F1: The Speed Legend

Comprehensive oversight of car R&D. Mandatory inclusion in upgrade planning.

Those elements were massive, but they weren't the true core. The absolute, beating heart of the contract was this:

Regarding any major adjustments that fundamentally altered the core design philosophy of the race car, Kai possessed absolute veto power.

Simply put: During the course of the season, if an upgrade package involved a significant shift in the car's underlying design philosophy, and Kai explicitly opposed it, that upgrade could not be implemented. It had to be sent back to the drawing board for further evaluation and redesign.

A "Veto Power."

This was a sledgehammer capable of completely shattering the traditional balance of power within the team.

To an outsider, this contract obliterated boundaries and completely shattered established norms. It vastly expanded Kai's authority within the team, granting him the power to interfere in areas traditionally reserved strictly for engineers and management.

Some might even argue it granted him too much power.

But Nicholas understood the truth. Kai didn't care about "power" for the sake of stroking his ego. He only cared about the car. The authority granted by this contract wasn't about dominating others; it was about securing the right to fully integrate himself into the technical team, ensuring they worked in absolute unison to build a truly exceptional race car.

Niki Lauda had demanded this. Michael Schumacher had demanded this. The true legends all operated this way.

Of course, the contract wasn't entirely one-sided.

With massive benefits and unprecedented authority came corresponding restrictions and risks—

If Kai failed to finish in the top three of the Drivers' World Championship standings for two consecutive seasons, Ferrari retained the right to terminate the contract early without paying any buyout penalty.

It was glaringly obvious: Ferrari had astronomically high expectations.

However, just as Ferrari was fiercely protecting its own interests, Nicholas was equally fierce in protecting Kai's. They needed counter-measures to hold Ferrari accountable.

In the 2020 season—not next year, but the year after—at the onset of the summer break, if Ferrari was not ranked within the top four of the Constructors' Championship, Kai possessed the right to unilaterally terminate the contract and seek a transfer to another team.

Conversely, if Ferrari remained within the top two of the Constructors' Championship, Kai was strictly prohibited from engaging in any transfer discussions with rival teams.

Furthermore, there was a crucial sub-clause attached: even if Kai successfully negotiated a contract with another team, Ferrari retained the "Right of First Refusal." Meaning, if Ferrari matched the rival team's offer, Kai was legally obligated to stay at Ferrari. He could only leave if Ferrari explicitly declined to match the offer.

But this wasn't a standard, simple matching clause.

They had to match the base salary. They had to match the guaranteed technical investment. They had to match the ironclad Number One driver status. They had to match the exact clauses regarding internal authority and veto power. If they failed to match even one of those elements, the matching right was void.

In other words, even if Ferrari chose to exercise their right to match, they were forced to do so with 100% absolute sincerity and financial commitment.

During the rookie contract negotiations last year, Ferrari had held all the leverage. Their primary focus was entirely on the first year; the option clauses for the subsequent two years were merely an afterthought.

This new contract was fundamentally different. Both Ferrari and Kai had to view this three-year deal as a single, holistic, unbreakable entity.

In Nicholas's eyes, the fundamental reality had shifted. Kai's status and inherent value had completely transformed. He no longer needed to prove himself; he was no longer a rookie waiting to be evaluated and judged. In fact, Kai was now the one holding the cards. The initiative, the leverage, and the final decision-making power rested entirely in Kai's hands.

Because of this, Nicholas had pushed for even more aggressive 'stop-loss' clauses to protect his client.

During the course of a season, if Ferrari committed three or more "major blunders" in either technical upgrades or strategic race execution, Kai possessed the right to trigger binding internal arbitration.

If Ferrari lost the arbitration, Kai could terminate the contract unconditionally, without paying a single cent in penalties.

From absolute veto power to binding internal arbitration, Kai's status within Ferrari had undergone a profound, structural metamorphosis.

High reward. High risk.

They were walking a tightrope without a safety net.

This was a true, top-tier mega-contract. It was also an astronomical gamble—for Ferrari, and for Kai.

Beyond the core racing operations, the contract painstakingly covered every single conceivable detail: team sponsorships versus personal sponsorships, media obligations, brand promotion, PR events... absolutely nothing was overlooked. Building upon the foundation of last year's rookie deal, Ferrari was preparing to completely intertwine their brand identity with Kai, launching a massive, coordinated global marketing offensive.

Page after page, clause after clause, covering entirely different sectors and legal domains. It was no wonder the physical contract was a thick, heavy stack of paper.

Buried within those pages was a seemingly minor detail that was actually of paramount importance. Compared to his previous contract, the mandatory number of official Ferrari promotional events Kai was required to attend had significantly increased. This included photoshoots, media tours, commercial promotions, PR galas, and commercial filming.

On the surface, these were simply standard corporate "obligations." Routine, tedious promotional work. But the true intent hidden behind these official events was a clear signal: Ferrari was officially fully integrating Kai into their core brand identity. Elkann was preparing to fully weaponize Kai's massive influence to crack open and dominate the Asian market.

For Elkann, the fanatical support of the Tifosi had granted Kai an unparalleled level of prestige—a prestige that frequently eclipsed Elkann's own presence. It was a massive political headache. But viewed through a different lens, that same fanatical energy could be harnessed as an incredibly potent tool to deeply cultivate new markets. Kai's unparalleled drawing power was a massive corporate asset.

As a shrewd businessman, Elkann had no reason to let such a lucrative opportunity slip away.

Of course, for Kai, this was also a phenomenal opportunity to further exploit his own market value and elevate his personal brand. It was the final step in completing his glorious transformation from a rookie sensation to a true, global superstar. Therefore, Nicholas pushed aggressively on this front. In exchange for Kai fully cooperating with Ferrari's massive promotional campaigns, Nicholas secured significantly more rights for his client.

Hidden quietly within these clauses was another groundbreaking, paradigm-shifting detail—and the core element Nicholas used to completely redefine Kai's status within the team hierarchy.

Kai's personal brand was allowed to operate entirely independently of the team.

In other words, Kai no longer needed Ferrari's explicit approval to sign personal sponsorships or endorsement deals. Previously, Ferrari 'owned' Kai. Everything was subservient to Ferrari's brand image. They possessed the right to unilaterally veto any personal endorsement Kai pursued. But now? Ferrari and Kai were equal business partners. Ferrari retained the right of first refusal for collaborative partnerships, but they no longer possessed absolute exclusivity over his image.

The power dynamic was fundamentally different.

"Kai" was rapidly becoming a top-tier luxury brand in its own right—a brand that even Ferrari had to actively compete to partner with.

This was a first in the history of the F1 paddock. A driver's personal commercial value and independent brand rights had been written into the core, non-negotiable clauses of a team contract. It was a single stroke of the pen that completely upended the established order and created another historic precedent.

Because of this specific paradigm shift, Kai attending Ferrari's official commercial events was no longer considered unpaid 'obligatory labor.'

Every year, as long as Kai met the minimum required number of promotional appearances, Ferrari was contractually obligated to pay him a flat promotional fee of $10 million.

And that was merely the base rate. If the number of appearances exceeded the contractual limit, Ferrari was required to pay additional appearance fees and brand image royalties.

There was no cap.

Kai was a brand. Ferrari was a brand. The two sides were collaborating as absolute equals. It wasn't explicitly called an endorsement fee, but functionally, it operated exactly like one.

So, to the outside world, Kai's base salary was $35 million. That figure placed him on equal footing with Hamilton and Vettel at the absolute pinnacle of the sport.

But in reality, Kai was completely rewriting the rules of the paddock. He wasn't in the same tier as anyone else. He existed in a tier entirely of his own making. A brand-new, unprecedented entity.

A $35 million base salary, plus a guaranteed $10 million promotional baseline. Kai's actual, guaranteed annual compensation was a staggering $45 million.

Surpassing Vettel. Equal to Hamilton.

But even then, Kai and Hamilton were no longer operating on the same playing field. Even Hamilton hadn't managed to completely untangle his personal brand from Mercedes-Benz's corporate grip to this extent. The partnership between Ferrari and Kai was an absolute first in the paddock. A completely unique, trailblazing existence. Ferrari had taken the unprecedented plunge.

Backed by the massive Asian market. The first rookie in history to win the Drivers' World Championship. A nineteen-year-old generational genius who had violently shattered every established norm in the sport. The beloved "Captain" worshipped by millions of Tifosi. The undisputed future of Ferrari. This relentless string of titles and achievements had forged this monumental contract.

Following his violent disruption of the competitive hierarchy on the asphalt, Kai had now taken the next massive step, upending the commercial and political hierarchy of the paddock. In a game previously dictated entirely by corporate capital, he had carved out his own sovereign territory, slowly pushing open the doors to a completely unknown, vastly expansive new world.

Just when people thought jumping straight from GP3 to F1 and winning the championship as a rookie was a legend that could never be topped, Kai had taken it a step further. He had shattered the myth entirely, rewritten the rules of the game, and forcefully dragged the entire paddock into uncharted territory.

Moving forward, it wouldn't just be Ferrari; the entire paddock would be forced to follow in Kai's footsteps and embark on this brand-new adventure.

A single contract had launched an entirely new era. It could easily be viewed as the defining landmark event of a massive transfer of power within the paddock.

While other teams were still using Hamilton and Vettel as the ultimate benchmarks to measure a driver's value, John Elkann had chosen to remain silent—until he unleashed a shockwave that deafened the world.

