 is your shot!"
"Copy," Alex Sun replied calmly.
…
Lap 12.
He stayed glued to Beckmann's gearbox, applying pressure without attacking.
At Turn 7 the previous lap, he'd deliberately held back—even when a small window opened. It was bait.
He wanted Beckmann thinking the outside was the only threat.
Turn 16—heavy braking zone. Shorter inside line. High exit efficiency. Prime overtaking territory.
And Beckmann's weak spot.
Sure enough, Beckmann guarded the outside.
Fifty meters before Turn 16, Alex Sun struck.
A perfectly judged late brake. The left front tire biting at the limit—on the edge of locking, but not over.
He sliced down the inside in one tight arc, claiming the apex and sealing off Beckmann's defensive line.
Beckmann realized too late. He tried to cut back, but his line was compromised and the tires lacked response. He could only watch as Alex Sun secured the exit advantage.
White knuckles. A frustrated slap on the wheel.
He'd been fooled.
On exit, Alex Sun drifted outward just enough to block any crossover attempt. His cornering speed was 4 km/h higher.
That was decisive.
P8 secured.
Alex Jacques almost shouted himself hoarse:
"That inside late brake was outrageous!"
Jolyon Palmer added:
"He hid the move earlier, then executed flawlessly. That 4 km/h exit advantage sealed it."
…
Lap 13.
Only one carriage remained.
P7—Vips, the locomotive of the train.
Watching both teammates fall, Vips glanced in his mirrors at the relentless red-and-white car. Anxiety flickered in his eyes.
As the front car, he had no tow. Now alone, exposed to slipstream attack, he was defenseless.
Onto the main straight.
Alex Sun positioned perfectly—0.8 seconds at the detection line. DRS activated.
No tricks now.
Full slipstream. DRS wide open.
Speed surged to 332 km/h. The engine howled.
He pulled left, drawing level until their centers aligned.
With the track narrowing, Vips couldn't risk a defensive swerve. One wrong move meant race-ending contact.
Helpless.
Alex Sun completed the inside pass cleanly and decisively.
P7.
Three laps. The DRS train dismantled.
"Beautiful!" Alex Jacques shouted. "Three laps to destroy the train!"
Jolyon Palmer nodded:
"Slipstream plus DRS—classic, effective, decisive."
The pit bay erupted. Mechanics embraced. René Rosin smiled and patted Mark's shoulder.
"Perfect execution. His car control exceeded expectations."
Rebecca Lin wiped sweat from her palms, eyes shining as she watched the red-and-white car.
The livestream was chaos:
"Three laps! Genius!"
"Five more spots—send it!"
Even Alex Sun's parents typed proudly:
"That's our son. Brilliant job."
Lap 14. Seven laps remaining.
Alex Sun ran P7.
Ahead in P6: Armstrong.
Conservative lines. Slow exits. No car issues—but clear technical limitations.
Mark's voice came through TR:
"Armstrong's slow on exit. Pressure him through the consecutive corners. Replicate your qualifying lines."
"Copy," Alex Sun replied.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Overtaking them doesn't even feel difficult. Hope it gets more interesting."
...
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