The undercover reporter froze, staring at Kai in utter disbelief. Only one thought echoed through his mind: I've been played!
Kai's primary objective was never simply to expose a Red Bull-affiliated reporter masquerading as a Mercedes-Benz mouthpiece. Instead, he was leveraging the reporter's own words to clear Ferrari's name, regaining the PR high ground amid total uncertainty. He was securing a firm foothold in the chaotic landscape, turning the tide, and seizing control of the narrative.
The maneuver caught everyone completely off guard.
In that brief instant, nobody knew how to react. Before anyone could process what was happening, the initiative had quietly passed into Kai's hands.
Kai looked over with clear, untroubled eyes, perfectly calm and composed.
"I don't know," Kai said. "I thought we were playing a ridiculous game of bluffing, seeing whose claims could sound more absurd to intimidate everyone else."
"Mercedes committed a violation, so Red Bull is taking over the championship lead. Red Bull committed a violation too, so McLaren and Renault are about to fight for this season's title."
"All ten teams on the grid are walking on eggshells, and everyone is a suspect, right?"
"Ferrari has already been declared guilty based on a single joint petition. I never realized investigations and verdicts worked like this. So whoever we accuse here is automatically guilty, and whoever we say should be disqualified ought to be kicked off the grid immediately. That is how the system works, right?"
The disguised reporter finally snapped back to reality, glaring at Kai with intense frustration. "That is not what I meant! Stop talking nonsense!"
Seeing the reporter prepare to expand on his defense, Kai cut him off cleanly without giving him an inch. "Then what did you mean? The FIA has barely begun its investigation, yet you already have a final verdict?"
"The official FIA press conference explicitly stated they are still gathering data, yet the media is already passing judgment in the pen? Since when did journalism transform into theology? Predicting the future and warding off evil?"
"It is 2019. The media still wants to treat us like medieval witches. Without an investigation, without any verification, simply because of our existence, simply because of our performance, you are ready to tie us to a stake and burn us alive. Is it because you think we are stupid enough to stand here and let you sling mud, or are you stupid enough to believe you can manipulate the truth without an investigation and drive us out of the sport entirely?"
"We are not witches, and we will never be treated as witches."
One step forward, then another.
His aura climbed relentlessly.
"Or perhaps..."
Just as his intensity reached a fever pitch, Kai hit the brakes abruptly. It felt like a rollercoaster freezing at the highest crest of a loop, leaving everyone suspended upside down in mid-air.
Then came the drop.
"You are trying to pit Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari against each other to reap the rewards. So who is the real beneficiary here?"
McLaren? Renault?
Or... Red Bull?
He stopped right there, leaving his point loaded with implicit meaning. Kai was sharp. Standing before the public, he refrained from recklessly throwing accusations at any specific team. In this political game and media war, whoever felt guilty would betray themselves, and no one was getting a free pass!
Kai was not merely condemning the media for colluding with Mercedes-Benz to convict Ferrari before the FIA's official review even got underway. He was pointing out that these journalists were acting as accomplices, attempting to manipulate public opinion and pave a smooth runway for a Mercedes championship.
He was also reminding everyone that the teams standing behind Mercedes were driven by their own hidden motives. No one was fighting for justice; everyone had their own agenda. Once Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari were dragged into open conflict, who stood to gain the most? Who was quietly lurking in the background, waiting to pounce?
On the grid, there were no permanent friends or permanent enemies, only everlasting interests.
Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull could not seriously believe that Ferrari, caught up in the storm, would simply surrender and wait for death.
If the media wanted to label Ferrari, Ferrari could just as easily slap labels right back onto the media. They were hardly passive targets.
So let them measure their strength and see who came out on top!
With casual precision, Kai tossed out one accusation after another.
The undercover reporter could hardly believe his ears. He stood there slack-jawed, his mind in complete turmoil. "You... you are just being unreasonable and shifting the blame!"
Kai smiled, looking genuinely amused. "So that's what you call being unreasonable. I was just wondering what to call your absurd, foolish behavior. Now I finally have an accurate term for it. As expected of a journalist, your professional vocabulary is much larger than mine."