After surviving a disastrous, stumbling, agonizingly chaotic period; after facing a total siege from the furious Tifosi and a highly skeptical board of directors; and after watching his prospects of successfully inheriting the Fiat Group plunge into absolute chaos... Elkann had shown his teeth. In his most desperate hour, he displayed his true ruthlessness and resolve, deciding to push the entire situation to the absolute, furthest extreme in one massive gamble.

Since he was going to use the strategy of 'death by praise'... since he was going to help build a God... why not push it past the absolute limit?

Therefore, Elkann broke free from the established framework. He discarded the Hamilton and Vettel benchmarks entirely. He established a brand new set of rules specifically centered around Kai, diving headfirst into an incredibly risky, unknown future.

And it wasn't just limited to the paddock and the asphalt. He expanded the gamble to encompass the commercial and brand levels as well.

Elkann seized the opportunity. Building upon Marchionne's foundation, he dared to dream bigger, bolder, and significantly crazier. In doing so, he finally carved his own, undeniable legacy into the history of the paddock.

A bold, heavy stroke of the pen. Regardless of what the future held, with this single contract, Elkann had definitively proven he possessed the audacity and strategic vision of a true titan of industry.

Right timing. Right place. Right people.

Absolutely no one had predicted this outcome. Not Ferrari, not Kai, and not even Nicholas Todt. Even after Kai won the World Championship, conventional wisdom and institutional thinking still heavily restricted people's imaginations. Including Toto Wolff and Christian Horner. No one had dared to imagine a contract of this magnitude.

Yet, it had happened. The tidal wave of a new era was rolling in, sweeping up everyone in the paddock—from top to bottom—with devastating, unstoppable force.

Awe. Astonishment. Speechless admiration. You could already imagine it: the moment the details of this contract were leaked, the reactions both inside and outside the paddock would be absolutely nuclear. Elkann had once again forced the world to recognize the sheer power and terrifying resources of Ferrari. They were undeniably the face of Formula 1, remaining the undisputed, absolute kings of global traffic and attention.

Their brand value and prestige remained utterly unshakeable.

So—

Was Ferrari the perfect choice?

No. Of course not. But then again, neither were Mercedes-Benz or Red Bull.

In their current states, the 'Big Three' all had their own unique strengths and fatal flaws. Mercedes-Benz was still fundamentally Lewis Hamilton's team. Red Bull was still locked in a bitter, paralyzing power struggle between the Austrian and Thai factions. Comparatively, after weighing all the variables, Ferrari remained the most suitable option.

After enduring months of turmoil and chaos, Ferrari was finally stabilizing. The grand blueprint laid down by Marchionne was slowly surfacing in its entirety. The team, now explicitly built around Kai as the absolute core, had finally, miraculously, fallen completely into place at the end of a terrifying, storm-tossed journey.

In reality, massive obstacles and infinite challenges still lay ahead. Even though the technical faction currently held the upper hand, their deeply ingrained, decades-old disease of bureaucratic arrogance and insular, closed-door development wasn't going to vanish overnight. The thorns and shackles blocking their path forward were still incredibly dense. But Kai had successfully pried open a crack in the armor. Through intense political maneuvering and high-stakes standoffs, he had seized a measure of initiative. The road ahead would require painstaking, step-by-step progress to truly reveal the outcome.

Without a doubt, possessing a race car genuinely capable of fighting for the championship was the absolute bottom line. It was the true, core metric used to evaluate the actual value of a contract from the Big Three.

Just as Kai had explicitly warned Elkann: if Ferrari relied on the 2019 car they were currently developing, achieving greatness next season would be harder than scaling the heavens.

He hadn't been exaggerating or fear-mongering.

But looking at it from another angle, the true performance of the Mercedes and Red Bull cars remained shrouded in thick fog. A brand new season meant brand new cars; absolutely anything was possible. Their actual on-track performance was completely unknown. Right now, everyone was just making wild, uneducated guesses based on whispers and shadows.

The new season hadn't started yet. Winter testing was still a ways off. Ferrari still had time to course-correct.

The true value of the 'Veto Power' and the 'Internal Arbitration' clauses didn't lie in their direct, destructive application. It lay in their absolute deterrent power.

How exactly Kai would wield these massive new powers, how he would navigate his new position within the team hierarchy, and how he would find the delicate balance between brutal confrontation and necessary cooperation... that was a highly complex science, and an incredibly difficult puzzle. Even without any prior experience in this realm, anyone with half a brain knew the road ahead was fraught with danger.

But that was the paddock. There was no such thing as a 100% "perfect" choice. There was only the choice that was "relatively correct" for you at that specific moment.

Endless theoretical analysis on paper would never yield the correct answer. Even if you managed to deduce it, the window of opportunity would have already closed. The only correct method was to think critically, make a decision, and then act. You had to personally explore, personally collide with the obstacles, and personally take the risk, using your own actions to forge the answer on the asphalt.

