World Grand Prix Championship 13: RP Thread

[The Glorious Han Chinese]

Vincent had a huge grin on his face. The team was at their home race. And it was a track that suited their car well. The blind hairpin before the Circle had slowed many cars down in the beginning, the drivers being unsure of how to take the Circle. And the Circle, which was probably added as a cruel joke by the designer, took its toll of the drivers. Marcel was one that suffered the most from it. He had slipped from ninth in practice to thirteenth in qualifying. It was a poor performance and Marcel's likable nature made it hard for anyone to be mad at him. They just hoped he would end up in the points.

But it was Alex that was the highlight of the last two days. Like the rest of the pack, his laps started out slow, tentative. But he got more and more confident. More so than the rest of the grid. Soon, his laps were faster and faster. He took the corners quicker and quicker. Marcel was putting in decent lap times, but the small spread of the field reduced his position to ninth.

Alex got off to another strong start in qualifying. To both driver and team, the qualifying session was passing by quickly. Most eyes were on Alex. With only the part of the crew dedicated to Marcel monitoring the other driver's drop down the order.
Too soon, it seemed, a voice cut over the radio.

"Alright, guys. Vincent here. Get your asses back to the pits. Qualifying's over and tomorrow's the real deal. And Alex? POLE POSITION! I'll treat you to some of my best wine when you come back. And Marcel? You weren't bad either, but thirteenth isn't where we want to be. Try to push into the points tomorrow."

Alex had topped the timesheets in both practice and qualifying, and the hordes of SinoMotors fans at their home race filled the track with their cheering. He had been mobbed by the crowd clamoring for a handshake or an autograph. The team had to hide him in Vincent's office.

"Alex. Just hold your position. Don't try anything rash." Vincent said, sitting behind his desk with a bottle of wine in his hands, facing Alex with a serious look on his face.

"Of course. Unless that Cruisin decides to T-bone me again." Alex tinkered with a glass of wine that Vincent had passed him earlier. The boss drinks a lot, doesn't he? Hope he won't end up like Fatali. Vincent's a decent guy.

"Understood. Just try your best to win, alright? This race means a lot to the team."

[Barunia]

There was a sombre mood in the Archer garage after Sayono Souzare's qualifying attempt. It was obvious to everyone: something was seriously wrong with the number 52 car. Gil Spencer, Archer's head mechanic, was convinced the issue had been sustained in Souzare's disastrous crash on the first lap in Barunia.

It had been the perfect set-up for Souzare. Top practice, top qualifying, pole position and her team's home track. To top it all off, Hasuka was here, in person, supporting her. Everything was set up perfectly.

So, Sayono was feeling good as she roared off around Da Vinci. Lund was right behind her, but she could hold him off; she gained a few more metres on him through the tight Edison turn and roared off down the needle. Breakpoint and the Cut-off she took with ease. This is your race, Just hang in there, she told herself, as she tore up the hill through turn 10. There was the stand at the end of the climb, which meant turn 11 was coming up, even though she couldn't see the track. She braked, turned sharply to the right to cut the apex; and realised she'd miscalculated. She was heading for the inside wall, so corrected with a sharp left turn. She was thrown around the corner as her back wheel connected with the barrier, but she managed to recover. Still, the near crash had cost her time, and as she headed down to the Wood she could see Lund behind her.
Sayono glided through the first easy left-hander of the Wood, then braked sharply as she turned right. The sharp turn at the end loomed, and she turned the wheel hard left...

The car should have taken the corner easily. Instead, Sayono suddenly found herself spinning wildly as something behind her went "bang". As she flew off the track in a cloud of smoke and gravel dust, Sayono could see parts of her car littering the track. "What the hell happened? Damn it, I had that one!" Sayono slammed her fist into the steering wheel.

From the pit, Henry had watched the accident unfold. As Sayono took the final bend of the Wood, she turned sharply under braking. Her back end should have slid out a little, swinging her round the corner. Instead, the rear wheel - the same one that had collected the wall earlier - continued to go straight on, abandoning the car as it did. The result was that the back of the car slammed into the track, digging in and causing the front tyres to oversteer. The vehicles momentum then carried Sayono off the road. Henry's heart leapt in to his mouth, and he froze for a moment, before seeming to suddeny remember his headset and panically babbling an urgent question to his stricken driver.

Sayono could hear Henry Baltimore in her headset, asking her if she was alright. Pulling the wheel off, she clambered out of the car. "I'm fine. Annoyed, but fine."

For Lauren Ashburton, Sayono's crash had made the victory bittersweet. It was a great feeling to win of course, and to do it on your home circuit was even better, but she just wished there could have been two Archer cars crossing the line. At least Sayono was alright. Lauren had to admit that she was beginning to warm to her colleague. For Lauren, who dod not make friends easily, that was a big thing. She wanted Sayono to do well. Lauren just hoped that Gil and his team could fix whatever damage was still slowing Sayono's car down before the next race.

[Nekoni]

"15th, Alex. Better hope tomorrow's not wet, yeah?" Mayari knew the practice session was too good to be true. She realised, over the last 60 minutes, that she was good at the circuit in the dry. Once the rain came down, everything changed, and the times reflected that. From one day, the times had gone from all being within a second of each other, to the times being massively split, with Alex sadly bearing the brunt of it. No such problems with Victoria, she would start tomorrow morning from the other side of the grid, in fifth.

The problem for her, like most of the drivers today, was, just like yesterday, the Haishang Circle. A nerve-wracking ordeal in the dry, rain made it brutal. In the bare time that Alex was on the track, she had spun it at the Circle three times, and was extremely lucky to not ruin someone else's session by connecting with them whilst rejoining.

Would it truly be better if it was dry, thought Alex. A lucky start in the wet, and she could finish the first lap well in the points, and the inconsistency shown today would probably help her defend the position if that was to happen. However, it was a long shot, and if she came unstuck again, like what had happened many times this season already, she'd be chasing the pack, or in a wall. Truly, of all tracks to stage a season comeback on, Mayari was going to have to do it the hard way.

[Hodori Motorsports]

Souzare normally enjoyed racing in the rain. Looking over the qualifying results, she knew there were multiple factors for her slow time. Gil Spencer thought it was lingering damage from the crash in Barunia. Souzare believed it wasn’t simply the car. She had trouble with her line through the Circle, and her opening lap mistake at Archer’s home track and Hakusa’s return home after their post-race date had left her in rather low spirits.
- - - - -
The notes given to her by her uncle had been of some use, except for the Circle. He had a talent for visualising something close to the ideal line from looking at the course map, but his sloppy handwriting and the Circle’s 60-meter drop meant she had to figure out a better line.

