Having just cleared Vips and secured P3, Alex Sun didn't hesitate for a second. He immediately raised his pace, lines sharp and precise, clipping every corner with millimeter accuracy as he rapidly closed in on Viscaal and Beckmann ahead.
Only a few corners later, he caught sight of a marshal by the track lifting the SC board. Another marshal waved a Yellow flag hard, signaling an incident and the deployment of the Safety Car.
Almost at the same time, Mark's steady but urgent voice came through the TR.
"Incident at the back. Safety Car deployed. Hold P3. Expected in until Lap 8. Twenty-one laps total—plenty of time. Stay calm and wait for the restart."
Alex Sun felt no trace of panic. Instead, he calculated quickly.
Second Safety Car of the race. Not a problem.
With the field bunching up under Safety Car conditions, the gap to Viscaal and Beckmann would shrink. From P3, that was practically a gift.
The thought passed in an instant. He settled the car smoothly into reduced pace and replied quietly over the TR.
"Copy."
His eyes flicked occasionally to the Yellow flags and SC boards ahead. At the same time, he replayed strategies in his mind, mapping out the chase. He remained completely focused, unaffected by the interruption.
In the commentary booth, Jolyon Palmer calmly explained the situation.
"The Safety Car was deployed due to a rear-end collision further back."
"Roy Nissany ran into his teammate Richard Verschoor. Verschoor's car sustained heavy damage, hit the wall, and is out of the race. Nissany has front wing damage."
Lap 8.
Mark's voice came again.
"Safety Car coming in this lap. Gap to Viscaal 0.9 seconds. Manage the restart rhythm—look for a move to P2."
Alex Sun took a slow breath and adjusted his grip on the steering wheel. His gaze sharpened, locked onto the Safety Car while keeping perfect distance within regulations. Every throttle input was measured, preparing for the sprint.
The moment the Safety Car peeled into the pit lane, the track lights turned green.
Restart.
Viscaal, however, didn't floor it immediately. He deliberately held the pace, compressing the field and limiting overtaking space.
Alex Sun didn't bite. He maintained control, gently warming the tyres and keeping the car in its optimal window while studying Viscaal's behavior.
Only when he sensed Viscaal finally release the pressure and commit to full acceleration did Alex Sun stamp the throttle.
The engine roared. The car surged forward, sticking tightly to the leading pair without losing ground.
This time, though, his reaction was merely solid. He didn't capitalize on the compression to overtake, but he also didn't lose position to the cars behind.
He knew it well—his Launch Control rating of 60 was still a weakness. Charging blindly now would only backfire. He suppressed the urge to attack, stayed glued to the car ahead, and refused to let Viscaal's pace manipulation disrupt his own rhythm.
Up front, Viscaal clearly wasn't content with second. He repeatedly dived toward the inside of Beckmann, trying to reclaim P1. Their battle intensified, their lines growing more aggressive and slightly impatient.
Alex Sun saw it clearly.
He deliberately maintained a safe buffer, shadowing them without rushing in. He watched for mistakes, for tiny deviations in line. He would not let their duel drag him out of position.
Mark updated him calmly.
"Viscaal and Beckmann battling. Gap to Viscaal 1.1 seconds. Beckmann leads by 1.6."
Alex Sun gave a slight nod, eyes fixed on the two cars ahead, predicting every shift in momentum.
Then it happened.
Approaching Turn 1, Viscaal braked too late on the inside while attempting another move. He couldn't correct in time and was forced into a wide arc.
His wheels brushed the edge of the run-off. The car wobbled before he regained control, but the speed loss was significant. More importantly, he'd drifted off the optimal line and left the inside open.
Alex Sun's eyes flashed.
That gap was just wide enough.
No hesitation.
A slight steering adjustment, clean and efficient. He slipped into the inside line, carried better exit speed, and completed the overtake almost effortlessly.
P2.
He settled in directly behind Beckmann.
Behind him, Viscaal's face must have been thunderous. After stabilizing the car, he could only watch his position tumble all the way to P5.
He slammed the steering wheel in frustration.
Starting from pole, he had been tense ever since losing the lead. Now this mistake destroyed not only his shot at P1 but also any realistic hope of a podium.
In the booth, Jolyon Palmer's voice shot up.
"Beautiful! Viscaal misses the braking point, forced wide through the run-off, and leaves the door wide open!"
"Alex Sun reacts instantly—clean move to P2! That awareness and execution are outstanding!"
The live chat exploded.
"That reaction was insane!"
"Viscaal panicked—just gifted him the position!"
"P2! One step closer!"
"Stay steady, Alex Sun!"
"That overtake was too easy—let him give it back and fight again!"
In the viewing area, Rebecca Lin's tightly clenched hands suddenly loosened. Her eyes lit up, pride and tension mixing as she stared at Alex Sun's car on the screen. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she silently cheered him on.
Almost immediately, Mark's excited voice came through.
"Up to P2. Gap to Beckmann 1.1 seconds. Line stable."
Alex Sun felt his rhythm settle. His grip on the wheel grew firmer. In his mind, a plan to attack Beckmann was already taking shape.
He locked onto the rear wing ahead, shaving down the gap, controlling the pace with surgical precision.
Just as his strategy crystallized and he prepared to launch his move—
Yellow flag.
Sector 1.
His display flashed: Virtual Safety Car.
All drivers to reduce speed. No overtaking.
His attack plan was forced to stop mid-build.
He eased off smoothly, suppressing the flicker of frustration. This was the second time a Safety Car period had interrupted his momentum.
The more interruptions, the more important it was to stay composed.
Mark updated him succinctly.
"Virtual Safety Car deployed. Track clearing. Maintain distance. No speeding."
"Copy."
Alex Sun's eyes stayed forward as he began recalculating. The overtake plan would simply be delayed.
In the stands, Rebecca Lin's heart tightened again.
"Interrupted again…" she murmured, fingers gripping her shirt.
She knew how hard he had worked to claw his way forward. Each disrupted attack could chip away at a driver's mindset. She held her breath, hoping the Virtual Safety Car would end soon.
Not long after, Mark's voice returned.
"Debris almost cleared. Virtual Safety Car expected to end in 30 seconds. Prepare to sprint."
Alex Sun nodded faintly, maintaining precise speed control, eyes sharp as a hawk.
He was ready.
...
(20 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser