Chen Xiangbei indeed didn't jump the start, but he practically made a big gamble.
The snake-line maneuvers during the warm-up lap allowed Chen Xiangbei to confirm that the current Suzuka Circuit's road conditions were very poor. Overall, there wasn't a single dry line to be found, and the tires were practically soaking in standing water.
With the same rain and water conditions, if this were F1 ten years later, the race would probably have been red-flagged or outright canceled.
Don't forget this was more than a decade ago, with drivers from the old "wild" era like Schumacher still not retired and the FIA similarly not overly obsessed with safety and conservatism. The mindset of valuing honor and speed over life still permeated the track and the audience's psyche.
Since the race would proceed as scheduled and with a regular static start from the grid, given the rainfall and track conditions, it was impossible for Chen Xiangbei to normally pull away from competitors.
