My Formula 1 System

Towards the end of the Belgian GP, the fresh rain wasn't all that heavy, but it was different.

This time, it coated the entire circuit evenly—no half-dry sectors or deceptive portions that could ruin a driver's race, as it had for two drivers earlier.

Yokouchi Yūichirō and Elias Nyström had already paid the unfortunate price before the rain became uniform.

Both their DNFs weren't expected. Yokouchi Yūichirō was battling Desmond Lloyd for the optimal line on the track's slim layout when he suddenly began struggling with grip as well.

With traction loss at a crucial time and sector, Yūichirō's yellow Renault snapped sideways at T12's sweeper before skidding out across the runoff and into the barriers.

Since the incident was far off the racing line, the race didn't really require a definitive pause.

However, only two laps later Elias Nyström spun in the same fashion, but right at T1.

The hydroplaning there captured him severely because of how fiercely he shot in from the home straight, trying to reclaim P11 that Rutherford had taken from him.

On the contrary, an analyst said he was also trying to escape Max's slipstream use, which could be true because Max slipped into P12 half a breath later after Nyström's spin.

XXX— Elias Nyström

XXX— Yokouchi Yūichirō

"…you know, if Trampos hadn't made that gutsy call to put Luca on the wets, we might be talking about his car in the wall right now, not his fight back up the order."

"…absolutely. It looked crazy at first, but with the weather fully across the track now, it's never been better tohave the right compounds on the right conditions. That stop probably saved his race...."

P6— Luca Rennick

"…yes, the call saved him, no doubt, but fighting into the top five this late in the race isn't what Luca Rennick had in mind when he lined up P4 on the grid."

"…spot on. This hasn't been his sharpest outing — the contact with Luigi, the tire wear, that long debate on strategy — it's all added up. And instead of pushing for the podium like he'd hoped, he's just trying to rescue the points today..."

Luca in P6 with three laps to go?

This was the first time Trampos wasn't entirely satisfied with how the concluding leaderboard was unfolding.

Usually, they would be content regardless of where Luca finished, as long as it gave them double-figure points.

But the Belgian Grand Prix felt different, as they believed this should have been a stronger result, one that slipped away through too many little setbacks stacked together.

[Current Inventory:

—Catalysts: 6

—Wrenches: 2

—Tokens: 3.0]

With these tools, Luca was capable of activating a Sync Buff that would give him the late-race surge he needed to mount a charge for the lead in the dying laps.

But for reasons known only to him, he didn't use them. Saving it? Trying to finish without his system's support?

On the final lap, the Mazerunner only managed a gritty overtake on Luis Dreyer, whose rear wing troubles left him vulnerable in the run to the line.

P5— Luca Rennick ↑

P6— Luis Dreyer ↓

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"

"…last few corners for ANTONIO LUIGI, and he's the one leading the way…!"

"…Can you believe it?! After eight long races without a single win, he's finally about to break the drought here in Belgium! The Italian crowd is on their feet, cheering him on…!"

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"

"…Melbourne's champion, Jimmy Damgaard, is right there, pressuring every inch of this final sector, but Luigi's holding firm. Rennick's in P5 now! Moireach in P3! Absolutely flawless for the final lap…!"

P1 — Antonio Luigi — 1:59:44.820

P2 — Jimmy Damgaard — +1.143s

P3 — Ailbeart Moireach — +3.287s

P4 — Marko Ignatova — +5.901s

P5 — Luca Rennick — +6.412s

This was literally the big five flexing their big-boy machines. Mercedes. Red Bull. Renault. Mercedes. Ferrari. A perfect showcase of manufacturer hierarchy in Formula 1.

And Ferrari felt sour seeing they were at the bottom of this.

Ailbeart Moireach and Marko Ignatova had played the long game, sticking to basic strategy.

Sometimes this dwarfs racing potential; other times it just prevents unnecessary consequences of risks that some (Luca) drivers took in this race.

On the other hand, Jimmy Damgaard was lucky after faltering more times than Luca had.

Fortunately for Velocità, the RBioL was more than helpful for them. In fact, Jimmy Damgaard went head to head with Ailbeart Moireach, two HiCE-powered machines competing for pedigree.

Ailbeart's confidence for the rest of the season must've been shattered when Jimmy Damgaard snatched P2. The crazy thing was that Jimmy had been 2.2 seconds away when he first posed a threat.

After the overtake, Jimmy Damgaard raked up another 2+ seconds AHEAD of Ailbeart Moireach!

No one had admitted it yet, but the Norwegian was becoming a big problem; more or less what Rennick already was.

Faster than a rocket he was, yet Luigi was still out of reach.

"...this is massive! Remember, Rennick, Ailbeart, Damgaard, they've taken every single win this season until now, but today belongs to Luigi...!"

"…Squadra Corse are roaring—because this doesn't just give them their first victory of the campaign, it swings the championship lead right back in their favor after Trampos stole it only one round ago! What a turnaround...!"

In the cockpit, Luigi was grinning wide beneath the helmet, every muscle in his face betraying the relief and elation of a champion finally back on top.

Luca wasn't immune to setbacks after all. His winning streak had been broken for two races now.

Luigi wondered if he could make it three, four, five, six, seven. And in all of them, he'd be the first to cross the finish line, as he did now in Belgium.

After eight races of frustration, Antonio Luigi was a 20XX Grand Prix winner.

"…over the line! LUIGI TAKES IT!"

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"

"…A SENSATIONAL DRIVE, A STATEMENT WIN! The champion finishes in P1, the start of his fightback in this campaign!"

─── 🏁 RACE CONTROL DISPLAY ───

1st Place: Antonio Luigi — Squadra Corse

2nd Place: Jimmy Damgaard — Bueseno Velocità

3rd Place: – – – – – – – –

"YES! YES! YES!" Luigi exclaimed with a cracking voice.

Punching the air several times, he stretched his gloved hand out of the cockpit and waved to the Squadra Corse grandstands.

The black crowd cheered even louder, seeing their champion was acknowledging them.

All who might've been seated jumped to their feet and joined in the loud applause and chants.

**Bellissimo, Antonio! Che lavoro! You are P1, you are the winner of Spa! Squadra Corse leads the standings again!**

"Haha! Tell Marko we raced well. Haha. So fucking good!" Luigi could hardly contain himself, laughing into the mic.

All over the world, news of the Belgian GP conclusion had already spread in real time.

It felt exhilarating to those present, knowing that what was broadcast to millions around the globe was where they were right now.

"…third place, Ailbeart Moireach…!"

"…fourth place, Marko Ignatova…!"

"…fifth place, Luca Rennick…!"

"WOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"

[5TH POSITION]

[You did not make the podium, host]