My Formula 1 System-Chapter 327: S2 Bahrain Grand Prix. 5

[40th Lap]

"...We are yet to see Luca Rennick come into the pits… Surely, it's about time? Most of the field has already cycled through, yet the Ferrari is still out there on those aging mediums..."

"...This is a bold call from Jackson Racing. We know they planned for an aggressive strategy, but are they really stretching it all the way...?"

[Operational Status: 70%]

[42nd Lap]

"...Other drivers are pitting—Ailbeart Moireach has just come in, DiMarco as well—but Luca Rennick is NOT! He stays out once again...!"

"...This is getting interesting… Those mediums have seen an incredible amount of wear, and yet, no signs of him coming in. Could Jackson Racing actually be aiming for a no-stop second stint or a late pitstop...?"

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"

The crowd's energy surged with every passing lap as Luca's Ferrari continued to bypass the pit lane. Lap after lap, no sign of a stop. No movement from the Jackson Racing pit crew. Nothing.

"Is he really going for this? Jackson Racing haven't even set up! There's no indication of a stop coming!"

Luca, fully aware of the growing tension, kept his focus alert.

"Car still feels alright," he reported calmly over the radio. "It'll start to deteriorate more quickly in the final laps, but I can manage."

Still in P1, it felt like Luca had picked up right where he left off earlier in the race—untouched, unbothered, racing far ahead of the pack. The gap behind him wasn't just measured in seconds; it was measured in confidence.

And now, it felt even better.

The Bahrain sun, as relentless and intense, had been swallowed by the thick clouds all around it, casting a shadow over the circuit.

A steady wind now swept through the track, cooling the tarmac, and giving his tires just a little more breathing room.

[Heat Management +2]

[Tire Wear Management +1]

When Ailbeart Moireach and Davide DiMarco in P2 and P3 made their second pitstops, it really troubled them that Luca was still out there.

The longer he stayed on track while they sat idle in the pits, the more ground he gained. And he did just that.

By the time they rejoined the race, their tires were cold, their grip unstable. Meanwhile, Luca was still pushing at full speed, undisturbed. Every clean sector he nailed, every apex he hit, widened the gap. And he did just that!

[Analyzing 2nd Position's distance from host and Ferrari (JRX-92B)…]

[2nd Position is 7.5 sec away, host.]

A massive lead. One that would take more than just pace to close down.

[45th Lap]

"...Oh my! He's STILL not coming in! This is almost unheard of—45 laps in, and Luca Rennick continues to push...!"

"...The gap is closing now! The fresh-tired pack is gaining on him! How much longer can those tires hold on? How much grip does he even have left...?!"

It was clear to everyone now that Luca wasn't going to visit the pits a second time since his first stop on Lap 19.

He had just entered the final closing laps, yet no true sign of— oh!

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"

"...LUCA RENNICK SKIDS A BIT AT TURN 2...!!"

The crowd gasped as Luca's rear twitched left more than he intended. He cursed deeply, wrestling the car back under control with his sharp Attributes and Reflexes.

**Close one there heh?**

Luca took a deep breath, steadying the car through the next sector. "Yeah... rear's starting to slide a bit."

Luca reckoned if this had been his first time driving the JRX-92B, he would have spun out by now, maybe even ended up in the barriers, making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Come to think of it, it was because he had upgraded Gripper from (5) to (10) and Tire Wear Management Attribute from (15) to (18) that he'd even had the confidence to assure the team of today's plan, telling them he could pull it off.

P4— Hank Rice

P5— Luis Dreyer

P6— Marko Ignatova

P7— Elias Nyström

P8— Jimmy Damgaard

P9— James Lockwood

P10— Denko Rutherford

While gauging everyone's delta, Luca realized he and Ailbeart's had reduced to 6.8!

[Analyzing 2nd Position's distance from host and Ferrari (JRX-92B)…]

[2nd Position is 6.8 sec away, host.]

The wear was starting to take its toll. The longer he stayed out, the less traction he had. Each turn required more finesse and less speed, a delicate balance between keeping control and giving up valuable time.

[47th Lap]

"...three more laps to go in this Bahrain Grand Prix, and the tension is building to a boiling point..!"

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"

"...The battle for the top spot is far from over, and every move from here on out is critical. Will Luca hold on, or will his tires give way to Ailbeart's relentless charge...?!"

**Copy, Ailbeart. We can see Luca's telemetry dropping—his tire wear is showing. This is your chance! You're closing in fast, but you need to make a move before the final lap. Keep your focus, get past DiMarco, and close that gap to Luca. It's all or nothing now, we need to catch him before it's too late!**

Ailbeart clenched his grip on the steering wheel, feeling the strain of the tires beneath him as he pushed harder, trying to keep his car stable on the rougher patches of the track.