Using her phone to consult the videos uploaded to Himekaidou* and other sites to compare the lines she had taken to those of other drivers, she thought about the the weekend so far as they buffered. Dimitrianov had topped the tables in practice and qualifying, just as she had in Barunia. A part of her almost wanted him to suffer the same fate. She didn’t voice that thought; such things went against what she considered basic decency and sportsmanship.
- - - - -
Between the pre-race driver’s briefing and final preparations, Souzare thought about the latest message of encouragement Hakusa had sent overnight. It had improved Souzare’s mood, and though it wasn’t as much of a boost as it was when Hakusa was present, it still helped give her more confidence in her abilities.


* Himekaidou.net; originally a Hodoran site created to upload and share pictures, has since merged with another site and expanded to videos.

[WGPC]

Race 6, Cut-off!

Raceday 6: The SinoCom Han Grand Prix

Laps: 53
Conditions: Changeable

Pos	Car	Name			Team		OVERALL TIME	TIME GAP
1	51	R.L. Cruisin		    	1:27:03.743	
2	24	Victoria Gardner	    	+10.314		+10.314
3	74	Alexandra Mayari	    	+20.315		+10.001
4	70	Moisés Delgado		    	+23.651		+03.337
5	11	Enu Noel		    	+25.074		+01.422
6	41	Marcel Tenis		    	+25.797		+00.723
7	16	Matt Hingis		    	+30.371		+04.574
8	4	Riku Äijälä		    	+33.967		+03.596
9	25	Lovisa Landenberg	    	+40.731		+06.764
10	29	Esteban Guilhermez	    	+53.055		+12.324
11	18	Wayne Forrest		    	+53.856		+00.801
12	99	Rudolf Ibuna		    	+54.375		+00.520
13	1	Alexander Lund		    	+1:02.444	+08.068
14	10	Lauren Ashburton	    	+1:13.510	+11.066
15	39	Tyler Brooks		    	+1:16.002	+02.492
16	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	    	+1:34.693	+18.692

DNF	15	Alex Dimitrianov	    	Ret. Lap 21
DNF	64	Crimson LaRoja		    	Ret. Lap 17
DNF	55	Asao Nadakei		    	Ret. Lap 16
DNF	52	Sayono Souzare		    	Ret. Lap 15

DRIVERS STANDINGS

1	1	Alexander Lund		McPahan Racing			57
1	70	Moisés Delgado		Hansa-Nyrota Racing		57
3	51	R.L. Cruisin		Frontiere Racing		51
4	16	Matt Hingis		McPahan Racing			47
5	11	Enu Noel		Aston Tickford Racing		38
5	29	Esteban Guilhermez	Aston Tickford Racing		38
7	10	Lauren Ashburton	Archer Motorsports		36
8	99	Rudolf Ibuna		Team Dekijika-Tarogama		32
9	64	Crimson LaRoja		Frontiere Racing		27
10	15	Alex Dimitrianov	SinoMotors Racing		25
11	24	Victoria Gardner	Scuderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio	19
11	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	Macllynlleth Clockwork Racing	19
13	25	Lovisa Landenberg	Hansa-Nyrota Racing		16
14	74	Alexandra Mayari	Scuderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio	15
14	55	Asao Nadakei		Team Dekijika-Tarogama		15
16	39	Tyler Brooks		Macllynlleth Clockwork Racing	12
17	4	Riku Äijälä		Telaris Racing			11
18	41	Marcel Tenis		SinoMotors Racing		10
18	18	Wayne Forrest		Telaris Racing			10
20	52	Sayono Souzare		Archer Motorsports		 9
21	14	Maxwell Song		SinoMotors Racing		 2

CONSTRUCTOR'S STANDINGS

McPahan Racing			104
Frontiere Racing		 78
Aston Tickford Racing		 76
Hansa-Nyrota Racing		 73
Team Dekijika-Tarogama		 47
Archer Motorsports		 45
SinoMotors Racing		 37
Scuderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio	 34
Macllynlleth Clockwork Racing	 31
Telaris Racing			 21

NOTE TO TEAMS: The grands prix of Beateobsequensia and Rapoxha have both been cancelled due to those nations ceasing to exist. The next race will be the Grand Prix of the Imperial Commonwealth in Eastfield Lodge. Scorination at the usual time next week.

[The Glorious Han Chinese]

The race was a bittersweet one for SinoMotors. Alex had started in pole position. For the first few laps, Alex had the advantage, but not by much. Cruisin had been there to pressure him, trying to force him to make a mistake. And there were mistakes, Alex would sometimes misjudge the braking zones for the hairpins, letting Cruisin get ahead. But he would make that up with a superb drive through the Circle, regaining the lead.

Lap 21
"Huh, this guy didn't hit me yet? Excellent self restraint. My car must be tempting."

"Alex, focus on the race. Ignore him."

"I'm trying, but he's braking early every time I slipstream close to him...DAMN...you see?"

Alex saw the already large Frontiere car grow larger right before the Roundhouse Hairpin, and slammed on the brakes. He swerved his car slightly off track to avoid Cruisin. Alex had been lucky these few times, but it wouldn't hold. He had to do something to get past Cruisin.

As if on cue, his luck ran out on the Circle. Alex followed closely behind Cruisin through it, waiting for an opportunity to pass. Suddenly, Cruisin decided to slow down halfway through it, perhaps looking for a better line. Alex flung his car to the outside of the Frontiere to avoid it. But the sudden move placed the SinoMotors on a wet patch, and the car went spinning. There were unspeakable words on the radio, and the car came to rest facing a barrier. The front wheels were hanging on by a thread and the front wing was in pieces.

Loud groans emerged from the SinoMotors crew as they watched a crane lift Alex's car off the track. Cruisin, having made it out of the Circle and on the pit straight again, met quite a lot of one-finger salutes as his car drove past the SinoMotors garage.

---

Marcel was having a much better race. He was still losing time through the Circle, but he made up for it with superb driving on the rest of the track. It was one of the best drives Vincent ever saw, with Marcel gaining 7 positions with daring overtakes. He was well congratulated upon his return to the pits, for netting the team some points when Alex had met an untimely end to his race.