After meticulously weighing the pros and cons, thoroughly considering every angle and every potential consequence, Kai firmly believed that Ferrari remained his optimal path forward at this stage.

The immediate, overriding priority was 2019. He needed to focus entirely on the upcoming season first. As for 2020 and 2021? He would cross those bridges when he came to them. The paddock was a rapidly mutating ecosystem; the landscape shifted drastically every single year. If he sensed things going terminally wrong down the line, turning around and bailing out was always an option.

After all, that was exactly why the 'stop-loss' termination clauses were written into the contract, wasn't it?

However, buried within the massive contract, there was one tiny, delightful surprise that genuinely caught Kai's interest—

A flat 30% discount on all Ferrari vehicles. This applied to everything: standard production models, classic vintage cars, hyper-exclusive limited editions, everything.

It was a significant upgrade from his rookie contract. From what Kai understood, this was the absolute maximum discount Ferrari was legally capable of offering. The fundamental reason Nicholas was able to secure this absolute ceiling was simple:

Elkann couldn't legally mandate that Kai exclusively purchase and drive Ferraris in his personal life. But, by offering this massive financial incentive, he could practically guarantee that whenever Kai was photographed by the paparazzi out in the real world, he would be behind the wheel of a Prancing Horse.

Elkann trusted that Nicholas was a smart man. The absolute best strategy for cultivating Kai's personal brand right now was to align it as closely as possible with Ferrari.

Now, Kai could finally, actually afford to buy a Ferrari. And as luck would have it, having just recently acquired his driver's license, he genuinely needed a personal car. Elkann's inclusion of this specific perk was essentially the billionaire equivalent of a street vendor shouting:

Come one, come all! Ferraris on sale! It's practically a steal! Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Furthermore, Kai was seriously considering buying a second one to give to Lu Cheng as a gift.

Jiang Mo had zero interest in cars, so finding the right gift for her would require some serious thought. But Lu Cheng had been practically drooling over Ferraris for his entire life.

Tap. Tap.

Kai drummed his fingers lightly against the desk. He stopped, raised his eyes, and looked directly at Elkann. "So, this employee discount... can I use it to purchase the 250 GTO I'm currently driving?"

In that exact moment, the air in the massive office noticeably stalled. It wasn't just Lorenzo; every single person in the room was acutely, painfully aware of exactly how much that specific 250 GTO was worth.

Globally, the owner of every single existing 250 GTO was documented and known. It wasn't something you could just buy because you had a fat bank account and a checkbook ready. Even if you went to the most elite auction houses in the world, it was often a case of having the money but no willing seller. You literally couldn't force someone to sell it to you.

It sounded like a casual, offhand joke, but Kai had actually tossed a highly complex, incredibly thorny problem right onto Elkann's lap.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Every eye in the room instantly snapped to Kai. The shock and astonishment were impossible to hide. Did Kai seriously not know what he was asking for?

Yet, Elkann didn't even blink. His smile remained perfectly intact. "Of course."

Gasp!

Amidst the chorus of sharp intakes of breath, burning, frantic stares instantly shifted toward Elkann. Lorenzo bolted upright in his chair, the words ripping from his throat before he could stop them. "I'll buy it!"

Instantly, the suffocating tension shattered, replaced by roaring laughter.

Lorenzo had just blurted out exactly what every single person in the room was thinking.

Elkann looked exceedingly pleased with the explosive reaction his single word had generated. He paused for dramatic effect, then smoothly added, "Assuming, of course, that the car is actually for sale."

Cunning fox!

Kai raised an eyebrow, offering a half-joking complaint. "Mr. Elkann, that is profoundly disappointing."

Elkann spread his hands, playing along with the joke effortlessly, a brilliant, mischievous glint flashing in his eyes. "I know. I understand. Completely. Please, you must believe me, I am just as heartbroken as you are. But alas, that specific vehicle is strictly not for sale."

The negotiations had concluded smoothly. Everything was finally officially on track. It was a rare moment where Elkann displayed a different, much more relaxed side of himself, contrasting sharply with his usual, imperious image.

It was easy to forget that Elkann was only forty-two years old. To be the supreme head of a colossal conglomerate like Fiat and an iconic brand like Ferrari at that age, he was undeniably the absolute definition of a young, extraordinarily successful titan of industry. Even with the massive backing of his family dynasty, the sheer, crushing pressure he faced from within the family and from the board of directors must be omnipresent and overwhelming.

Kai looked up slightly, playfully pulling the corners of his mouth down into a frown. "So, Mr. Elkann, was that all just a cruel joke?"

Elkann flashed a warm, genial smile. "In a few days, that 250 GTO must be returned to the vault to be featured as part of an upcoming exhibition."