"So concise, yet so accurate."
"I can only admire it. Truly impressive."
His tone softened slightly, but his gaze sharpened, sweeping across the room with intense, dominating presence.
The reporters directly in front of him shut their mouths, pulled their shoulders in, and lowered their heads. They did everything possible to minimize their presence, not daring to utter a single sound, terrified that the slightest movement might draw his fire onto them.
One by one, Kai ensured his eyes landed on every single face in the crowd.
Not one was missed, not one was spared. Kai seemed to be using this opportunity to burn every journalist's face deep into his memory, making sure that once this storm passed, every debt would be settled in full.
Instinctively, the reporters wanted to duck away or hide, only to find it was already too late. That relentless gaze was firmly locked onto them, leaving no room to escape.
Then, a bright, warm smile broke across Kai's face like a spring breeze.
"I know this is the central topic, and the entire grid is paying attention. I will address it directly, but I am only going to say this once."
"We will fully cooperate with the FIA's investigation. We trust the regulations, we trust the procedures, and we trust the FIA, just like every other team on the grid."
"Beyond that, just like Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, and every other team here, we are here for racing. Everything is about the cars, and we will give our absolute all to stand on the top step of the podium at Spa."
"Our team and our personnel have worked grueling hours all season long, pouring everything into closing the gap to the leaders and fighting for a sliver of hope in the World Championship. We are looking forward to a strong start to the second half of the season and keeping our competitiveness high."
Sincere, passionate, with just a hint of subtle irony.
Kai was reminding the media and the paddock that Ferrari was not running an untouchable spaceship. The dominating car on the grid belonged to someone else. Simply because Ferrari had shown genuine competitiveness, the championship leaders were growing anxious, trying to extinguish the flames of competition.
While Mercedes-Benz put on a show playing the victim, they remained the dominant force far ahead of the field.
The deeper implication was clear: Mercedes-Benz was fabricating charges to smear Ferrari just to protect its own dominance, while teams like Red Bull, McLaren, and Renault rallied around Mercedes for their own gain. It served as a stark reminder to the public.
This was hardly the first time Mercedes-Benz had demonstrated its formidable political control. Had people already forgotten the situation with Racing Point and Williams?
Vettel's arrival, Perez's transfer, Russell's role, and Racing Point's suspicious car design this season—was any of that normal?
Were Mercedes-Benz's hands truly clean?
Kai's words landed like a heavy stone cast into a quiet pool, sending fresh ripples through the paddock as speculation surged once again.
Pausing to let the quiet tension settle, Kai spoke once more. "So, we will settle this on the track!"
"Looking forward to the weekend!"
Despite the bright smile on his face, a chill ran through the crowd. It was far more intimidating than a sudden outburst of rage. No one in the media pen dared to speak another word, watching in silence as Kai turned and walked away with easy composure, leaving behind a tall, resolute silhouette like a pine tree standing firm against a gathering storm.
...
"It is all a conspiracy. Mercedes-Benz realized Ferrari's momentum was unstoppable and that the W10's updates were falling behind. To protect their track dominance, Mercedes-Benz provoked division across the paddock, smearing Ferrari to slow them down."
"It all comes down to financial interests. F1 is planning a major partnership with Kai to expand aggressively across Asia and North America. Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull saw the commercial interest tilting toward Ferrari, so they used this petition to threaten Ferrari and demand a bigger slice of the pie."
"Everyone has their own hidden agenda. Mercedes-Benz is using Red Bull and other teams to strike at Ferrari, Red Bull is using Ferrari to distract Mercedes-Benz, while McLaren and Renault are waiting in the wings to fish in troubled waters. The battle for fourth place in the Constructors' Championship has turned into a bloody brawl."
Rumors spread like wildfire, growing more intense by the hour.
The narrative was veering off course. What had begun as a coordinated media campaign to crush Ferrari was now clouded by countless theories, turning the original petition into an intricate maze.
Or perhaps everything was unfolding exactly as intended?
