The performance advantage of the HRT Racing Car at the last event, Hamilton could still tolerate.
This ti Chen Xiangbei doesn’t even have the performance advantage, yet he can still achieve a tactical victory. Is the McLaren Team’s strategy group eating crap?
In China’s words, this is called "the fault of non-war," losing in frustration!
If Hamilton could ti travel, he would understand this situation isn’t uncommon. Fifteen years later, his strategy experience at the Ferrari Team would be worse.
"WHY? How can Xiangbei manage an undercut?"
Hamilton asked in frustration, he couldn’t understand why.
"There’s no precedent for strategy at Lingyan Circuit. We underestimated the tire wear rate, and three pit stops weren’t the optimal plan."
McLaren Team leader Whitmarsh candidly admitted the strategy group’s mistake, given that there’s no reference data for a brand new circuit, both practice and qualifying had relatively high tire wear.
Additionally, Hamilton’s strong blocking of two Red Bulls and tussling with Alonso accelerated tire life consumption, leading the team to decide on a three-pit-stop strategy.
From the result, it’s clear this strategy failed.
The team openly admitted the strategy mistake. Even if Hamilton is the son of McLaren’s boss Dennis, he can’t say anything more at this mont.
Two paths lay before him: either Alonso’s speed is amazing, not giving Chen Xiangbei any chance to catch up.
Or he overtakes Alonso, widening the gap with Chen Xiangbei.
Clearly, the latter is almost impossible. If Hamilton could overtake Alonso, he would have done it already, why wait until now?
In reality, there’s only one path left, and that’s to closely pursue Alonso!
The three cars separated by over twenty seconds are engaged in a distant struggle. Although Alonso’s tire grip is weaker, the hard strength of the strongest driver in the paddock is right there, when he starts to push, he won’t be slow.
Furthermore, Chen Xiangbei’s requirent isn’t just to reach the sa speed as Alonso, but to be at least 1 second faster per lap given the current trend to accomplish the undercut after the pit stop.
Being 1 second faster than Alonso under the sa pushing conditions is simply a fool’s dream!
Yet a dream that isn’t laughed at by others has no value in achieving.
No matter how difficult it is to accomplish, Chen Xiangbei will not give up.
The race broadcast center also realized HRT Team’s tactic, they directly highlighted the gap with Alonso’s car at the bottom of the broadcast screen.
26.63 seconds.
25.41 seconds.
24.80 seconds.
24.43 seconds!
seconds is the standard ti for a pit stop at Lingyan Circuit, Chen Xiangbei is currently 0.57 seconds short.
Considering the opponent’s tire changing crew’s outstanding performance, the theoretical safe value should be around 23.5 seconds.
But the problem is, when Chen Xiangbei reached this point, his tires already showed signs of significant slipping, he no longer had the grip advantage over Alonso.
Under the sa tire conditions and with Hamilton no longer pursuing, Chen Xiangbei actually lacked the hard power to lead Alonso per lap.
The gap in the last lap stopped at the 24.33-second mark between the two cars.
Clearly, closing the distance by 0.1 seconds per lap is far from enough, continuing on has no aning.
At this mont, Alonso and Hamilton chose to pit for tire changes, they also knew the situation had stabilized, they could continue executing the strategy set by the team previously.
anwhile, Chen Xiangbei’s earphones received Odetto’s voice.
"Xiangbei, pit in the next lap."
After saying this, Odetto directly turned to the technical group and shouted: "Guys, get ready, Xiangbei has completed his mission, what’s next is the war belonging to the team!"
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