My Formula 1 System-Chapter 417: S2 German Grand Prix

To Jackson Racing, the Bergwaldring was just another circuit on the calendar to pass over. There was really nothing special about the track located at the bank of Berlin, it was practically one of the most average-looking and uninteresting circuits. So, all crew members across varying teams had filled themselves with a come-and-go mindset. Even though championship points were valued equally across all Grands Prix, the points earned in more iconic events, like the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, somehow felt more valuable. This stunning ideology had been passed down right from time.

However, for Luca, Bergwaldring wasn't just another circuit. It was his debut circuit, and he couldn't forget that. He vividly remembered sitting on a steel bench in the garage, listening to some hard music while a lot of motion and movement blurred around him. All garages generally looked alike, so Luca wasn't even sure if it was the same garage Jackson Racing was now assigned to, because he could see the same steel bench.

It made him realize how far he had come in such a short time. He was still just 19, and this was already late August. By mid-September, he would turn 20. There was still a long way to go before he reached the actual peak of his career. Perhaps this was why he was getting into so many problems here and there. He was growing too fast.

[Generating track layout...]

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T1-------------------T2--T3┐

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T4

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┌T13–T12

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T14

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T5--------T6┐

T15┘

T11--T10---T9---T8-----T7

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Thursday's Qualifiers went hard, even though Luca didn't grab pole. Rodnick was disqualified, an outcome that strangely pleased Luca, though he wasn't entirely sure why. Rodnick had been seeming to lose control of the FRC lately, showing signs of disharmony more often in practice than usual. Jackson were extremely concerned, and Rodnick proved them right by abruptly losing a tire after a painful nudge into the barriers.

His car tragically slowed to a stop on Q3 with only three tires left. Thankfully, the FRC itself wasn't meaningfully damaged. But in that moment, the car's condition wasn't Rodnick's biggest concern. Starting at the very back of the grid was. He instantly felt a pang of envy, not even toward Ailbeart, who had grabbed pole, or DiMarco who secured P2, but toward Luca and his solid P3 position.

P1— Ailbeart Moireach

P2— Davide DiMarco

P3— Luca Rennick

P4— Marko Ignatova

P5— Antonio Luigi

P6— Jimmy Damgaard

P7— Denko Rutherford

P8— Luis Dreyer

P9— Ansel Hahn

P10— James Lockwood

P11— Elias Nyström

P12— Hank Rice

P13— Józef Konarski

P14— Mikhail Petrov

P15— Erik Haas

P16— Alejandro Vasquez

P17— Javier Montez

P18— Desmond Lloyd

P19— Yokouchi Yūichirō

P20— Marcellus Rodnick

Everyone could see the clear refashioning the new Ferrari modifications had brought to Trampos and its drivers. There wasn't much information made public—or even shared with rival teams—about the entire package due to binding agreements, but it was confirmed that both Ansel and Haas now had new chassis to their names. This was part of why Ansel invited Luca to a small celebration in Riyadh.

Ansel now piloted the Ferrari Scuderia Z24, fitted with an A-level engine dubbed the Ferrari Sigma Core V1. Meanwhile, Haas had been handed the Ferrari Stratos V22, a more modest version. Of course, Ansel's setup was clearly superior, leaving Erik Haas as the driver of the weakest Ferrari on the grid.

But even that was a hundred times better than the Dallara F2 04. If it wasn't, Haas wouldn't have qualified outside of P18–P20 for the first time in his Formula 1 career. Yet here he was, sitting at P15 with a Ferrari. That was a serious upgrade. As for Ansel, he had made it to P9, and Trampos had gone wild, celebrating like maniacs when he squeezed through Q2. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

The championship had taken note of the improvements happening in the midfield. Ansel, now driving a Ferrari, meant tougher competition brewing in that region. With the Z24 under him, he could actually put pressure on drivers like Hank Rice, Lockwood, Petrov, and even Nyström. So, from now until the end of the season, even though winning the championship was far out of reach, Ansel could still fight to earn a few valuable points on the final leaderboard.

