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My Formula 1 System-Chapter 365: S2 Hungarian Grand Prix. 3
"Excuse me, system but I have a question."
[Understood, host. Please proceed with your question. System is always ready to assist you accordingly]
"If I can remember, the car is divided into five categories to truly track its progress. But so far, I've noticed I'm only leveling up AERODYNAMICS & CHASSIS and HANDLING & DYNAMICS," Luca said. "What about the others? Don't my Attributes and Skills affect them? Will they be stagnant at their percentage values?"
[Yes, host]
Luca was stunned by the simple and straightforward answer. "Yes...?" he asked for clarity.
[Affirmative, host. Only AERODYNAMICS & CHASSIS and HANDLING & DYNAMICS categories can be actively boosted.]
"But why?"
[They are the only categories host can realistically level-up as they can also require nonphysical amendments when compared to other categories]
[POWER & PERFORMANCE, ENDURANCE & RELIABILITY and TECHNOLOGICAL INTEGRATION would forever be permanent unless the
<Ferrari JRX-92B> undergoes a real-life adjustment because host cannot actively improve the car's power, enhance the materials for better endurance, or add technological integrations of his own. These require strict physical modifications beyond host's control.]
In essence, the system was simply explaining that only AERODYNAMICS & CHASSIS and HANDLING & DYNAMICS can be boosted through Luca's skills, as they allow nonphysical tweaks. POWER & PERFORMANCE, ENDURANCE & RELIABILITY, and TECHNOLOGICAL INTEGRATION stay fixed unless the Ferrari JRX-92B gets real-world upgrades, beyond Luca's control.
Since teams rarely "upgraded" cars, which was brutally costly, those categories would never budge from their values. Luca was saddened by this harsh reality. He had dreamed of a day when he would look at his stats and see 300% all across the board.
But now, the system explained he would have to only push either Aerodynamics & Chassis or Handling & Dynamics to 300%, or both, to truly elevate the 92B to S-level supremacy.
"Well, since the system is able to at least influence AERODYNAMICS & CHASSIS and HANDLING & DYNAMICS, I guess I'd have to work with them alone. After all, all categories actually affect one another, the more I boost them, the more others feel the ripple."
Luca pondered with deep understanding.
"Perhaps, the system doesn't even know of its full potential. What if I was never meant to even affect and boost AERODYNAMICS & CHASSIS and HANDLING & DYNAMICS, and it's now possible due to the stage and progress I'm making...."
"Maybe we'll hit a stage where we can influence more. Don't worry. I'm sure of it…"
[System is intrigued by host's hypothesis and will be willing to work hand in hand in future capabilities]
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[5th Lap]
Luca felt as if something wild was going to transpire today in the Hungarian GP, but he couldn't tell exactly what. It wasn't Spatial Awareness' doing; it was just natural instinct.
The way the golden-orangish glow of the setting sun spread from the eastern side of the circuit, the way the sun itself was a large orange ball at the horizon whenever Luca was at Straight 3, made the atmosphere look like a dream.
This even boosted Luca's belief of an impending disaster because when this disaster happens, the atmosphere would then shift from its dream-like appearance to full reality.
His engineers checking up on him and his control of the car snapped him out of the trance of racing and trailing along.
**Luca, car's good? Tires holding?**
"Yes."
**Great. You're running clean. Close in on Davide**
[Analyzing Ferrari (JRX-92B) and host's distance from 3rd Position]
[You are 2 seconds away, host.]
By the 5th Lap, the frontrunners had already adopted a steady, tight but firm pace, still undeciding. It was all about who was making subtle advancements overtime.
P1— Jimmy Damgaard
P2— Antonio Luigi
P3— Davide DiMarco
P4— Luca Rennick
P5— Marko Ignatova
Jimmy Damgaard still held preciously to P1 even with Luigi breathing near. But since Luigi was fully aware that Jimmy's teammate, DiMarco—more fiercesome and more dangerous—was behind, he would naturally have to assess overtaking Damgaard in a more strategic fashion.
So, this led to the firm pace early on.
However, in the middle of the pack, the choreography hadn't yet reached that fevered pitch. It was a brutal battle for positions, drivers clashing fiercely, the race's heart pulsing there as commentary hollered and rapped with electric fervor.
P6— Ailbeart Moireach
P7— Luis Dreyer
P8— Desmond Lloyd
P9— Hank Rice
P10— Buoso Di Renzo
Dreyer had started the race in P9 and Rice in P8, but now he was in P7—the very position Desmond Lloyd had launched from. A 1.5-second gap separated Dreyer from Rice, and Lloyd was tucked right within that margin, meaning Dreyer was leading Lloyd by half a second, and Lloyd was subsequently ahead of Rice by just a few milliseconds.
At first, Dreyer and Rice had engaged, prompting a roar from the crowd as the first real showdown of the race erupted between them. It was a fiercesome duel—tight, intense, and fierce.
