My Formula 1 System-Chapter 663: Formula 1 Legacy
"He’s so cute!"
"Look at those cheeks!"
"He’s such a little nugget! I want to cuddle him!"
"He has the sweetest little face. He’s an angel."
The already limited race-day pit lane access was completely exhausted. These were the sounds that could be heard over the thrum of the pit lane. Seven wealthy men and their spouses, all Trampos supporters, stole the doors to Trampos’ garage with the sole aim of seeing the child in person.
The pit lane was a white noise of Formula teams’ operations, so their presence in linen suits and designer silks contrasted with the mechanical environment. They gained access with enough proximity to get their VIP lanyards approved, and from there, you could see them laughing with various personnel. Security could only step aside as this flurry made a beeline like the Magi, to see the baby boy.
The baby in question was Martin. As Luca had promised, this was Martin’s first race in attendance, and he was practically the VIP of the moment. When Luca finally arrived at the garage with the boy, the cameras were struggling to catch a glimpse of his face in the gathering struggle to touch the baby. Even the Trampos crew couldn’t get enough. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦
Laura would definitely have to dip her son in a tub of sanitizer after this. There were simply too many hands. People were pinching Martin’s cheeks, poking at his pudgy limbs, and passing him around like a trophy. The frenzy was intense; socialites were practically elbowing mechanics out of the way just to get a photo for their feeds. It was a whirlwind of high-pitched baby talk and constant touching that would have overwhelmed any other infant.
Surprisingly, Martin didn’t even cry. His face stayed locked in a deadpan pout that was a mirror image of how his dad’s used to be. He looked like he was merely analyzing the faces of everyone, judging the crowd with nothing but a steady, cold stare.
Laura herself had to stay in a suite, watching her boy on a monitor from about half a kilometer away. She watched him being passed around and showered in love by some of the world’s most powerful people. She couldn’t believe how much life had changed. It went from the private fears of her pregnancy to this—her son being the main attraction in a world she used to only see from the outside. It was a revelation of how deeply they were now woven into the fabric of this Formula 1 legacy.
Eventually, Luca did have to take Martin away and head back to his mother when the baby boy started showing higher signs of discomfort, but not before Victor spent some time with him. Victor was no less admiring than the others. When it was his turn, he held the boy with a mix of reverence and shock.
Victor still couldn’t believe this was Ansel’s son. To think that holding this baby was the closest he had ever been to Ansel was crazy.
Ansel had always kept Victor and Haas at two arm’s length. Victor barely got to know the man, and Ansel certainly hadn’t reached out to know him. There had always been a wall.
But at least Ansel’s son was here, a physical piece of history, and Victor felt a sudden, fierce determination to make an impact in the boy’s life. He wanted to be someone Martin could look up to, even if his father hadn’t been that for Victor himself.
When the baby was finally taken away toward the hospitality suites, Victor felt something echo in him.
Suddenly, he felt like he wanted to win this race specifically for Martin.
Maybe that’s an overreach for a P10 starter.
But he was going to put up the performance of a lifetime.
Victor felt a new sense of belonging. More than ever, he was sure now that he was capable of helping Trampos win her championship.
"....Welcome to the streets of Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where the ancient world literally meets the cutting edge of speed! It’s a beautiful day in Fall. The temps sit at 36°F. It’s tens of thousands in attendance! We are all here at one of the most unpredictable tracks on the calendar! What a city of contrast...!"
"...Every race had led to today. We’ve had a share of ups and down, and no one can say they’re disappointed by what the drivers have put up. But now we settle into the sixteenth race of the season, and you can feel the campaign coming to an end. We are way past the halfway point, moving into the home stretch where championships are won or lost in the blink of an eye. This particular circuit is most challenging, and today, it could act as a buffer for the remaining title hopes!"
"...Squadra Corse sits at the top with 325 points, somehow gaining ground even after Trampos took the win in Germany. Trampos Racing holds steady in second at 286, still hunting for that top spot. The big shuffle is further down; Haddock Racing has climbed into third with 269 points, while Bueseno Velocità has slipped down to fourth at 264. Meanwhile, Jackson Racing remains in sixth with 141, looking for a breakthrough. Every point matters now...!"
PROVISIONAL CONSTRUCTORS’ CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (ALL 10)
Position | Team | Points
------------------------------------------------
1. | Squadra Corse | 325
2. | Trampos Racing | 286
3. | Haddock Racing | 269 ↑
4. | Bueseno Velocità | 264 ↓
5. | Outback Performance | 180
6. | Jackson Racing | 141
7. | Nordvind Racing | 45
8. | Iberia Grand Prix | 30
9. | Velox Hispania | 15
10. | Alpine Swiss F1 | 12
From the standings, it was clear that Bueseno Velocità were losing their grip on the title race. It was a reality the paddock was slowly acknowledging: the fight for the crown was narrowing down to a two-horse race between Trampos and the defending champions, Squadra Corse.
It felt incredulous that Davide DiMarco wouldn’t be in the seat for Baku, replaced instead by Matteo. If this single race goes south, Velocità could kiss the title goodbye and shift their focus entirely to defending a spot in the top five.
The big question is how they can even hope to defend. With DiMarco out for Baku, the rumors were swirling. Will he be back for Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, or the season finale in the US? Or has his season effectively ended with this sudden pause?
The ambiguity was terrifying for the paddock; seeing a great driver’s campaign vanish into a cloud of uncertainty was a nightmare scenario. People were already whispering that the internal politics and the fallout with Damgaard must have done irreversible damage.
While nothing was official yet, engineers and journalists already had a common consensus that Luca Rennick had effectively destroyed Davide DiMarco’s career.
