F1: The Speed Legend

Actually, the idea wasn’t that bold.

In Borreipaire’s view, the situation was clear. The Mercedes and Red Bull drivers were separated, running isolated races. This meant they would likely adopt split strategies, covering different bases. Mercedes might even gamble on a one-stop to flip the table.

Ferrari, however, was different. Vettel and Kai were running P1 and P3. Tactically, they could support each other. But Borreipaire knew Vettel’s recent form was strong, and Arrivabene was biased.

If necessary, Arrivabene would sacrifice Kai to protect Vettel’s win.

In other words, among the top four, playing it safe made no sense for Kai. ”Reacting to changes” or ”holding position” were conservative strategies that, at best, would secure P3. But Borreipaire wasn’t on the pit wall to help Kai defend P3.

He was there to embrace the challenge and chase the limit.

Otherwise, he might as well have stayed at ART.

Borreipaire’s idea: Seize the initiative. Attack.

Through constant radio communication, he knew Kai’s Ultrasofts were struggling for grip and rhythm. They reached a consensus—

Lap 14. Kai pitted.

The paddock gasped. They couldn’t believe their eyes.

Ferrari?

Wait, were they seeing things? Ferrari, the team known for conservative strategies and slow reactions? The Ferrari that always hesitated and missed opportunities?

They were the first to break the deadlock today!

Was Arrivabene possessed?

Croft’s first reaction: ”...Is there a problem with the car?”

No.

2.8 seconds.

A normal stop. Slower than other teams, but standard for Ferrari. No issues.

At Hockenheim, Pirelli brought Ultrasoft, Soft, and Medium.

Most drivers started on Ultrasofts and would switch to Softs. Hamilton (starting P14) was on Softs; Ricciardo (starting P20) was on Mediums.

Kai followed the standard plan: Ultrasoft to Soft. Quick exit.

So—this was a planned strategic pit stop. Ferrari made the first move, disrupting the order. The paddock was stunned.

Exiting the pits, Kai slotted into P4, behind Verstappen and ahead of Magnussen!

In other words, Kai had cleared a pit window. Even after pitting, he only dropped from P3 to P4. He held the initiative completely.

Ferrari was bold, but smart. Kai’s race strategy was now unpredictable.

Of course, the looming rain clouds on the horizon added to the tension at Hockenheim.

All eyes turned to the Ferrari pit wall. Not just Mercedes and Red Bull, but Haas and Renault too.

Arrivabene crossed his arms, expressionless. His broad shoulders blocked the probing gazes from all directions.

He knew why Borreipaire was here. His approval was a compromise to buy time for Vettel with the board. So he wouldn’t interfere with Borreipaire, as long as the strategy didn’t directly harm Vettel.

Anyway, these decisions had nothing to do with him. No credit for success, no blame for failure.

Other teams tried to read Arrivabene but failed. Wolff and Horner muttered to themselves.

They hated variables. Variables meant unpredictability. This Ferrari was unfamiliar.

After a brief commotion, the pit lane fell silent. Dead silent! No one moved!

A rare sight. Ferrari moved first, but no one reacted. They were too surprised, doubting their eyes, afraid to make a wrong move. Everyone watched and waited, keeping a close eye on Ferrari.

This caught everyone off guard.

Arrivabene glanced at Borreipaire. What did Marchionne see in him? A GP3 engineer with no F2 pit stop strategy experience... how could he survive the complex world of F1?

Forget beating Mercedes and Red Bull; just surviving was hard enough.

See? Rash move.

Borreipaire didn’t notice Arrivabene’s look. He was communicating with Kai, testing the waters. Scouting, adapting, finding a path to victory in the game.

The lack of reaction from other teams surprised and alarmed Borreipaire slightly, but he calmed down quickly. He realized Kai’s stint might need to be extended, adjusting based on the weather and rivals’ moves.

”Undercut!”

Borreipaire realized immediately. An unplanned opportunity. But they couldn’t rush. The undercut was great, but the overall strategy mattered more.

Brain running at high speed!

Borreipaire told Kai not to rush. Focus on finding grip, pushing at his own rhythm. Protect the tires while controlling the situation. Gradually increase pace. They couldn’t predict the next move, so they had to stay alert and ready to strike.

”Copy.” Kai responded crisply, immersing himself in the drive.

The silence in the pit lane didn’t last long. Around Lap 20, the first wave of stops began.

Lap 26: Vettel pitted. By now, Hamilton (started P14) had quietly risen to P5.

Lap 28: Bottas pitted. Ricciardo (started P20) had miraculously climbed to P6. The top teams were back in position.

