The lingering bustle of the restaurant hadn't yet faded when Alex Sun returned to his hotel room in Monaco. He shut the door behind him and threw himself onto the soft sofa, fingers moving quickly as he opened his laptop. The search bar immediately filled with the words: "F1 New Team Formation Process."
Outside the window, the outline of the circuit flickered faintly in the night. The dense blocks of procedures and regulations on the screen made his head ache. Almost unconsciously, his fingers swiped to the standings page. Second place—an eye-catching, suffocating number. Just two points behind the leader, Guanyu Zhou.
At dinner, Guanyu Zhou had joked that he was only one step away from the top. But no one knew what was weighing on Alex Sun's shoulders. It wasn't just the pressure of fighting for the F2 title. There was also the Main Quest hanging over him: fail, and he would be sent back to his original world. To succeed, he had to build a brand-new F1 customer team for the 2022 season.
These past months of battles in the paddock—the recognition from Mark, the bonds forged through clashes with top drivers—had long since stripped away his former ordinariness. He had completely sunk into this world of speed and adrenaline, with no possibility of turning back.
On the track, he could grasp offense and defense with millisecond precision, forcing the F2 spec car to its absolute limits. But stepping into the role of team owner meant dealing with personnel structures, technical partnerships, FIA compliance—areas he had never touched before.
The hardest part was balance. The F2 season was in full swing; every race directly affected the standings, and the slightest mistake could cost him the lead. At the same time, building the F1 team was urgent. Engine selection, team structure—these core decisions all required his sign-off. Every day of delay only put him at a greater disadvantage.
Alex Sun rubbed his temples irritably, closed the laptop, and lay back on the sofa. Just as he rested with his eyes shut, a spark flashed through his mind.
"Wait—" He sat up abruptly, his eyes lighting up. He immediately called out to the system's mechanical voice in his head, urgency and certainty mixed in his tone. "System, I have to fight for the top of F2 while building a team from scratch. Learning everything from zero just isn't possible. You definitely have a way!"
The cold mechanical voice responded at once. A holographic virtual panel appeared out of thin air, displaying team blueprints, funding details, and information on the four major engine suppliers, data streams racing past at high speed.
[No need for you to physically build the team. If you've played F1 24 Team Career mode, just follow the game's process. It's equivalent to starting a new team run with no save-reloads.]
[The team's initial scale is fixed. You only need to make decisions starting from engine selection.]
Alex Sun let out a long breath and slumped back onto the sofa, a hint of mischief creeping into his voice. "Then what about sponsors? I remember that in the game you pick sponsors before engines. Don't tell me you swallowed that part."
[?]
The system froze in rare confusion. The panel flickered wildly for a full five minutes before stabilizing again, its tone dripping with complaint.
[Host's shamelessness has set a new record. Isn't the XT Fund sponsorship already there? Did you think the factory built itself out of thin air?]
[Your prize money from each race is paying back the 300 million in startup capital I advanced. Otherwise, when you enter F1 next year, you'd only deserve to drive a green tractor!]
Seeing the system nearly crash from anger, Alex Sun reined in his joking and asked seriously, "According to game logic, I can recruit drivers, upgrade facilities, adjust pit crew training, choose secondary sponsors, and set R&D directions. Is it the same in reality?"
[That's more than enough. Real teams are simpler than you think. You decide the overall direction; professionals handle the execution. The Shanghai factory will hold its launch ceremony tomorrow. Leave immediately. And remember—you're the boss, not an employee!]
Alex Sun's eyes lit up. Three thousand hours of team career experience from his previous life surged through his mind.
From engine selection to R&D paths, every step was etched into his instincts. He slapped the armrest of the sofa, the tension in his shoulders finally easing, his tone full of confidence. "You should've said that earlier. This run—I know it inside out."
[Host sure knows how to take advantage. Just don't bring your in-game nonsense into the real world!] The system shot back, even flashing a "speechless" expression on the panel.
Alex Sun snorted, his gaze sharp and assured as he fired back, "Relax. I've cleared Team Career more than once. Take Ferrari engines, for example—their compatibility logic and power delivery characteristics? I know them better than Paul does."
That confidence came from thousands of hours of accumulated experience—and it was the core support for his two-front battle.
As the night deepened, Alex Sun grabbed his luggage and boarded a helicopter arranged by the system, transferring to Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport before taking a private jet straight to Shanghai.
The journey was exhausting, but it paled in comparison to his excitement about building an F1 team. In his mind, he was already running through the optimal paths for engine selection and team construction.
The next morning, Alex Sun exited the VIP channel at Shanghai Pudong Airport and immediately spotted Rebecca Lin holding a gold-embossed sign reading "Mr. Alex Sun."
She stood near the exit. Her charcoal-gray tailored skirt suit outlined a full bust and slim waist, her long legs straight and firm, posture upright like a pine. She carried a crisp, capable aura, her striking figure impossible to ignore. Behind her glasses, however, lingered a trace of curiosity—one that had taken root the day she joined XT Fund.