[Eastfield Lodge]

Grand Prix of the Imperial Commonwealth
@ Mount Salt Raceway, Eastfield Lodge

About the track

Mount Salt Raceway is a relatively new circuit, designed to take over from the Port Lodgertia Street Circuit as the showpiece circuit on all of the domestic racing calendars - partially in response to growing frustration surrounding the Port's constant race-related closures, and partially in a bid to open up the nation to more international racing. Port Lodgertia has seen international racing in the two seasons Eastfield Lodge contested the NationStates Grand Prix, but after that series stopped due to funding issues (OOC: I can't remember why it actually stopped), the WGPC became the main hope for an international event. Unfortunately, the Street Circuit failed to meet the criteria that the WGPC track selection committee desired (OOC: the NSGP was held on an online racing simulator called batracer, and Port Lodgertia was just the IC name of the Long Beach street circuit - as an RL circuit, it couldn't be submitted), and with few of the other tracks particularly suitable to host the large crowds any event would draw, it was decided to create a brand new circuit, and thus the Raceway was created. It was completely finished just too late for the bidding in WGPC 11, and failed to make the cut for the calender in the following season, but it was third time lucky, and here we are.

The track itself is 4.4km long, and features the longest straight in any domestic circuit at around a kilometre long. It's situated almost on the side of a hill, with Turns 14, 15 and the start of the pit straight forming the lowest points of the track - the highest is a good 80m above coming out of turn 7. The start-finish line (and the pit area) itself is about 200m into the straight, and you can easily hit the top speed (depending on the speed of the headwind) before reaching turn 1, which is a tight right-hander which requires drivers to perfectly judge their braking points, or otherwise overshoot and end up in the gravel. The pit exit joins the start-finish straight about 400m before the turn. After turn 1 is the first significant climb, up the hill to turn 2 which is a tight left-hand corner, almost a mirror image of Turn 1. Another short and slightly downhill straight follows enroute to the extremely slow Turn 3 hairpin, made even more difficult due to the fine layer of salt that builds up between sessions, reducing grip levels - at blame are the salt plains towards the east that the region is known for. The track flattens coming out of the corner and towards the chicane at 4/5, which a single car should do without touching the brakes.

Following the chicane, the track straightens out for a few hundred metres to complete the first Sector. Following straight on is one of the hardest corners in Eastfield Lodge, and maybe even the WGPC calendar (well, behind the monstrosity that is the Haishang Circle), as the long left-hander Turn 6 is situated on the other significant climb of the track, at around 20m in height overall, which, combined with the wall on the inside of the track, leaves drivers blind to the sharp left of Turn 7 and the wall that awaits should anybody fail to make the turn - the track does level off moments before 7, just to give drivers a small window to react and not plough into the tyre wall at 150+mph. The rest of the track is pretty simple, starting with the two 90 degree right handers at 8 and 9 (on a level track as well), in front of one of the main grandstands, giving drivers a chance to relax and show off to the crowd, before starting the race back downhill through the long right hand Turn 10 to complete Sector 2 - the marker also more or less forms the braking point for Turn 11, another 90 degree right hander. That's followed shortly by a left-hander at Turn 12, with another proper downhill section in the run-up to the Turn 13/14 chicane - the wall sits invitingly at Turn 13 if anybody forgets to brake. Coming about of 14, the pit entrance then leaves on the right, before the final 90 degree corner at Turn 15 puts drivers back onto the pit straight, ready to go all over again.

About the Place

The track is just a few minutes drive from nearby Mount Salt City, which is one of the largest cities in Eastfield Lodge, both in terms of population/size and in terms of sports - most sports, barring football, have their best facilities in this region, following the legacy of the first ever international competition to be held in the country, the Gallifreyan Olympics (regional Olympics for The New Empire of Gallifrey, oh so long ago). There are all manner of things to do in the city, within the bounds of the laws. And the laws of Eastfield Lodge are a bit ... foreigner-unfriendly - alcohol is strictly prohibited, as is smoking, along with many other drugs, and there are somewhat strict rules regarding morality. However, this doesn't detract much from the fact that the WA, for a long time, considered Eastfield Lodge to be the best tourist destination in Rushmore, and we are still considered to have the best weather in the region. Alongside being the safest place in Rushmore, with the nicest and most compassionate people and the best healthcare in the region, and so on.

One unique thing about Eastfield Lodge is that pretty much the entirety of it is located in another dimension to the one which most of you will be familiar with. Travel between here and there is only possible via Gateway Island in the north of Rushmore - from there, all transport to and from Eastfield Lodge is done via a Portal. The trip across takes little time, and excellent transport links across the nation itself means easy access to most of the nation. Not that any is needed, as the Portal opens up near to Mount Salt City.

(OOC: Any questions, feel free to TG me.)

[Nekoni]

The pre-race briefing for SFeG was fairly straightforward. "Right, Alex. We all know that you can get the track here nailed. It's a bit wet, but will probably be drying up later, so you're going to be right at home towards the end. Go for the best start you can, then pick through as much of the field as you can. Of course, there's 14 other people in front of you trying to stop that from happening...including Victoria here. Vicky, nail the start, play defensively if you have to, don't take any risks you don't need to. The goal is for both of you to finish in the points, anything better is a bonus. Remember, the other teams still think we're minnows, so it's our chance to show them up."

Right, this was to be a trial by fire. With only one point and still on the bottom of the driver's championship, Alex really needed something good. Looking down the grid, she assessed the situation. The first turn was a tight left, and by being in an odd-numbered spot, would be right in line for the best entry into the turn, which helped. It was wide, as expected for an oval, so her plan was to use the right lane to see how many she could overtake before pulling into the turn. The lights flickered on in sequence, and, as the green row of lights blazed, Alex made her move.

Somehow, it felt like someone was watching over her that day. The wheels stuck to the wet asphalt like glue, surging past whole rows of drivers on the straight. By the first turn, she was firmly in the top 10. This was no time for her to rest on her laurels, though. Over the next couple of laps, she pushed up into sixth. This felt...surreal. How could she, in the space of five races, go from mobile chicane to having a real potential to score well? She wondered how the car could possibly have changed, or it might have been her? Fatali taking leave did the team the world of good, it seemed, but...this good? Alex pondered for a bit, until she nearly lost it on the Haishang Circle on lap 17. "Concentrate, Alex! You've come too far to lose it here!"

