Exploring the Pit Area

Nakayama Takuya looked in the direction he was pointing.

A dozen or so VR Racing booths were packed tightly together. To accommodate more machines, the aisle was rather narrow, and the queuing barriers divided the space into sections, making it look like an ordinary arcade in Shinjuku.

Upon seeing this, the Japan manager in charge of the site quickly stepped forward to explain, "Executive, we want more players to be able to experience the game—"

"No, that's not the problem." Kevin shook his head, then turned to the manager and explained earnestly, "Attending an F1 race live is completely different from our previous movie theater collaborations. It's a luxury social event. Who comes here? Corporate executives, business entertainers, socialites, and true racing enthusiasts. They don't lack money; what they lack is a unique experience and the matching class."

He paused, then his tone became more direct. "Shoving these expensive machines together like sardines only makes them think Sega is a cheap brand. The kids who really want to play games, their parents or entourages, don't even have room to stand, so why would they want to stand in that messy line?"

These words hit the nail on the head, causing a bead of sweat to appear on the forehead of the Japan manager.

He only considered the sales per square meter, completely ignoring the atmosphere of the site and the psychology of the target audience.

Nakayama Takuya spoke up at the opportune moment, giving his supervisor a way out. "Kevin makes a good point. We did lack experience in promoting at high-end events. It's not too late to adjust now, don't you think?"

"Yes! I understand!" The supervisor felt like he had been granted a pardon and immediately took out his walkie-talkie to start redeploying manpower.

Kevin, without any hesitation, took on the role of "chief designer," pontificating from the sidelines. "Keep the machines at least two meters apart! Set up some sofas and coffee tables nearby, and offer free soft drinks. Queues? No, we don't queue."

He snapped his fingers, "Use a number generator! Once players get their numbers, they can sit and wait in the rest area, or wander around elsewhere. We'll put a large screen in the rest area to display the numbers being called. That's how we demonstrate the quality of our service."

After a major renovation, the once crowded corner of the arcade has been transformed into an elegant and spacious VIP room.

Experience area.

Looking at the newly renovated booth, Nakayama Takuya patted Mark Cerny on the shoulder and said, "Mark, it was definitely the right decision to send you guys over to give us guidance. These guys are really professional."

"Professionals should do professional things." Mark smiled, then noticed the magazine rack next to the sofa.

He picked up the Sega brochure and saw instructions that viewers could go to the casual server to purchase limited-edition souvenirs.

He glanced at Nakayama Takuya questioningly, while Nakayama Takuya gave his assistant a knowing look. "But that's not enough. I've also prepared some small gifts to 'rob' their wallets."

The assistant understood and opened a briefcase.

The moment the box was opened, Kevin and his colleagues were stunned.

Inside the box, rows of Pikachu plush toys dressed in Mini McLaren Team racing suits were neatly arranged, and a bright yellow electric mouse wearing a small helmet with the Sega logo was irresistibly cute.

Next to it are limited edition metal keychains from the Pokémon x McLaren collaboration, each clearly engraved with the year and the words "Suzuka Limited Edition".

"My God—" Kevin reached out to touch it, then, afraid of getting it dirty, muttered to himself, "Only this batch, never to be reprinted?"

"Of course," Nakayama Takuya said matter-of-factly, "Otherwise, how could it be called a limited edition?"

Mark Cerny rubbed his forehead, letting out a groan of pain mixed with excitement. "Takuya, you're a devil. The destructive power of Pokémon is truly universal."

Seeing the gleam in the eyes of the group of United States, Nakayama Takuya's smile deepened.

By October 19th, the Suzuka Circuit had not yet been filled with the hustle and bustle of the weekend; the air was thick with a tense yet orderly professional atmosphere. In the pit lane, huge cargo containers sat still like armor removed from their armor, where the engineers and mechanics of the McLaren Team had arrived early to begin unpacking and assembling the race cars.

Nakayama Takuya led Mark Cerny and the group of United States elites who were "on a self-funded business trip" into this area, which is considered a holy land by car enthusiasts.

These guys, who wield considerable influence in the North America market, were now acting like children entering a candy store for the first time, their eyes darting around in awe.

Kevin, the car enthusiast who has more sports cars than shoes in his garage, practically floats as he walks, his feet three centimeters off the ground, as if afraid of dirtying this sacred concrete.

"Oh my god—it's an MP4/7 monocoque chassis—look at the carbon fiber texture—" Kevin's voice trembled as he pointed to a frame that had just been lifted out of a box, his reverent expression as if he were admiring a rare unearthed treasure.

Mark Cerny himself couldn't hide his excitement, but he maintained the composure of a team leader, sincerely saying to Nakayama Takuya, "Takuya, this—thank you so much. This has exceeded all our expectations."

"I promised you." Nakayama Takuya simply smiled easily, his gaze fixed on the rear of the convoy.

There, a man with a straight posture and a serious expression stood with his arms crossed, scrutinizing every step of the assembly process.

It was Ron Danny, the owner and manager of the McLaren Team.

He noticed Nakayama Takuya and his group, and simply nodded slightly as a greeting.

Nakayama Takuya. He led Mark forward, maintaining a polite distance. "Ron, good morning. Thank you for the arrangements. I brought my team to experience the atmosphere of a championship team."

Ron Danny shifted his gaze from the race car, glanced at them, and said in a calm but undeniable tone, "Welcome."

Just avoid touching anything. We still have a tough battle ahead of us.

He didn't say much, but everyone could tell the weight of his words.

Although Williams Team and Nigel Mansell have already secured the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships this year, McLaren Team's second place in the standings is not secure.

"Especially that Germany kid and his Benetton, they're really hot on him," Ron Danny added, his brow furrowing slightly.

The Germany kid he was referring to is none other than Michael Schumacher, who has made a name for himself in his first season this year.

Nakayama Takuya nodded, stopped disturbing them, and led his team to the side.

Kevin immediately switched back to his commentary mode, pointing to the front wing angle the mechanics were adjusting and whispering to his colleagues, "Look, they're increasing downforce. The most difficult part of the Suzuka Circuit is finding the balance between the consecutive S-curves from turn two to seven and the high-speed 130R corners at 300 km/h. Too much downforce will result in a loss of top speed on the straights."

If you add too little, you lose grip in corners. That's the devil in Suzuka.

The United States nodded repeatedly as they listened, their eyes filled with a newfound awe as they looked at the cold, mechanical parts.

Mark Cerny looked at everything before him, his heart filled with mixed emotions.