My Formula 1 System

[20th lap]

[Corner Chopping +1]

[SYNC BAR: [][][][] 50%]

[You have successfully defended your position. Keep it up, host]

[Analyzing Dallara (F2 04) and host's distance from 5th Position]

[You are 1 second away, host.]

"Daniel... fucking... Walding," Luca whispered playfully like a venom as he began the 20th lap. "Here I come. And you won't pass me again."

**Your status?**

Luca blinked. It wasn't Moritz this time, as Ansel's distinct voice broke through the radio. "P6," Luca replied calmly. "You?"

"P4," came Ansel's blunt response.

Luca knew which position Ansel was in, but he wanted to ask because Ansel had asked about it, and mostly because Luca wanted to catch the tone in Ansel's voice and discern his current mood.

It wasn't good for sure.

Intertwining between P3 and P4 with Miles Bellingham, time had brought Luca and Walding closer to Ansel as Miles edged farther, half a lap ahead.

[Analyzing optimal entry speed based on current velocity, tire traction, and curvature of the bend...]

[Tire traction: 80%]

[Recommended speed for maneuver: 185 km/h]

Dani Walding clung bitterly to P5, his car hugging the line defensively, determined not to let Luca past as Luca closed down on him with every second. "It's the second time he's troubling me," Walding murmured into his own team's radio.

**He has fresh tires and a refuel. We expect nothing less, and we might let him have it** Bueseno Velocità Jnr's team engineer replied.

"What?!"

**Box, Dani, box. Let's get that car ready for the next laps**

Dani Walding felt the urge to resist. He clenched his teeth, still gripping onto P5 with the tenacity of a man unwilling to surrender. "No way I'm letting him take this," he muttered, fingers tight on the wheel. He'd already had to fend Luca off once, and giving up now gnawed at his pride. But his team knew better.

**Box, Dani, box. It's for the long game. You've got to hold back for now. Max is at P2. Relax**

After a frustrated pause, Walding reluctantly complied, but not without a final act of defiance. As he exited the turn, he lifted slightly off the throttle, slowing just enough to create a subtle roadblock for Luca.

Luca, pushing hard, realized Walding's maneuver only at the last second. His eyes narrowed as he veered left to avoid a collision, wrenching his wheel as Spatial Awareness surged within him, heightening his sense of every angle and approaching impact.

[Spatial Awareness +1]

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

Despite Luca's evasive move, his Dallara's chassis clipped Walding's car, the impact sharp and sudden. The moment of contact reverberated through Luca's frame as his vehicle jolted slightly, but his finely tuned suspension absorbed the shock with minimal disturbance. His car straightened immediately, hurtling toward the wet straight ahead.

Walding wasn't so lucky.

The contact had unsettled his vehicle and shoved it off course. He was forced to brake hard to avoid a full spin-out, his tires spraying sheets of water onto Luca's car that just surged ahead.

[5th Position]

[Overtaking +1]

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

"...P5 for Luca Rennick after a physical contact on straight 3! He didn't come out of nowhere; he's been behind Dani Walding all this while, and once the chance opened, he just blasted through without thinking twice. Just look at the aftermath for Dani Walding..."

The cameras shifted focus from Luca zooming down the straight to Dani Walding, who had long regained control and was now entering the pit lane to his team.

**Luca, Race Control just issued a ten-second penalty for the contact with Walding. They're calling it 'completely avoidable.** Moritz's voice cracked through the radio in a solemn tone.

Luca frowned, his eyebrows furrowing as he glanced at his side mirror to see clear asphalt behind him, Walding diverting into the pit lane. "How did that attract a penalty?! The gap was thin. It's not my fault."

**I know** Moritz responded to calm Luca down. He could only imagine what his drivers were experiencing out there. **They're saying you were driving too aggressively and close to him, finally ending with an unsafe maneuver. We'll have to push harder now to make up the coming gap**

Luca cussed loudly in his head but responded with a sigh. "Fine," he replied, taking a deep breath and glancing at his delta from P4.

[Analyzing Dallara (F2 04) and host's distance from 4th Position]

[You are 3 seconds away, host.]

The Dallara holding steady at P4 flashed brightly in Luca's line of sight, its red, white, and black colors unmistakable. Trampos Racing. Luca had almost forgotten Ansel was the driver at P4—now, he was just behind him.

**Currently, you're three seconds behind Han. You've got to stretch the lead on P5 by at least seven seconds to offset the penalty.**

Luca nodded softly as he began the 21st lap, Ansel's car never leaving his sight as he edged closer. "I'd have to face him... right?"

Mr. Moritz took a moment to respond, and Luca didn't like the silence.

**You have seconds to cancel seconds, Luca. And for now, Han is any other driver to you. Please, face off safely—no risky maneuvers**

Luca swallowed hard as the radio went silent, leaving him alone in the cramped, stifling heat of the cockpit. His eyes flicked to the display—[4] glowed in bold green over the car ahead. The green color was a reminder it was his teammate, something he couldn't just ignore.

Taking a steadying breath, Luca tightened his grip on the wheel as the approaching turns loomed. He knew that if he wanted any shot at minimizing the penalty's impact, he'd have to push forward—now.

"I have a penalty hanging over me, man," he murmured, steadying his focus. "I can't afford to lag behind. This is simply for survival... not for position."

His foot pressed harder on the accelerator, ready to make his move.

"...following a painfully slow pit stop, Dani Walding has rejoined the race, just managing to edge in front of Derstappen. And as for his assailant, Luca Rennick—he's got that looming 10-second penalty hanging over him, which he'll need to serve within the next five laps. But right now, Jon, it looks like there's something else occupying his mind, doesn't it...?"