As she ended the lap, she was told that LaRoja had retired, making her fifth, staring down the exhaust pipes of Matt Hingis. "Ten laps til your pit-stop. Don't rush it, you'll get him in that time." Alex geared up for an intense stake-out. Over the next couple of laps, she snuck closer and closer to Matt. She had to hold back on the assault due to the yellow flags caused by Dimitrianov's shock retirement. One more down. On lap 25, Alex struck gold. Of all places, it had to be the Circle. Getting all of the slipstream through the long downhill, she managed to keep her speed that bit higher than him. Using this speed, she inched ahead of him going into the exit of the Circle, and was able to use this advantage, plus some outbraking, to pass him on the inside of the final turn, with Alex leaving Matt in the dust.

"Did...that just happen?"
"Don't let it go to your head, but yeah. Great manoeuvre."

The next few laps were all about trying to get as much ground as she could before she had to pit. True to the mechanic's word, on lap 29, they couldn't hold on any more, and she had to turn in. As the car pulled out, she was in 4th, just behind Delgado. The weather, after playing ball and staying dry for so long, took a turn for the worse, and the rain appeared again. Not as bad as in the qualifying session, but still, she had to change tack. Using the yellow and green car in front, she was able to get her eye in for the new braking points. Her confidence in the Circle grew, far beyond the timid laps of the day before. At some point, she was going to pass him, there was no ifs about it, and on lap 50, she was able to pull ahead on the Swooping Dragon.

The reaction of the pit crew was elated. "Keep it together, Alex! 4 laps of this and you're on the podium! Don't chase 2nd, Vicky is long gone!" All she needed to do was keep the car on the road and keep a decent speed for the next 6 minutes and it was hers, and thanks to her tires being newer than the field behind her, it was easy enough. Sure enough, Alex crossed the finishing line. 10 seconds behind Vicky, but third! Both Fuoco drivers on the podium! When she and Victoria pulled into the pits and left the car, the crew were there, giving both a standing ovation.

"Fantastic drives, both of you! We got a whole bunch of points today!" Minna proclaimed, giving each driver a gusto-filled handshake. "I said today, go out and prove your worth. Both of you have done that, and then some. Let's take this to the next race, and the next race, and every one in the season!"

The next few minutes on the podium felt just as surreal as they did the first time she was on there back at the NIC last season. After all the knives that were out for her in the Nekonian press, all of the angry fans at home, and even after that, to hear only cheers from the crowd when her name was called just felt like, well, redemption. She had so many positive feelings clashing into each other, that her on-podium interview was as generic as they came, sticking to the "it was all done in the start, I looked after the car, the team feels so much stronger now thanks to Minna, yadda yadda". The traditional champagne spray felt doubly sweet, as well: this being the first time she touched a drop of alcohol since she saw the very worst example of it bruise her jaw.

Eventually, the buzz died down, and the team packed for their next location. Eastfield Lodge was next, naturally a circuit Victoria would know like the back of her hand, so she would have to properly knuckle down in the practice sessions if she wanted to continue this good run. This weekend was the best weekend of the season so far, naturally, but her goal was, of course, to make the next one even better.

[Barunia]

Sayono Souzare came up to the dreaded exit of the Haishang circle. Some drivers had complained Alexwood was tough, but this was something else. It was complete madness. She'd taken it 14 times already in this race, and each time she'd held her breath as she took that perilous 90 degree right-hander. Once again, she held her breath, braked, and turned the wheel.

Bang.

"Oh God, not again!" though Sayono, as she felt the back of the car give way. Braking heavily, she managed to wrangle the wheel until the front of the car was pointing in the right direction. Feeling something wrong with the back of her vehicle, and with the ghosts of Alexwood fresh in her mind, she limped her way into the pit.

Gil took a quick look at the rear of the car and shook his head. His assessment was quick, clinical and final. The number 51 car was not going anywhere soon. It had become apparent that the crash at Alexwood had damaged the car worse than anyone had believed, although not suspected. Only the skill of Sayono had prevented another crash.

[Krytenia]

Noel "unlikely to return" for WGPC14

Madesene driver Enu Noel is "unlikely" to be at Aston-Tickford next season, it is believed.

Noel, 24, has been competitive in the Ousevale-based team's cars this season, but it is thought that as-yet unknown issues behind the scenes may have led to the lead driver being pushed out of Mike Dewhurst's plans.

Esteban Guilhermez, meanwhile, is expected to retain his seat for next season after a string of impressive displays.

Neither Noel nor ATR were available for comment as the team prepares for the next Grand Prix in Eastfield Lodge.

[Hodori Motorsports]

Sayono wasn’t anywhere near 100% for the race. Encouragement from Hakusa and the team had helped, but she couldn’t clear the Alexwood incident from her mind. She had managed what she thought was a fairly good start, getting past Noel when the lights went green. Something still felt off with the car, but she still managed to keep pace with the No.55 ENSADRINK machine ahead of her.

Over the next dozen or so laps the two dueled for position, Noel slipping past and briefly interrupting their battles. On her 15th lap, Souzare found herself once again in the slipstream of her uncle’s car as they approached the Circle. It was easily her least favourite corner on a track she didn’t particularly like. She chased Nadakei down the Circle, trying to hug the inside for the entry to the right-hander at the bottom. She wasn’t yet close enough to try for an overtake, but thought she could make an attempt at the first corner of lap 16.

Braking for the penultimate turn-in for the lap, she felt something break and the car start to snap around. Her car fishtailed as she fought to keep it under control, the scarlet machine of Nadakei’s car disappearing into the distance. Limping back to the pit garage, she thought she already knew what had happened.

---

---

Glancing at the wing mirrors in the approach to the next-to-last corner of the lap, Nadakei caught a glimpse of Souzare’s Archer start to spin out. Flying down the grid straight, he heard the command to “box this lap” over the radio. Neither had been very kind to their tyres as they fought over the bottom rungs of the standings, and he suspected that was the cause of the 52’s spin. Over the course of the lap, he tried to ease back slightly to preserve the tyres. They still felt fine, though the grip was starting to fade and Seozamo wanted him to pit for a fresh set.

Running down the Circle for the 16th time, he wasn’t prepared for a sudden repeat of his Gold Park retirement. Halfway down the Circle, Nadakei felt his right rear go down. He tried to correct, overcompensated, spun, and found himself going backwards through the runoff and into the bordering armco. With the sector under yellow, he pulled himself from his terminally wounded car. He had several words in mind for the Deyoze Tyres technician for when he returned to the garage, not all of them kind.

