Pegasus Episode 20 Recap
> Pegasus Recap
The third circuit of the China Car Rally Championship began at Qifeng Circuit, featuring a chase race format where two drivers start simultaneously on separate tracks that converge at a bridge. The challenging terrain and head-to-head format were expected to increase competition. Teams were busy with last-minute tuning, anticipating that losing in such a direct competition could affect morale and points.
The draw results revealed key matchups: Li Aoduo versus Ai Fei, Zhang Chi versus Wei Qianli, and notably, Lin Zhendong versus Yu Tai'ang. Sun Yuqiang from the Speeding Racing Team initially believed Lin Zhendong drawing Yu Tai'ang was a lucky bye, suitable for a rookie like Lin Zhendong as it meant no direct opponent would hinder his performance.
However, Lin Zhendong argued that having no opponent in a chase race is the most difficult, as there's no reference point, and the short nature of the race limits team adjustments. He pointed out that historically, drivers who drew Yu Tai'ang and had a bye did not perform well. Ji Xing offered a more balanced view, suggesting it could help Lin Zhendong adapt but acknowledging both pros and cons.
Meanwhile, Sun Yuqiang implied that Zhang Chi's draw against Wei Qianli was the most favorable. Zhang Chi, reflecting on missing the chase race the previous year, felt a sense of regret, but was excited at the prospect of finally going head-to-head and winning against Wei Qianli. Later that night, while Zhang Chi was inspecting his car, his co-driver, Xiaohe, joined him. Noticing his tension, Xiaohe engaged him in conversation about the past.
Zhang Chi revealed the deeply personal reason for his intense rivalry with Wei Qianli. He recounted the night his parents died in a car accident. The doctor had said there was little hope unless a miracle occurred, adding that "miracles won't happen, this world is cruel." This statement, particularly Wei Qianli's agreement that miracles don't exist, became Zhang Chi's sole obsession after he became a racer. He wanted to prove to Wei Qianli that he, Zhang Chi, was a miracle.
He believed the world wasn't as cruel as Wei Qianli claimed and that miracles could happen. In a separate timeline, Zhang Chi was in a coma, having been unconscious for seven days with no sign of a miracle. The team was preparing to give up hope. Xiaohe was instructed to remove his oxygen mask. At that same moment, Lin Zhendong's heart rate suddenly spiked unusually.
Lin Zhendong was missing from the base camp, and when people tried to call him, he wasn't answering. Jiaru and Weiyi speculated that Lin Zhendong was to blame for Zhang Chi's current state. When they eventually found Lin Zhendong near the base camp, he explained that "another me" had taken over and was desperately searching for Zhang Chi for three hours, believing it was urgent.
Jiaru took him back to the base camp, urging him to rest as he had just fainted. Lin Zhendong explained that his "other personality" had taken over for three hours and forty-five minutes, and he needed to make up the lost time by analyzing the roadbook. Jiaru asked if he was upset about drawing Yu Tai'ang, and whether he thought having a bye would have been more fortunate.
Lin Zhendong firmly stated that thinking that way meant not understanding why he raced. To prove Yu Tai'ang wrong, he believed he must defeat him on his own track. To achieve his goal of competing in Dakar, he resolved not to lose any race before then, treating the upcoming race against Yu Tai'ang as his first true test against him. The next day, the races began.
In the first match, Xue Zhichong from Starry Racing competed against Zhao Xiaoyu from Aurora, with Zhao Xiaoyu taking the win by reaching the finish line first. Following this, Li Aoduo of Master Racing faced off against Ai Fei of Bulls Racing. Both rookie drivers engaged in a fierce competition, with neither holding a clear lead as they approached the first intersection, the stone bridge. A slow-motion replay showed Li Aoduo with a slight edge.
They continued their close battle to the finish line, where Li Aoduo ultimately secured the victory by a narrow margin over Ai Fei. The highly anticipated matchup between Zhang Chi and Wei Qianli was next. The Speeding Racing team offered words of encouragement, telling Zhang Chi to return safely and destroy Wei Qianli's championship hopes.
Wei Qianli approached Zhang Chi, saying they were competing closely this time and suggesting Zhang Chi was giving the audience a chance to laugh at him, implying Zhang Chi won by cheating in the past. Zhang Chi retorted that Wei Qianli hadn't beaten him on this track and joked about Wei Qianli's age and potential retirement. Wei Qianli claimed Master team was strong even without him, but without Lin Zhendong, Speeding Racing wouldn't exist next year.
He sarcastically told Zhang Chi to try and keep up, as it would be smoky behind his car. Zhang Chi accepted the challenge, telling Wei Qianli he would miss him when he was gone. Commentary noted that Master's cars had a half-second advantage at the start. Early in the race, Zhang Chi reported that something was wrong with his car; the engine speed wasn't increasing during gear shifts.
His co-driver, Sun Yuqiang, and team principal, Ji Xing, checked the data, reporting that tire pressure, temperature, and other readouts appeared normal. Despite the data, Zhang Chi insisted the car had problems, feeling a lack of power and sluggish acceleration out of corners. The gap between him and Wei Qianli widened significantly, reaching around four seconds by the first intersection, the stone bridge.
Ji Xing suggested Zhang Chi try giving more throttle and shifting faster, but Zhang Chi, frustrated, angrily told Ji Xing he didn't need coaching and questioned if Ji Xing knew the car was faulty. The team in the pits started arguing, with Weiyi being questioned by Ji Xing about the configuration list, which Weiyi denied messing up. Ji Xing urged them to stop arguing and wait for the data analysis after the race.
