Pegasus Episode 26 Recap
> Pegasus Recap
Li Aoduo and Xiaodao leave the Master Racing Team, feeling relaxed. Meanwhile, Wei Qianli expresses frustration over budget cuts and losing drivers, wondering how the team can compete in the Dakar Rally. Hong Kuo steps forward, volunteering his services if the team needs him. Wei Qianli agrees to give him a chance to race on the condition that he strictly follows the team's strategy. The CCRC season concludes, and the six spots for the Dakar Qualification Race are decided.
The Master Racing Team secures two spots but faces internal issues after Li Aoduo refused tactics and was banned. The Speeding Racing Team is a surprise, with Zhang Chi securing a spot and Zhendong qualifying dramatically in the final circuit. The Dakar Qualification Race format is explained: over 1,500 kilometers in six days, across six stages with varying conditions, and strict limitations on spare parts and tires, emphasizing durability over speed. Speeding lacks desert testing data.
The team undergoes intensive training, including simulated heat endurance exercises, as they lack insulated compartments. Days pass, and Ye Gong is shown losing weight as part of the team's preparation. The first stage of the race begins. Wei Qianli is steady, while Hong Kuo, in his first official race, is still inexperienced. Zhendong, now a well-rounded driver, and Zhang Chi, with his aggressive style, start the stage.
Zhendong's two rear tires lose pressure, forcing him to stop and change them, dropping him to fifth place. Wei Qianli performs well. At the end of Stage 1, Zhang Chi takes first place, Wei Qianli is second, and Zhendong is fifth. Zhendong used two of his four spare tires, putting him at higher risk for the remaining stages. Stage 2 begins with teams using fresh tires. Wei Qianli remains steady.
Hong Kuo is considered the weakest racer, and the commentators question Master's decision to promote him for such a crucial race, although he is trying hard. Zhendong needs to drive more conservatively due to his limited spare tires. Zhang Chi continues his aggressive approach but is forced to stop and change a tire, a consequence of his style and the team's lack of desert experience.
At the end of Stage 2, Wei Qianli finishes first, Zhendong takes second, and Zhang Chi finishes fifth after losing time changing tires. Speeding faces a severe tire crisis, with both drivers having used multiple spare tires. Stage 3 presents difficult road conditions and sand dunes that obstruct visibility. Zhendong's tire pressure becomes abnormal due to the high temperature, causing him to stop again. This exhausts all of his spare tires.
Over the first three days, the Speeding team's drivers have frequently changed tires. After Stage 3, Speeding's tire situation worsens significantly. Zhendong has no spare tires for the remaining three days, while Zhang Chi only has two left. During a team discussion, they acknowledge their lack of experience and the loss of six out of eight total spare tires. Ye Gong notes the tires couldn't withstand the heat.
He proposes using the tires designated for the final stage as spares for the upcoming marathon stages, and potentially using old tires for the short final stage if necessary. Zhang Chi and Zhendong are advised to rest for the demanding marathon stage. Ye Gong, Xiaohe, Weiyi, Yuqiang, and Ji Xing plan to finalize the tire strategy overnight. Ji Xing and Zhang Chi worry about Ye Gong, who is losing weight by not eating and staying up late.
Zhang Chi questions if they can win without changing tactics given their problems. Ye Gong insists the drivers rest while he goes to the organizing committee. A race doctor examines Ye Gong and detects an irregular heart rate, suspecting myocardial ischemia. He advises Ye Gong to return to the base for a full check and not continue racing due to his condition. Ye Gong agrees to inform his team leader but intends to stay.
He returns and the team adopts Plan C, using the last-stage tires, acknowledging the risk but hoping for success with decisive execution. Ye Gong urges the team to rest while he finishes his work. Despite their pleas, Ye Gong refuses to eat, feeling he is already a burden to Zhendong due to his weight and believes losing weight might help Zhendong qualify for Dakar. The demanding 48-hour marathon stage begins, described as a survival challenge.
Speeding has resorted to using tires intended for the final stage as spares. Wei Qianli starts first, followed by Zhendong, and then Zhang Chi. Zhendong's front tire pressure becomes abnormal after hitting something. He drives cautiously, but the pressure normalizes, allowing him to resume his intended pace. The race enters the long "train straight." Wei Qianli reaches 205 km/h. Zhendong drives at 180 km/h, still appearing conservative.
Zhang Chi reaches 200 km/h but is cautioned to protect his engine by keeping the RPM below 6500. Hong Kuo enters the straight and accelerates to a risky 220 km/h, visibly pushing his engine to the limit but rapidly gaining ground. He overtakes Zhang Chi. The team suspects Hong Kuo is overtaxing his car as a tactic to interfere. Zhendong's engine temperature alarms, possibly due to a radiator leak, indicating a need for water.
Ye Gong gives Zhendong his own drinking water, prioritizing the car's survival over his own comfort in the heat. Wei Qianli finishes Stage 4 first. Speeding's cars successfully complete the stage without using any spare tires, a positive outcome despite their performance not placing them at the top. Zhang Chi finishes, and Ye Gong congratulates him on preserving his tires.
After Stage 4, Wei Qianli is first, Hong Kuo surprisingly takes second (ahead of Zhang Chi), Zhang Chi is third, and Zhendong is fifth. Speeding did not consume tires in this stage, offering some relief for Zhang Chi but leaving Zhendong with no spares. That evening, Ye Gong continues to restrict his food intake despite Zhang Chi's insistence he eat.
He walks away, claiming to need to digest, but instead finds a beautiful view of the starry sky and calls the team to join him. Gathered together, they reflect on their journey and share their dreams. Zhang Chi contemplates whether he has achieved success and made his parents proud, having become a racer instead of an entrepreneur. Zhendong wonders if he has become a decent person.
Ye Gong asks Zhang Chi about his future self and shares his dream of visiting Rose Lake in Dakar someday, suggesting they could scout the route there. Meanwhile, Wei Qianli praises Hong Kuo's performance, particularly his second-place finish, which sets up the next tactical move. He instructs Hong Kuo to put gravel on the track in the next stage.
Wei Qianli explains this is a permissible tactic as long as it is framed as a driver error, emphasizing that Master's success comes from studying the rules. Hong Kuo understands and confirms he will prioritize the team's interests, specifically aiming to affect the Speeding drivers who start behind him. He asks if it will impact Zhendong, but Wei Qianli dismisses the concern, noting Zhendong's lower position. Wei Qianli assures Hong Kuo that he will officially be a Master racer next season if he executes the team's tactics in this race.