"...absolutely, Mike. For the first time this F2 season, we're seeing teammates inching closer on the leaderboard, with both Trampos Racing drivers positioned at P4 and P5. Luca Rennick is right on Ansel's tail, and he's looking determined, no doubt about it. He knows he has limited time to make his move..."

[Strength +1]

[Analyzing optimal entry speed based on current velocity, tire traction, and curvature of the bend...]

[Tire traction: 75%]

[Recommended speed for maneuver: 100 km/h]

[Analyzing Dallara (F2 04) and host's distance from 5th Position]

[You are 0.8 seconds away, host.]

"...Luca Rennick has made it to just a fraction of a second off Hahn's rear wing. He's closing in fast as they round a corner. The Trampos cars have that section all to themselves... the tension is building as Luca Rennick is lining him on the inside line!"

**Don't think I don't see you**

Luca chuckled, nodding softly. He liked that Ansel acknowledged his threat, making this a healthy challenge for P4.

Ansel's Dallara had a fine trajectory deftly outlined by Luca's System. He could almost guess Ansel's intentions, and it was to squeeze him out with his rear.

At the bottleneck of Turn 2, Ansel had completely blocked off any potential use of his center-right slipstream to edge past him. Luca's System confirmed it.

[Track Span Analysis: 0.8 meter wide (inside lane unavailable)] [Optimal Racing Line Calculated: 0.4 meters]

[Car Width: 1.9 meters] [Margin for Error: 0.6 meters (0.5 meters on the left, 0.1 meters on the right)]

"...now that is the sort of battle we've been waiting to see from these two. Everyone has been itching to know how they race against each other, and now we're witnessing it..."

"...Ansel Hahn is holding Luca off, but might that be a good idea? Luca Rennick might serve that penalty at P4, returning him to P5. But Ansel Hahn is not a fan of that outcome. Either way, it puts both Trampos boys just beyond the podium, and one of them would like to remain ahead..."

"Smart of you," Luca muttered as Ansel's backlights flashed red at him. He could see Miles's Dallara just hitting the straight up ahead, catching up to Max Addams. Luca was certain he could close the gap within two laps or so—if he passed Ansel and served the penalty at P4. Staying at P5 risked losing the spot entirely if he delayed for ten seconds.

Approaching the left-hander Turn 3, Luca moved to the outside lane, giving him the freedom to attempt a heavy, brutal drift and gain the lead before the straightaway. Ansel had shifted focus, abandoning the inner track for a conventional middle lane, ensuring unshaken traction and full stability through the turn.

Luca, however, powered through the outside lane, officially matching P4 with Ansel. He aimed to execute something akin to Miles's earlier move—one that Derstappen had also attempted. Though uncertain of its exact name, Luca felt confident in performing it... without colliding.

As Turn 3 ended, Luca found the perfect trajectory to power straight ahead.

[Trajectory Assessment: Outside lane advantage detected. Line integrity at risk from 4th Position's approach.]

[Recommended Action: Enter at 90% throttle; maintain straight apex trajectory. Anticipate 4th Position's outside pressure.]

[Risk Factor: High (collision potential with 4th Position). Adjust for slight traction loss at exit to regain position.]

Luca trusted Ansel to yield. He had to—anything less would spell catastrophe for Trampos Racing.

Adhering to the System's analysis, Luca executed the maneuver, his car sliding into the lead with a perfect diagonal line. Ansel had no choice but to brake and swerve to the right as Luca emerged ahead.

[4th Position]

[Agility +1]

"...and Luca Rennick finally makes the move, and it's a successful one! A beautifully calculated maneuver on the outside lane, pulling ahead of his teammate Ansel right at the exit of Turn 3...!"

**Good one. Good one, press harder, mate** Mr. Moritz encouraged.

Luca allowed himself a quick, triumphant exhale as Ansel shrank in his rearview.

[You had made a 3.5 g drift]

Luca's own car staggered for traction, but managed to regain it faster than Ansel could rebuild his momentum.

[You are picking up speed]

"GG," Luca managed to say into Ansel's radio.

Explore more stories with empire

**.....**

[DATA DISPLAYED IN REAL TIME:

-Car Speed: 290 km/h

-Heart Rate: 105 bpm

-Operational Status: 80% (Very Good)

-Breathing: Calm & Steady

-Distance covered: 42500 m

-Time: 31 min ]

Luca's gaze flicked across his HUD, searching for the holographic "3" marking Miles's position on the track. To his surprise, Miles's black-and-gold Dallara wasn't visible on the long straight.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The crowd's cheers grew louder, erratic even. Then Luca realized why—Miles had just made a pit stop and was rolling out of the pit lane at the required speed.

Like his earlier encounter with Derstappen some laps ago, Luca now faced another crossroads, and this time, with Miles.

He had the speed, but Miles had the intersection. This would come down to pure racecraft and instinct—a test of who could handle the pressure, maintain traction and seize control. After all, that's what Formula 2 was all about.

Luca could see it, P3 within his grasp. After clawing his way up from P8, he wasn't about to back down.

[Throttle a 98% now]

**No need to push to the max just yet; we need a clean pass. NO MORE penalties. You'll have to judge his reaction here, Luca, but stay alert—P3 is yours if you handle this smartly**

[Trajectory Assessment: Straightaway advantage detected. Line integrity at risk from 3rd Position's approach.]

[Recommended Action: Enter at 90% throttle; maintain straight apex trajectory. Anticipate 3rd Position's intersecting pressure.]

[Risk Factor: High (collision potential with 3rd Position). Adjust for slight traction loss at exit to regain position.]