Hank Rice qualified P12. Ailbeart Moireach was back with the .25, and Denko Rutherford had returned to action as well. Bueseno Velocità had withdrawn both the RBioL and MkII for maintenance, which meant DiMarco was running with the regular RBioL again, and Luca, for now, was safe from any of his radiation threats. This left Rodnick and Ailbeart as the only true super drivers currently active on the grid, since Antonio Luigi had yet to land.

But many feared that when he eventually did, he would land with such sheer voluminous force that no one would be able to come near.

[SYNCHRONIZING HOST....]

[SYNCHRONIZATION COMPLETE]

[Host is now synced with Ferrari (JRX-97)]

Luca couldn't help but notice the way Rodnick had been acting lately. Yes, Rodnick had always been a weird gentleman from the very beginning since Luca first knew him, but recently, he had been behaving even more strangely and creepy. Luca began to wonder if his teammate had actually started letting the sport get to his head and slowly ruin his mental health. That, for sure, wasn't unheard of.

Mallow regularly spoke to Luca like a therapist, teaching him how to psychically detach himself from the nuances of the sport in order to avoid a haul of negative thoughts. So, Luca often did his best by engaging in different things off the track… as long as they didn't involve spending time with an ex-teammate.

He wondered if Rodnick did the same, if that big mansion of his and his family were enough to give him some breathing space to ease a mental burnout. Because in seasons as tough as this one, athletes were often pushed to the edge, and it wasn't uncommon for that pressure to lead to reckless decisions. Formula 1 had been built on a history of such stupid, career-demolishing mistakes.

Though he didn't like Rodnick anymore, Luca just hoped he wouldn't make a bad decision soon, unaware that Rodnick was already long gone, deep into mayhem and self-destruction.

"...Soon... it's lights out for the German Grand Prix..!"

"...The air is rich with anticipation here at the legendary Bergwaldring Circuit—nestled just outside Berlin, it may not be the flashiest venue on the Formula 1 calendar, but today, it pulses with a kind of electricity only motorsport can conjure. The grandstands are packed, the flags are flying, and in just moments... it's lights out for the German Grand Prix, the 14th chapter of what's been a spectacular season..."

"....It's late August, and the calendar is beginning to narrow. Just six races will remain after today—six races to define champions, to seal legacies, or to crumble under pressure. The summer is fading, but the fire on this grid is only growing stronger..."

"...And what a grid it is. Ailbeart Moireach has thundered into pole position, ahead of Davide DiMarco who has clawed his way into P2 despite Velocità's recent mechanical changes. Behind them, at P3, is the name Germany can't stop chanting—LUCA RENNICK...."

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"

"...They remember his debut. They remember the fire he brought to Trampos. And now, they brace for what he might bring again even though he doesn't race under their flag..."

"..And at the very back of the grid, starting P20 after a Q3 calamity—Marcellus Rodnick.."

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"

The circuit was extremely loud because a thousand fans were contradicting themselves. But since Germany—Trampos, specifically—held the majority with a 50:50 ratio, their chants were louder, and their banners fluttered wider across the grandstands.

Luca felt overwhelmed by the reverence to the point that he began to neglect it. He found it gallant and also admirable, but the sheer force of it was deluging, especially since he was now with another team. No one could even begin to comprehend the looks of mistrust and dubiety that the Silver Stallions were throwing his way as they prepared for the race. Their eyes said what they didn't speak.

Furthermore, all of this had just placed unwarranted attention on him for the rest of the race. With this kind of hype surrounding him, many would be expecting him to win. And if he did manage to win the race, Luca had no doubt that the entire world—and especially Jackson Racing—would be watching to see if he would actually raise his arms and celebrate with the Trampos fans who had been rooting for him like he was still theirs.

Also, other drivers who were seeing this overwhelming reverence would unarguably attack Luca the most during the race, doing anything in their power to ensure he didn't finish first, or even make the podium at all. How hilarious it would be if Luca even DNFed in the exact same race where they touted him as if he were the Messiah reborn.

Luca gripped the wheel tighter as it was time to roll out to the grid. Chants and chants filled his muffled ears like thunder, but the team radio soon after emerged and took over, calming the moment. Seconds later, another sound, one more familiar, orated.

[Ding!]

[Daily Quest has been Issued!]