"However, this time, we will be adding a special new plaque to its display: This vehicle was once driven by the 2018 Formula 1 Drivers' World Champion, Kai."

Kai clutched his chest in mock agony. "'Once driven.' I never realized how incredibly hurtful the past tense could be."

The dramatic delivery sent another wave of laughter rippling through the room.

Kai sat up straight and looked over at Lorenzo.

Lorenzo understood immediately. He smoothly produced a high-end fountain pen from his jacket pocket.

Taking the pen, Kai looked at Elkann, his eyes bright and full of energy. "I'm ready."

Elkann looked slightly surprised. He had sparred with Kai before and personally experienced just how incredibly difficult and unpredictable this young man could be. He had come today fully mentally prepared for Kai to throw a wrench in the works or manufacture some unexpected drama at the very last second, even though Nicholas and Ferrari had already finalized all the terms.

Yet... he was being so incredibly decisive and straightforward.

Elkann hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Are you absolutely certain? Is there anything else you wish to add or amend?"

Kai trusted Nicholas's professional expertise entirely. Jiang Mo had also rigorously reviewed the legal phrasing of the contract. Multiple professionals from different fields had scrutinized it from top to bottom. As a complete layman regarding contract law, there was absolutely no need for him to try and show off and ruin their hard work.

Kai smiled, his eyes crystal clear. "Let's sign this as quickly as possible. I need to get down to the dealership and pick up my car. This time, it'll be the very first car that actually belongs to me."

Ha!

Elkann blinked in surprise. Beside him, Camilleri burst out laughing. In an instant, joyous laughter filled the entire office, and even Elkann couldn't resist breaking into a broad, genuine smile.

...

"BREAKING: FERRARI AND KAI AGREE TO CONTRACT EXTENSION!"

"URGENT: FERRARI OFFICIALLY RENEWS 2018 DRIVERS' WORLD CHAMPION. KAI WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE FOR SCUDERIA FERRARI NEXT SEASON."

"DONE DEAL! FERRARI SUCCESSFULLY SECURES 'THE CAPTAIN'!"

It was like a pebble dropping softly into a pond, but the ripples instantly silenced the entire paddock. News alerts flashed one after another in rapid succession, yet the world seemed entirely devoid of sound.

Toto Wolff: ...

Christian Horner: "Fuck." He shot up from his chair, pacing frantically back and forth across his office, hands on his hips. He looked like an ant trapped on a hot skillet. Unable to contain the boiling frustration tearing at his chest, his composure finally shattered. Erupting like a monster, he threw his head back and roared at the ceiling, "FUCK AHHHHHHHH!"

The boiling, chaotic storm of rumors and gossip abruptly flatlined. Millions of bustling, frantic eyes all snapped toward the news, plunged into a state of temporary, stunned shock.

After all the twists and turns, all the agonizing drama and high-stakes maneuvering, Elkann had ultimately completed the most critical, defining action of his young presidency. He successfully renewed Kai, firmly securing the absolute future of Ferrari. Following a wildly volatile, incredibly complex season, Ferrari had successfully grabbed hold of the dawn, officially locking down the generational leader required to spearhead their grand renaissance.

"Ferrari x Kai." It was undeniably a union of titans.

On one side: the undisputed, supreme entity of the paddock. The absolute face of Formula 1, the ultimate symbol of motorsport. Win or lose, they were always the center of attention. The unparalleled, historic kings of the sport.

On the other side: the utterly unique anomaly who had violently upended the entire racing world. The generational genius who exploded out of nowhere, radiating blinding light, shattering every established rule, and single-handedly redefining the parameters of the sport.

In just a single season in 2018, the partnership between Ferrari and Kai had delivered countless miracles and unimaginable surprises, culminating in the complete obliteration of Mercedes-Benz's dictatorial rule. Now, with the partnership officially extended—a perfect, flawless pairing of two colossal forces—their combined brand value and market potential were poised to crash into the paddock with the force of a nuclear bomb.

But what made this truly, exceptionally special was the fact that Ferrari had successfully withstood a massive, coordinated siege from Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, and McLaren. They had held the line, once again demonstrating the terrifying, unyielding power of an absolute giant.

Ah!

Rosanna Preston violently slapped a hand over her mouth, using every ounce of her strength to control herself. Secretly scrolling through her phone and slacking off during a university lecture wasn't exactly her proudest moment; she really didn't need to expose herself to the professor right now.

But she couldn't control it. She really, truly couldn't control it.

The past few weeks had been absolute, agonizing torture for the Tifosi.

They had been praying fervently, desperately hoping Elkann would stop acting like an arrogant fool and renew Kai's contract immediately. Only by doing that could Ferrari finally clear away the toxic distractions and focus one hundred percent of their energy on preparing for the new season.