Then, disaster struck again—

”Losing power. Something’s wrong.” Ricciardo’s voice was weary as he pushed to close the gap to Bottas.

”Stop the car, Daniel. Stop the car!”

Yellow flag!

The commentary box exploded. ”Daniel Ricciardo retires with a power unit failure! Unbelievable! Issues in qualifying, now issues in the race! Second retirement in three races! God, what is happening?”

The pit lane was busy. Horner managed the chaos—Verstappen pitted immediately.

When the cameras refocused, they realized... Kai was leading!

Gasp!

The crowd sucked in a breath. Messy hair, shocked faces. The Hockenheim crowd despaired.

No one saw it coming because no one was watching Kai. Blink, open eyes, and suddenly Kai was leading the 2018 German Grand Prix. The atmosphere ignited.

”Undercut!”

Amidst the chaos, Brundle found the truth first.

”Kai pitted early on Lap 14. No one reacted. While other teams stood still, this young man realized the undercut opportunity. He ran alone, outside the plan, holding the initiative.”

”With steady, excellent rhythm, he cashed in his tire advantage unnoticed over 15 laps!”

”Or maybe Vettel was too big a threat. Mercedes and Red Bull only had one car at the front, so they had to cover Vettel.”

”This isn’t the first time. Ferrari’s two drivers make rivals lose focus. Kai’s unpredictability breaks the balance, elevating Ferrari’s competitiveness!”

”And then, it happened.”

”After the first wave of stops, Kai successfully undercut everyone to become the new race leader!”

Bang!

Anger, frustration, regret. Horner slammed the desk.

Red Bull had been hyping Kai, hoping Arrivabene would stop using him as bait. If Arrivabene wavered, Horner could attack Vettel.

But today, Red Bull got outplayed strategically by Ferrari.

Damn it!

And that wasn’t all.

Hamilton, starting on Softs, hadn’t pitted. Relying on overtakes and rivals pitting, he climbed the order.

He was now P3, right behind Vettel (who had just pitted).

This was exactly the strategy Horner planned for Ricciardo (Mediums). If Kai and Hamilton pitted, Ricciardo would have been in the top 3. P20 to Podium—epic.

But now—

Horner couldn’t swallow the anger. Nothing went right at Hockenheim.

Current order:

Kai, Vettel, Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen, Magnussen.

One stop cycle, and Verstappen dropped two places. Ferrari and Mercedes converged.

Red Bull was on the back foot.

But Horner stayed calm under pressure. He recovered quickly—

The top 5 were close. Bottas 6s behind Hamilton, Max 6s behind Bottas. The midfield was way back (Magnussen +36s).

Next: Second stops, potential rain.

Opportunities remained. Red Bull could still turn it around.

More importantly, did Ferrari and Mercedes have hidden troubles? Would the drivers listen to orders?

Especially Ferrari. Kai led Vettel by only 2 seconds. Would Vettel accept P2? What was Arrivabene’s plan?

Not just Red Bull. Mercedes was watching the Ferrari duo too.

Wolff was ambitious but calm. ”Lewis, how are the tires?”

”Not great. What’s the weather?” Hamilton asked. His ideal scenario: pit when it rains. Tires dead + Rain tires = two birds, one stone.

Wolff watched the radar. ”Rain expected in 8-10 laps. Heavy. Lewis, pick up the pace if you can. Pressure Sebastian. I need him to feel it.”

Hamilton understood instantly. ”I’ll try.”

Vettel—pressure handling was his weakness. With age, he got impatient.

If Vettel felt pressure, he might make mistakes or force Kai, disrupting Ferrari’s strategy.

Then Mercedes could profit.

Actually, Horner knew Vettel better. Hamilton didn’t need to apply pressure; Vettel was already charging.

P2?

Is this a joke? Vettel was furious. That kid undercut the rivals and him?

From pole to lead to win—his desire to win at home was at an all-time high.

Not just for the championship, but to beat Hamilton and Kai. He was one win behind them. Winning at home would be the strongest statement.

After pitting, Vettel focused and chased. He refused to let Kai cruise.

1.6s, 1.2s, 0.7s—the gap shrank steadily. Hamilton, trying to apply pressure, actually fell back.

Mercedes and Red Bull watched the show.

The air thickened. The Ferrari pit wall felt the pressure from all sides.

Arrivabene had a headache. He turned to Borreipaire, applying pressure as Team Principal. Team interests first.

He expected an argument. Unexpectedly, Borreipaire nodded crisply and relayed the order immediately.

”Kai, you and Vettel are on different strategies. We need you to swap positions.”

It came. Finally.