Kai had once again showcased his remarkable composure and tactical intellect. Instead of merely enduring the criticism, he had effortlessly shattered the illusion, bringing the paddock's tangled political web back into focus. This was a powder keg where political and commercial interests reigned supreme, and nothing was ever as simple as it appeared.
Before the official truth came out, anything was possible, and there was no need to jump to conclusions or become a pawn in someone else's game.
Then came another bombshell revelation.
Following extensive testing and data analysis across Silverstone, the Austrian Ring, Hockenheim, and the Hungaroring, the SF90 had achieved a major breakthrough. The upgrade introduced after the summer break was set to be revolutionary. Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull were suddenly on the back foot, as the dominant W10 faced the prospect of being dragged back down to earth.
Evidently, the summer updates from Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull had failed to meet expectations.
That explained why they had mounted an offensive early on. The petition was never about the final verdict; it was a tactical maneuver designed to disrupt Ferrari's rhythm and buy precious time for Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull to develop their own upgrades. The outcome of the appeal was secondary to gaining extra development time.
It also solved a glaring puzzle from before the summer break. Back then, Red Bull and Ferrari had maintained a silent understanding, aligning their efforts against Mercedes-Benz because the Silver Arrows held a massive lead. Yet now, Red Bull had joined forces with Mercedes-Benz to attack Ferrari—a move that initially seemed counterproductive, as it weakened the push against Mercedes.
If the latest rumors held true, Red Bull was not serving Mercedes; they were serving themselves.
The fight for the 2019 Drivers' and Constructors' Championships had reached a ruthless stage where sportsmanship took a backseat to raw ambition.
Engines roared in the background as discussions echoed across the venue. The media storm surrounding Ferrari continued to build, releasing immense momentum.
Gradually, all eyes turned toward Spa.
One faction believed Ferrari's performance at Spa would be a total disaster. With the FIA launching an investigation and the global spotlight fixed on Maranello, Ferrari would not dare run a dubious configuration, causing their on-track pace to plummet.
Another faction believed Ferrari would pull out all the stops at Spa, using pure performance to prove their innocence. Any drop in pace would look like an admission of guilt before the FIA even released its findings.
A small minority even suggested Ferrari should withdraw from the Belgian Grand Prix altogether as a drastic statement of protest.
Conflicting opinions, fierce debates, and differing viewpoints erupted across every platform. The 2019 season had already been packed with drama, and fans had spent the summer break eagerly awaiting the restart to see how the top three teams and midfield contenders would fare. Now, fueled by controversy, that anticipation had reached an unprecedented high, crashing over Spa like a sudden summer thunderstorm.
Ferrari Tifosi, Mercedes and Red Bull fans, and passionate supporters of McLaren and Renault converged on the venue in droves. The quiet mountain town was swept into a chaotic storm as the motorsport world erupted with energy.
North America delivered an unexpected surge of interest as well.
Following the massive wave created by Kai's visit to Los Angeles, a brand-new audience had tuned in, fixing their attention firmly on Spa.
The pressure weighed heavily on Ferrari's shoulders. From every perspective, this was a race where failure was not an option. It represented a crucial turning point for the season and a defining moment for Ferrari's brand image. John Elkann had arrived at Spa on Thursday, attending in person to oversee every detail.
A tight, anxious energy trickled through the pit lane.
In a rare display, even Laurent Mekies showed hints of tension. Although he hid it well, Kai's sharp eyes caught it immediately.
"Excuse me, sir! Yes, you over there!" Kai called out in a artificially loud voice. "Please relax, the professor isn't going to call on you for an pop quiz."
The garage turned around with puzzled expressions. Seeing Mekies standing there in dazed surprise, the entire crew broke into a chorus of laughter.
Mekies twitched the corner of his mouth, giving Kai a helpless look.
Kai patted Mekies on the shoulder. "We don't have time to worry about anyone else. We have a massive workload ahead of us. All the hard work we put into that package is about to be tested on track. We need everyone completely locked in. Haven't you noticed Charles is over there nodding off again?"