Even under Dreyer's relentless pressure, Hank Rice refused to abandon his pursuit of Desmond Lloyd's then P7. The first stage of the duel didn't rattle him, and by Lap 3, he managed to pull through and take P7 for himself.
But the margins were razor-thin. Dreyer capitalized on a brief drop in Lloyd's momentum, and with precision and pace, Red Bull soared past Mercedes and locked horns with the Audi again.
"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"
"...What a scrap! Dreyer and Rice are tearing it up for P7! Lloyd's caught in the crossfire..!"
At that point, Desmond Lloyd had dropped to P9, while Rice and Dreyer—now at P7 and P8—fought tooth and nail for control. That was the heat of the duel. And Dreyer, with a masterclass in DRS execution, finally came out on top!
"... THE SPARK! DRS IS KING..!"
"WOOOOHH!"
Still, Lloyd was dangerously close and ready to retake. So when Dreyer swept into the next turn out of the straight, Rice aimed to follow—but did so with weaker drive—and Desmond Lloyd, having benefited from his slipstream for minutes, slid right through.
"...Luis Dreyer in P7, Desmond Lloyd in P8, Hank Rice in P9...!"
"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"
P10 belonged to a Jackson Racing driver—Buoso Di Renzo. He had started the race in P11, running on hard compounds, unlike the rest ahead of him and even Vasquez, whom he had overtaken, all of whom were on softs.
The race was still in its early stages, and a single overtake might not have meant much for most drivers—but for Di Renzo, it was good progress. Even Luca approved. He expected the fellow Jackson Racing lad to climb further, possibly up to P7 or P6 with time.
And if Di Renzo managed his tyres well, took full advantage of what might be a single pit stop, there was even a chance he could break into the top five before this race was over.
Rodnick watched him with the most intensity. To him, it wasn't just Di Renzo racing—it was himself out there. Di Renzo felt like his goddamn replacement, which meant every result the Renzo pulled off this evening would, in Rodnick's mind, be mentally taken as his own.
Rodnick wasn't even sure if anyone else thought of it that way.
He had already concluded it for himself. So, he was ready to condemn and criticize the moment Di Renzo would land back in London if he flopped in this race.
Rodnick wasn't the only one who had Di Renzo under their radar. The Jackson Racing management were watching the race closely in-person, observing from the suites up at the Silver Stallions stand.
This was, quite literally, the first time Luca was racing side by side with Di Renzo in an official competitive race. So, naturally, they had to analyze the race—every lap, every move—for future strategic reference.
Perhaps Luca and Di Renzo's driving styles, when paired on a competitive stage like this, could set up a very promising duo, something they could pitch forward for Mr. Matthews to consider when drafting future team arrangements.
Or maybe this was the moment to truly gauge whether Di Renzo was even living up to Formula 1 potential after all.
The competition was growing tenser with each season. The difference between this one and the last was already monumental. If Di Renzo couldn't keep pace—not just by scoring maximum points, but by delivering performances that radiated future excellence—then Jackson Racing knew they'd have to go back to the drawing board. That meant reviewing their budgets and seriously considering other drivers with contracts about to expire.
They weren't chasing good.
They wanted dominance. At all cost.
As usual, throughout this year, the name Luca always entered the discussion of any F1 related topic.
Mr. Pires adjusted his suit and sighed when Mr. Sutherland posed a very important question: "But why?"
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They were seated in a row of four, though only three of the seats were occupied. Mr. Palmer's was left empty because he was out doing what VIPs do, greeting and conversing with other high-profile guests.
The remaining three were filled by Mr. Pires, Mr. Sutherland, and Mrs. Jarvis—all together, were the core head board of Jackson Racing.
It had been Mrs. Jarvis who first suggested the idea of letting Luca drive the second JRS-97. She urged the others to take the risk and explore the potential. But Pires and Sutherland both refused, standing firmly by their reasoning of team and engineering stability.
Then suddenly, Mr. Sutherland entertained a new possibility. He questioned Rodnick's return timeline from injury, which was still uncertain, but the wrecked Ferrari had a definite estimate of 10–21 days before it could be rebuilt and cleared through safety and compliance checks, possibly longer.
"If the 97 is ready to go and Marcellus still hasn't recovered," he said, eyes shifting between them, "then Luca ought to drive it in the meantime, right?"
Mrs. Jarvis nodded without hesitation, agreeing with the logic.
But Mr. Pires—Team Director of Operations and the only one with the actual authority to greenlight that decision—gently shook his head.
"No," he said, flat.
That was when Sutherland asked why.
But instead of answering, Pires simply gestured toward the track and said they should refocus on the race.
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A/N: Apologies for the fewer chapters lately. I'm currently writing external exams, and they've been quite demanding. Will make up.