How Did I Become an F1 Driver?

Two days passed quickly, and as Qin Miao parked the W13B at the door of the Mercedes team garage, Reyes and the others used a jack to lift it up, and everyone on the team simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

Because for the Mercedes team, the 2022 season was officially over once Qin Miao parked his car.

This year’s work was entirely finished; once the team transferred the data collected over the past two days to headquarters and wrapped up the on-site items, everyone could go home.

After completing the post-season testing, Qin Miao didn’t leave Abu Dhabi immediately.

Since last year, after all the drivers finished post-season testing, they dined together, and since last year, almost all drivers agreed to dine at this Chinese restaurant after each season ends.

So after finishing his work in the paddock, Qin Miao drove alone to this familiar Chinese restaurant.

Today’s gathering actually only had 20 attendees, just this year’s 20 official F1 drivers.

Drivers like Piastri and De Vries, who will join the F1 family next year or only played one race this year, were not invited.

While the F1 driver circle is not exclusive and, due to professional requirements, almost everyone can be amicable, nobody will acknowledge you until you’ve truly entered the F1 family.

This gathering was literally a get-together; the year was over, colleagues sat together drinking, chatting, and discussing the happenings on and off the track throughout the year.

At this gathering, Qin Miao, as the world champion, was theoretically the main focus.

However, more people, including Qin Miao, focused their attention on Vettel, listening to him sharing his insights from years in the paddock.

This was not just respect for the four-time champion but also a tribute to a friend who is leaving.

Truth be told, Vettel was well-liked in the paddock, at least compared to Verstappen, Vettel was noticeably more popular.

As for Qin Miao...

If Vettel is like a warm and hospitable older brother, then Verstappen on and off the track is like a mischievous child, while Qin Miao is like an autistic genius boy.

Strong, indeed strong, and genuinely autistic.

During this process, everyone was naturally very relaxed and felt unburdened.

Many misunderstandings on the track were resolved during this dinner, except for O’Kang and Alonso.

The two basically sat at opposite ends of the long dining table today, looking like they’d rather never speak again.

Qin Miao had nothing to add, just acknowledging that working at the French team predestined them to this kind of situation.

But no feast lasts forever; everyone had work the next day, and by around eleven in the evening, the dinner ended.

After bidding farewell to Vettel and other colleagues, Qin Miao headed straight to the airport to catch a flight back to the UK.

Meanwhile, Qin Miao’s colleagues weren’t as urgent after the gathering.

Some planned to play in Abu Dhabi for a while before returning to the UK, others planned to leave the next day.

This was completely a personal choice.

The reason Qin Miao didn’t head directly home after finishing work, opting to go to the UK first, was mainly because of an upcoming team annual meeting he needed to attend as one of the team’s official drivers.

Additionally, the annual FIA awards ceremony would take place in December, which Qin Miao also needed to attend.

Besides these, there were promotional materials Qin Miao had to shoot.

Couldn’t just stop for the year; the team’s social media would be dead with no updates.

Fans still needed to be engaged and maintained.

Once the work in the UK was finished, Qin Miao also needed to return to Monaco to tidy up his home’s environment and have a meal with Leclerc, likely accompanied by Zhou Guanyu and Norris if timing allowed. Hamilton, who resides in Monaco for tax reasons during certain months, might come as well.

Might need to buy more groceries then.

After dinner, Qin Miao might be called to the palace since Prince Jacques of Monaco frequently sent him messages.

Whenever free, Qin Miao would respond, forming a good relationship between them.

Back after, he’d surely want to meet.

Thinking it over, once these tasks were completed, his work would be entirely done, and he could finally head home.

Thinking about it, he hadn’t seen his wife in nearly a month; busy with racing, Qin Miao hadn’t felt it, but relaxing now, he finally felt the longing.

Sighing, Qin Miao tidied up and started sleeping on the plane.

When Qin Miao woke up the next morning, the plane had already landed in the UK.

It wasn’t yet dawn, but due to the time difference, Qin Miao felt quite refreshed.

After landing, Qin Miao first went to his place in Brackley and hired cleaners to tidy up his room.

Politely declining Barber’s invitation for dinner, Qin Miao took his fishing gear and drove his RV to the nearby pond.

Using expired bait, Qin Miao began his fishing for the year.

Having not fished for a long time, upon returning home, Qin Miao was ready to rekindle this less-known hobby shared with Zhou Guanyu.

After all, it was the end of the year, and the rest of the team had their own work to deal with, even drivers who had good rapport with Qin Miao were quite busy; sponsors knew drivers had free time now, leading to meals, contract renewals, and events.

But Qin Miao was different; even though he had many endorsement contracts, none had deep cooperation. He had already fulfilled his work targets with Yili early in the year, leaving him free now.

Sitting by the lake almost all day, nobody disturbed Qin Miao.

The only discomfort was he didn’t catch a single fish...

Lost ten pounds of bait.

"Darn it, so unlucky, whoever wants to fish these can do it; I’m done."

As the sky darkened, Qin Miao cursed while packing up his gear and then drove home.

That night, Qin Miao casually cooked some noodles and scrambled a couple of eggs.

Though simple, Qin Miao, having culinary skills, made it taste quite good.

After eating, he streamed for another two hours of Civilization before resting.

The next day, Qin Miao donned his team uniform and drove his AMG GT to the team.

The team’s annual meeting would start this afternoon, held at the team headquarters.

Various Mercedes legends, team executives, and social celebrities, including Brackley’s mayor, attended.

Once the annual meeting ended, it was past one in the morning when Qin Miao left the team headquarters.

Returning home to sleep.

The next day, after waking up, Qin Miao finally resumed his long-neglected exercising.

Initially, he felt a bit unusual, but quickly regained his old rhythm as he persisted.

In the coming days, Qin Miao worked out at home in the mornings and went to the team in the afternoons.

Yes, currently, Qin Miao was preparing for the final arrangements for the 2022 holiday.

Such as assisting the team’s R&D department to determine future research directions.

Of course, Qin Miao couldn’t provide specific directions, only suggestions.