And finally!

The dark clouds had parted, and the radiant moonlight was finally shining through. Elkann had finally made the correct choice.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Preston couldn't hold it in any longer. She clenched her fists, let out a triumphant cheer, and violently shot up from her desk. She screamed with every ounce of her strength, her blood boiling with pure ecstasy.

A split second later, Preston realized that every single pair of eyes in the lecture hall was locked dead onto her.

Including the professor's. "Rosanna, why don't you share with the rest of the class? What exactly is making you so incredibly happy right now?"

Tears of pure joy pricked at Preston's eyes. She took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "Ferrari just officially signed a contract extension with Kai."

The professor standing at the podium froze. "The Captain renewed his contract?"

Preston: ... She blinked rapidly in surprise, then nodded her head emphatically.

Instantly, every single person in the lecture hall looked down, yanked their phones out of their pockets or bags, and started frantically swiping. The rustling, excited murmurs and the sudden surge of chaotic energy could no longer be suppressed.

This time, the professor didn't even try to stop them. Because he couldn't resist pulling his own phone out of his pocket either.

The air in the room began to boil.

Zak Brown had just hung up his phone. His emotions were a violent, swirling mess. It was Kai who had called.

Kai had personally called Brown to apologize, and to express his sincere gratitude. It wasn't just about this year. Ever since last year, Brown had displayed genuine, unwavering sincerity. He had consistently offered Kai the utmost respect and validation, doing absolutely everything within his power to offer Kai the best possible terms.

Unfortunately, the timing had never quite aligned.

In truth, Kai had absolutely no obligation to call Brown.

This was business. It was a corporate transaction. There were no owed favors. Laying your terms cleanly on the table and engaging in open negotiations was the entirety of the process. There were no hard feelings if a deal wasn't struck.

It truly wasn't necessary. But Kai had done it anyway. It was a gesture. A profound display of respect and character.

And Brown felt it deeply.

Shortly after he hung up, the rumors on social media began to explode. Brown realized instantly: Kai had timed the call perfectly.

Kai wanted Brown to hear the final outcome directly from him, rather than finding out by reading the breaking news headlines.

The more class Kai displayed, the more agonizingly painful the missed opportunity felt.

Brown genuinely, sincerely believed that Kai was a true, generational leader. If he had been just a little braver, just a little more aggressive last year... would McLaren and Ferrari have swapped positions right now?

It all came down to timing.

A little earlier, a little later... the entire trajectory of the universe could be vastly different. And now, McLaren was forced to resume their desperate search for a leader to spearhead their revival.

For a long time, Brown had believed Lando Norris could play that exact role, and he had meticulously groomed the young British driver. But after witnessing Kai's otherworldly performance during the 2018 season, Brown couldn't help but waver slightly. Compared to Kai, Norris still looked incredibly green and immature. Had he placed his massive gamble on the wrong horse?

Now that the dust had settled, he had no idea if McLaren would ever get another chance to pursue Kai. Would Kai ever wear the papaya orange race suit?

As his thoughts churned in turmoil, his phone vibrated violently against the desk. Reacting on instinct, Brown answered. "Zak Brown."

"Zak! Ferrari and Kai just officially signed the contract!"

A bitter smile touched the corners of Brown's mouth. Taking a deep breath to collect himself, he replied calmly, "Yes. I already know."

"No, no, no, no. It's more than that! Have you seen the latest exclusive scoop from Sky Sports? My God, Zak. I mean... Sweet Jesus."

Brown froze. Sky Sports?

Hanging up the phone, Brown rapidly opened his laptop browser. Social media was completely flooded. Every single timeline was dominated by massive, frantic retweets of a single Sky Sports post.

"EXCLUSIVE: FERRARI RENEWS KAI ON A MEGA-CONTRACT. BASE SALARY REPORTEDLY $35 MILLION ANNUALLY."

A nuclear bomb. A true, earth-shattering nuclear bomb—

Just moments ago, the motorsport world had barely begun to recover from the initial shock of the contract extension, the celebrations and discussions just starting to slowly bubble up.

Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, McLaren, the Tifosi—everyone had been popping their heads up, eager to voice their opinions and dive headfirst into the raging carnival.

But the moment that heatwave began to rise, the incredibly loud, chaotic social media landscape was instantly, violently plunged back into absolute, terrifying silence. Not a single sound could be heard.

Dead silence. A terrifying, suffocating stillness.

THIRTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS?!

Trapped in a state of absolute shock and devastating impact, the entire world collectively lost the ability to process information.

If you looked at Ferrari and Kai successfully renewing their contract, whether that specific decision was "correct" or not was highly subjective and open to debate. But the result itself wasn't entirely shocking. After all the dramatic twists and turns, the two sides finally reaching an agreement was a logical conclusion.