Leclerc's deadpan voice floated over. "I am not sleeping. I am doing mental visualization laps, alright?"
Another burst of laughter rippled through the garage.
Mekies looked at Kai, taking a deep breath to settle his focus. Kai was right. The entire team had worked day and night without sleep, fine-tuning fuel efficiency curves while implementing planned updates to complete the package. The upcoming practice session was critical.
Testing, tuning, and collecting data.
Everything hinged on this moment.
Worrying about rival teams was a waste of energy; their focus belonged entirely on their own program. It was time to see what their creation could do.
Mekies raised his eyes. "Are you ready?"
A bright smile broke across Kai's face. "I can't wait."
With that brief exchange, the uneasy atmosphere inside the Ferrari pit box quietly dissipated, replaced by renewed confidence, focus, and drive.
Just as Kai had said, let them settle it on the track. Mercedes-Benz had exhausted their energy trying to disrupt Ferrari off the circuit, but no one knew how their technical updates would actually perform. Hopefully, Mercedes would put up a proper fight; without close competition, where was the fun?
It was against this backdrop of chaos, uncertainty, and political storm that Free Practice 1 officially got underway.
Ferrari... remained Ferrari.
It brought back memories of the 2017 season, when Kai made his F1 track debut at Spa, filling in for Raikkonen during Ferrari's first practice session.
Back then, the inexperienced young driver had appeared out of nowhere. Nobody understood what he was capable of, and many even mocked his raw, clumsy approach. He had recklessly pushed for top speed on the straights, completely disregarding the team's testing plan, and spent the rest of practice looking lost, appearing overwhelmed by the complex buttons on his steering wheel.
Yet when FP1 concluded, the struggling rookie produced a brilliant lap to top the timing sheets.
The scene today felt surprisingly familiar.
Stumbling along at a modest pace, the number 22 Ferrari looked subdued, almost lost amidst the green forests of the Ardennes.
After spending the summer break immersed in the glamorous distractions of Hollywood, Kai appeared to be driving in a hangover, looking as though he had forgotten how to handle an F1 car. His braking points and throttle inputs looked entirely out of sync.
Mockery and criticism echoed through the commentary boxes.
Martin Brundle, however, did not share that view. Casual onlookers might have forgotten Kai's FP1 performance at Spa two years ago, but a seasoned professional remembered it vividly.
It went beyond that single session. Brundle recalled the first half of the 2018 season, where Kai consistently kept a low profile during practice, building up his rhythm quietly before blowing the field away in qualifying. People eventually realized it wasn't a lack of pace; Kai simply preferred to understand the track and car thoroughly, establishing a solid foundation before unleashing his true speed.
That level of composure and strategic maturity had impressed observers time and again.
The same pattern seemed to be unfolding now.
Had Kai genuinely lost his way in Hollywood and forgotten how to hit his braking marks?
Brundle was confident Kai understood the stakes. The entire paddock was watching him, and figures like Wolff and Horner were not going to be fooled by smokescreens. The importance of this weekend was obvious, yet Kai remained committed to his own program, learning the Spa circuit on his own terms.
Did this suggest the rumors held truth?
Had Ferrari's major upgrade successfully elevated the SF90's performance, giving it a slight edge over Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull? Was Kai simply methodical in gathering data to fine-tune their strategy for qualifying and the race?
As the realization struck him, Brundle felt his heart rate quicken.
Spa held a special significance for Kai. It was where he had driven an F1 car in an official session for the very first time. Though it was only a practice session, it showcased his immense talent and paved the way for his seat at Ferrari.
By all metrics, Spa suited Kai's driving style exceptionally well, and he certainly possessed the capability to win here.
When the paddock returned from the summer break last year, Ferrari had taken a wrong development turn, failing to keep pace with Mercedes-Benz and falling further behind. Kai could only manage a fourth-place finish at Spa, putting his title hopes in jeopardy before Ferrari recovered to win thrilling battles at Monza and Singapore.
