Chapter 123: The Story of the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix
The 2014 Formula One Monaco Grand Prix was held from 23 to 25 May, taking place just days before the FIA Formula 3 European Championship round in Hungary on 30 May.
Wu Shi had originally planned to remain in training, but Charles Leclerc invited him to Monaco to watch the race. Wu Shi had little interest at first, yet Leclerc insisted—there would be many familiar faces, and it would be a rare chance for everyone to gather and relax.
After some thought, Wu Shi agreed.
When he arrived at the circuit, he saw a familiar lineup: Max Verstappen, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Hubert, and several others.
This entire generation is basically here, Wu Shi thought.
Leclerc's family clearly knew how to invite people. Some of those present were no longer on good terms—Ocon and Gasly had already fallen out, and there was tension between Ocon and Pan Zi as well. Among the dozen or so young drivers, relationships were tangled and complicated.
Wu Shi, however, felt at ease. His connections with most of them were simple. He rarely clashed with others on track, and without on-track incidents, there was little reason for personal relationships to deteriorate.
That said, there were always exceptions—drivers who carried prejudice regardless of circumstance.
Here, Wu Shi met Leclerc's father once again. The kind, bespectacled man left a deep impression.
Although many of the young drivers were already well known within the junior formula world, they still sat together in the grandstands, watching the race like ordinary spectators.
---
"Mercedes are too fast this year," Leclerc said. As a Monaco local, he had returned early and watched the entire qualifying session the day before.
"Is the gap really that big?" Wu Shi asked. He knew Mercedes had produced a dominant car for the new hybrid era, but not the exact scale of the advantage.
Leclerc pulled out his phone and read aloud:
> "Pole position – Nico Rosberg: 1:15.989
P2 – Lewis Hamilton: 1:16.048
P3 – Daniel Ricciardo: 1:16.384"
"Red Bull are still competitive," Wu Shi said.
As he spoke, he glanced at Verstappen. If the gap had been smaller, Wu Shi wondered, could a peak-version Max have stolen one or two world titles in this era?
"There was something unusual in qualifying yesterday," Gasly added.
Leclerc immediately nodded. "Right. Rosberg set his lap first. Then, when Hamilton was on a flying lap, Rosberg locked up at Mirabeau and brought out the yellow flags."
Hearing this, Wu Shi recalled the incident clearly.
Rosberg's mistake had invalidated Hamilton's final attempt. Over team radio, Hamilton had said:
> 'He did a fantastic job. Very well.'
From that moment on, cracks began to form in their relationship.
When a world championship is on the line, even childhood friendships can collapse under the pressure of competing interests.
"The post-session investigation ruled it a genuine mistake," Verstappen said calmly.
Everyone turned to look at him. Pan Zi looked completely confused.
"Wu Shi, what do you think?" Leclerc asked.
"I didn't watch qualifying," Wu Shi replied.
"Hahaha."
The dry response drew laughter from the group.
---
The race itself began quickly—but the Monaco Grand Prix was famously processional. Overtaking was nearly impossible, and Rosberg comfortably controlled the race from the front.
Hamilton, running second, suffered a run of misfortune. Late in the race, he reported that his helmet visor had loosened slightly, allowing debris to blow into his eyes, forcing him to squint while driving.
Ricciardo, running third, was relentless. He pressured Hamilton to the chequered flag and ultimately finished just 0.404 seconds behind him.
"Max," Wu Shi said quietly, "he might be your future teammate."
"Hm?" Verstappen raised an eyebrow, then glanced at Gasly. "He'll probably reach Formula One before I do."
Gasly was part of the Red Bull Junior Team and was competing in Formula Renault 3.5, placing him slightly ahead of most FIA F3 drivers on the ladder.
"By the way," Leclerc asked excitedly, "Wu Shi—did you really secure a Formula One seat?"
"Do you think I can win twenty-one races this season?" Wu Shi replied with a smile.
"Tch. You know we mean the seats held by those two on the podium."
Leclerc understood that Wu Shi couldn't speak openly. He didn't press further, instead calling everyone to head toward the paddock and parc fermé area.
