My Formula 1 System

The tension rose in the air like never before. It was palpable, suffocating, yet very silent, with urgency evident in the movements of both drivers and their team crews.

It all started in the late 40s laps when Miles joined the leading pack by slotting into P5 after Oliver Kristensen had temporarily skidded off the track due to Luca's Side-by-Side King.

Miles' slow but astonishing climb from P8 to P5 was still being talked about, with everyone terming it a wolf-in-sheep's-clothing climb. And his presence in the honorable top five had upped the competition at the very top.

Now, Luca, alongside Max, Aaronson, and Derstappen, all occupied P5—one of the fiercest lineups so far this season.

[1st Position]

[55th Lap]

Fortunately, Luca was currently in P1. It felt strange knowing this was the first time he was leading the pack in the Italian Mega Prix.

He had inherited P1 when Max and Aaronson finally took their second pit stops. Max was the first to box on Lap 50, surrendering the lead to Aaronson. However, his stop was executed flawlessly, allowing him to rejoin in P3, just ahead of Derstappen.

Aaronson then pitted on Lap 51, which officially handed Luca the race lead. But his stop wasn't as quick as Max's—he rejoined behind Derstappen, falling to P4.

One lap later, Derstappen boxed as well, momentarily dropping him behind both Luca and Aaronson, restoring their positions from earlier.

Luca was still in P1, but being at the front wasn't a moment to relax, it meant every driver behind him had their sights set on hunting him down.

[DATA DISPLAYED IN REAL-TIME:

-Car Speed: 295 km/h

-Heart Rate: 110 bpm

-Operational Status: 60% (Fair)

-Breathing: Calm & Steady

-Distance covered: 357500m

-Time: 1 hr. 33min.]

[56th Lap]

"...Questo è il cinquantesimo sesto giro del Gran Premio Mega d'Italia!"

"...Al momento, Luca Rennick in P1!"

"WOOOOHH!"

"...Max Addams in P2!"

"WOOOOHH!"

"....Sean Aaronson in P3!"

"...E attenzione! Albert Derstappen sta spingendo forte in P4, riducendo il distacco!"

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"

"...into the last quarter of the race we go! The atmosphere is electric here in Monza, and the tension is thick enough to be cut with a kitchen knife! Luca Rennick keeps the battle alive with the lead! All engines roaring through the evening as the formula 2 championship trophy is up for grabs!"

The silence in Trampos' garage was gradually replaced by shuffling and movement as the pit crew began making preparations for what was going to be the last pit stop of the race and the season.

The telemetry feeds showed Luca still holding P1, but everyone knew what was coming very soon. This would be the last time this year that Luca would run down the pit lane toward their garage. It could even be the last time he would ever do it as a Trampos driver.

With this, the stop had to be perfect. Even though a 5-second penalty would keep him in the box longer, the stop still had to be perfect.

[57th Lap]

"...Questo è il cinquantesimo settimo giro del Gran Premio Mega d'Italia!"

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!"

The viewing post had long since been emptied by Mr. Grant and Ms. Vallotton once Lap 50 began, the melancholic evening sky casting long shadows over Monza. Their focus had shifted entirely to the telemetry room, where they could monitor Luca's every move with pinpoint accuracy.

Headsets crackled as real-time data streamed in from Luca's car, relayed straight from the pit wall. His tires were nearing the end of their lifespan, their grip diminishing with every corner. Fuel calculations had already been finalized. Every variable, every risk, every fraction of a second was now being scrutinized.

McCauley took note of these requirements and returned to the garage, giving orders under the fluorescent light that seemed brighter than ever.

"Final stop prep. Move it!"

The pit crew quickly put on their fire-resistant gloves and helmets, rolling out fresh compounds and bringing out their hydraulic lifts.

The wing adjustment crew wasn't needed since Luca had no issues with his wings. But even so, they still needed to be out there—fourteen of them—when Luca came barreling down the pit lane.

[58th Lap]

"...Cinquantottesimo giro di questa gara!"

"WOOOOHH!"

The race raged on in front of Mr. Ruben, Mr. Colt, and Mr. Moritz, who studied Luca's telemetry intently. Ms. Vallotton and Mr. Grant were more focused on the live feed. But they weren't just watching.

They were waiting for Luca's pit call.

The wind outside affected the clear transmission of the radio; nonetheless, they could still hear Luca as his words cut through the silence in the stuffy telemetry room.

**Yea— yeah—Lap sixty?—tires are dropping—how much fuel for the final stint?!**

Everyone in the telemetry room snapped to attention. Mr. Ruben took charge and grabbed the radio.

"Capito, Luca! One more lap, then box! I repeat, one more lap!" Mr. Ruben responded.

Luca didn't respond right away, but the onboard camera showed his grip tightening on the wheel. Then, through the static, his voice cut back in.

"Understood. Lap sixty-one."

Mr. Grant and Ms. Vallotton believed this might be the last time Luca would communicate with the pit wall, or that any important information might flow through here. So, they dropped their headsets, encouraged the engineering team to keep it up, and made their way outside the garage where the pit crew was getting ready.

The air inside the garage was thick with tension, but outside, the wind carried the distant roar of engines and the electrifying energy of the race as if the tension was far from them now.

The pit lane was packed, and the two Team Principals watched their crew brace for Luca's arrival.

Still on the same pit lane, Mr. Grant and Ms. Vallotton could see Squadra Jnr setting up for a pit stop as well. They wondered if it was Derstappen or Miles who'd be visiting the pits—or if it was going to be both.

Mr. Grant remembered that Derstappen had boxed not too long ago, and Miles was the most likely to make a pit stop since he'd been pitting in sync with Luca since the start of the race.

"Understood. Lap sixty-one," Luca responded to his engineers.

He had taken a while to reply because two rivals were battling just a second behind him, breathing down his neck at every turn. He needed to focus on every calculation his system provided.

[Tires are in less than ideal condition, host. Fuel level at 50%. DRS is unavailable. Engine temperature slightly heated. Brake wear at 65%.]

[Telemetry reports smooth handling. Aerodynamic efficiency optimal. Recommend maintaining current pace. However, a pit stop is strongly recommended immediately to refresh your tires and maintain performance for the race.]

This would be Luca's final pit stop of the race, and he'd serve his unprecedented 5-second penalty while sitting in the box. So, to counter those five valuable seconds, Luca pushed hard, stretching the gap as much as he could from Max and Aaronson, defending like a pro.

All he could say was that he was grateful they were both behind him. It meant Max couldn't go 100% on the attack because he also had to focus on defending against Aaronson.

And anytime Max found an opening to exploit, Luca instantly shut it down—so many times that he acquired two level-up points in Corner Chopping, adding an extra bar to his Sync Bar.

[Corner Chopping + 1]

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

[Corner Chopping +1]

[SYNC BAR: [][][][] 75%]

Corner Chopping was now at [14], and Luca was gradually becoming an elite at it.

Apart from that, he couldn't believe he actually needed just one more bar to complete a second Sync Bar in this race! One Sync Buff was always a game changer—so two Sync Buffs would be what, then?

"Pitstop Prodigy will definitely add an extra point," Luca thought as he glided out of Turn 21, facing the home straight like it was a destination of its own.

[You are gathering speed]

[Warning: Slipstream Threat Detected]

[Analyzing car behind...] Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

[Blue Dallara (F2 04)]

[Distance: 1s → 0.8s → 0.6s]

[Speed Increase: +8 km/h due to slipstream]

Max wasted no time engaging DRS.