After claiming all the system mission rewards for the Baku Grand Prix, Alex Sun finally relaxed. He lounged back on the sofa in his hotel room, letting go of the tension built up over days of racing and the aftermath of his victory, and slowly opened the Driver System panel in his mind.
He didn't rush to allocate the remaining 2 free attribute points. Instead, he wanted to first check whether this intense race weekend had brought him any real, measurable improvement.
Focusing intently, Alex Sun scanned each attribute on the virtual panel. A flicker of surprise quickly crossed his eyes.
He could clearly see that after two sprint races and a race filled with relentless overtakes in Baku, his Track Tactics had quietly risen to 78 points, a full 4-point increase compared to before the race.
Even better, there was more good news. His Driving Technique had also improved naturally by 2 points, thanks to repeatedly breaking lap time records in both qualifying and the race.
This 4-point gain in Track Tactics was the best possible recognition of his performance over the weekend, where he had fought hard and overtaken nearly 30 cars. It was also clear proof that his abilities were steadily improving.
The only downside was that, according to the system's rules for attributes above 80 points, an increase only takes effect when at least 5 points are accumulated. His Driving Technique had only gained 2 points, which wasn't enough to activate the upgrade. For now, those points would remain stored in the system until he could accumulate more.
After the initial excitement faded, Alex Sun didn't hesitate any longer. Locking onto the virtual interface, he quickly and precisely allocated the remaining 2 free attribute points.
The moment the command was executed, a cold mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
"Attribute allocation complete. Driver core attributes have been updated. Please refer to the Driver System panel for details."
As soon as the allocation finished, a warm current surged through his entire body. His limbs felt lighter, and his thoughts regarding Track Tactics and pace control became clearer than ever.
All the improvements, whether from point allocation or real race experience, were immediately apparent. From the sharpness of his Emergency Reaction to the precision of his Resource Management, everything had undergone a qualitative leap. The boost permeated every detail of his driving.
If he were to return to the track and jump straight into qualifying now, he was confident he could once again break the track record and produce even more astonishing lap times.
That was the true power of system allocation. It allowed for leaps in performance without the need for long periods of training.
After the effects of the boost settled, Alex Sun checked his panel again.
[Host: Alex Sun]
[Status: Prema F2 Team Driver]
[Current Event: 2021 F2 Season (Baku Round, Concluded)]
[Driver System - Ability Panel (0-100)]
Launch Control 59 (Base 57 + Boost 2)
Driving Technique 83 (2 points not yet active)
Resource Management 58 (Base 55 + Boost 3)
Track Tactics 80 (Base 74 + Boost 6, including Baku race experience)
Physical Endurance 70
Emergency Reaction 57 (Base 55 + Boost 2)
[Available System Reward: 10% Track Proficiency]
Looking at the updated attributes, Alex Sun couldn't help but ask in his mind:
"Hey, buddy, these extra attribute gains—they all came from this race, right?"
The cold mechanical voice replied immediately.
[Yes, Host. The 4-point increase in Track Tactics and the 2-point increase in Driving Technique were both obtained through real race experience at the Baku Grand Prix.]
[However, a reminder: the difficulty of improving attributes will gradually increase. Situations like gaining 4 points from overtaking more than 30 cars will not happen again. Continued growth will require sustained effort and accumulation.]
Alex Sun showed no concern at all. Instead, he smiled and replied:
"No problem. By the time I can't improve anymore in F2, I'll already be in F1."
"By then, I'll have an even bigger stage to keep improving my abilities and stats."
Closing the Driver System panel, Alex Sun looked even more composed. He immediately switched to the Team System panel, his gaze sweeping across the attributes and available rewards, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
He couldn't help but reflect that it was precisely the unlocking of the Team System, combined with these tangible system bonuses, that gave him confidence.
The percentage-based boosts from the Team System, the near "cheat-like" advanced Technical Development concepts, and the clearly displayed, substantial funds—all three complemented each other perfectly. Together, they would become another crucial pillar for him once he entered F1.
After all, the established teams in the paddock each had decades of technical expertise, mature organizational structures, and powerful financial backing.
Without the continuous support of the Team System, how could a brand-new team built through the system possibly compete with them on equal footing?
With the allocation complete, Alex Sun didn't waste any time. He focused again on the Team System panel, carefully reviewing the updated stats and available rewards.
[Team System - Collaboration Panel (0-100)]
[Team Management]
Collaborative Synergy: 50
Mental Alignment: 50
Talent Alignment: 50
[Technical Development]
Aerodynamic Adaptation: 50
Floor Optimization: 50
Power Calibration: 50
Durability Enhancement: 50
[Maintenance Support]
Pit Stop Coordination: 50
Fault Repair: 50
[Commercial Operations]
Team Visibility: 135
[Available System Rewards:
Financial Reward: $46 million (Monaco Grand Prix: $14 million + Baku Grand Prix: $32 million; no immediate repayment required; current total debt: $100 million);
Technical Concept Rewards: 2 Advanced F1 Race Car Core Technical Concepts, 1 Basic F1 Race Car Core Technical Concept (Selectable: Aerodynamics / Floor / Powertrain / Durability)]
After reviewing the panel, Alex Sun didn't hesitate. He immediately selected both Advanced F1 Race Car Core Technical Concepts for the chassis.
He understood this clearly. For the ground-effect cars to be introduced in 2022, the downforce generated by the chassis (floor + diffuser) far exceeded expectations.
Initial official estimates were around 60%, but in actual development, it generally reached 65%–75%, and in some cases even approached 80%, far surpassing the contribution of the front and rear wings.
As someone who had crossed over, he knew the core of the 2022 ground-effect cars lay in the chassis. There was no need to hesitate. Going all-in on the chassis was the right choice.
Continuously investing advanced concepts into chassis development was not only the safest and fastest strategy, but also the most effective way to build a solid R&D foundation and align with future technical trends.
It was also the only way for their new team to rapidly close the gap with the established teams under the new regulations.
But when his eyes fell on the Basic F1 Race Car Core Technical Concept, he hesitated.
His thoughts raced, but the command in his mind refused to settle as he carefully considered which direction to choose.
...
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