My Formula 1 System-Chapter 612: S3 Chinese Grand Prix. 9
[54th Lap]
While Luca fought tooth and nail to save himself a spot on the podium, a bigger war of machines raged up ahead. Jimmy Damgaard and Antonio Luigi.
From the start of the race, these two had been almost inseparable, and now, with just two laps left till the checkered flag, their feud had boiled over. The Chinese GP, stretched and scorched by heat and tension, had saved its verdict for the very end!
Their first brush came out of T12, just a couple of seconds after Luca fully held P4. The shiver of the contact only twitched Jimmy’s line. Luigi, who was innocent, was fully blown off course. But just like the last race, he didn’t take permission racing out of the track to take back P1.
"He hit me," Luigi snapped in defense. "Big nudge. Big correction."
On the pit wall, Squadra’s engineers flinched but uttered no words. Two laps to go defending P1 from their derby rivals. There was no time for grievances or courtesy.
Pwoosh!
Both racers burst onto the back and longest straight with the W12 ahead and the RBioL sticking too close, it looked dangerous. The crowd rose as one, anticipating the best power deployment from either man, but the circuit was met with disappointment after a regular chase down the straight.
"...Still in the lead! Making his way ahead to Sector 3! Antonio Luigi schools Jimmy Damgaard through Lap 54...!"
"WOOOOOOOHHHHH!"
00– Antonio Luigi
00– Jimmy Damgaard (+0.50)
The entire world couldn’t debate that Luigi was dominant through the fast stuff. The FiammaVeloce took him places the MkII couldn’t for Jimmy. T13, the straight, and T14, all his kingdom. He held the inside so smooth from his exit while dropping speed to whispering tires.
On the other hand, Jimmy stayed wide, trying to feign weakness so his rival would think the line was secure. From his visor, his bloodlust eyes tracked the gap and the Mercedes’s movement.
"WOOOOOOOOOHHH!"
"...into T15, hairpin! The champion brakes late at the curb, giving enough space beside him for smooth entry...!"
"...haha! Unbelievable! Damgaard didn’t take the bait! Shocking to the champion as Jimmy Damgaard stalls his exit to match his pace! He’s not desperate! He’s lining something up!"
**Recover, mate. You just gave him the pace**
Luigi bit his lip at T15. He had dared Jimmy to try something stupid, but the young racer proved smart. Could it be that these youngsters had truly matched the veterans in racecraft?
"...55th lap in the Chinese Grand Prix..."
"WOOOOOHHHH!"
"...P1, Antonio Luigi. P2, Jimmy Damgaard. P3, Ailbeart Moireach....!"
"WOOOOOOOOHHHH!"
"...not so fast, my friend. Haddock’s podium is just as uncertain as a Squadra Corse victory here in Shanghai! Rennick has some form of momentum towards Ailbeart. Anything could change in these final laps...!"
00– Antonio Luigi
00– Jimmy Damgaard (+0.08)
P3– Ailbeart Moireach (+1.13)
P4– Luca Rennick (+1.78)
P5– Buoso Di Renzo (+2.65)
Luigi checked his mirrors on the main straight, confirming Jimmy’s pace advantage. The bait move he played had cost him a lot. Weaving once, he tried to break Jimmy’s rhythm, but the Norwegian followed anyway!
RRRAHHHH!
The MkII growled as its driver went around the outside for T1, flashing Luigi his livery. The crowd gasped as both cars vibrated from sheer proximity and heat. It was the first time they had gone wheel to wheel, and at the apex of a corner!
The FiammaVeloce’s unreal power came in clutch for Luigi again. Despite Jimmy’s efforts, the black Mercedes still surged ahead into T2.
Turns 3 and 4, Jimmy Damgaard was forced to back off. This was the race he wanted to prove his competence as Velocita’s main driver. He didn’t want impulsion and haste stealing his day, so he decided to be clever and patient.
Luigi knew his rival was waiting for the best moment to lunge again, but without any actual pressure from Jimmy, he couldn’t deduce his exact pace pattern while focusing on his own racing too. And that was the crack.
By T7, Jimmy was there again, this time selling the inside before switching back. Luigi defended with weary tires, but his movements were not as fluid as the Red Bull’s.
"...quick DRS use from Damgaard down the short to T8! Full send! They’re wheel to wheel! He’s got the run...!"
"WOOOOOOOOOOHHH!"
Back in the Mazerunner’s cockpit, Luca could have sworn the ground itself was trembling.
The roar of the Shanghai crowd punched through his helmet, vibrating his ribs. Glancing at the leaderboard, he saw the names vertically swap places.
’Again?’ he mused. ’Isn’t this like the seventh time?’
If they had been switching positions frequently, Luca doubted this would be the last nor would Jimmy prevail over the Black Dread.
Whatever was happening in front wasn’t his problem for now. The matter lay in Ailbeart Moireach and his grand Renault.
But the more he studied his rival’s machine, the more he felt something was wrong, and his engineers soon confirmed it.
**Good news, Luca. Ailbeart’s car is compromised at the power unit. He’s got base engine drive, but he can do absolutely nothing. Can’t defend, can’t fight, no DRS effectiveness**
**Just get the gap and bring it home. Smooth P3**
"...this is bad timing for Haddock Racing. At this stage of the race, with the podium on the line, a mechanical failure is brutal. For Luca behind, this suddenly turns into an open invitation..."
The R.S.25 suffered thermal deration which blocked energy usage. So, Ailbeart is stuck running only on base power, meaning weaker acceleration and no punch. He could still drive, shift, and accelerate normally, but could not really do the racing feats that made a racer, a racer. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
Luca felt bad for his rival. At the same time, he wondered if this was real sympathy or just because he had wanted a proper mortifying overtake driven by <Racer’s Ascendancy>.
As he took P3 in a blur, he glanced over and caught a brief glimpse of a dejected Ailbeart Moireach, helmeted and motionless. The moment passed and his eyes were back on the track, the final lap of the race.
In the background, Trampos supporters cheered and sang. Podium for Rennick at last.
[3rd Position]