But this? This was completely, fundamentally abnormal.

The paddock. The teams. The fans. Every single one of them knew exactly, intimately, what this contract signified.

Even without knowing the other hidden, explosive clauses buried within the contract, the sheer, naked "base salary" figure of $35 million was enough to completely obliterate the entire paddock. The more deeply you understood the business of Formula 1, the more profoundly you understood the terrifying weight of that number. In this exact moment, the shockwave they felt was infinitely more violent and devastating than anyone else's.

Absolutely no exceptions!

Last year, Red Bull had signed a contract extension with Max Verstappen, bumping his annual salary up to roughly $10 million. At the time, that was universally criticized as an act of absolute, unhinged madness. It was seen as a desperate, borderline suicidal maneuver by Red Bull, paying whatever astronomical price was necessary to lock Verstappen down, placing all their hopes, dreams, and the entire future of the franchise exclusively onto his young shoulders.

A true gambler's move. Either you win it all, or you lose absolutely everything.

Publicly, everyone had offered polite praise, applauding Horner's "boldness" and "vision." But privately? Every single person in the paddock was mocking Horner for losing his damn mind. They all looked at him with an underlying gaze of ridicule and disbelief.

So, what about Kai?

Of course, the context was vastly different. Kai had actually won a Drivers' World Championship trophy. He had used his actions on the asphalt to definitively, irrefutably prove his immense value and weight. He wasn't in the same category as Verstappen. Therefore, it was entirely logical for McLaren and Mercedes-Benz to significantly raise the financial bar, shattering the existing salary ceiling in their desperate bids to sign him.

But now? Ferrari's wildly aggressive, terrifyingly bold maneuver hadn't just raised the bar; it had launched the bar entirely into the stratosphere. It didn't just instantly eclipse the massive offers from McLaren and Mercedes-Benz; it forced even the "King of Internal Bidding Wars," Red Bull, to bow down in absolute defeat. Moving with the terrifying, imperial momentum of a true titan, Ferrari had completely shell-shocked the entire paddock.

Over the past few years, people had grown so accustomed to viewing Ferrari as a disorganized, chaotic, red-painted circus clown act that they had completely forgotten the terrifying majesty of the undisputed king of motorsport.

Absolute devastation. Sweeping the board clean.

Caught in the blast radius of this nuclear shockwave, the entire paddock instantly faded into insignificance. Without exception. Any reaction they could possibly muster would only serve to highlight their own profound ignorance and pathetic insignificance.

Clearly, Ferrari was playing for keeps.

Facing a coordinated siege from their most powerful rivals, Ferrari had finally, gloriously summoned the legendary red storm, aggressively defending their throne. This signing wasn't just about retaining their team leader and securing their future hopes. It was a brutal declaration of war. Ferrari was officially launching a full-scale, all-out assault on the World Championships.

The Prancing Horse was rising again!

In a way, signing Kai to this specific, earth-shattering mega-contract was also a calculated PR maneuver. A maneuver designed to forcefully re-establish Ferrari's dominant brand image in the eyes of the world.

The target wasn't just Kai; it was a loud, aggressive manifesto broadcast to the entire globe.

This time, Elkann had executed a flawless, magnificent battle plan. With an aura of absolute dominance, he had completely terrified Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull into submission. The 2019 season hadn't even begun, yet the fires of war were already raging out of control.

Toto Wolff instantly read the aggressive signal Elkann was transmitting across the airwaves. After a brief moment of shock and awe, his icy, calculating logic flooded back into his veins. The predatory smile returned to his face.

So, this is a formal declaration of war, is it?

Tap. Tap.

The pen in Wolff's hand tapped lightly against the surface of his desk, sounding exactly like a woodpecker. Then, he stopped. Without a single second of hesitation, he executed a rapid series of phone calls, issuing a flurry of comprehensive, overarching directives.

Since Ferrari had officially declared war, Mercedes-Benz had absolutely no reason to sit back and wait to be slaughtered—

Bring it on.

If Elkann truly believed that simply throwing money at Kai would magically solve all his problems, then Wolff was more than happy to teach the newly appointed President a brutal, unforgiving lesson:

The paddock is indeed a battlefield intimately tied to corporate business. But it is far, far more complex than just simple business. If you treat the F1 paddock like a standard corporate project, the ending will likely be incredibly tragic and bloody.

While Elkann had focused 100% of his attention and resources entirely on securing Kai, leaving his flanks completely exposed and ignoring the wider picture... Mercedes-Benz had already been meticulously laying out their pieces across the entire board.

Now, it was time for Mercedes-Benz to launch their counter-offensive.

Wolff was absolutely fired up. He was more passionate, more energized, and more aggressive than he had been in any previous season. He was going to crush Ferrari. He was going to crush Kai. He was going to definitively prove to the entire world that Mercedes-Benz remained the absolute, untouchable ceiling of the F1 paddock.