As Zhang Chi continued to fall further behind, he muted his team radio again. Approaching the finish line, Zhang Chi's co-driver continued calling out turns, but Zhang Chi told him to stop. In a stunning move, Zhang Chi stopped his car just before the finish line. This resulted in no result for the race and a ten-point penalty for the team. While Wei Qianli and his team celebrated their victory, Zhang Chi returned to the pits furious.
Media gathered, asking why he had stopped. Back in the pits, Zhang Chi confronted his team, demanding they check the car immediately and expressing anger that despite his efforts, his work was done, but theirs wasn't. He yelled that he had driven the team's worst car for years without complaint and caught up the points, but they were arguing in front of the media.
He declared he couldn't swallow losing to Wei Qianli in such a manner and refused to accept the result. Ji Xing tried to calm him down. As media filmed the scene, Zhang Chi pushed past them, apologizing to the team for the disturbance but maintaining his frustration. The final matchup of the day was between Lin Zhendong and Yu Tai'ang. Initially listed as a bye for Lin Zhendong, Yu Tai'ang's status changed, confirming his participation.
This sparked immense excitement and disbelief among spectators, particularly given his seventeen-year disappearance. Commentary highlighted the return of "Tai'ang the Legend," a former three-time champion. Lin Zhendong, recalling his past connection to Yu Tai'ang and his motivation, prepared to face him. At the start, Yu Tai'ang immediately pulled ahead. Lin Zhendong, however, was undeterred and used his skill to try and close the gap. His driving style confirmed to onlookers that this was indeed the legendary Yu Tai'ang.
The race was close, with both drivers demonstrating impressive skill. As they approached the finish line, Yu Tai'ang maintained his lead, finishing first by a narrow 0. 2-second margin over Lin Zhendong. Lin Zhendong secured second place, also ahead of Wei Qianli. Lin Zhendong later reflected on how close he was to beating Yu Tai'ang. Commentators praised Yu Tai'ang's performance at 45 years old after such a long absence, declaring his return the most dazzling event of the day.
Following the race, Yu Tai'ang held a press conference. When asked about his seventeen-year disappearance, he was evasive, simply stating, "I'm back." He also addressed questions about his championship prospects starting with only five points, saying he had no specific plans and would "go with the flow." The press pressed him about the 2005 Dakar incident that led to his disappearance and rumors of his death. Yu Tai'ang turned to Wei Qianli, who was present, asking him how to respond.
Wei Qianli praised Yu Tai'ang as an "immortal legend" and said people missed him. Yu Tai'ang thanked him, saying the past was past. Later, in a private conversation, Wei Qianli explained the Dakar incident from his perspective, stating he called for help and returned with a rescue team, wanting to save Yu Tai'ang but being unable to, feeling helpless.
Yu Tai'ang questioned if he had forgotten something, prompting Wei Qianli to argue that in wilderness rescue, self-safety comes first, and his death would have been pointless. He claimed he was willing to trade his life for Yu Tai'ang's. Yu Tai'ang simply responded, "You forgot to press the elevator button," before changing the subject to how well Wei Qianli had led the Master team and asking if the press conference went smoothly.
He then inquired about when Yu Tai'ang planned to visit his family. Commentators noted the mystery surrounding Yu Tai'ang's sudden return after abandoning his family and wondered how they would react. Meanwhile, Lin Zhendong's uncle, Jiaru, expressed concern to his sister, Jiazhen (Lin Zhendong's mother), about her unusually normal behavior after Yu Tai'ang's return. Jiazhen dismissed his concerns, stating that Yu Tai'ang was merely an old acquaintance who wouldn't affect her and asked him to leave.
Jiaru later discussed his concerns with Lin Zhendong, observing that Jiazhen was acting strangely calm despite her husband's return after being missing for years. Lin Zhendong echoed her sentiment, saying that a person gone for over a decade made little difference whether he returned or not. Jiaru then left for the team's review meeting. At the review meeting, team principal Ye Gong reviewed the race results.
He acknowledged Lin Zhendong's significant progress and second-place finish, suggesting it was equivalent to first place given the circumstances. However, Lin Zhendong expressed dissatisfaction, feeling it was not a cause for celebration to lose to a veteran who had been retired for years. When asked to speak, Zhang Chi sarcastically congratulated Lin Zhendong on his second place. Ye Gong attempted to address Zhang Chi's performance gently, referring to his unexpected withdrawal.
Zhang Chi, however, unleashed his frustration, mocking his own performance – stopping before the finish, failing to complete the race for the first time, finishing last, and losing ten points. He sarcastically highlighted his failure to beat Yu Tai'ang, Wei Qianli, or even Li Aoduo, contrasting it with his pre-race boasts of winning the championship, admitting he was "badly beaten" by Wei Qianli. Ye Gong tried to temper his reaction, calling winning and losing common in racing.
Zhang Chi insisted his car had problems and criticized the team for arguing in front of reporters, highlighting his years of driving the team's "worst car" without complaint while accumulating points, only for the team to lose points due to his actions and their infighting. He reiterated that he couldn't accept the defeat. Despite attempts to calm him and suggestions to stay for the meeting, Zhang Chi stated he was leaving and offered CDs or a movie instead. He took a drink of water and departed, with Jiaru offering to accompany him while Ye Gong insisted Jiaru stay for the meeting.