"Look—Hamilton's being interviewed!" Gasly said, spotting him behind the barriers.
Hamilton wore a green Mercedes cap and sunglasses. His expression was clearly tense.
"Yeah," someone muttered. "He and Rosberg aren't exactly friends right now."
As the group approached, they overheard Hamilton's amplified voice.
Gasly instinctively glanced at Ocon. They, too, had once been childhood friends—until a karting accident had driven them apart.
Wu Shi leaned against the barrier, quietly watching the driver he had met seven years earlier at the 2007 Shanghai Grand Prix.
Back then, Wu Shi had been just a child. No one could have imagined he would stand so close to Formula One so soon.
Perhaps noticing Wu Shi's gaze, Hamilton turned mid-sentence and looked over.
After finishing his answer, Hamilton walked straight toward the barrier. Reporters and Sky Sports cameramen followed immediately, sensing a headline.
Instead of heading toward Rosberg, Hamilton greeted the group of young drivers.
"Didn't expect to see you here," Hamilton said.
"I'm just watching the race," Wu Shi replied. "Shame it was so difficult to overtake."
"Yes," Hamilton nodded. Then he asked directly, "I heard you might be joining our team?"
"Uh… I don't know," Wu Shi said, stunned by the bluntness of the question.
"If you do, you'll be very welcome," Hamilton said. "Seven years ago, you told me you wanted to be an F1 driver. Now you're just one step away."
"Thank you," Wu Shi said simply.
Hamilton waved and left, leaving the reporters wide-eyed. Still, they maintained their professionalism—this was an F1 race weekend, and the drivers came first.
---
After the podium ceremony, Leclerc finally spotted his godfather, Jules Bianchi.
"Hey! Over here!" Leclerc waved excitedly.
Bianchi wiped the sweat from his face and walked over with a bright smile. "So? Not bad today, right?"
"Of course! We scored points!" Leclerc said, happier than if he had won himself.
Wu Shi stood to the side, unsure what to say. After a moment's thought, he decided to save his advice for the Japanese Grand Prix.
"I heard you'll be in Formula One soon," Bianchi said.
"As long as I keep winning, maybe," Wu Shi replied helplessly. It was the same answer he gave everyone.
"Then congratulations," Bianchi said warmly. "When Charles was karting, he talked about you all the time—said you were always standing on the top step of the podium."
Bianchi patted Wu Shi on the shoulder. Leclerc's admiration was obvious—etched into memory by years of Wu Shi's overwhelming dominance.
---
Inside the Mercedes garage, Hamilton packed his equipment with a tense expression. His race engineer, Peter Bonnington, walked over and patted him on the shoulder.
"It was an accident," Bono said. "Don't dwell on it. And maybe you shouldn't have mentioned that kid—Wu Shi—in the interview."
Hamilton paused, looked up, and replied calmly.
"I said it was an accident. As for Wu Shi, that was just encouragement—from a senior driver to a junior. I met him back in 2007."
He zipped his bag and walked away.
Bono ran a hand through his hair and found Tony Ross, Rosberg's engineer.
"We can't let this rivalry escalate," Bono said. "Neither Toto nor the team wants that."
Tony shook his head. "Seems to me Hamilton wants that kid in the team—to secure number one status."
"What?"
Bono stared at him in disbelief. "You're all obsessed with Wu Shi. Do you really think a sixteen-year-old can deliver results in his first F1 test? He'd barely adapt to 300 km/h."
"Shouldn't we be more worried about Lewis and Nico?"
Tony's expression hardened. "Then ask Toto why he'd promise anything to a Chinese teenager."
Bono laughed in frustration. "Wu Shi won't make it. He can't."
Tony nodded slowly. "Yes. He can't. I'll make sure of it."
He turned and walked away.
Bono stood with his hands on his hips, stunned. This isn't the time to think about Wu Shi, he thought. The drivers' relationship is the real danger.
After a long silence, Bono frowned.
"Impossible," he muttered. "Tony wouldn't cross that line. That would be unethical."
But the unease lingered.