As a seasoned motorsports fan who had lived in the paddock since college, she understood better than anyone how brutal the standards for F2 drivers were. Yet the company had placed a heavy bet on the then-unknown Alex Sun, even investing massively to support his dual-track development. The decision had left her full of questions.
From secretly following his debut during winter testing to watching him break through again and again on the F2 circuit, steadily closing the gap to the top, her initial doubt slowly transformed into intense curiosity.
What kind of strength did this seemingly ordinary rookie possess to earn such unwavering commitment from the company?
To find the answer, she applied for a transfer three times. At last, she gained the chance to work closely with Alex Sun and unravel the mystery.
Sensing Alex Sun's gaze, Rebecca Lin immediately composed herself. She lowered the sign and stepped forward briskly, her movements clean and efficient. Her waist and hips shifted subtly with each step as she stopped three paces away, posture composed and respectful—though the flicker of excitement in her eyes was hard to hide.
"Good morning, Boss. I'm Rebecca Lin, in charge of coordinating your schedule and liaising on team matters. I'm here to take you to the base."
Alex Sun paused slightly. The system's mechanical voice sounded at just the right moment.
[Core assistant transferred from XT Fund. Well-versed in F1 industry rules, responsible for handling team affairs and helping you balance your dual identities. She proactively applied for transfer under you three times.]
Alex Sun nodded faintly, his gaze lingering on her face for half a second longer. No wonder she carried such a natural familiarity with the paddock.
Catching his look, Rebecca Lin immediately shifted fully into work mode, her tone calm and professional. "Boss, your dedicated vehicle is ready in the VIP area. The factory launch ceremony begins at 10 a.m. The process, guests, and equipment have all been checked three times. Rossi and Alice are already waiting at the base, and the entire core team is in position."
"Are the people in the key positions reliable?" Alex Sun asked as he started walking. The names were unfamiliar, but he trusted the system's choices.
Rebecca Lin quickened her pace to match his, her long legs moving decisively beneath her skirt. Her fingers flew across the tablet as she pulled up the personnel list, speaking quickly but with clear structure.
"Team Principal Rossi—former deputy team principal at Alfa Romeo. Fifteen years of F1 management experience, fully familiar with the 2022 regulations and Ferrari cooperation procedures. Straightforward personality, but razor-sharp tactically. We brought him in at 1.2 times the industry's top salary.
"Operations Director Alice—former core manager at Renault. Exceptional at financial control and supplier negotiations. Extremely meticulous, but never makes mistakes.
"Head of R&D Paul—former Renault engine adaptation specialist. He's bringing three deputies with him and will arrive in Shanghai tonight. For now, engineers are handling the interim connection."
When she spoke of these paddock veterans, her tone carried not just an assistant's precision, but also a seasoned fan's genuine admiration. When mentioning Rossi's tactical eye, a flash of unmistakable respect crossed her eyes.
As she swiped through files on the tablet, she accidentally hit the back button, returning to the home screen. A clear wallpaper instantly appeared—it was a shot of Alex Sun's first winter test appearance earlier this year, captured from a sharp angle, obviously cropped and carefully saved.
Alex Sun stopped short, stunned for a brief moment as his eyes landed on the image.
Rebecca Lin noticed from the corner of her eye. Her ears flushed red immediately. She hurriedly switched back to the work interface, her voice tinged with shy embarrassment. "S-sorry, Boss. I started following you as soon as I joined XT Fund. From winter testing to every F2 race… I haven't missed any of your growth or breakthroughs."
Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage and opened the photo album on the tablet, pulling up a clear screenshot and holding it out to him. The image showed the moment he celebrated his first Monaco main-race victory. She lowered her lashes, her voice soft but sincere. "Boss, when you crossed the line and celebrated back then… you were really, really handsome."
Alex Sun looked at the image of himself celebrating, then at Rebecca Lin—her face flushed, fingers gripping the edge of the tablet, eyes darting away yet unable to hide her sincerity. The surprise in his gaze was unmistakable, and he paused without realizing it.
He had never imagined being watched like this. From once being the tail-ender among drivers to fighting his way to victory, his eyes had always been on corners, lap times, and the standings. He'd never noticed that someone might be following his journey so closely.
An assistant who was competent and understood the paddock was already a pleasant surprise. That she had also been a fan who had followed his growth every step of the way left him genuinely taken aback. The feelings hidden in wallpapers and screenshots made him feel unexpectedly cherished.
She was striking in appearance, her figure almost unfairly eye-catching. Highly professional, deeply familiar with the paddock—and on top of that, a loyal fan who had watched him grow.
That sincere affection, layered with her undeniable presence, made him all the more flustered.
Coming back to himself, he smiled, his voice gentle with a trace of unspoken awkwardness, warm but restrained. "Thank you… I never realized someone had been following my races like this."
This sudden recognition carried a private warmth that even podium cheers couldn't match. It felt neither intrusive nor uncomfortable—instead, it sparked a natural closeness toward the assistant who had proactively requested to work under him.
With someone like her by his side, the days ahead of fighting on two fronts suddenly seemed far more solid—and far more harmonious.
...
(20 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser