World Grand Prix Championship Season 16: RP Thread

[Mattijana]

Alex Dimitrianov seemed to have been overlooked so far.

His fellow Mattijanans at MRT seemed keen to promote the younger and probably more talented Jasmin Kranjska. The new faces that had taken the WGPC by storm last season had filled most of the top seats in the paddock and the experienced drivers had been largely forgotten.

But for Alex, the time in the shadows was about to come to an end.

Whilst it looked like the high-profile seats at Nexus, VMR, TRAE and MRT were going to evade him, he still had a good chance of grabbing a decent seat. Bitten Heroes needed a partner for Juliano Lemos, Arada and MSA-Sinval were yet to make a signing, McPahen needed a good pair of hands to guide them back to form, whilst a whole host of new teams were looking to make their mark on the competition. Having an experienced driver to score consistent points whilst a flashy young talent scooted around doing the spectaculars would be a good way of doing that.

Omni Racing was one of those new teams on the block for season 16. West-East Timor had been a presence in the sport for a couple of seasons now and had come up with a great car for the WGPC 2 event. Their debut in the WGPC proper was certainly something to get excited about.

Of course the main reason Alex was interested in Omni was their active advertising for a second driver to partner Mick Schramm. They were holding a test-drive at the Baranburg circuit in West-East Timor after which a driver would be chosen for the coming season.

Having seen the notice for the test-session, Dimitrianov didn't hesitate in getting himself signed up for it.

To: linusanthonson@omni.wet
From: adimitrianov@mattipost.co.mj

Mr Anthonson

I can confirm that I will be attending your driver test at the Baranburg circuit on the 2nd February. I look forward to meeting your team and hope to be a part of your plans moving forwards.

Yours Sincerely

Alex Dimitrianov

Anything else would have to wait for now. Still, the opportunities were there for a 4th consecutive season where he wanted to be, mixing it with the world's best in the WGPC.

[West-East Timor]

Weshaka, West-East Timor

Jannik Markner was sitting outside a cafe in his home town, Weshaka, drinking his almost already empty ice coffee and waiting for Mika Pratii, his manager, with whom he was going to meet to discuss his future plans. Jannik was slowly starting to get impatient, when Mika finally arrived fifteen minutes late.

"There you finally are! What the hell took you so long?"

"Hello, Jannik. As you've realized I'm a bit late, sorry for that, there was a minor traffic jam on the way here."

"Alright then..."

Mika sat down.

"So, how should my career continue, then?"

"You want to race in WGPC, correct?"

"If possible, yes."

"Well, we'll need to find you a team then."

"Obviously."

"Do you have any preferences?"

"Well I'd obviously prefer a team I can win the championship with."

"Of course. Anything specific?"

"Not really."

"Hmm... Well, the only team holding an open drivers test so far is Omni Racing..."

"They have already signed Mick Schramm, haven't they?"

"They have."

"I doubt they will want to sign two West-East Timorian drivers..."

"That's true..."

"I'm unsure if one of the top teams will really be interested in signing a rookie... Although there have been quite some inexperienced drivers signed. But I'm still unsure."

"That's true as well. The situation clearly isn't easy..."

"No..."

"I will see what I can do. I might contact you soon recommending a team you should contact, in case you don't already have an offer than. Maybe I won't though. I can't promise anything..."

"Hmm..."

"Are you sure you don't want to participate in the Omni Racing test?"

"Yeah, I am sure. They won't take me."

"Then so be it... Well, as I've said, I'll see what I can do."

[Audioslavia]

The sound in Alexander Lund's basement went 'fwap fwap fwap fwap fwap'. A percussive accompaniment to the electronic whirring of his treadmill.

Basement wasn't really the correct word. Millionaires don't really have basements. This was more like a downstairs gym/gaming/music room. All dim lights and shiny surfaces surronding a treadmill, rowing machine, barbells and a couple of boxes of gym equipment apparently not important enough to have already been set up. Alexander kept bouncing from foot to foot as he tried to wipe the sweat from his brow without dislodging the half-dozen rubber pads that attached various parts of his body to an array of monitors at the front of the treadmill. Fwap fwap fwappity fwap fwap fwap fwap. Ding ding.

The video screen in front of him stopped showing a twenty-five minute YouTube video of cats falling over and started showing a green phone symbol.

"Take call" said Alec, slowing down the treadmill to a brisk walking pace. A small green light appeared on the camera above the screen. A slightly distorted digital image of Roger Bunn filled the display.

"Roger!" shouted Alex, trying not to seem as exhausted as he was. He picked up a small white towel and wiped his head with it.
"Alex!" replied the screen, with a little digital clipping. "You're looking... oh"
"Well" said Alex. "You're supposed to say 'You're looking well'. If you just say 'You're looking... oh'" - Alex punctuated the 'oh' with an overly dramatic flail of the hands - "..then people tend to start feeling self conscious"
"When did you shave your hair off?" replied Roger, smiling, trying to adjust the screen at his end.
"The other day" said Alex, discarding the towel. "I'm getting a bit old to be swanning around looking like a hippy" he added. Roger's gaze was still fixed on something below his camera.
"Suits you" said Roger, finally looking back at the camera. The image now a little clearer. "The goatee, though?"
"Yeah" said Alex. "Not permanent. I just had a bit of a crisis after all the hair came off and I came out of the bathroom with a goatee, it seems."
"It's a radical change" said Roger, now sitting back in his chair. The window behind him showed a drizzy image of a Sunday afternoon in central Audioslavia.
"You're telling me" said Alex. "The cat started hissing at me."
"What's with all the plugs" said Roger, gesturing in Alex's general direction. It took Alex a couple of seconds to figure out what he meant.
"Oh. Heart monitor, blood pressure monitor. I'm not sure what this one does but the box tells me to put them on my shoulders and forearms"
"You look like you're doing motion capture for Grand Theft Auto: Twat"
"Missed you too, dickhead" said Alex, with a grin. "You're at the McPahan offices" continued Alex, before Roger could think of more ways to insult him. "Things starting up again over there?"
"They sure are, JohnTravoltaInFromParisWithLove. Cars coming together. White this year. On the hunt for drivers just now. Shouldn't be too long, despite the shocking past couple of seasons"
"Shocking?" said Alex, "We've fallen down the grid so fast we're starting races in the car park"
"Oh, it's still 'we' is it?"
"You" said Alex, correcting himself with a short grimace.
"Better at the back of the grid than off it completely" said Roger, with an emphatic shrug and a raised eyebrow. "How's that two year contract at Wilson coming along?"
"Fortunately," said Alex, averting his gaze, as if he suddenly found the heart-rate monitor incredibly interesting, "I'd been clever enough to put a clause in my contract. No WGPC in season 2, no Lund. It severed after the new teams got announced. Got a thank you card and a box of chocolates and everything"
"What did you do with the chocolates?"
"What do you think I'm on the treadmill for? I do this shit every new year. Try to lose the ten pounds I put on over christmas. It gets harder and harder"
"Shaving your hair probably helped with the first three pounds" said Roger, now leaning back in his chair.
"The rest is already off. Lighter than I was back at the tail end of last season"
"Working even harder"
"I think I have to, at this point. This'll be my last season. I want to spend it in a car" said Alex. He saw Roger nod.
"Which car?"
"Yeah" said Alex, exhaling deeply. "That's the million dollar question. Who are you signing?"
"Nobody yet" said Roger. Alex waited for him to finish, until it seemed apparent that he'd already finished speaking.
"Okay... so who do you like?" said Alex. Roger smiled.
"Not Souzare this season. Great to work with, but we're looking for a bigger name this time" replied Roger.
"So.." replied Alex, prompting.
"Alex Dimitrianov this season" said Roger, rolling his eyes at Lund pressing him. "Number one driver. If you *must* know everything, I've just sent him the email. "From: rbunn@mcpahan.co.as To: adimitrianov@mattipost.co.mj. We'd like to invite you to our offices in Ceilerden next week for a meeting with regards to securing your services as Number One Driver for the coming season. Please contact yada yada"
"Good luck with that" said Alex Lund, now having stopped the treadmill and leaning forward onto the front bar. He started pulling the rubber pads from his body. The heart monitor panicked a bit until he turned it off. "McPahan aren't really in the place to be offering spots to top drivers. Not any more
"Why do you think I'm calling you" said Roger. Smile now returning.
Alex stopped fiddling with his heart monitor. He looked up at the screen.
"What?"
"Assuming you haven't just died, Alex, we'd quite like to have you back. End your career as you started it. Alexander Lund. Number Two driver at McPahan behind a much more talented, much more handsome foreigner." said Roger, running a hand through his blonde hair.
"You weren't more handsome than I was" replied Alex.
"I am now, goat-boy" said Roger. "Check your phone. You've got an email. Assuming Alex Dimitrianov says 'yes' to the meeting, you'll be seeing each other, and me, at the offices next week."
"And Stan McPahan?" said Alex, as a question.
"...will be surprised that he's not the only slap-head in the building, yes" said Roger. "What do you think? How does that sound?"
Alex checked his phone. There was, indeed, an email from Roger. There was also the one from Rudolf Ibuna from last week. An old rival inviting him to a seat at Kissan for the new season. It had been tempting, but he'd been putting it off. At the back of his mind there was always the possibility that McPahan might come knocking again. Alex nodded.
"I'm in"

[Filindostan]

Villacosta Residence
San Marco, Filindostan

Marge was alone, as usual, cleaning the ornaments at her house. Aged 35, she worked as a secretary at KISMO office at Serizawa when she met Rudolf, who was then still racing at an Ajian domestic series before making the leap at a Hodoran domestic racing series. The two had a relationship that lasted only five years, bearing a child, who they named Rustom. The couple separated on the premise that Rudolf would still send payments to her for the growth and development of their son. Rudolf also retained partial custody of Rustom - three months of the year, when Rusty turned 8, he would join Rudolf and watch him race in some of his races during NSFC and the 13th edition of the WGPC.

Dolf and Marge only talk to each other very rarely, and only when they discuss about their son's career and studies. While Marge initially did not want Rusty to race open-wheel cars, she could not hinder what her son wants - to follow the footsteps of his father to the WGPC. And now, she supports him by being his agent and number 1 supporter. When Rusty left Filindostan to pursue his racing career at Aji No Moto, she was left alone for three years now. They still send her money though, enabling her to expand the house they had at San Marco.

She was not expecting a visitor in her house while she was cleaning the house, when the doorbell rang. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Rusty at the door.

"Inay, I'm here."

"Rusty! It was you! When did you come back here? You didn't tell me! I thought you were having a run at the KISMO Team!"

"I'll explain later. Let's have lunch. I have brought your favorite adobo."

After eating the food Rusty brought home, the two talked about Rusty's career options.

"You did not take KISMO's race seat?"

"You told me not to, Inay. You still have disdain for Pops."

"Don't mention him on this home. Anyway, an email came up. Open invitation at West-East Timor for their second driver seat."

"If I recall, you told me that there is a team interested on me?"

"I can't tell you right now, son. I have to verify information first, and they have not made their approach yet. So, you'll take that test drive at New Dili?"

"Hmm, I think so. Can you reply to that email that 'Rusty Ibuna accepts Omni Racing's Official Drivers' Test at Baranburg Circuit'?"

"Sure son, I just need 20% of your purse as talent fee."

"I'll start packing my things up, just only a few things to bring. And oh, I'll book two round trip tickets to New Dili. One for me... and one for you. Come with me, Inay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

The two started to pack things for the Omni Racing test next week.

[Mattijana]

"Bloody hell" said Alex Dimitrianov, except in Mattijanan, and something not fit for print.

He hadn't even opened the email from a certain r.bunn, but it was the word after the @ symbol that did most of the talking to the brain of a racing driver.

'McPahan.'

Maybe their competitiveness had gone downhill since Alexander Lund's title winning days of WGPC 12, but the team still had the financial and scientific capacity to get it together and after some more expletives, there was even more to get Alex excited.

Principally, that was the number just in front of the word 'driver.' Although he had been keen on the drive at Omni, it was to be the understudy to Mick Schramm and that wasn't a role that really set alight the heart of a driver coming back for his fourth season.

A drive with McPahan, particularly as number one driver, most certainly was.

Of course, was he to make the move, it would be a gamble. The form and final position of the team had become more miserable since the glory days of season 12. Mind you, if last season wasn't enough to prompt a change of plan, nothing was. If he was the man to force a turnaround, he would be a hero in Audioslavia, a hero in Mattijana and an international hero, such was the importance of the McPahan brand.

Now for a driver in danger of sliding the slippery slope into mid-grid obscurity, that was too tempting an offer to miss.

To: rbunn@mcpahan.co.as
From: adimitrianov@mattipost.co.mj

Thank you for your offer of a meeting with you and your team. I'll be very happy to attend.

I look forward to meeting you in Ceilerden soon.

Alex Dimitrianov

Ping. Pong. Sent. Gone.

Finally a chance to get rid of that mattipost email as well. The service wasn't bad- Mattijana's postal service had recognised that going into email was the neccessary step forward into the 21st century. However, he wanted to have that team tagged to him and what better as a status symbol than McPahan.

Still it wasn't just status that counted. His machinery and more importantly, his own mind and body would have to cut the mustard too.

What's more, he had some negotiating to do.

Alex Dimitrianov will meet with McPahan with a view to signing as their number one driver.

[Former Citizens of the Nimbus System]

The Esmerelian Sky above Lapiz Point International Airport, Lapiz Point, Vespucci, Esmerel
22nd of January

PADDOCK VOICE EXCLUSIVE
Thomas Strauss talks to World Champion Ryker Lane about fame, motivation and WGPC 16.

TS: Before anything else, Ryker, I’d like to congratulate you again on winning last year’s World Grand Prix Drivers’ Championship. Of course, that’ll have been repeated to you ad infinitum this past year…

RL: *laughs* It’s true, even if I’m not sure that I like it. Seriously, though, I’m honoured by the number of people who’ve said stuff like that to me in the last few months; every time that I go out into the First City - or the Second City - there’s always a couple of people who come up and say they’ve been inspired by me or something like that. I’m still not sure why it happens - I mean, really, all I do is drive cars around quickly. Don’t misunderstand, I love doing it and wouldn’t do anything else, but that on its own isn’t so inspiring… Still, not my place to judge if people think that way and, well, if I can help them out, I’m happy.

TS: Now that you are firmly in the public eye, do you feel any more conscious about how you speak and act? As you imply, there will be those who see you as something of a role model now.

RL: Not insanely… I hope that I’ll always act how my conscience dictates, that’s a given; I’m never going to live up to that all the time, obviously, but then nobody does. Sometimes I worry about accidentally abusing people’s trust in me, yes, but I worry about that with my friends and family too. Normally I’ll just be the way that I normally am - yes, I do watch myself a little more in public than I do normally but who doesn’t? If I do something that I realise is wrong later, I’ll apologise and try to make up for it. It shouldn’t cause a Maelstrom, or at least I’d hope not - from interacting with my fans on Mindspeak and talking to them in real life, they seem kind enough to forgive me the odd thing!

TS: Speaking of your family, how have they reacted to all of this? You continued a long, proud Lane tradition by taking the Championship last year.

RL: My mum and dad were the first people to call me in Audioslavia; they told me that they were really proud, though that isn’t a significant surprise! Honestly, I know it’s cliché to say it, but I would never be where I am today without them supporting me. When I was back in quads, they’d always be giving me tips to go that little bit faster - not that I’d always listen! Seriously, though, without them willing me on, I probably wouldn’t even be here telling you about Cityprix, let alone the WGPC - yet somehow they think I’m the one who’s bettered them! *laughs*

TS: And the rest of your family?

RL: Similar kinds of thing. We have a reunion every year, actually, on Restoration Day and this year, everyone was so… So nice! I was essentially the centre of attention. I wouldn’t like that kind of praise constantly but every once in a while, to have everyone telling you that you’re great like that… It’s awesome, especially coming from people that you love. Plus, most of them have raced and won tournaments themselves so it really means something. As I say, without them I just wouldn’t be here.

TS: Would you say that your family are your primary motivation for racing, then?

RL: Ah… I wouldn’t necessarily go that far. A lot of people have probably worked this out already but I named my car ‘Coalescence’ for a reason: it’s the manifestation of the work and hopes of so many people. Sure, my family believe in me and I want to make them proud and show the world what we can do - but they’re not my only family. Everyone at Nexus Racing, they’ve put so much work into being where we are today and helped and supported me just like my related family have, so I want the same for them. Then… It might be a little arrogant to say but I like to think that I’m here, and that the entire team’s here, to represent everyone in the Wardship as well. Tim’s - Timothy Guard, that is - he wants the team to be really proud of that and, mostly, I think I can agree with him. And myself, of course - I don’t think that there’s any driver in the WGPC or racing in general who doesn’t want to win for themselves.

TS: That’s quite an extensive list.

RL: *chuckles* I was thinking about it for a while last season.

TS: Moving on, you’re obviously going to be participating in the sixteenth instalment of the World Grand Prix Championships over the year. What are you looking forward to?

RL: So many things! First of all - Nexus Racing. The UHSGV-1 was a fantastic car, yes, but it was flawed because it couldn’t turn well. The UHSGV-2 fixes almost all of it. Seriously, Gertrude and her team have outdone themselves. I think that a list of features will be published at some point but ultimately what it comes down to is that they’ve rebuilt the Imagikinetic part of the convertor array so that the direction of the force applied to the body around the front wheels turns with the front wheels. It feels lively, agile and beautiful - it feels like a Chase Cutter!

Then, of course, there’s my teammate, who, I am sure it won’t surprise you at all to know, will be Jean Mercer-Daly. Strictly speaking he isn’t confirmed to be yet but, well, he’s been testing back at the old HQ for large chunks of the off-season and all of us have been talking as if he’s a part of the team already, so I have no doubts. I have a huge amount of respect for him as a driver and it is such a shame that he wasn’t around for all of last season because I have no doubt that he would have been up there fighting for the title. I can still remember the running battle that he and I had in Vitila, which must be one of the most enjoyable races that I’ve ever run. As great as having Marika with me was, he’s going to be amazing to race alongside - and, by now, he’s a friend too.

TS: Before you say anything more, are you at all concerned about how Nexus Racing is presenting itself by taking on the racer who knocked one of your two Championship rivals out of the last race of the season?

RL: *grimaces* Yeah, I can see that it might look that way. The crash involving Jean and Terho… I looked at the footage after the race and, honestly, I do think that Jean was probably at fault - but at the same time it’s clear from the team radio that Jean didn’t intend to lock up, and he’s told me the same thing. He was just trying to race, like any of us; I did something vaguely similar to Maria during the first race of the season. It’s a part of being a human being piloting a vehicle travelling at hundreds of kilometres per hour alongside lots of other human beings doing the same thing and sometimes we’ve just got to forgive ourselves and others and move on. Still, that was rough for Terho and, besides, I wanted that last battle. Actually, that’s the third reason - racing against him again. I’m sure that he’d like a rematch and, well, so would I! There’s also Jessica Franssen who’s coming back this year; we know from WGPC 14 that she can shake up the field and I’m excited to see what she has to offer first-hand.

TS: Is there anything else?

RL: Yes - the Nimban Grand Prix! Everyone who put Crossbay Circuit together, I thank them a thousand times. It is an absolute privilege to race through the same straights and turns that - well, that my great-great-aunts did! To be able to experience that in front of a home crowd with the beauty of Nimbus Bay all around me… Rebecca Darlington already told me that she had an awesome time when she raced on it. Now that the team’s based there, I’m having an awesome time testing on it. With everything together, it’s going to be something special.

TS: We wish you the best of luck there and in your title defence more generally, Ryker. Any last things that you want to say?

RL: Just the one: to everyone who has supported me, thank you. You’re all wonderful people and I fully intend not to let you down!

Ryker smiles, closing the article on his tablet. I think I did a reasonable job there, though there were a couple of moments that made me cringe. Ah well, I’m no wordsmith. He leans back in his seat as the plane descends towards Lapiz International Airport.

He’d certainly been right about Jean, not that it would be easy to be wrong - and now he was sat aboard a Pegasus Air flight to Esmerel, to go to pick him up; Nexus Racing didn’t have government ties substantial enough to call on massive diplomatic aircraft any more, of course, having fully separated from the military, hence the private sector transportation. That did, of course, mean that he technically didn’t need to be there; still, considering that he’d been training without many breaks for a few days now and could use the rest, he felt that he was fine to go, particularly given fact that flights from the Wardship to Jean and Rebecca’s home nation only took a couple of hours or so. Besides, it would be more than nice to see Mercer-Daly again.

The juddering thud - not too much that Nimban innovation can do about that one - as the aircraft makes contact with the runway comes quickly, as does the disembarkation and the walk through departures, considering that Ryker has no luggage to collect. He stops to wait in the concourse, glancing down at his newly-acquired watch - He should be here soon, if not now. - and searches the crowd.

[Audioslavia]

Alexander Lund took a second to take in the surroundings. The McPahan office building, just outside Ceilerden, was a wonderful building. A giant, glass cube on the outside and only two floors on the inside. The first contained the reception desk just inside the front door, followed by two open spaces full of pictures, trophies, awards, old car chassis, basically a small museum of the team's history. The top floor contained the offices of the team's sales and marketing wings as well as the headquarters for the teams' head honchos.

"Good morning sir" said the secretary. Alec had barely noticed her as he'd walked in. There was a time when he'd made a hobby of chatting up the year's McPahan Secretary. McPahan had a habit of hiring a new 21 year-old blonde every twelve months for the front desk. Alec, a litte more mature these days, had actually been ogling the architecture instead. He must be getting old.
"Morning" said Alec. "Alexander Lund. I've a meeting today with the boys upstairs"
"Ah, Mr. Lund. Certainly. I'll call up to the office. Take a seat"
Alec, instead, ambled up to the front desk where the secretary was sitting. Old habits died hard. He caught a glimpse of her nametag. 'Verity Pound'. The secretary said a few words and then hung up the phone.
"Well I always like to wake up to a good pound in the morn.."
"I have your namebadge here Mr. Lund" said the secretary, cutting Alec off before he could embarass himself by making the worst chat-up line in the history of man. "I think the photograph may be.. erm.. a little out-of date. You look very young there, Mr. Lund. How long ago was that photo taken?"
Alec looked down at the card. His own face stared back, albeit clean-shaven and with long, light brown shoulder length hair.
"Erm. Fourteen months ago, I think" replied Alec.
"Oh, really?" said the secretary.
"It's... it's the goatee beard I think. I'm told it makes me more... manly" said Alec. He stuck his chest out to emphasise his point.
The secretary laughed.
"There'll be someone from upstairs come to get you shortly. You can go through into the gallery while you wait, if you like?"
"Will do" said Alec, with a slightly defeated smile.

The centrepiece of the gallery was the WGPC 12 car. A cut-and-shut of the cars of Lund and Bunn that finished second in the constructors' World Championship. Lund had won the drivers' championship, with Bunn a very healthy eighth. It had been McPahan's first and most successful season in WGPC racing. Trophies from that season, and the one after it, wherein McPahan had again finished runner up in the championship, with Lund third in the driver's standings, were displayed on the left-hand wall.

After that, the baubles were fewer and further between. There had, indeed, been zero race wins since season 13, with a 7th and 12th placed position in the constructor's championsip. Lund had been a mid-grid racer in the former season and had left for Wilson in the latter, doing the best he could with a similarly average car.

On the other walls were photographs and posters. Some were the sort that adorned teenage petrolhead bedrooms throughout Audioslavia, with a steel McPahan logo atop a dark blue background, and a version of the car underneath. 'Ex terra, ad horizontem' printed below. The team's motto. 'From the earth to the horizon' in English. 'We take oil and we make it make us go fast' was the layman's version. Lund had once suggested the team change the motto to, simply, 'Powered by Dinosaurs' but, rather than being commended on his wit, he'd merely been given a lecture from the older members of staff about showing some damned respect for the management.

Hung on the far side of the room were an array of blown-up photographs. Lund remembered the scenes. First, a shot of him crossing the line in Ancharmunn to win that first (and last) world title. After that, an aerial shot from the same season, with Roger Bunn's #17 car and Lund's #16 car side-by-side. After that, a shot the Apoxian driver Matt Hingis's debut race-win in season thirteen, and a shot of Lund on the podium pouring champagne into his own mouth.

The next pictures, of Lund, Sayono Souzare, Reni Sanderson and Kurt Censki, were taken from seasons fourteen and fifteen, before, finally, a picture at the far end showed two racecars that certainly weren't in the traditional blue-and-white-fractal pattern of a McPahan car. The two vehicles, one black and red, the other white and sky-blue, were more or less side by side, but with the black one definitely in the middle of an overtaking maneuvre.

"Gracemaria, last season" came a voice from behind Alec. "Alex Dimitrianov in the Fireline, Alex Lund in the Wilson. He's passing you on his way to the second GP win of his career". Alex turned round to see the familiar image of Roger Bunn. Hair a little thinner now that when he'd seen him in the flesh most recently. He'd clearly picked a camera angle in their video conversation that managed to hide it.

The two embraced. It had been a long time, and they had been fast friends. If you'll pardon the pun. They made their way to the lift to take them up to the top floor.

"You still haven't shaved off that goatee" said Roger.
"I wanted you to see it in the flesh" said Alec. "Now that you've been graced with its presence, what do you think?"
"I think you should burn it off. Salt the fields. Teach your face a lesson it won't forget"
"I'm definitely keeping it then"

The elevator doors opened to reveal a plush corridor. The meeting room was at the far end, with offices on each side on the way there.

"Just through here" said Roger.
"A few of these rooms are looking empty" remarked Alec, on their way through.
"Gilles Denis and Stewart Clark have both gone" said Roger. "We've been reshuffling some things at the top."
"Who are the lead engineers for each car, then?" asked Alec. Roger waved his hand.
"You'll see."

The pair entered the meeting room, where Stan McPahan was standing.
"Boys" said McPahan, still treating the pair of thirty-somethings like kids. "Good grief, Roger, I told you to get me Alexander Lund not Stone Cold Steve Whatshisface.
"Austin" said Alec, forcing a smile. He exchanged a warm handshake with his former - and possibly about to be future - boss. "What can I say. I hear women find bald men sexy these days."
"Bald men" said Stan, whose own chrome-dome was usually obscured by a baseball cap or flatcap when he was outside. "Not men apparently in the mid-life crisis at the age of thirty-two and fancying themselves an extra in a prison drama"
"Good to see you too, Mr. McPahan"
"You too, Alec. Have a seat"

Alec did so, noting that there were eight seats and only three people.

"A little sparse. Denis and Clark have both gone?"
"They have. Restructuring" replied McPahan. "Jacky and Johan are gone too"
"What?" replied Alec, leaning forward in the seat he'd only just gotten himself into. "How? Why?"
"Not my choice. Came after we'd already given Stewart and Gilles their send-offs. They're going fulltime with the Johanson racing team.
"Johan's been here for forty years or more" said Alec. "Old man Charles McPahan guaranteed him a job for life"
"And he's welcome to his job back any time" said Stan. "Like I said. Not my decision. I asked him and Jacky to stay, they'd already made up their minds."
"Wow" said Alec, as Stan fetched a mug of coffee from the desk at the side. Roger Bunn leaned over.
"Wait til you hear the best bit", he whispered. Stan filled three mugs with coffee and gestured towards the milk and biscuits in the middle of the table. Alec refused both.
"So who's the team?" asked Alec, holding his coffee close to his chest. One thing the designers of this building had missed out had been a decent heating system. Audioslavian Januaries weren't exactly freezing, but it was hard to keep out the chill from outside. Two electric heaters whirred away in each corner of the room.
"You're looking at him" replied Stan, sitting down a few chairs away from Alec at the head of the ovular table. "I'm lead engineer for Car One. Lead engineer for Car Two is going to be a mixture of me, when I have the time, and you two."
Alec leaned forward and, as calmly as possible, put his coffee back on the desk. His expression blank. He looked over at Roger, who was looking at the floor.
"We've a very good pit crew who can do any work you want to the car in as little time as possible. You both know your way around a WGPC car and this year's version isn't too different from those you've raced before. Everything set up the same way. If there's too much understeer, oversteer, drag, whatever, or if there's a rattle or something up with the gears, you'll know about it and you can give enough instructions to the crew. Once they 'okay' any changes to the car with me, they'll get to work and turn it around as soon as you like. You've worked this way before, gentlemen"
"We have" said Alec, blankly. "With Linco McPahan."
"Things won't be like they were with Linco" replied Stan.
"You promised it wouldn't be that way again" said Alec. "Cutting corners? Sorting out the number two car in his spare time? Placing himself in the way of every choice the driver made with regards to changing up the car? You promised, Stan. You promised you wouldn't be like him"
"I did" said Stan, unmoving. He took a sip of coffee. "Times change"
"I raced those cars too" said Roger. "I know how dangerous things used to be. I won't let anything get out of hand"
"I'm not like Linco" said Stan, continuing. "But you have to admit, since we started putting safety over laptimes, things have started to slip". Stan moved to take another sip of his coffee, but decided against it when he saw that Alec looked like he was about to the flip the table over. "I'm saying there needs to be balance. We did things Linco's way once, and you won a world championship and both of you were a hair's breadth away from dying in those cars. We can't go back to that. However, we've done things the safe way, with dedicated teams and synergy and chain of command and all that jazz, and it's gotten us nowhere. This McPahan, god damnit". Stan stood up, spilling his coffee as he put it down. "We used to have a repuation around these parts. Not as mid-grid also-rans. As a team who would stop at nothing to win!"
"Aye!" shouted Alec, "and we were a laughing stock because of it. People used to joke that I raced with the number '91' because I was upside-down so often. To this day, 'McPahan' is a by-word for complete unreliability on a racetrack. Cars don't wreck their engines, they McPahan them. McPahan doesn't mean 'stopping at nothing to win', it means bits of racecar strewn all over a track."
"There's a middle ground" said Stan. "Roger is on board with the idea. I want you to be too."
"He's right" said Roger. "The plan is a good one. I trust the boss and I trust you. It's one of the reasons we really need you, this season, to see if this will work again"
"I mean you can't have enjoyed it" said Stan. "Over in Krytenia with that Wilson team. All the sponsor's events and multi-million dollar equiptment that hardly any of the team have any idea how to use. I sure as hell haven't enjoyed the last few seasons. I'm swapping the suit and tie for the overalls again and getting stuck in. I see you've outgrown your woman's haircut. Maybe you're after getting stuck in on the circuit again too. None of this looping the circuit in fifteenth place keeping the sponsor's car clean so their logo can get on the TV."
Alec continued staring in Stan's general direction. He picked his coffee back up and took a long swig.
"You're turning into Linco"
"I'm sorry you feel like that" said Stan.
"We do need you" said Roger. "We'll keep things tight on the number two car. There's no reason why we can't give Stan a run for his money with car one, whoever's driving it."
"Alex Dimitrianov" said Alec. "He'll have heard of what it used to be like at McPahan. No forward planning, getting the most out of the car no matter what the cost. Building it so it falls apart once you get it back to the garage after the race. The idea that, if you can still force eight more laps of it after the race, then it was clearly too heavy and could have done with some more bits taken off of it."
"That's far from what we want, Alec" said Stan. "A middle ground. Between how things used to be and how things have been for the last two years"
"Fewer cars embedded in tyre-walls due to the front wing having given up the ghost and planting itself under the car at a hundred miles an hour" said Alec.
"Fewer world championships" said Stan. "And I know how to get the best out of a racecar without bits of it falling off. Neither of you ever had a bad accident while I've been running this team"
"No" said Alec, standing up. "I will give you that. That the contract?"
"That's Dimitrianov's" said Stan. "He'll be signing it assuming he doesn't make an arse of himself at his interview. He'll be here any time now. Was due in an hour after you. This contract if yours, if you want it. If you believe in what we're trying to do here"
Alec took the contract and opened it. He scribbled his name down on the dotted line. A quick glance showed that he'd be earning over a million per year. He'd assume Dimitrianov would have to be on triple that. It wasn't at all that bad.
"I'm doing this for Roger" he said. "I'm not sure what's happened to you, Stan, and I'm not sure I like it"
Stan nodded.
"It's good to have you back, at least. Balls to Wilson and Krytenia. You're one of us."
"I most certainly am now"
"Balls to this coffee, too" said Roger, standing up. He put his arm round Alec's shoulder and ruffled his hair, or at least where his hair used to be. "There's some whisky in the drawer. I hear you have to drink if you want to understand Mattijanans when they speak English. Let me put some in your coffee"
"That's a forty-year old Hiberian malt" said Alec. "You can't put that in coffee"
"Watch me"

---

Twenty minutes later, the mood had softened, the edge taken off from the whisky. Stan was running through a slideshow on the big screen. It would be what would be shown to Dimitrianov when he arrived.

The first screen showed an image from one of the posters downstairs, the second a rather depressing graphic showing the team's slide in fortunes over the seasons. The third had shown a picture of a cat doing a poo, which Stan had put down to his daughter having gotten hold of his laptop the previous evening. The new third slide showed stats for both Alex Dimitrianov and Alexander Lund.
"Alex Dimitrianov. Mattijana. Seasons: 3. Races: 37. Wins: 2. Podiums: 4. Top ten finishes: 13. Total career points: 131. Points per race: 3.54."
"Alex Lund. Audioslavia. Seasons: 4. Races: 49. Wins: 4. Podiums: 13. Top ten finishes: 27. Total career points: 299. World Championships: 1. Points per race: 6.1"

"Why am I driver number two, again?" asked Alex.
"Because you're well past the wrong side of thirty, haven't done anything meaningful in a car in two years and you look like you've arrived from the local prison." replied Stan.
"Ah yes" said Alex. "That"
"To be fair to Dimitrianov," said Roger, "he did very well for Fireline last season, despite them not being that competitive. He won a race for them and for SinoMotors in his first season. He's consistent and, given a decent car, who knows"
"Alex is a decent shot for the title" said Stan, going back to the start of the slideshow.
"Thanks" said Alex
"I didn't mean you" replied Stan.
"Aye" said Roger. "I think we'll have to instigate a rule. You're Alec, he's Alex. 'Driver C' and 'Driver X'.
"Why does he get to be 'Driver X' and me 'Driver C'. Driver C. That's not cool at all.
"Should have thought about that before you started calling yourself 'Alec'"
"That was 30 years ago. If I'm gonna go around with a shaved head and a goatee beard then I should at least be 'Driver X'"
"Here comes Dimitrianov now" said Roger. Nodding towards the elevator. There was a definite 'ping' and the sound of a Mattijanan voice in the hallway. "Let's meet Driver X, shall we?"

[Aji No Moto]

Serizawa Racing Circuit
Serizawa, Aji No Moto

Kyoko Fujisaki's POV

The same day as Rusty's test, Kyoko rode a car that had the same specifications as the other sponsored driver, only the ride height being the difference. She took the car out for some laps, riding the corners aggressively as she tries to set fast lap after fast lap and be the faster driver by the end of the day's test. Her engineer, Masato Tachibana, encourages her to be a lot quicker and more aggressive.

"Kyoko, you are much much faster than Rusty. Keep pushing."

"Copy."

After seven laps of nonstop flying laps, Kyoko went back to the pit garage with her car. As the mechanics pull the car back to the pit area, they noticed that the tires were very worn out, to the point of blistering. And it was the harder of the two compound tires! And the most scary thing of all, the car that they were testing with - only 50 percent power of what would be the WGPC cars!

"Hey Kyoko." Masato looks on with concern. "Well actually, can't you be a little less aggressive with your tires? I know your fast and stuff, but if you keep on blistering your tires early, then it would be troublesome if you step into a WGPC or WGP2-spec car."

"Sorry, chief. Trying my best not to make them blister."

"Well, you have some days of recupering to think about your driving style. The good thing is you're two seconds faster than that guy's fastest lap. Which is great..." (Or maybe he's sandbagging?)

"Sorry to interrupt you two." Rudolf approached the pit area of Kyoko's crew. "Just had a call from Tsutomu."

"Kyoko, you and my son will compete for a seat in the team when KISMO make their debut in the WGPC. Tsutomu decided not to field both of you together in the team. One of you will stay, and one of you will look for another ride or possibly our lead driver for the WGP2 team."

"Yes Mr. Ibuna, Looking forward to compete with the son." Kyoko's voice was trembling. She knew Rudolf does not want her to drive for KISMO amid concerns with her aggression and the fear that she will be tagged as 'Kyo-krash'

As Rudolf left the pit area, Masato talked to her again.

"That punk. I don't like him in the team either, kissing on Tsutomu's ass"

"Chief, don't worry, I'll proving I deserve this ride."

"Yep, work on preserving the tires. Rest for a while, We go back to track in an hour."

---

Kissan Motorsport Headquarters
Serizawa, Aji No Moto

After talking to Rusty and Kyoko, Rudolf went to the KISMO headquarters, just a scooter away from the racing track. He met with Tsutomu regarding the plan to assemble the team quickly.

They first discussed the engineering crew. They need to double the resources to hasten the development of the KS01 chassis for the WGPC season. Then the telemetry guys, who are now working on shifts to complete the development of the powertrain at Kissan's motorplant, a kilometer away from the circuit.

Then they discussed about sponsorship.

"Hey Dolf, how about sponsor?"

"We are in negotiations with a foreign sponsor. Two of them. Both from Filindostan."

"Any detail on this sponsorship?"

"One is a telecom company. They offer to be the team's title sponsor. One is an associate sponsor which specializes on food and nutrition stuff."

"Okay, make sure to secure them by this week. How about the drivers?"

"I concede that Rusty's not signing for us."

"You already told me this. What's your view of Kyoko? I want her on one of the seat we have."

"Well... She's aggressive and stuff, but I think we'll better sign her up rather than lose her to other teams."

"Okay. Can you tell her that she take one of the seats? Seal deal quick."

"Um... yes. Sure."

Rudolf dialed Kyoko's number. She answered it immediately.

"Kyoko?"

"Yes Mr. Ibuna."

"There's an available seat at KISMO for your taking. I'll send the details via mail, with Tsutomu copied. Have you decided if you're taking the seat?"

"Uh... Um... Yes."

"That's great then. See you in two weeks."

"Okay. Thanks you. Bye."

Kyoko Fujisaki accepts KISMO's offer of a race seat for this season.

[Nekoni]

The following message has been supplied to all drivers currently awaiting a team place.

POLARIS TEAM RACING SEARCHES FOR A SECOND DRIVER!

Dear Driver,

Polaris Team Racing invites you to a free trial, held at our Black Diamond Test Circuit in Neocastella, Nekoni. Enclosed is a map of the track for pre-race study:


Length: 5,262m
Track Rating: 5.5A/4.5C
Lap record: 1'29.984

Those of you who may have raced in WGPC13 may recall this track to be the test track of the former SFeG team. The circuit is meant to test every facet of a racing driver's abilities, from a fast, technical section in the beginning of the lap, through to a challenging sequence of blind turns from turn 9 onwards, tight corners to test your braking points at high-speeds, culminating in a straightforward test of nerve as you charge at over 200mph around the banked outside bowl to the start/finish straight.

The test shall come in two parts, both using the prototype versions of the Polaris cars. These prototypes carry the same specifications as the WGPC15 SFeG Maelstrom-II:
11.30: A 15-minute time attack, judged by fastest individual lap.
13.00: One-shot qualifying
13.30: A 32-lap grand prix-style race, with starting positions determined by previous qualifying lap.

The results shall be combined, and the overall greatest achiever shall have first refusal of the Second Driver seat contract for Polaris Racing Team for the 16th season. If you are searching for a racing seat, we at Polaris Racing Team will gladly accept your interest in this opportunity. The trial is scheduled to take place 04, February.

We await your response,
Polaris Racing Team

[Sorlovia]

Pereyetska Test Circuit - Dmitri Sokolov & Gregori Krupin Trial

Quite naturally, the invitation from the Polaris Racing Team had immediately appealed to Gregori and Dmitri. Both amateur racers leapt at the opportunity to take a trial run on the Black Diamond Test Circuit and both immediately booked in a trial run for February 4th. Any opportunity to test themselves, their driving skills and their vehicles was a welcome opportunity. In the meantime they made their way home to the test circuit in their native Sorlovia to practice. The pair maintained an amiable relationship despite their equally competitive natures that saw them vying to earn a place on a racing team. Neither would pass up an opportunity to earn a spot and despite their common nationality they were in it for themselves. After all, they weren't part of a national team but were instead independent racers looking to breaking into the international racing scene.

The Pereyetska Circuit was a trial circuit not officially listed as aa WGPC circuit. Instead it was a private track reserved for the training needs of the Sorlovian racers. A place where they would be able to isolate themselves from foreign racers to focus solely on their performance and ability as drivers.

"Let's hope we get to the Black Diamond before those cocky Abovian racers," Gregori said deliberately forgetting to name the racers "we both know what state they will leave the circuit in.

"I can't stand their smug grins and sense of self-righteousness," Dmitri replied with a grin "we will have to wipe the floor with them. That ought to put a dent in the collective Abovian ego."

The rivalry between Sorlovia and Aboveland was well-documented and heated. The two nations had been at each other's throats numerous times and this attitude of competitiveness had even filtered down to their respective athletes. A victory was made all the more sweet but a chance to rub it in the collective Abovian face. With these thoughts in mind the two racers set themselves to making the best trial runs they possibly could both to represent their homeland and to make themselves look good to prospective racing teams.

Dmitri and Gregori made their run at the same time racing against each other in a trial run that would test their skills. When Gregori took the lead Dmitri sped up to keep pace with and vice-versa until the pair were racing neck-and-neck around the track at impressive speeds. Pushing their cars to the very limit the two racers became blind to all else around them. The race was all they could focus on. The roar of their engines, the sound of the tires on the track and the way their cars ate up the track ahead of them. Twin iron-resolves and unfailing focuses paired with an insatiable desire to win.

[West-East Timor]

Weshaka, West-East Timor

Jannik was sitting at home and trying to figure out what to do. He was bored, so he wanted to do something, but he couldn't come up with anything to do. Just when he was about to have an idea what to do, his phone rang. It was Mika.

"Mika! What is it?"

"Good news, Jannik."

"I have a contract offer?"

"Not yet."

"Damn it."

"However, Polaris Racing are holding an open drivers trial."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, really."

"When and where?"

"February 4th, Black Diamond Test Circuit, Neocastella, Nekoni."

"How do I sign up?"

"Just send them an e-mail I guess..."

"I'll do that then I guess."

"I'll take care of flight tickets then I guess."

"Alright then I guess."

"Goodbye then I guess."

"Bye I guess."

Jannik hung up the phone, and immediately went to his computer.

To: Polaris Racing Team
From: jannikmarkner@WETmail.wet

Dear Polaris Racing Team,

I, Jannik Markner, would hereby like to confirm my participation at the free trial at Black Diamond Test Circuit, on February 4th.

Yours sincerely,
Jannik Markner

[Esmerel]

Lapiz Point International Airport, Lapiz Point, Vespucci, Esmerel
Monday, 2018/22/01, 14:45

Jean was finally at LPIA... 45 minutes later than expected.

"Jean, what the hell? Ryker and the rest of the Nexus staff have been here for over an hour!"

"Talia, there was an incident on Freeway 3 that closed it down to public access. And you know, Freeway 203 is known as 'The Nightmare Of Lapiz Point' for a reason..."

"Fine then. Just come to the concourse. They're all waiting."

Another 5 minutes later, in the Richmond Concourse...

"Oh, there they are! Ryker, it's nice to see you after a while? How have you been?"

[Former Citizens of the Nimbus System]

Lapiz Point International Airport, Lapiz Point, Vespucci, Esmerel
22nd of January

Ryker grins, getting up from where he was sitting and walking over. "Well enough! Between testing the new Chase Cutter and PR I've not been able to get in time for much else but I'm still enjoying myself, which is the main thing." He reaches out to grasp his forearm in a gesture of camaraderie. "It's good to see you, too, Jean."

He lets go, standing back a little. "I should say that it's only me here; I thought that I could use the few hours' break, so I asked to come and collect you. Speaking of which..." Ryker reaches into his pocket, pulling out a ticket and folded boarding pass for the return Pegasus Air flight. He hands both to Jean. "I gave Talia hers already. We'll have to hurry a little but we should still make it to the gate in time if everything goes smoothly, so don't worry about any blame; let's just be off."

Ryker turns, striding towards the check-in with a purpose. "So, how have things been going on your end?" He glances around slyly. "I can see that at least one or two people here recognise you."

[Aboveland]

Terho sat on Chassis XX's front left tire sporting TRÆ navy blue overalls, his team's name embroidered above his heart, his national flag wrapped around his collar. The echoes of Edvin's greetings in the Lintulahti circuit's lobby rang out into the paddock. "Okay, ready? Let's go" bounced off the garage's walls and slick concrete floor. Five pairs of footsteps began shifting their way towards him, at odd intervals synchronizing to let out a resounding clonk. The double doors leading into the garage swung open, revealing a dapper Edvin, clipboard in hand, followed by TRÆ's hopefuls: Klianiota, Kranjska, Bjarnason, and Himura, in descending order of placement and excitement. Edvin, now standing to the side of the four wide row that had formed, tipped his nose towards Terho, signalling that it was his turn to introduce himself.

"Hello everyone! As you probably know by now, I'm Terho Talvela. Welcome to Lintulahti!" Terho waited for Edvin to carry on with the explanation of how the test would be carried out, but his boss-slash-engineer kept his eyes fixed on the former world champion. Terho discreetly clinched his fist.

"Okay," he continued, extending the a sound. "The test will be as follows. The engineers behind me have made fairly neutral setup for the car. You'll all do three acclimatization laps in the car to get a feel for it and the track, and then you'll be on your way. Each of you will do a total of 20 flying laps to set your benchmark time on which we will decide who will join the team. We'd like for you to set a fairly consistent pace, but all in all the most important thing is setting the fastest lap without binning it in the wall."

Kranjska nodded, Klianiota fidgeted with his fingers, Himura put her weight on her left leg and cocked her head to the side and Bjarnason listened attentively.

"We've got helmets and overalls for all of you on the left here," said Terho, gesticulating at the locker. "The order in which the test will be carried out is up to you. Good luck!"

The drivers headed to find the correct overalls for them, Klianiota snatching his Novikov Racing gear and dashing to the car as quick as he could. He looked eager to get started.

A couple of hours later, as Moe Himura made her way back to the pits after the final lap of the day, the timing board showed the following:

Code: Select all

1 KRA (MTJ)             1:32.081
2 KLI (V&T)             1:32.172
3 HIM (HIN)             1:32.202
4 BJA (SVJ)             1:32.337

Terho wrote down the times while Edvin headed to dismiss the drivers and wish them luck on the selection process. A couple of minutes later, he was back in the office.

"So," Edvin began, "what do you think?"

"I'm torn between Jasmina and Juracai," Terho began, using his index finger and thumb to scrunch his eyebrows together.

"Well, lucky for you, I've got this," Edvin said, reaching into a briefcase stuck between his legs. He pulled out a blue laptop with the Nortec t on the top right corner of the back of the screen. Booting instantly, it greeted the pair with a proprietary software, a mess of squiggly lines, sharp drops and a really fine grid. Zooming in revealed the legend for the graph.

"Behold," Edvin began, his eyes glistening with excitement. "Nortec developed this thing called a 'scorinator'. It basically simulates racing things."

Terho's forehead remained wrinkled. "Okay, and?"

"Using throttle and braking data combined with g-meter readings we can get an idea of what times a driver would be expected to make around a circuit!" finished Edvin, opening both hands trying to convey amazement. "Look, watch:"

He let the program generate each driver's skill points and the track's parameters, based on tracking data from the car which formed an outline of the track, and clicked on a little black die icon on the bottom of the screen. Turning the laptop away from Terho, to fester a little bit of intrigue in him, he wrote down the first driver on the list after each click of the die. At one moment, he paused, pressed a few buttons, and resumed. He did the same again after five clicks.

"Okay," Edvin said, "Here we are: On a track like this, according to the algorithm, Bjarnason is always last, followed by Himura. Klianiota and Kranjska share the top spot, but Jasmina claims it more frequently. On a tighter track, Bjarnason is always first, Himura second, and the top two over here trade last a lot."

Terho's expression gradually transformed into that of surprise. "And what if the track was balanced?" he inquired.

"Aha, that's where it gets interesting," Edvin said. "Everybody tops the times in that case, Bjarnason the least likely to and Himura the winningest, with Klianiota and Kranjska sharing the honors a few times but not as much as Moe."

"So what would you recommend?"

"Well, I like Moe, but she's too similar to you. She wouldn't be a good backup driver on your weaker tracks. I personally would go for Bjarnason. He completely dominated the simulations on the tighter tracks, the ones on which you'd struggle the most. Then again, Kranjska would surely tear up the opposition on the faster circuits and the Vilita and Turorians would likely want Juracai in the car. It's up to them now."

"Exciting times. I'll email them to see what they think." Terho said.

"Make sure you sign off with the right name this time, jackass," Edvin said, happily but half-jokingly, and with a smirk.

[Esmerel]

Lapiz Point International Airport, Lapiz Point, Vespucci, Esmerel
Monday, 2018/22/01

“You could say that again,” replied Jean. “While the ESTL was popular with many Esmerelians, basically everyone in the country- and that’s about 393 million people- got into the WGPC. Then, when I started to win, the popularity went out of the window. People are nice enough to not hoard around me when I’m out in the public, but I have a monstrous amount of fans, merchandise, etc... Don’t worry, Rebecca gets some too.”

At that moment, a news crew came to the Concourse. You could probably guess why they were there.

“Jean, wait!” exclaimed one of the reporters. “Can we get you for a few minutes?”

“I dunno, I have to leave for the Wardship soon... Wait. You’re Eric Vaughn! You know, from The Real World! Esmerel’s most popular late night show!”

“Correct. Now, I assume you have some time?”

“Sure. Ryker, give me maybe 5 minutes.”

The following is a transcript of the TV interview between Eric Vaughn and Jean Mercer-Daly, that would be broadcast later that night across the country.

EV: Jean, what are your main thoughts heading into the new season of the WGPC?

JMD: To win. Simple enough, right?

EV: Elaborate on that, for us.

JMD: Well, I’m keeping my eyes on the grand prize- the Drivers’ Championship. That or helping Ryker become the first team in the modern WGPC to pull off a successful title defense.

EV: At the end of the fifteenth season you were involved in an accident with then-defending champion Terho Talvela, where he ended up flipping and couldn’t hold on to his championship lead. Any comments on that rivalry?

JMD: Well, I can imagine he’s still steamed up at me, given that I essentially ruined his title defense singlehandedly. Considering it’s been eight months, and I no longer am jealous at him for being the defending champ, as he isn’t anymore, I don’t feel as pressured. But I’m still going to beat him. Just you wait.

EV: Any other choice words for the TV audience?

JMD: Let me hear some HYPE for the new season! Catch it on WSN, each weekend! Yes, that sounded like an ad. But a lot less cheesy, no?

EV: Yeah... I think you should go to your flight now.

“Ryker! I’m coming!”

“Jean.”

“What is it, Talia?”

“They’re at terminal 18, not 16.”

“Oh.” Jean proceeds to turn towards terminal 18 “Ryker! I’m coming!”

[West-East Timor]

Omni Racing Headquarters, New Dili

Nick had met with Linus Anthonsson in Linus' office, to discuss the current development in their choice of a second driver.

"So. How's it going?"

"So far, we had three drivers signing up for our trial. Rustom Ibuna, Moe Himura and Alex Dimitrianov."

"Dimitrianov?"

"Yes, however, it seems likely that he will sign at McPahan. So we probably one attendant left..."

"Oh that's bad. Dimitrianov would have been an excellent choice."

"That is indeed true. Additionally, it seems Tropicorp Aelund are considering Himura. She will only attend in case they don't sign her. I don't know anything about how likely that is."

"So if she gets signed there, that would leave us with only Ibuna?"

"Exactly. And where would be the point in a trial then?"

"True..."

"There still are some talented drivers out there. Also invited to Tropicorp's test were apparently Jasmina Kranjska and Juracai Klianiota. Two more excellent choices. Also there still is Jang Xiaopeng, who has stated to be available for teams. He would be a favorite for me, regarding he has won the WGP2. Experience doesn't really matter either. Mick Schramm is too experienced to need a tutor. Maybe he could teach a younger driver, especially with his experience in Formula WET1, maybe not, but that shouldn't be a factor in choosing our driver. So yeah, age doesn't really matter for us at the moment."

"None of them has confirmed to attend though, right?"

"Right. That is why I think we should just invite them."

"What if Kranjska or Klianiota sign at Tropicorp?"

"We will wait with them. Xiaopeng however... I think we should send him an invitation right away."

"If you think so."

"Well, the worst thing that can happen is that he refuses, right?"

"Right."

From: linusanthonsson@omni.wet
To: Jang Xiaopeng

Dear Mr. Xiaopeng,

I would like to invite you to participate at our open driver's trial at Baranburg Circuit on February 2nd. One of the drivers participating at the test will be offered a seat at Omni Racing for the upcoming WGP2 season, and we think that you would be an excellent option for our team, which is why we would like to compare your skills in our car with those of other interested drivers. Please let me know if you are interested.

Sincerely yours,
Linus Anthonsson
Team Principal
Omni Racing

[Filindostan]

Villacosta Residence
San Marco, Filindostan

While preparing for the trip to New Dili for the Omni Racing test, Marge noticed another set of emails in her inbox. One coming from Polaris Racing Team. She immediately went down to Rusty's room to tell him of the test.

"Hey Rusty, have you already booked the tickets to New Dili?"

"Not yet, mama. Having trouble with the internet."

"Looks like we're having a stop."

"Where?"

"In Nekoni, the Black Diamond Test Circuit in Neocastella, a simulation of qualifying and race. I'd thought it would be better if you attend there, as you can gauge yourself against other drivers vying for that seat."

"And what if I see Kyoko there?"

"As far as I know, Kyoko will be driving for KISMO. Your upset father told me."

"Bah. I have no time for his nonsensical shiz. Reply to that e-mail that I'm in and I'll book the tickets for the itinerary. Fucking internet."

Rusty accepts the invitation from Polaris Racing Team for their free trial session.

[Mattijana]

The McPahan head office was completely different to anything back home. The MRT headquarters at the Kopylov InternazionRing were just an extension of the pit building with their balcony and wood-cladded exterior. The office in Petrovijanka in contrast, was an imposing stone building that probably dated back a good 500 years and had shocking central heating.
This was much more modern, although arguably more charmless. A big glass box stood across the street to Alex with a shiny logo standing above the front entrance. The man, a certain Roger Bunn, who'd emailed him the finer details of his visit had said he couldn't miss it and he was emphatically right.
Crossing the road towards the sliding doors, he could see some people tapping away on their desktop computers on the upper floor. Maybe in a few minutes time, he would be up there somewhere finalising the details of his contract.
The reception area was as impressive, light and airy as the exterior would suggest. A clean white floor lead Alex towards a glass desk, behind which sat a young blond woman. Glass very much seemed to be the material of choice in these parts. McPahan must have access to some serious sand deposits.
He strode over to the desk, placed his hands on top of it and greeted the receptionist.
"Morning replied the young woman. How can I help?"
Alex's English was fairly well-developed. International languages were a major part of the curriculum in Mattijana. However, despite his firm grip on the language, he had a thick accent that could make life difficult for a native english speaker and even more tricky for someone with English as their second language.
Fortunately, experience on the WGPC circuit meant he could smooth it out enough to get most of his words across succesfully.
"Alex Dimitrianov." He said. "I'm here for a meeting with the bigwigs."

