After finishing the interview, Alex Sun returned to the Prema pit bay. The moment he stepped inside, he saw Rebecca Lin waiting near the entrance.
Her expression was sharp and efficient. She quickly stepped forward and gave Alex Sun a brief hug, her tone firm and confident.
"Boss, XT Fund will take care of this. Regarding the BBC reporter's inappropriate remarks, the legal documents for the lawsuit are already being prepared urgently."
"Although our team is still applying for F1 status, our company has plenty of capital behind it. We will never allow you to be attacked like this without cause. We'll make sure you're fully protected."
After releasing the hug, her tone remained brisk. Approval filled her eyes as she gently patted the back of Alex Sun's hand.
"What you said in the interview zone just now was clear, well-reasoned, and unwavering. Those baseless smears are beneath your ability. All of us are on your side. We'll definitely help you get justice."
As soon as Rebecca Lin finished speaking, Mark and René Rosin stepped forward together, both wearing serious expressions as they directly voiced the team's stance.
Mark spoke first, his voice crisp and resolute.
"Alex Sun, you handled that perfectly. Faced with malicious questioning, you stayed rational and stood your ground. Rest assured, the team has already made its position clear—we will follow up on this matter to the end."
"Together with the company, we will never allow the ace driver of Prema to suffer even the slightest attack or insult to his reputation."
René Rosin then patted Alex Sun's shoulder. His tone was steady and confident, his gaze full of recognition and support for their ace driver.
"Calm without submission—that's exactly the presence a Prema driver should have."
"As for the follow-up PR and legal matters, the team will fully cooperate with the company to handle everything. You just focus on the track. Your reputation will be protected jointly by the company and the team. We will never allow anyone to slander or trample on it."
As soon as René Rosin finished speaking, Piastri walked over with a grin and slapped Alex Sun firmly on the back. His tone carried a hint of teasing but was entirely sincere.
"Man, don't take that stuff to heart. What that reporter said is complete nonsense. If you really got here through backdoor connections, then what would that make the rest of us who lost to you—total trash?"
"Don't worry. If you need anything later, just message me. I've got your back."
Seeing the firm expressions of everyone around him, Alex Sun felt warmth rise in his chest. The irritation from the reporter's provocation completely disappeared.
He nodded calmly.
"Thank you all. I know what I'm doing—I won't let something like this distract me. And thanks for standing by me."
Meanwhile, in the broadcast livestream, commentator Jolyon Palmer took advantage of a break in the coverage to introduce the updated driver standings after the F2 Baku round, his voice brimming with excitement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Baku race has concluded, and the latest standings are out!"
"Alex Sun scored a massive 60 points this round. Thanks to this crushing performance, his total points have soared to 126, firmly placing him at the top of the championship standings!"
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Guanyu Zhou's results this round were somewhat less impressive, earning 15 points. His total now stands at 83. He previously led Alex Sun by just 2 points, but now he trails by 43—the gap has widened dramatically."
"In third place is Alex Sun's teammate, Piastri. He collected a solid number of points this round, bringing his total to 70. This has narrowed the gap with Guanyu Zhou from 15 points down to 13—a reduction of 4 points."
Jolyon Palmer's voice rose even higher with excitement.
"What's particularly noteworthy is that even if you doubled the total points of the remaining drivers who have scored so far, none of them would reach Alex Sun's 126 points!"
"At this rate, we can absolutely look forward to China's first F2 Drivers' Championship being won by Alex Sun!"
The moment Jolyon Palmer finished speaking, the livestream chat exploded, with two sharply contrasting comments standing out.
"Isn't Jolyon Palmer being a bit too optimistic? There are still five races left. We're only halfway through the season and he's already popping champagne?"
"Why can't we look ahead? Champagne Guy, just because you're scared doesn't mean everyone else has to stop hoping!"
While the chat argued back and forth, the broadcast switched to footage from the earlier interview zone. It showed Alex Sun being maliciously cornered and slandered by the BBC reporter.
In an instant, the mood in the chat flipped completely.
The same "Champagne Guy" who had just mocked Jolyon Palmer's optimism suddenly changed sides, posting two rapid messages.
"Damn! I said don't pop the champagne yet—I didn't say it's okay for someone like that to slander our favorite driver!"
"Guys, go report that BBC reporter right now!"
Another comment followed immediately, both angry and urgent.
"Man, good call! I thought you were just another brainless hater earlier—I was already about to draw my fifty-meter sword. I'm reporting that journalist who smeared Alex Sun right now. We can't let our driver be treated like this!"
While the fury in the livestream had yet to settle, above the paddock the breeze from the Caspian Sea drifted gently across the circuit.
It swept away the gloom left by the reporter's provocation and quietly carried the joy of victory from F2's 100th race—along with the warmth of everyone standing together in the pit bay—to every corner of the circuit.
From the glory of the double victory lap and the champagne celebration on the podium, to the steadfast support inside the pit bay, and Alex Sun's calm rebuttal in the face of slander—every moment would be etched into the history of F2, becoming unforgettable memories for countless fans.
And this celebration of victory, filled with both glory and edge—along with Alex Sun's sharp response to the BBC reporter—was broadcast live through Sky Sports, reaching Jenson Button directly.
On the screen, Alex Sun's calm composure in the face of malicious questioning, his firm and reasoned defense, and the sharp determination in his eyes after claiming victory made Button's fingers pause mid-motion.
The last traces of cautious observation he had toward Alex Sun instantly turned into full recognition.
Earlier, Alex Sun's new F1 team had extended an offer to the 2009 F1 World Champion to become their No. 2 driver. Although he had verbally agreed in principle, a faint trace of hesitation had kept him from finalizing the details.
But now, after witnessing Alex Sun's crushing victory—and seeing his unyielding confidence when confronted with malicious provocation—Button knew his decision was absolutely correct.
A racing driver should possess exactly this kind of champion's spirit. If someone shrinks back and retreats in the face of slander, how could they possibly have the resolve to fight for victory on the track?
He immediately shut off the livestream and turned to his assistant, speaking in a low, decisive voice.
"No more casually watching through livestreams. Increase contact immediately and speed up the negotiations. Arrange two things."
"First, go to the Prema team base. Personally observe Alex Sun's training condition and learn more about his ability and mindset off the track."
"For the next race, I'll attend in person. I'll watch his performance throughout the entire event. After that, we'll formally accelerate negotiations with Alex Sun's team and finalize all arrangements for the No. 2 driver position as soon as possible."
Button's decision was by no means impulsive.
He was becoming more certain that this young driver—dominant on track, fearless in the face of criticism, and fully supported by his team—not only deserved for him to lower his stance and accept the role of No. 2 driver, but was also someone worth committing to in a true partnership.
Standing alongside a driver with this kind of backbone and sharp competitive edge offered the greatest chance of achieving new success.
While Button quickly finalized his upcoming plans, the bustle in the Prema pit bay gradually faded.
Team members returned to their duties, packing up equipment and organizing the race cars. After seeing Rebecca Lin off, Alex Sun turned and walked out of the pit bay.
Earlier, he and Guanyu Zhou had agreed that once Leclerc finished his race that day, the three of them would grab dinner together and properly catch up.
Alex Sun planned to meet them early—partly to cheer Zhou up, and partly to "show off" his championship-winning performance.
After the race, he had specifically checked the results. Guanyu Zhou's performance today had been unusually off. Starting from ninth on the grid, he had finished only thirteenth, showing none of his usual pace throughout the race.
Alex Sun planned to take the opportunity to ask what had happened—and maybe console this perpetually unlucky friend of his.
...
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