Borreipaire’s decisiveness surprised Arrivabene. Was he avoiding direct confrontation by passing the decision to Kai, knowing Kai could refuse on track?

Twice this season, Arrivabene ordered the swap, and Vettel refused. Now the tables turned. Would Kai say no?

Just a possibility, but it gave Arrivabene a headache.

Next second, Kai’s voice came over the radio. ”Copy.”

Arrivabene: ???

Breath held. Arrivabene was stunned. Caught off guard.

”Copy”? What did ”Copy” mean?

Was it ”I heard you but I’m racing so I don’t care, bite me” copy? Or ”Okay, doing it now” copy?

So crisp, so clean. Arrivabene was confused. Even Adami (Vettel’s engineer) was confused.

Something was wrong!

If Kai knew, he’d say smart people overthink. ”Copy” meant copy. No subtext.

Borreipaire was right. Strategies differed.

Kai’s Softs were 25 laps old. Not dead, but he needed to stabilize for the next stint. Vettel’s Softs were 12 laps old, right in the window. It was time to push.

Even without orders, Vettel would pass Kai in a lap or two.

Sure, Kai could seek revenge. Vettel ignored orders before; Kai could make him suffer, defending hard. Before Silverstone, Kai might have tried.

But now—

Marchionne.

The Constructors’ Championship couldn’t be won alone.

For Marchionne, Kai put aside personal grudges. Teamwork. Besides, there were plenty of chances to beat Vettel fair and square later.

So, ”Copy” meant yes.

”Turn 8, Turn 9 area.” Kai gave a clear location.

Then, the paddock froze—Kai moved off line. Vettel passed at Turn 8 without hindrance. Ferrari swapped positions.

—That’s it?

Jaws dropped in the pit lane.

Leader changed. Vettel back in front. Ferrari seemed set for a 1-2.

Horner was depressed, pulling his hair. ”What is wrong with that kid? Swapping just like that? What is he thinking?”

Unpredictable, uncontrollable. Horner hated opponents like this. It made him look stupid.

Wolff was the same, staring at the screen, curious about Car 22.

Unfortunately, Wolff had no time to think. Mercedes faced the exact same problem.

Hamilton still hadn’t pitted. His Softs were 40+ laps old, dying. He stayed out waiting for rain.

But the rain didn’t come. Hamilton slowed. Bottas behind was frustrated.

Bottas’s tires were 12 laps old, prime condition. Passing Hamilton was inevitable. Now Ferrari swapped, Kai’s tires could hold off Hamilton, but if Bottas attacked, Kai might fall.

Simply put, Mercedes needed Hamilton and Bottas to swap. Bottas needed to chase Kai and Vettel. Otherwise, Vettel would run away, and the race would be garbage time.

Wolff needed to be decisive—

After all, Mercedes trailed Ferrari in the Constructors’.

However.

Silence. Nothing happened.

Ferrari watched. Red Bull watched. Wolff crossed his arms, issuing no orders.

The paddock held its breath. Without commentary, everyone saw the gap: 0.2s, 0.3s. Easy DRS pass. But Hamilton held the line, refusing to yield.

And the pit wall did nothing.

Wolff was waiting. The forecast said rain in two laps. No need to hurt Hamilton’s pride; just pit him then. Besides, Bottas losing a lap or two chasing Kai wasn’t a problem.

So, Wolff didn’t move.

Hockenheim air solidified. But Wolff stayed calm, showing his world-class nerve.

Essentially, these tycoons were gamblers. Marchionne, Wolff, Horner.

One lap, another lap, another lap.

Gap between Kai and Hamilton grew to 4+ seconds. Mercedes orders were rare and slow.

Until Lap 42. ”Box. Box. Lewis.” Bono finally broke the deadlock.

Hamilton pitted. Bottas took P3, instantly entering ”Push Mode” to chase Kai, 4 seconds up the road.

But where was the rain?

Hockenheim sky... not a drop. Clouds even broke, letting sunlight through. The grey sky brightened.

Mercedes couldn’t risk waiting for rain that might never come.

Wolff gambled again. He put Hamilton on Ultrasofts. Not Inters. And the softest compound available. For a 67-lap race, running to the end—

One stop! Hamilton was on a one-stop!

However, Murphy’s Law struck.

It rained.

Local rain at Turn 6. But storm clouds rushed in. Raindrops pattered down.

In moments, Turn 6 was damp.

Just as Hamilton left the pits, the rain arrived. Other teams scrambled to prepare tires.

Wolff gambled and lost everything. Missed the rain by seconds. The crowd sighed in despair.

Now, the decision fell to the Team Principals.

If rain increased, Full Wets.

If rain stayed steady, Inters.

If it was a passing shower, stay on Slicks and trust the driver.

Forecasts are just predictions. The window for decision was tiny.

”Kai, Turn 6 condition?” Borreipaire’s voice was calm amidst the chaos.

”Damp. Standing water forming. But other parts dry. From my view, the cloud path won’t cover the whole track. Check wind direction.” Kai’s feedback was concise.

Borreipaire understood. ”You lean towards staying out?”

”Yes.”

”Copy!”

Back and forth, crisp and efficient. Communication ended.

Arrivabene watched, stunned. Similar brevity to Greenwood, but a completely different vibe.

On his left, Adami nodded, head down. Vettel was likely rambling on the radio.

Arrivabene hesitated. Should he trust Kai?

At the turning point of weather, pit wall data matters, but driver feel is crucial.

Also, Vettel’s tires were still in the window. Pitting now might ruin the plan.

After a split-second struggle, he patted Adami’s arm, palm down—Stay Out.

Adami nodded.

Pit lane chaos. Ants scrambling before the storm.

Slicks in rain = 10x spin risk. And slow. Walking on thin ice.

If they chose Inters correctly, passing slick-shod cars would be easy.

Horner saw this. Magnussen was far behind. Red Bull could gamble. Max pitted immediately for Inters.

Renault, Sauber, McLaren followed.

The biggest shock: Gasly (Toro Rosso) took Full Wets.

Right tire = double result. Wrong tire = running barefoot in a desert. 7-8 seconds lost per lap.

Fatal in F1.

Tires are paramount. Strategy is key.

Clearly, Toro Rosso bet on a monsoon.

If the track soaked, others would pit, spin, crash. Gasly would be the hero, the ugly duckling turning into a swan.

Last to podium? Possible!

Whoosh!

Sudden downpour at Turn 6. Mist visible. But the pit lane was sunny.

Hockenheim’s forest setting creates microclimates. Now, half rain, half sun. Temperature differences spiked. Even on straights, cars were unstable.

Wind picked up.

Situation complex.

Even veterans were cautious. Everyone slowed down. Kai included.

Experience deficit magnified.

Today, Kai’s setup was extreme—stiff suspension for speed, sacrificing grip. He relied on skill for slow corners. Now, maintaining rhythm required more energy.

Especially Sector 3.

No major issues yet, but rain + temp + wind = information overload. Even S1 and S2 were tricky. The changing track overwhelmed him.

He had to multitask. Track, car, environment, opponents.

A new challenge. Different from Monaco and Austria.

—A little bit excited.

For others, torture. For Kai, a rare opportunity.

If not for the perfect storm, where would he find such a challenge?

Unfortunately, the window was small.

Two laps later, the clouds moved on. Sunlight returned. Turn 6 dried up.

Gasly: Are you kidding me?!

Not even a shower. Just a sprinkle. A tease.

Nothingness.

Gasly drifted through corners, despairing. A clown show.

Horner was dumbfounded. Headache. He called Max in for Slicks again.

Even the weather hated Red Bull.

Luckily, Red Bull wasn’t alone in the panic. Max pitted twice in two laps but stayed P5.

Hülkenberg (P6) was lapped by the leaders and 23s behind Max. No threat. But Hamilton was 53s ahead.

Max was alone in no man’s land.

Driving loneliness!

The top 4 battle had nothing to do with him.

Now, Kai was in danger.

Sudden rain disrupted rhythm. Old tires wore faster. Stiff setup meant low grip. Walking on knives.

In less than three laps, Vettel pulled 5 seconds ahead. Bottas closed to DRS range.

Bottas was attacking.

If Hamilton hadn’t held Bottas up for two laps, Bottas would have passed Kai easily in the rain.

Bottas’s regret, Kai’s luck.

The silver #77 loomed in the mirrors. Kai had zero grip, but he was lucky—the quick swap with Vettel saved some tire life. It gave him a fighting chance against Bottas.

Of course, limited chance. Kai’s tires were 16 laps older.

But it allowed for an extreme defense attempt.

Kai thought: Could he use his tire disadvantage to set a trap?

Glancing back, he saw the calm, poised Bottas. He knew Bottas wasn’t Max; he wouldn’t act rashly.

But Bottas’s caution was the opportunity.

Decisively, entering Turn 2, Kai widened his line, braked half a meter late, induced a slight rear wiggle—feigning inability to hold the inside due to low grip. It looked like he was forced to defend the outside, but was unstable there too.

Opportunity right there—

Sure enough, Bottas took the bait!