[WGPC]

Friday Practice

* Drivers have 90 minutes to complete a maximum of twenty laps. Fastest lap is recorded.
* Conditions: Wet

1	25	Lovisa Landenberg	    	1:23.254
2	15	Alex Dimitrianov	    	1:23.292
3	51	R.L. Cruisin		    	1:23.297
4	1	Alexander Lund		    	1:23.322
5	10	Lauren Ashburton	    	1:23.336
6	74	Alexandra Mayari	    	1:23.394
7	24	Victoria Gardner	    	1:23.465
8	29	Esteban Guilhermez	    	1:23.480
9	70	Moisés Delgado		    	1:23.537
10	11	Enu Noel		    	1:23.539
11	55	Asao Nadakei		    	1:23.541
12	52	Sayono Souzare		    	1:23.598
13	99	Rudolf Ibuna		    	1:23.715
14	18	Wayne Forrest		    	1:23.766
15	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	    	1:23.827
16	64	Crimson LaRoja		    	1:23.860
17	16	Matt Hingis		    	1:23.890
18	39	Tyler Brooks		    	1:23.972
19	41	Marcel Tenis		    	1:24.762
20	4	Riku Äijälä		    	1:24.889

[WGPC]

Saturday Qualifying

*Drivers had 90 minutes to record up to ten flying laps. Fastest lap is recorded.
*Conditions: Changeable

Pos	Car	Name		
1	16	Matt Hingis		    	1:21.982
2	51	R.L. Cruisin		    	1:22.037
3	55	Asao Nadakei		    	1:22.052
4	1	Alexander Lund		    	1:22.100
5	74	Alexandra Mayari	    	1:22.116
6	24	Victoria Gardner	    	1:22.160
7	41	Marcel Tenis		    	1:22.196
8	29	Esteban Guilhermez	    	1:22.203
9	64	Crimson LaRoja		    	1:22.207
10	15	Alex Dimitrianov	    	1:22.226
11	4	Riku Äijälä		    	1:22.252
12	99	Rudolf Ibuna		    	1:22.296
13	70	Moisés Delgado		    	1:22.365
14	10	Lauren Ashburton	    	1:22.396
15	52	Sayono Souzare		    	1:22.592
16	25	Lovisa Landenberg	    	1:22.749
17	18	Wayne Forrest		    	1:22.818
18	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	    	1:23.481
19	39	Tyler Brooks		    	1:23.787
20	11	Enu Noel		    	1:24.420

Grid Graphic

[WGPC]

Cut Off for race seven!

Race Seven: The Grand Prix of the Imperial Commonwealth

Conditions: Wet
Laps: 69

Pos	Car	Name			Team		OVERALL TIME	TIME GAP	
1	55	Asao Nadakei		    	1:39:20.503		
2	24	Victoria Gardner	    	+25.529		+25.529	
3	1	Alexander Lund		    	+56.984		+31.455	
4	11	Enu Noel		    	+1:03.353	+06.368	
5	74	Alexandra Mayari	    	+1:03.627	+00.274	
6	10	Lauren Ashburton	    	+1:06.292	+02.665	
7	51	R.L. Cruisin		    	+1:12.585	+06.293	
8	64	Crimson LaRoja		    	LAP +1
9	29	Esteban Guilhermez	    	LAP +1		+09.741	
10	25	Lovisa Landenberg	    	LAP +1		+03.867	
11	39	Tyler Brooks		    	LAP +1		+00.329
12	41	Marcel Tenis		    	LAP +1		+01.429
13	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	    	LAP +1		+19.841
14	18	Wayne Forrest		    	LAP +1		+19.370

DNF	52	Sayono Souzare		    Ret. Lap 63
DNF	16	Matt Hingis		    Ret. Lap 60
DNF	15	Alex Dimitrianov	    Ret. Lap 55
DNF	70	Moisés Delgado		    Ret. Lap 48
DNF	99	Rudolf Ibuna		    Ret. Lap 37
DNF	4	Riku Äijälä		    Ret. Lap 2

DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Pos	#	Name			Team				Pts
1	1	Alexander Lund		McPahan Racing			71
2	70	Moisés Delgado		Hansa-Nyrota Racing		57
3	51	R.L. Cruisin		Frontiere Racing		55
4	11	Enu Noel		Aston Tickford Racing		48
5	16	Matt Hingis		McPahan Racing			47
6	10	Lauren Ashburton	Archer Motorsports		42
7	29	Esteban Guilhermez	Aston Tickford Racing		40
7	55	Asao Nadakei		Team Dekijika-Tarogama		40
9	24	Victoria Gardner	Scuderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio	37
10	99	Rudolf Ibuna		Team Dekijika-Tarogama		32
11	64	Crimson LaRoja		Frontiere Racing		30
12	15	Alex Dimitrianov	SinoMotors Racing		25
13	74	Alexandra Mayari	Scuderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio	23
14	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	Macllynlleth Clockwork Racing	19
15	25	Lovisa Landenberg	Hansa-Nyrota Racing		17
16	39	Tyler Brooks		Macllynlleth Clockwork Racing	12
17	4	Riku Äijälä		Telaris Racing			11
18	41	Marcel Tenis		SinoMotors Racing		10
18	18	Wayne Forrest		Telaris Racing			10
20	52	Sayono Souzare		Archer Motorsports		 9
21	14	Maxwell Song		SinoMotors Racing		 2

CONSTRUCTOR'S CHAMPIONSHIP

McPahan Racing			118
Aston Tickford Racing		 88
Frontiere Racing		 85
Hansa-Nyrota Racing		 74
Team Dekijika-Tarogama		 72
Scuderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio	 60
Archer Motorsports		 51
SinoMotors Racing		 37
Macllynlleth Clockwork Racing	 31
Telaris Racing			 21

[The Glorious Han Chinese]

"Rubbish. Bloody rubbish. What the hell is going on?" Vincent stormed around the garage, after a particularly disappointing race. Marcel, who had shown such promise in his first race, has barely broke the top ten in the races since. Meanwhile, Alex had won a single race and has impressive pace, also has a penchant for not doing well in his races. He has finished only four of seven races, and scored points in two.

Vincent seized the collar of a mechanic. "Is there anything bloody wrong with the car? What the hell have you all been doing with the money? Embezzling it?" He tossed the mechanic aside, and paced to a rack of spare front wings. He picked up one, one that hasn't been used since the second race, and heaved it at a car. It left a dent on the engine cover. Raging at the lack of any significant damage, he kicked the car some more, yanked the steering wheel out, and slammed it apart on the ground. Fifty thousand dollars of car, strewn across the ground in bits.