At least Hank Rice on a long stint could keep DiMarco busy while he raced ahead to Luca.

Luca, in P1, felt like he was losing control of his steering. The car's response grew more erratic with every turn. Everything felt heavier and less responsive.

He had to tighten his grip so hard just to coax the Ferrari into staying in position, preventing it from slipping away.

Luca had just three laps left—no, two now.

Oh no. He didn't want to end up like the old F1 drivers who were infamous for crashing after skipping pit stops just to stay ahead and grab the points.

Right now, Luca felt exposed and vulnerable in his car. The tight grip he had on the steering wheel seemed to slip more with every turn.

He couldn't pit now—not with only two laps remaining—and he sure as hell couldn't stop driving. It was like being trapped in a storm, knowing the only way out was to ride it through, praying the car wouldn't give in before the finish line.

[SYNC BAR: [][][][] 62.5%]

Luca hadn't been able to complete it in this race. He just realized that if he had, activating it now would have been the best thing ever.

He would have definitely targeted Gripper and anything else in his system that supported the tires. This predicament would have vanished in an instant.

[Operational Status: 45%]

"Shit! Is that my lowest ever?"

**Stay strong, Luca! Stay strong!**

Mr. Berry and the rest of the team were starting to doubt whether Luca could make it to the finish line. The tire wear had reached critical levels, and the reality of the situation was sinking in.

They couldn't bring themselves to say it aloud to Luca because they needed him to push his best, yet they all feared their second crash of the day.

[50th Lap]

"...And here we are—the final lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix! What an incredible race it's been, and Luca Rennick, despite all the odds, still holds on to the lead..!"

"...The crowd's on the edge of their seats as we head into the last stretch of the fourth round...!"

Luca barely made it into the final lap. His speed on the straight was poor, hitting just 200 km/h when it supported 300 and above.

Sighing, Luca braced himself for the remaining challenge. He still had to push through one more time, but with his Operational Status now down to 40%, it felt like the whole race was hanging on by a thread.

POHP!

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"

The crowd erupted in shock as Luca's front left tire suddenly popped! The deafening sound of the explosion echoed across the track, followed by a long, hissing noise as the air rapidly escaped.

Hissssssssss!!!!

Luca's car visibly lurched, the steering wheel jerking in his hands as the tire failed dramatically.

"...Unbelievable! We've just seen a tire failure on Luca's car with only a lap to go! The front left tire has completely given out—this is a catastrophic moment for Jackson Racing...!"

[System Alert: Tire Failure - Front Left]

The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёnovelkiss.com.

[Warning: Critical tire failure imminent.]

"Shit...!" Luca gritted his teeth, gripping the wheel tighter as the vibrations ran through his hands. The car wobbled beneath him, and the corner ahead felt like an impossible challenge.

[System Alert: Immediate reduction in handling performance. Please slow down and prepare for possible loss of control.]

Jackson Racing's engineers fell silent, letting Luca handle it alone.

"...Luca's car is all over the place! He's losing grip, and at this stage, it could be a miracle if he holds onto that position! It's a heartbreaking blow with only a few turns left and a straight in the Bahrain Grand Prix...!"

Yes, what was left for Luca to navigate in the Bahrain Grand Prix was the third sector. He wondered if he could do it with one tire down.

Luca was scarcely trained to be in this kind of situation because it wasn't often supposed to happen.

His vision began to blur momentarily as the car veered slightly off track. He could already hear the screeching hiss of the deflating tire beneath him.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"

"Not now... Come on, come on..." His knuckles turned white, gripping the wheel as tight as he could, hoping and praying that the tire wouldn't completely disintegrate before he could make it to the finish line.

He could feel the force building up, the car's front left corner dragging against the road, struggling to stay attached to the tarmac. With each passing second, it felt more like the car might just break apart beneath him.

[System Alert: Critical instability detected. Recommended action: Slow down immediately.]

"Stfu, system! I can't slow down now!"

Luca couldn't slow down! He was nearing the goddamn finish line, and the entire crowd—100,000 strong, including those in the luxury suites—was on their feet, watching him intently.

[....

T13 ----,

|

|

|

|

|

|

/

T14

/

--------------------------T15

.....]

He was deep in Turn 13, and if he could power through the next straight, survive Turn 14 and Turn 15, he'd hit the home straight and be crowned the winner in Bahrain.

There was no slowing down—he couldn't and wouldn't slow down—especially with Ailbeart Moireach gradually closing in, entering the same sector as him.

[Analyzing 2nd Position's distance from host and Ferrari (JRX-92B)…]

[2nd Position is 4 sec away, host.]