However, not everyone possessed the ability to react like Wolff—recovering from the massive shock instantly, regaining total icy composure, and immediately launching a coordinated counter-attack.

The vast majority of people in the real world, caught in the devastating blast radius of the shock and awe, simply had their brains crash. They suffered a temporary, total loss of cognitive function, unable to even regulate their own breathing.

An annual salary of $35 million was just... too absurdly ridiculous!

The immediate, instinctual reaction following extreme, paradigm-shattering shock is almost always absolute denial—

"Impossible."

"Fake news."

"Ferrari isn't Red Bull, they wouldn't do something that stupid."

"Has Elkann completely lost his mind?"

"If you're going to fabricate rumors, at least make them slightly believable, okay?"

And so on, and so forth. Because the news was so absurd, so outrageously exaggerated, even though the source was the highly reputable Sky Sports, the subconscious reaction was to vehemently deny it.

And then, the official channels stepped in.

Ferrari: "It is with immense passion and profound joy that we announce Scuderia Ferrari and Kai have reached an agreement to continue our journey together. We shared a perfect beginning, creating countless iconic, unforgettable moments throughout the 2018 season. We fought side-by-side, battling fiercely until the very last second. Moving forward, we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, challenging the limits and chasing ultimate speed. Number 22 remains, and will always be, our Captain."

It was passionate, overflowing with genuine emotion, and fiercely loyal.

Ferrari's official media team had crafted a lengthy, deeply emotional statement. It didn't read like standard, sterile corporate PR speak at all. It read like a heartfelt, passionate letter written by a die-hard Tifoso, officially proclaiming Kai's contract extension. This kind of unique, highly personalized treatment had never been seen before in the team's history. It was the ultimate, definitive confirmation of Kai's absolute core status within the organization.

The Tifosi instantly swept away all their previous gloom and anxiety. They were ecstatic, launching into massive, frenzied celebrations across the globe. Finally! After agonizingly waiting for so long, Elkann had finally made a brilliant, undeniably correct decision!

Official F1 Account: "BREAKING! Scuderia Ferrari and Kai agree to a massive multi-year contract extension!"

Official F1 Account: "BREAKING! Newly crowned Drivers' World Champion Kai will continue to race under the Number 22 for Scuderia Ferrari in the 2019 season!"

The massive news alerts dropped one after another in rapid succession.

Ferrari did not officially comment on the swirling salary rumors. Every single core insider associated with Ferrari and Kai maintained absolute silence, guarding the financial secrets fiercely. However, looking at it from another angle: they hadn't issued a denial either. Instead, they allowed the wild rumors to rage out of control, letting countless different narratives and speculative figures continuously flood the internet.

More importantly, when the initial salary leak occurred, Ferrari hadn't rushed to deny it. Instead, they responded by releasing that incredibly sincere, passionate official letter announcing the extension, personally signed by John Elkann. While it wasn't a direct confirmation of the numbers, the timing and tone served as a different kind of validation. Those astronomical rumors were definitely not baseless fabrications.

In an instant, the global passion ignited, detonating into absolute, unhinged madness.

Amidst the constantly escalating, roaring tidal wave of hype, Kai—who had remained dead center in the eye of the storm without ever officially responding to a single rumor—finally made his appearance.

Following his single-word post ("Cowards"), this was only the second time Kai had updated any of his official social media accounts in over two years.

It wasn't text. It wasn't a photo. It was a video.

In the video, Kai, dressed casually but sharply in his official Ferrari team gear, was sitting comfortably on a sofa, a warm, relaxed smile on his face.

"Hey everyone, this is Kai."

"I've been thinking for a while about the best way to communicate with all of you. Plain text simply isn't enough to express the overwhelming emotions I'm feeling right now. Drawing a picture is obviously out of the question since I have zero artistic talent. I even considered holding a formal press conference, but that kind of setting just feels far too stiff and corporate."

"After a lot of thought, I decided on this. Speaking directly to the Tifosi through the camera lens, face-to-face. I didn't want to communicate through the cold, filtered words of journalists or media reports. Because you guys are my absolute strongest supporters. You are my comrades-in-arms. You are my fellow travelers on this journey, and you are the ultimate source of my motivation."

"Over this past year, we fought side-by-side, completing an absolutely incredible, unimaginable journey. For the upcoming year, I'm placing my trust in all of you once again. Let's continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and explore every single possibility."

"To drive for Ferrari is a profound honor. To fight alongside the Tifosi is an immense point of pride."

"So, are you ready?"

A simple video. A sincere invitation. Gently dropping a massive nuclear bomb. The entire social media landscape was instantly scorched to ash, violently sucked into the hurricane. There were absolutely no exceptions.