Now, a year later, the sport had returned to Spa following another summer break. But this time, the political and technical warfare had escalated to a whole new level. Ferrari was standing on the edge of a cliff, leaving everyone to wonder if Kai could pull off another miracle and turn the tide once more.
Amidst the roaring thunder of power units, Brundle ignored the background noise and political distractions, keeping his focus locked firmly on Kai.
Sure enough, Kai delivered.
As Free Practice 1 drew toward its conclusion, teams and drivers switched to performance runs, pushing for fast lap times and filling the circuit with action.
In a surprising moment, Daniel Ricciardo put his Renault on top of the timing sheets with a blistering lap that held off initial challenges from rival teams.
It made observers wonder if Renault was finally making a genuine breakthrough. Was that why Abiteboul had been so vocal during the summer break, taking a leading role in the petition against Ferrari?
Before those thoughts could settle, the front-runners and midfield pack split into two distinct tiers as a fierce battle erupted.
Leclerc, Verstappen, and Bottas traded fastest sectors, taking turns atop the leaderboard in a high-stakes duel. The atmosphere toward the end of FP1 climbed toward a boiling point, filling the air with palpable tension.
Just as onlookers expected the battle among the top three teams to reach a crescendo, the session took a sudden, dramatic turn.
The gap between the top three teams widened unexpectedly, marked by the moment Kai produced a stunning lap to take P1, establishing a clear hierarchy on the timing board.
Kai sat in P1 with Leclerc right behind in P2. Ferrari stood far ahead of the competition, with only 0.2 seconds separating their two drivers on identical performance levels. Behind them, however, the gap to Red Bull in P3 and P4 expanded to a massive 0.9 seconds, with Verstappen leading Albon.
Behind Red Bull, Bottas ended up fifth and Hamilton sixth, with Mercedes-Benz trailing Red Bull by an additional 0.3 seconds.
Silence fell over the paddock.
Anyone with a basic understanding of Formula 1 knew the sport was decided by thousandths of a second—margins far too small for the human eye to perceive. On this level, a gap of 0.9 or 1.3 seconds was an absolute ocean.
So what had just happened?
Had Ferrari truly built such an overwhelming advantage through their summer updates, surging far ahead of the competition into a class of their own?
Or were Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull holding back, deliberately allowing an overeager Ferrari to take the spotlight to highlight their illegal advantage before the world?
How else could such a massive gap be explained?
What was the truth?
Surprise and confusion reverberated across the pit lane.
The excitement over Kai's blistering lap had barely settled before the shock of the immense gap between the top teams took over, leaving observers temporarily speechless as they exchanged bewildered glances.
Speculation, doubt, and intrigue soared to new heights.
It added fuel to an already roaring fire!
The atmosphere across the paddock, already tense, reached a fever pitch following the conclusion of FP1, exploding like cold water hitting hot oil.
Sensational and explosive.
As the F2 and F3 drivers took to the track under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the altered atmosphere was impossible to miss.
In truth, it wasn't just the spectators; the F2 and F3 drivers were whispering and speculating among themselves as well.
Marcus Armstrong, a Ferrari Driver Academy member competing in F3 this season, was rumored to have driven against Kai in Maranello, drawing curious glances from those around him.
Today was no exception.
Drivers approached him one after another to ask probing questions, leaving Armstrong feeling awkward and unsure how to respond. Fortunately, Anthoine Hubert and Guanyu Zhou stepped in to rescue him, scattering the inquisitive crowd as Armstrong offered a look of profound relief.
Hubert patted the young driver's shoulder. "If they keep bothering you, just tell them to ask Kai directly."
Armstrong nearly choked on his breath. "I... if they actually go ask him, then what?"
Hubert shook his head. "Don't worry, they wouldn't dare."
Zhou added with a grin, "If they actually do, make sure to call us over so we can watch the show! Haha!" He made no effort to hide his amusement.
Armstrong nodded with a slight smile, instinctively glancing toward the Ferrari garage as a sense of deep admiration welled up in his chest.
The tension in the paddock was impossible to ignore. It extended far beyond F1, sweeping up the F2 and F3 grids at Spa and dragging everyone into the storm.