The rest of the team was either trying to make themselves appear busy with their work, or staring in silence at their boss. Vincent wasn't known to be a particularly violent person. But more than half the season has passed, and the team has displayed a significant lack of progress. Funding wasn't short. SinoMotors is known to be one of the richest teams on the grid. And it wasn't for the lack of skill or experience either. They had a bit of both. So what could be the problem? Though he did not say it out loud, Vincent was clearly getting frustrated with the race performance of the drivers. The car had won a race, but the drivers either slip in positions, or doesn't finish.

A cry pierced the heavy atmosphere of the garage. Vincent had cut himself on a sharp piece of the broken wheel. He swore out loud and stooped down to the wheel with a wrench. With the wrench, he began to bang furiously on the brakes. Seemingly oblivious to the blood on his arm, he continued to tear wiring and metal off of the car.

---

When he was finally done, the car sat with no steering wheel, several mutilated brakes, a torn engine cover, broken KERS unit, pierced turbocharger, and some engine pistons laying on the ground. The mechanics looked at it with despair, but none dared to raise a single word of protest against their boss. Fixing the car was going to take a lot of work.

[Krytenia]

Sometimes, people need a kick up the backside to get themselves in shape.

Enu Noel didn't consider himself one of those people. Nevertheless, with rumours circulating over the future of his place within the team, he was determined to make sure that he wasn't going to go quietly. This Grand Prix, this race, would show the world that the Madesene was worth having - if not for ATR next season, then for somebody else.

It hadn't started too well. Though he'd been midfield in practice, he'd remained behind his Krytenian teammate the whole way through, never finding that extra click of speed to push himself up the timing board. Qualification...had been luckless. His first attempt at a flying lap had been ruined by traffic, his second by contact which required his car to be in the garage for a good twenty minutes whilst the mechanics replaced the rear wing and fixed the diffuser, then he had a slow puncture on his next out-lap, then it started raining.
Rather unsurprisingly, Noel would be starting at the back of the grid.

With an hour to go until the lights went out, Enu cut a gloomy figure in the paddock. How was he supposed to make a statement from the back of the grid, with a car that had, at best, midfield pace on this track? Mike Dewhurst, his boss, had refused to answer speculation...which also meant he'd refused to deny it. Enu pondered over his car, considering the future, as a few spots of water dripped onto his arms and head. Enu looked up.

And then the heavens opened.

A religious man may have said it was a sign from God. Enu wasn't that religious, but he knew providence when he saw it. A wet race! The Aston excelled when the speeds were lower, and this, coupled with Enu's precise, technical driving style, would be a great help. The Madesene let a smile creep over his face. Scoring points to prove your worth. Doing it from dead last? Challenge accepted.

*****

The lights went out. Enu switched on. He squeezed the throttle tenderly, and the orange, white, and black car screamed away. Enu deftly guided his mount between the green Macllyneths, and ducked inside Wayne Forrest's undersized Telaris. Three places before the first corner; not a bad start. Landenberg, though, was proving a trickier prospect. She, too, was on a charge, and poor Sayono Souzare must have been having kittens at Turn Six when the Archer suddenly found itself with an ATR passing one side and Landenberg's bright yellow Hansa-Nyrota the other. Enu and Lovisa had time to pass the other Archer - though not near-simultaneously on this occasion - before the end of the lap.

"P15, Enu! Great start, the Hansas are matching pace though."

Not for long, thought Enu, as he tucked in to slipstream Landenberg.

*****

Lap forty-one. Enu had managed two sets of wet tyres well and got himself into ninth place, flying past Steb Guilhermez in the process, and with the rain stopped, it was time for inters. A few other drivers had thought the same thing; it was now up to the speed and skills of the pit crew to get him further up the standings.

They were faultless, and out came Enu into eighth place...or so he thought. The Archer of Lauren Ashburton swept past as he exited the pit lane. Clearly whatever pit strategy she was on was paying dividends. Enu, though, was a man on a mission, and swept past Ashburton at Turn Six. Enu was liking Turn Six today.

*****

Final lap. Enu had pushed himself hard to get into fifth place. Ahead of him - too far ahead - were Lund and Mayari, battling for the podium place. Enu concentrated on his own race, praying for scraps - both cars taking each other out would be perfect - and then it happened. The Suderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio car outbraked itself, got out of shape, and though Mayari kept it going in the right direction, Enu was right behind. He got the line at Turn Twelve, and snuck through. Three more corners, the chequered flag, and Enu Noel had gone from last place to fourth.

He'd had worse days.

[San Jose Guayabal]

Moisés "Our campaign has been excellent," he said when talking with his father since Vermark, preparing to race in the national tour of that country, Moisés was very motivated by his performance throughout the season, with rookie sensation and maintaining Alexander Lund in the bay for a good stretch of the competition until the last race in Eastfield Lodge, where his car had engine problems which prevented him from finishing the race, losing a number of points and yielding the first to Alex Lund, Moisés knew that the first place was his and he would not let go, so he was encouraged to make a good race there in Vermark.

His father asked, "Is it true that you cretin named Lund surpassed in the standings? Send to ask your girlfriend. "Moisés took a breath and said in a disappointed" Yes, I surpassed, unfortunately because I had engine trouble, tell him it was not an accident and that I am well, eager to return home in about two weeks. "The father asked Moisés," What part will be the race? I missed the place. "Moisés said," Back in the village (La Laguna). "To which the father of Moisés said," Really? Because if so I think you feel good against your childhood friends and leaning family. "Moisés as euphoric said" Back home, the village where we come from is a big motivation, I feel that this is the place to give it a Lund deserved revenge to snatch the first place there and keep stable, it would be great. "

Moisés's father remained in conversation merry way, was not a good time to talk with your child after he returned to competition during the last days of the holiday season half, Moisés asked his father happened to him her mother to talk to her, Moisés's' mother came and said, "Son! How are you? "Moisés said," I'm fine, Mom, looking forward to the day back to La Laguna." Her mother spoke up and said "I'm on plans for a good reception, I talked to the neighbors and we are organizing sort of a cheerleader group to support you with all our heart, and do not worry, Lund and you lose the first position recover soon, God willing so, my son." Moisés was satisfied with talking to his mom, he left and proceeded to pray, as he always does before getting into his car, he jumped out and equipped, ready for a new part of the tournament.

[Audioslavia]

Alec Lund"Never used to be like this".

Matt Hingis was snapped out of his daydream by the sound of his team-mate's voice, as Alec Lund took a seat next to him.

