After Alex Sun overtook Beckmann, Vips—who had been running in P3—also launched an attack on Beckmann.
Their fierce battle dragged down their lap times significantly, giving Alex Sun the chance to stretch his lead at remarkable speed.
Two laps after taking the lead, on Lap 11, Vips finally cleared Beckmann.
By then, the gap between Alex Sun and Vips had already grown to a massive margin, and it was still increasing.
Mark's steady voice came through the TR first, calm but filled with expectation.
"Alex Sun, just maintain the car's current condition. You've already set the fastest lap of the race. No need to push anymore. The priority now is to hold position and bring it home safely. The win is ours."
René Rosin followed, his tone full of praise and reassurance.
"Beautiful job, Alex Sun. Zero mistakes all race. Your control at the front has been perfect. Just run the remaining laps cleanly. A safe finish is the victory."
In the viewing area, Rebecca Lin watched Alex Sun leading comfortably on the broadcast feed. The tension she had been carrying all race finally melted away. Pride and certainty filled her eyes as a smile spread across her face.
This is why I believe in him.
Out on track, Alex Sun took their advice to heart. He no longer pushed the car to the absolute edge.
In that state of complete harmony between driver and machine, he became almost mechanical—free of distractions, focused solely on braking points, corner exits, and rhythm. Each lap was calmer and more controlled than the last.
Time slipped by as quickly as the cars themselves. Soon, the sprint race reached its final lap—Lap 21.
Alex Sun flowed through Turn 16 and powered onto the final straight. He swept cleanly through Turns 17, 18, and 19, his lines precise, flawless, accelerating toward the finish.
Ahead, the checkered flag waved high, illuminated by the floodlights, bright and unmistakable.
His car shot forward like an arrow, engine roaring as it charged toward the line. The sound tore across the circuit, overwhelming the noise of the crowd.
The finish line—right there.
He took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the steering wheel, and kept the throttle pinned, squeezing every last ounce of performance from the car.
The moment the nose crossed the line, the tension that had gripped him all race released at once. A smile broke across his face before he could stop it.
In the commentary booth, Jolyon Palmer's voice trembled with emotion.
"He's done it! Alex Sun wins! His first victory in Baku—earned through grit, sweat, and sheer determination!"
"Everyone remembers this morning's first sprint race. He was knocked to the back on the opening lap, yet fought all the way back over twenty-one laps to finish third!"
"We all knew a win here was only a matter of time—but who could have imagined it would come like this?"
"Two Safety Cars and one Virtual Safety Car disrupted the race. Chaos everywhere. Starting from P8, he carved his way through seven top drivers, one by one, and climbed all the way to P1!"
"Zero mistakes. No hesitation. The Prema driver handled every bit of pressure and delivered a performance worthy of the spotlight. Congratulations, Alex Sun! A brilliant drive from a driver who never gives up!"
Palmer drew a breath, voice still thick with excitement.
"Dream big. When he reaches F1 and returns to this circuit, don't be surprised if we see moments like this again."
As the commentary ended, the livestream chat exploded.
"Prema masterclass! What a drive!"
"Flawless at the front—that's real pace!"
"Talent and hard work—who would've thought he struggled in winter testing!"
"Can't wait to see what's next!"
"F1? Let's not get ahead of ourselves!"
The cool-down lap began.
Inside the cockpit, Alex Sun finally let the emotion surface. The tension drained away.
Left hand steady on the wheel, right fist punching the air, he released everything he'd held in for twenty-one laps.
As the car rolled along, he shouted into the TR, voice full of exhilaration.
"Woo! Let's go! Incredible job, guys—we did it!"
Every sacrifice, every stubborn push forward, had led to this moment.
The TR filled instantly with cheers. Mark's voice stood out clearly.
"Alex Sun, congratulations! We did it! That was unbelievable!"
The team's celebrations echoed through the headset. Alex Sun laughed, joy flooding through him.
The roar of the crowd blended with the cheers over the radio. This victory belonged not just to him, but to everyone who had fought alongside him.
He guided the car toward the podium area. As he passed the pit wall, he saw Mark, René Rosin, and the mechanics leaning over the barrier, waving and shouting his name.
He waved back, eyes shining with gratitude, before pulling into the spot marked "1ST."
The car came to a stop.
He unbuckled the multi-point harness, removed the steering wheel, and used the HALO to hoist himself out of the cockpit in one fluid motion. Without hesitation, he ran straight toward the waiting team.
Rebecca Lin stood among them, eyes bright with tears, smiling through them as he approached.
"You were incredible, Alex Sun! I knew you could do it!"
Through the helmet, he embraced the mechanics around him and gently patted Rebecca Lin on the back. He didn't need to say much—the joy and gratitude were obvious in every movement.
After a round of embraces, he removed his helmet. Beneath the balaclava, his expression was clear and radiant, the excitement still alive in his eyes.
He followed the team staff to the rest area, quickly changing into his podium suit and preparing for the ceremony.
Meanwhile, the mechanics carefully pushed the winning car toward scrutineering for weighing.
It was more than a routine check—it was the final step before the podium. Only after passing weighing would the result be officially confirmed.
Under F2 sprint race regulations, both driver and car must complete weighing before the victory is validated.
After changing, Alex Sun completed the procedure, still unable to hide his smile. Once cleared, he walked firmly toward the podium.
Waiting for him there were the applause, the trophy—
And, of course, the attribute points awarded for completing the stage-based system task.
...
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