The morning in Baku had shed the oppressive heat of the previous day. At 9 a.m., golden sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling window of the hotel room and landed right beside Alex Sun's pillow, gently waking him.
The exhaustion from yesterday's back-to-back sprint races had vanished after a full night of quality sleep. When he opened his eyes, there was no trace of grogginess—only calm confidence and a sharp focus for the main race ahead.
After a quick stretch, Alex Sun got up and washed up. Just as he finished changing into training gear, the team's physical trainer Carlos arrived as scheduled.
(Haven't written about him in a while, so let's bring him back.)
Seeing that Alex Sun was ready, Carlos handed him today's training list.
"There's a main race today, so most of the physical load will come from the track. We'll cut the training volume in half—just core and reaction drills. The priority is conserving energy."
Alex Sun nodded and quickly followed Carlos's plan, completing only core activation, basic grip training, and short reaction exercises.
Unlike the usual full training routine, today's simplified program was both Carlos's precise adjustment for race day and a key step for Alex Sun to enter race mode quickly.
After finishing the workout and having a quick breakfast, it was just past 9:40. Alex Sun got ready and headed straight for the Prema Racing pit area. The main race was scheduled to start at 12:45, and he wasn't about to waste any time.
At exactly 10:00, Alex Sun walked into Prema Racing's pit garage just as the pre-race briefing began.
Alex Sun and Piastri were both present, along with their respective race engineers, the lead technicians, and team principal René Rosin. There were no unnecessary personnel—the meeting focused entirely on practical race strategy.
René Rosin sat at the head of the table. As the team principal, he led the briefing and set the core strategic direction while leaving plenty of room for adjustments during the race.
Once everyone was seated, he got straight to the point. He picked up the remote for the briefing presentation and clicked it once. A race strategy diagram appeared on the screen.
"The core strategy for the race—both drivers start on supersoft tyres."
He pointed at the pit window marker on the screen.
"Recommended pit window is lap 6 to lap 8. After the stop, switch to medium tyres and run the remaining 22 laps."
He paused before adding,
"This isn't a rigid rule. Adjust depending on tire degradation or any incidents during the race."
He picked up a tablet and turned toward Alex Sun, his tone carrying clear approval.
"Alex Sun, you're starting from pole. There's no need to hold back your pace."
"Your lap times are the fastest on the grid. What's even better is that after yesterday's sessions, your tire wear was also the lowest."
He shook his head slightly in admiration.
"That's honestly beyond expectations."
Alex Sun lowered his eyes slightly.
If it wasn't beyond expectations, then what would be the point of my system?
René Rosin quickly continued.
"From pole, try to build a gap early and stretch the tire life as much as possible."
He tapped the tire data displayed on the tablet.
"If you avoid the main pit-stop traffic window, you'll save a lot of time and avoid unnecessary losses."
Then he turned the tablet toward Piastri, his tone more relaxed.
"Piastri, you're starting P4. You can be more aggressive during the first three laps and try some overtakes."
He tapped the podium icon on the presentation.
"The goal is top three. Fight for the podium, but protect the car."
Finally, he added one more reminder.
"Watch the penalties at Turns 3 and 7. If an overtake doesn't work, don't force it. Avoid accidents or retirements. Just keep progressing steadily."
As soon as he finished speaking, René Rosin signaled the two race engineers to brief their drivers individually.
Alex Sun's race engineer Mark immediately turned and handed him the tablet.
"Baku weather today: clear skies, no wind. Track temperature 28°C. Dry surface, no standing water."
He switched to the tire degradation chart.
"Your priority is extending the first stint. Pull away quickly after the start. Avoid getting stuck in fights so you don't increase tire wear."
Mark also reminded him to be careful about track limits and penalties.
On the other side, Piastri's race engineer quickly went through a few key points before finishing his briefing.
The two engineers wrapped up almost simultaneously. René Rosin stood up to conclude the meeting.
"Confirm all details, make sure the radio is clear, and complete final car adjustments fifteen minutes before the race. Briefing over."
Everyone immediately got to work.
Alex Sun reviewed the car parameters with Mark. Piastri discussed car condition with Leo. Meanwhile, the mechanics returned to their stations to prepare the cars.
The Prema garage was divided into two separate sections, allowing Alex Sun and Piastri to prepare independently and communicate with their respective engineers.
Not long after returning to his side of the garage, Piastri walked over.
The two were teammates but also rivals, though they got along well off track.
After briefly chatting about track conditions and driving techniques, Piastri suddenly asked,
"Seriously—what's your goal for today's race?"
Alex Sun looked up, confidence flashing in his eyes.
"Winning. Whether I'm good at this track or not, my goal in every race is the same—the victory."
Piastri nodded in approval and extended his hand.
"That's the spirit. Let's bring home a one-two finish and take the top two spots on the podium."
Then his tone shifted slightly, competitiveness shining in his eyes.
"But I'll say this first—if your lap times drop, don't blame me for attacking. I won't hold back just because we're teammates."
Alex Sun smiled faintly.
"In the paddock we're teammates. On track we're competitors. Whoever's faster matters most. If your lap time is better than mine, come at me."
As he said that, a memory from his previous life briefly surfaced—the absurd "papaya rules" of McLaren years later, where Piastri had been the one forced to compromise.
That thought made him add another sentence more seriously.
"When the race starts, don't overthink it," Alex Sun said sincerely. "Off track we can be teammates, friends, even brothers. But on track we're rivals giving everything we've got."
"If you want to fight for the win, go all out and show me what you can do. Of course, if you decide to support me, I won't treat you unfairly."
Piastri immediately understood the sincerity behind those words. He smiled confidently and nodded.
"Don't worry. I've never held back because of a teammate, and I won't waste your honesty."
Hearing that, Alex Sun felt his competitive spirit ignite instantly.
The frequent accidents in the previous sprint races had prevented him from fully unleashing his pace. Now that Piastri had issued a challenge, he naturally wouldn't back down.
After exchanging a competitive smile, the two returned to their respective garages to complete the final preparations.
Time passed slowly as the start of the main race approached, and the tension in the pit lane grew heavier.
The Prema mechanics worked quickly and carefully—checking the engine, brakes, and suspension, filling the fuel tank, and fitting the supersoft tyres with precision.
Every movement carried intense focus. This was the last line of defense they could provide for their drivers.
Once the inspections were complete, several mechanics pushed both cars out of the garage and rolled them down the pit lane, stopping at their assigned FIA grid slots.
Alex Sun's pole-position car and Piastri's fourth-place machine waited like two predators ready to launch.
Alex Sun was already in full race gear. He walked quickly to the car, climbed into the cockpit, fastened his seatbelts, attached the steering wheel, and checked the radio and internal systems.
His movements were steady and precise.
Piastri climbed into his own cockpit at the same time, making his final preparations.
Alex Sun adjusted his seating position and looked straight ahead at the winding Baku circuit. Determination and sharp focus filled his eyes.
In the cockpit beside him, Piastri carried the same unyielding determination.
The track lights brightened, and the distant roar of engines echoed across the circuit.
All the preparation, warnings, and rivalry would be decided over the next 28 laps.
Alex Sun gripped the steering wheel, feeling the faint vibration of the car through his fingertips. His mind was clear, yet a burning competitive fire filled his chest.
Starting from pole, Piastri's earlier challenge, and his promise with Verstappen to both take victories—all of it became the driving force pushing him forward.
He looked toward the end of the track, eyes steady.
The signal for the formation lap was about to appear.
His main race was about to begin.
...
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