"What do you mean?" repled Matt. Alec turned and nodded towards the rest of the garage.
"Listen", he said.
"To what?" replied Matt, frowning.
"Exactly" said Alec. "A quiet garage. Two sets of mechanics working on two cars in silence. No arguments. No banter. This time last season we were nowhere in the title race, no pressure coming from outside, we were either banding together in spite of Linco McPahan or we were pressing on without him."
"Don't tell me you're complaining" said Matt, offering a wry smile. "You're top of the driver's standings, current champ, and McPahan are well ahead in the race for the constructor's championships. I'm hardly angry about being fifth considering I was less than nowhere last season. It's all going a little too well, isn't it?"
"You took the words right out of my mouth" said Alec. "We had a late surge last season. Took the title on the last race. You watch Ess-Feg, Ensadrink and SinoMotors for these next few races. That's where the momentum is. We're in for a fight."
"I'm always up for a fight" said Matt
"Aye" said Alec, "thing is about fights, they're rarely fun"
"You mean apart from the post-race champagne and all the women you could shake a slightly chafed stick at?"
"Yes" said Alec, "apart from that"

[COCANEFA]

CUT OFF for Friday practice

[WGPC]

Yes, thankyou COCANEFA for that. You can go back to being a football organization now.

Friday Practice

*conditions: Changeable

Pos	Car	Name	Team	
1	25	Lovisa Landenberg	    	1:39.925
2	55	Asao Nadakei		    	1:40.103
3	1	Alexander Lund		    	1:40.108
4	74	Alexandra Mayari	    	1:40.159
5	10	Lauren Ashburton	    	1:40.199
6	52	Sayono Souzare		    	1:40.210
7	64	Crimson LaRoja		    	1:40.223
8	70	Moisés Delgado		    	1:40.262
9	29	Esteban Guilhermez	    	1:40.347
10	16	Matt Hingis		    	1:40.412
11	24	Victoria Gardner	    	1:40.438
12	39	Tyler Brooks		    	1:40.478
13	11	Enu Noel		    	1:40.479
14	99	Rudolf Ibuna		    	1:40.485
15	51	R.L. Cruisin		    	1:40.620
16	15	Alex Dimitrianov	    	1:40.707
17	18	Wayne Forrest		    	1:40.819
18	4	Riku Äijälä		    	1:40.890
19	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	    	1:41.199
20	41	Marcel Tenis		    	1:42.014

[WGPC]

Saturday Qualifying

Conditions: Dry
Drivers complete ten laps within ninety minutes. Fastest lap is recorded.

Pos	Car	Name		
1	25	Lovisa Landenberg	    	1:39.569
2	29	Esteban Guilhermez	    	1:39.597
3	70	Moisés Delgado		    	1:39.660
4	15	Alex Dimitrianov	    	1:39.757
5	24	Victoria Gardner	    	1:39.792
6	55	Asao Nadakei		    	1:39.798
7	99	Rudolf Ibuna		    	1:39.852
8	52	Sayono Souzare		    	1:39.881
9	41	Marcel Tenis		    	1:39.888
10	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	    	1:39.929
11	16	Matt Hingis		    	1:39.944
12	39	Tyler Brooks		    	1:39.962
13	4	Riku Äijälä		    	1:39.976
14	64	Crimson LaRoja		    	1:40.009
15	10	Lauren Ashburton	    	1:40.047
16	74	Alexandra Mayari	    	1:40.209
17	51	R.L. Cruisin		    	1:40.436
18	18	Wayne Forrest		    	1:40.452
19	11	Enu Noel		    	1:40.465
20	1	Alexander Lund		    	1:40.739

Starting grid for the grand prix of Vermark

[The Glorious Han Chinese]

School's started a few weeks ago and fencing season's just started, so I won't be as active as before.

SinoMotors Racing is not going through their best days. The team used the break to fix the broken car, and develop as many upgrades as they can, while the other teams relaxed. Vincent seems less interested in running the team, and more interested in liquor with each passing day. And the parent company is cutting the team's budget, especially since the results don't correlate to the money spent.

After Qualifying
There was barely any noise in the garage. The were sitting around, absorbed in their phones, with only a few actually working on the cars. None of the monitors were on, mainly because no one particularly cared about the results anymore. Vincent hadn't shown up the entire weekend, and the head race engineers had taken over trackside operations in his stead. One called the drivers over.
"So, um, any of you guys know the results?"
"I'm in fourth." said Alex.
"Ninth." Marcel replied.
"Right then, so we have the strategy all planned out-"
"Hey, move aside. Let me through," Vincent barged through the back door clutching a beer. "Ok, you two. I'm going to tell you both that you are completely sh*t drivers."
"Excuse me, I qualifi-"
Vincent cut Alex off swiftly, "I don't give a bloody damn. Tell me, are you going to f*cking finish? Based on your past, no, not really. And you, Marcel. Ah, I thought you might be good, but NOOOOO! Have you any shame? You're bloody slow."
A frown flickered across Marcel's face.
"Why the hell did I think it was a good idea to hire a street racer," Vincent continued, "You don't deserve to be in the big leagues, you deserve to be back on the street, like scum."
Vincent whipped around, letting off a whiff of alcohol to those nearby, and shouted over his shoulder.
"Enjoy your last few races, because none of you will have a drive next season!"

[Hodori Motorsports]

With a small lapse in concentration, Souzare missed her braking point entirely. Rapidly approaching the first corner, her attempt to slow the car ended with her skidding into the gravel pit. Stranded clear of the track, her weekend again ended prematurely.
- - - - -
Real or imagined, the pressure was getting to her. She needed the break. Before heading to Vermark, Souzare would spend a few days back home. Arriving at Kizagama Airport, she reunited with Hakusa before retrieving her luggage and returning to Soeshu.

Aboard the high-speed Super Express, the two sat in relative silence. Staring out the window at the late evening sky, Souzare spoke.
“I’m starting to think they’re right.”
“Hm?” Hakusa removed her earbuds and looked up from her laptop.
“It’s nothing.”
Hakusa put a hand on Souzare’s shoulder. “It’s not nothing. Who’s right? About what?”
A moment passed before Souzare turned to Hakusa and responded, “You’ve seen the comments, the ones saying I don’t deserve to drive in WGPC.”
“They’re wrong,” Hakusa immediately replied. “They’re wrong and they’re just jealous and, um…” She trailed off as she tried to find words to string together. Failing, she spotted an attendant rolling a refreshments trolley down the aisle. Flagging down the attendant, Hakusa asked Souzare if she wanted a drink.
“Water’s fine,” Souzare answered, looking back out the window. Hakusa bought their drinks, two cans of coffee for herself and Souzare’s bottle of water.

After storing the change and one of the cans into her purse, Hakusa spoke up.
“So… I noticed you didn’t have any pet carriers.” She cracked open the other can and took a swig.
“The team’s taking care of the cats,” Souzare replied. Hakusa spat out her drink, spraying the back of the seat ahead before giving Souzare a look.
“Sayono!”
“I’m joking. I thought about it, though.”
Shooting another look at Souzare, Hakusa returned her attention to her laptop as the train rushed towards home.

Once at the station, the two then stopped to eat dinner before taking the metro to return to their apartment. A black domestic short-hair greeted them as Souzare made her way to the bedroom, flopping onto the bed and quickly falling asleep.
- - - - -
Souzare was awakened early by Chen pawing at her face.
“Urgh… Not now Chen.”
She shooed the cat away. This proved effective for a few seconds. The cat pawed at Souzare’s face some more before she finally sat up. She scooped up and cradled the cat as she left the bed and headed for the kitchen. Hakusa rolled over and mumbled something about coffee.
- - - - -
That evening, after checking in with Team Tengu during the day, Souzare lay on the couch, watching a Hodoran game show with Hakusa. As a contestant failed spectacularly at navigating an obstacle, they talked about the WGPC and Souzare’s possible future in the series. As the show’s first stage weeded out most of the contestants either by timeout or falling into muddy water, the discussion drifted, eventually steering towards the McPahan team.
“I know I promised I wouldn’t apply for a seat there, but maybe the standings would look different if I were in a McPahan.”
“Well, they aren’t exploding as much as they used to, but I think you’ll still do just fine with Archer. You just need another late-season surge and things should work out.”

---

---

The evening after qualifying, and Souzare felt better about her chances than she had over the previous two Grands Prix. She reviewed the starting grid; local driver Landenberg on pole, the other Hansa-Nyrota of Delgado third, the two ENSADRINK machines sixth and seventh, and herself in eighth, just behind Nadakei. Ashburton would have to fight from fifteenth. Not ideal, but not impossible for her teammate.

[WGPC]

CUT-OFF for race eight!

Sunday's Race: The Grand Prix of Vermark

* Laps: 50
* Conditions: Dry

Pos	Car	Name			Team		TIME/BEHIND LEADER    TIME GAP
1	55	Asao Nadakei		    	1:26:08.175		
2	15	Alex Dimitrianov	    	+18.754		+18.754	
3	24	Victoria Gardner	    	+1:11.073	+52.319	
4	52	Sayono Souzare		    	+1:34.043	+22.970	
5	99	Rudolf Ibuna		    	+1 Lap
6	39	Tyler Brooks			    		+01.915	+1
7	74	Alexandra Mayari	   	 		+00.901	+1
8	70	Moisés Delgado		    			+05.591	+1
9	10	Lauren Ashburton	    			+02.001	+1
10	4	Riku Äijälä		    			+10.187	+1
11	11	Enu Noel		    			+28.296	+1
12	64	Crimson LaRoja		    			+19.336	+1

DNF	41	Marcel Tenis		 Ret. Lap 46
DNF	1	Alexander Lund		 Ret. Lap 40
DNF	51	R.L. Cruisin		 Ret. Lap 40
DNF	18	Wayne Forrest		 Ret. Lap 24	
DNF	16	Matt Hingis		 Ret. Lap 20
DNF	29	Esteban Guilhermez	 Ret. Lap 16	
DNF	25	Lovisa Landenberg	 Ret. Lap 10
DNF	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	 Ret. Lap 1

Driver's Championship
Pos	#	Name
1	1	Alexander Lund		McPahan Racing			71
2	55	Asao Nadakei		Team Dekijika-Tarogama		65
3	70	Moisés Delgado		Hansa-Nyrota Racing		60
4	51	R.L. Cruisin		Frontiere Racing		55
5	24	Victoria Gardner	Scuderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio	51
6	11	Enu Noel		Aston Tickford Racing		48
7	16	Matt Hingis		McPahan Racing			47
8	10	Lauren Ashburton	Archer Motorsports		44
9	15	Alex Dimitrianov	SinoMotors Racing		43
10	29	Esteban Guilhermez	Aston Tickford Racing		40
10	99	Rudolf Ibuna		Team Dekijika-Tarogama		40
12	64	Crimson LaRoja		Frontiere Racing		30
13	74	Alexandra Mayari	Scuderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio	27
14	17	Ryan Harris-Jones	Macllynlleth Clockwork Racing	19
14	52	Sayono Souzare		Archer Motorsports		19
16	39	Tyler Brooks		Macllynlleth Clockwork Racing	18
17	25	Lovisa Landenberg	Hansa-Nyrota Racing		17
18	4	Riku Äijälä		Telaris Racing			12
19	41	Marcel Tenis		SinoMotors Racing		10
19	18	Wayne Forrest		Telaris Racing			10
21	14	Maxwell Song		SinoMotors Racing		 2

Constructor's Championship
McPahan Racing			118
Team Dekijika-Tarogama		105
Aston Tickford Racing		 88
Frontiere Racing		 85
Scuderia Fuoco e Ghiaccio	 78
Hansa-Nyrota Racing		 77
Archer Motorsports		 63
SinoMotors Racing		 55
Macllynlleth Clockwork Racing	 37
Telaris Racing			 22

[/pre]

We are, unfortunately, heading into another delay, as I will be without working internet next weekend. Next scorination will take place on the weekend of October 3rd to 5th. That should, touch wood, be our last race-free weekend of the season.

[Mattijana]

"Well that's more like it", said a relieved sounding Alex Dimitrianov on his cool down lap after the race." A solid qualifying and muchas points! Good job guys!"

Vincent, slightly less drunk than after qualifying, was happy for the time being as well. Although Marcel Tenis failed to finish, Alex had managed to keep him happy with 18 points. The circuit in Vermark had suited his smooth driving style and the lack of long straights meant there wasn't really an opportunity for anyone who didn't like the SinoMotors team to give him a good whack and get away with it. Of course, it helped that there wasn't really anyone around him to do the whacking...

He had started well, maintaining his position and picking up a place on the first round of pit stops when he managed to keep the option tyre going for longer than he probably should have. All that meant he gained rather a lot of time and, despite being overtaken on the exit from the pit-lane, was on course for a podium. The two retirements got him there in the end. A fair way down on the eventual winner, Asao Nadekei, but almost a minute ahead of the third placed man. He celebrated fairly controllably up on the podium, feeling relief more than happiness, but it sunk in slightly later. He was a good driver.