Pegasus Episode 11 Recap
> Pegasus Recap
To get everything back on track, Zhendong must become a top racer. Zhang Chi begins putting Zhendong through rigorous training, while Hong Kuo is trained in co-driver knowledge. The daily intense training pushes both of them. Zhendong is trained to feel the road through his hips and maintain balance for extended periods, while Hong Kuo must memorize complex pacenotes, understand corner severity numbers, and practice shouting commands over deafening noise.
Hong Kuo is reminded that a co-driver must be flawless, as any mistake could ruin the race, and the recce runs are essentially a competition for co-drivers. They practice together, with Hong Kuo reading pacenotes while Zhendong is blindfolded, simulating a rally stage. As the Rookie Competition approaches, anticipation builds, especially for Li Aoduo, a young veteran from Master Racing Team who started racing at age seven and was considered a favorite.
However, his recent practice performance is poor, worrying his co-driver, Yuandao. Media attention is also focused on a video circulating online showing Zhendong in a small van defeating Yuandao in a supercar. Li Aoduo faces questions about this video and his confidence, responding defensively that fancy street driving doesn't equal track performance and that he has unconditional trust in Yuandao. Yuandao, a skilled racer from Master's youth program himself, races as Li Aoduo's co-driver due to circumstances.
The viral video of Zhendong's unexpected skill, particularly the version without his glasses, causes concern among his team, as that particular personality hasn't appeared in months. Back at the team's lodging, the pressure mounts for Zhendong and Hong Kuo, who are visibly anxious during dinner. Zhendong finds it surreal, transitioning from a secretary to a race car driver in just three months.
The team tries to ease their tension, reminding them that rookie races are full of incidents and recounting how Zhang Chi even reversed in his first rookie race. They discuss past racing legends, mentioning Yu Tai'ang as a true "King of Auto Racing" who took runner-up in his first race, a surprising achievement given he raced before the formal rookie series existed. Weiyi explains that Yu Tai'ang was once part of Master Racing Team and Wei Qianli's senior.
After Yu Tai'ang disappeared during the Dakar Rally, Wei Qianli became the lead racer and changed the team's color from red to black and gold for a new sponsor. This led to Yu Tai'ang's co-driver, Yu Haixiang, having a falling out with Wei Qianli and forming Bulls Racing Team, keeping their cars red and still entering Yu Tai'ang's name in races every year.
Hong Kuo also confides in Zhendong, worrying that his mother is getting suspicious about their racing activities and how she might react if she finds out, having already been hurt by racing before. Weiyi also expresses her concern about Zhendong's stress, especially since he's labeled a "dark horse" and his nervous, rookie personality is the one facing the race. She asks Ji Xing (Officer Shen), a traffic police officer, if she knows ways to relieve stress.
At the driver's meeting for the rookie race, the atmosphere is competitive, with many racers knowing each other from Master Racing Team's extensive youth program. Zhendong learns about this long history among his rivals. He encounters Hu Dawei, nicknamed "Mustache," a perennial last-place finisher known for his confident smack talk, who vows to beat Zhendong this year. Zhendong and Li Aoduo have another tense exchange, trading barbs about past results and track versus street driving.
Zhendong states that if everything goes well, he expects to beat Li Aoduo on the track. Later, Officer Shen tells Zhendong about stopping a driver with illegal modifications who claimed to be Zhendong, advising him that real racers follow rules and encouraging him to talk to his teammates about his worries. During the recce run, Zhendong and Hong Kuo use a new car sponsored by Mr. Xiao of Kanshan Resort, arranged through Mr. Ye.
Li Aoduo and Yuandao approach them, demanding they share their pacenotes, but Zhendong refuses, stating they are there to compete, not perform. Yuandao mentions a female racer, Yu Haixiang's only disciple from Bulls Racing Team, rumored to be their secret weapon, Noel, who trained in Sweden. Li Aoduo mocks her for wearing a mask and using a foreign name, but Noel, when they encounter her, challenges Li Aoduo, suggesting he should be worthy of his car's advanced electronic system.
While navigating the demanding Shangyuan circuit, Zhendong struggles with Turn 15, a cliffside corner similar to a section they trained on but with a steep downhill approach. Despite Zhang Chi's instruction to take it aggressively, Zhendong feels fear and takes it conservatively. Their car gets stuck in the mud near the turn. Li Aoduo and Yuandao arrive, filming and mocking their predicament, making unhelpful suggestions, much to Zhendong and Hong Kuo's frustration. Hong Kuo notices Zhendong's unusual "5.
5" notation for the corner in the pacenotes, sparking curiosity and speculation about their strategy. Despite the mockery, Hu Dawei stops and genuinely offers them tools and encouragement. Reporting back to Zhang Chi, Zhendong and Hong Kuo recount getting stuck and being mocked, but also mention Hu Dawei's unexpected help. Zhang Chi is frustrated by their plight, noting that even perpetual last-place drivers like Hu Dawei are now ahead of them.
He is particularly angry about the conservative speed Zhendong used for Turn 15 and the "5. 5" pacenote notation, emphasizing that being slow is a "cardinal sin" in racing. Zhendong admits his fear at the cliff turn but, determined to show the attitude of a racer, agrees to adopt Zhang Chi's more aggressive approach for that corner, despite the risk. Zhang Chi gives them a "Leopard Peace" charm, saying with it, nothing can go wrong. Finally, the Rookie Competition begins.
As the commentator highlights Li Aoduo and the highly anticipated Lin Zhendong, rumored to have only trained for three months, Zhendong's nervousness is palpable. His heart pounds uncontrollably. He goes to the restroom, washing his face and taking off his glasses. As his anxiety peaks and his heart rate soars, a profound change occurs. The nervous rookie Lin Zhendong fades, replaced by the consciousness of the "genius racer"—Zhang Chi. The formidable driver is back.
