How Did I Become an F1 Driver?-Chapter 729 - 302: Sprint Qualifying Win Secured in Advance

However, this was, after all, in the paddock, where every action was filmed by countless cameras, just like the video recorded by spectators yesterday when Verstappen touched Hamilton's rear wing.

If I show impatience or act unfriendly towards reporters during the interview, Qin Miao will be on the front page of numerous European and American newspapers and TV tomorrow.

So, after contemplating with a blank expression for a while, Qin Miao responded dismissively, "Actually, I don't know much about it. I just hope this matter won't affect Hamilton's race condition today…"

Normally, after asking that question, the reporter could only ask up to two more questions, but Qin Miao didn't give them any chance.

After answering one question, he immediately turned and left.

This reporter was aggressive right from the start. Qin Miao was also worried that he would dwell on questions he didn't want to answer, so after answering one question, Qin Miao headed back to the team.

Before the second practice started, Hamilton finally returned.

Once Hamilton came back, Qin Miao learned about FIA's penalty regarding the incident.

Hamilton's results in the qualification round were canceled, which meant that for today's sprint qualification, Hamilton would start from the back of the grid.

Despite this penalty, no one in the Mercedes team was surprised; they were even psychologically prepared yesterday. However, when the penalty was finally imposed, the atmosphere within the Mercedes team inevitably turned gloomy.

Nonetheless, regardless of the team's internal atmosphere, the second practice session began as usual.

Unlike the first practice, all teams during the second session were helping drivers find long-distance car setups, considering the upcoming 24-lap sprint qualification race.

After the sprint race, there was a regular race to run, which also needed this setup.

It's worth mentioning that since Hamilton was penalized to start from the back in the sprint qualification, Mercedes took the opportunity to install a brand new internal combustion engine for him.

This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the engine change would only result in a five-position drop in the regular race.

Sitting in his position reviewing the data, Qin Miao was somewhat frustrated seeing Hamilton's car equipped with a new internal combustion engine.

Just half a month ago, having changed to a new internal combustion engine himself, Qin Miao knew just how much a brand new engine could enhance the performance of Mercedes cars.

Undoubtedly, Hamilton's speed in this sprint race wouldn't be too slow.

The only question now was how many positions Hamilton could climb up to.

Soon, the second practice ended.

Because all drivers were running long distances, whether it was Verstappen, Hamilton, or Qin Miao, their speeds were not particularly fast.

As a result, Alonso unexpectedly finished first in the second practice.

However, unlike the first practice which required preparation for qualifying, in the second practice everyone was looking for setup configurations, so the results weren't very indicative and were purely for amusement.

Soon, as all the cars returned to the team's pit and the data from the second practice was reviewed, it was time for the sprint qualification race originally belonging to the qualifying stage.

The race rules were the same as the usual sprint qualifications, with only the top three drivers earning points.

For drivers outside the top three, the race results only determined the starting position for tomorrow's regular race.

Therefore, during the preparation time right before the sprint race, whether it was Toto, Frankie, or Reyes, they all instructed Qin Miao to safely bring the car back in this race.

However, on Hamilton's end, it was a different story. His setup was extremely aggressive, and the team provided him with a higher fuel load than usual.

Clearly, they wanted Hamilton to use the new internal combustion engine to chase the cars ahead, making the most of the new engine to achieve a better position, securing a good spot for himself in the regular race.

The preparation phase of the sprint qualification was no different from the regular race, and Qin Miao was waiting in second place.

Even though the team instructed Qin Miao to keep stable in this race, he still had some personal thoughts.

Since the team had told him to stay stable, likely Red Bull had also instructed Verstappen to do the same. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Qin Miao believed he could exploit a time gap during this phase. If his start was stable enough, and even if his start speed was similar to Verstappen's, using the soft tire could help him take first place immediately after the start due to the tire advantage.

If he could get first place right after the start, Qin Miao was confident in locking Verstappen behind him throughout the 24-lap sprint qualification race.

Furthermore, Qin Miao was confident in slowing down all other drivers' speeds, causing some difficulties for Hamilton in overtaking.

Of course, Qin Miao hadn't shared this thought with anyone.

Secretly competing with teammates was one thing, but discussing this publicly was another.

Sure enough, causing trouble for Hamilton was just an add-on. In this race, Qin Miao primarily needed to defend against Verstappen's attacks.

However, this is merely Qin Miao's thought for now. To truly implement it would depend on his performance at the start stage, and whether Verstappen provides the opportunity.