"Excellent. I'll contact them to say you've arrived. In the meantime you're very welcome to have a browse round our gallery. I'm sure you'll find something that interests you. Someone'll be down to meet you shortly."

Alex thanked her and wandered through into a large space filled almost entirely with memorabilia. The WGPC 12 car that had nearly won the title stood proudly in the middle of the room, made even shinier by the light filtering through the walls and a large glass skylight. The trophies from that season sat in a cabinet nearby.
It was a relic of the team's proud history and one that was matched neither in size or stature by anything else in the room. Whether intentionally or not, it was a metaphor for the celebrations of that season compared to the bleaker years that followed them.

Alex's eye was suddenly caught by one of the many photos that hung around the walls. Instead of the blue and white that dominated the rest of the interior, it featured a black and red vehicle. One that looked oddly familiar to Alex.
He walked over to take a closer look at the picture. Sure enough, embedded deep in the cockpit of the Fireline car was the green and yellow helmet design he had used for the past three seasons and it seemed to be moving forward relative to the one alongside it.
The fairly indiscriminate straight the picture had been taken on could frankly have been in quite a few of the world's venues, but suddenly it dawned on him. The light, the hills in the background, the move itself... It had to be Gracemeria, the site of the proudest moment of his season.

"That's why you're here Alex." Said a calm voice from behind him.

Alex had no more time to reminisce on past victories. He turned around to see the receptionist standing behind him.

"The guys upstairs are ready to see you now. Sorry if I gave you a bit of a shock."

Alex shrugged it off. Being mildly surprised by a secretary wasn't much compared to the stomach-shaking feeling of nearly stuffing it in one of the world's premium armco barriers.

"You've turned heads around here you know. There's plenty of us round here who think it's pretty criminal not many other teams have had a look at you."

In truth, Alex had feared he may not get a drive this season after the mediocrity of the past couple of years. People saying he still had it was a big confidence boost, but he had little idea of whether he had just struck lucky with McPahan. Either way, he was never going to admit that to anyone, let alone the team he was hopefully about to sign for.

"Thanks. It means a lot," he replied.

The receptionist raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Alex repeated himself, a little slower this time.

"Ahh. No worries. I didn't catch you the first time."

"Must be my accent. I'm from the North-East of Mattijana, the conditions mean we've been a little more isolated than the rest of the country and we've kept a pretty strong one. I feel I've given us Mattijanans a bit of a bad reputation though... anywhere South of Burges and they speak their English as clearly as you."

"I'll bear that in mind if I ever visit. I imagine if you get this drive, I might get to head over. Any good racing where you come from?"

Now the conversation had taken a positive turn.

"I grew up watching the ice rallys in the North-East. They're spectacular events and hey, it's something to do in the Winter. It takes some brawn to handle those cars though, so it's not really something for youngsters. I started racing properly in indoor karting, oudoor in the summer, worked my way up through the Mattijanan lower formulas and here I am now."

"Awesome. You can't have gone too far wrong to have won two WGPC races."

The two stepped into a lift. "I've still got a lot to do here" said Alex. "There's more races to win yet."
Alex realised that last remark might have made him sound a little cocky. Mercifully before he could overthink things too much, the elevator made a ping noise and slid open its mirrored doors.
Alex stepped out into a fairly unassuming corridor. Office and conference room doors lined the walls whilst the carpet was a bright McPahan blue. Some floor lighting led the way towards some natural light filtering out of a door towards the end of the corridor.

The receptionist, who Alex now knew, after a quick glance down at a name badge, went by the name of Verity Pound, led him towards the light.

"You're in meeting room 3 today. Hope all goes well."

Alex thanked her, but had no time to say anything more as he had already reached the entrance to the room. A cheerful-looking man stood just inside the open door. He had a soft face and thinning hair and smiled at Alex as he got nearer.

"Mr Dimitrianov for you sir." Said Miss pound.

"Thank you Verity" said the man. "Roger Bunn. Excellent to see you Alex."

He stepped inside the room and gesticulated at two other men sitting inside it. One wore a fairly polished suit, albeit one that seemed to have absorbed half a cup of coffee. He looked a little sterner than Roger, although that was too be expected in a person who had accidentally wasted half a cup of perfectly decent coffee.

The other man was younger and recognisable, although less-so than last season. Alexander Lund had definitely chosen a more radical approach to a haircut and the facial foliage had been given some treatment too.

"This is Stan McPahan, the team boss, and Alec Lund, our number two driver this season and hopefully your new teammate." Alex noted that Alec had flinched a little when Roger said 'two'.

The trio exchanged handshakes. "Suits you," said Alex to the driver on account of his new styling.

"Ahh no need to be polite." Interrupted Stan. "We all know he looks like a potato with a donkey's tail attached to its face."

Alex had neither seen a Donkey with a goatee for a tail, nor a potato with a face, but wasn't going to question the big cheese. He smiled and sat down.

Stan continued. "Welcome to McPahan. I'm going to show you a few things concerning the team and then ask you a few questions, so lets see what you think." He pointed to a TV screen showing a picture of the car above the team's motto showing. 'Ad terra ad horizon.' The last few seasons it had been more like 'Ad terra ad gravelus trapus, upsidus downus.' Alex's Latin was flimsy.

Stan flicked a remote, moving the screen onto a second slide

"This is our record since WGPC 12. I'm sure the eye-catching statistic is the fact we haven't won a race in two seasons, but the final finishes haven't been good either. Aside from the fact that we plan to build a better car, how do you think you can improve upon that?"

"Well the first thing is to establish consistent points every race. That means maintaining a reasonable qualifying position and at least holding onto it during the race. Keeping it out of the wall is obviously key and if you do that, you can push for the higher points. If a team is to perform well, you need a driver to anchor the consistent points and that's what I can bring here."

"I see. These are your career stats compared to Alec here. Of course for your first and most recent seasons it's possible to argue your machinery wasn't up to scratch, but do you believe you can improve those?"

"Absolutely. I've got a lot of unfinished business in the WGPC and plenty of career time left. The world championship is my goal and I'm hoping I can do it this season, but a top 5 is my real objective for us."

Roger chipped in. "I'd say your answers have been quite level headed. Do you think you have the aggression needed to succeed?"

"Being calm under pressure is my biggest selling point I'd say, but having two race wins to your name is evidence I can mix it with the world's best, especially in deficient machinery and I'm hoping that if your engineers can do a good job, I can make those results more regular."

"Thank you Alex," said Stan. "We'd like to offer you a contract with us as our number one driver for this season. The contract is here, I'd recommend giving it a read. I'm surprised you haven't dragged along some smart-ass agent to do that for you."

"Not really a thing where I come from. The Mattijanan public are quite suspicious of anyone who makes a living out of sport's money."

Talking of sport's money, the amount of money on the contract was dizzying. 2.5 million for the season was way more than what he either expected or wanted, but he figured there were some good causes back home that some of it could go to and he fancied a house up in the ZentraleAlpe. Alex was a keen skier and had been looking for a place up there for the last year or so.

He signed his name on the dotted line.

Alex Dimitrianov Signs As Number One Driver For McPahan.

[Audioslavia]

Social media was buzzing with rumours on the day, with fans eager for some sort of confirmation that McPahan would be going with the Alexes Dimitrianov and Lund for the new season. They were rather befuddled by the solitary and rather cryptic Alec Lund tweet that made its way onto the internet in the mid-afternoon.

Nevertheless, by 5pm the team confirmed that Alex Dimitrianov would be their #1 driver, with the experienced Lund in car number two for his final season in WGPC.

[Krainin]

Insocima International

Jennifer finishes up her out lap as she pulls into pit road. She pulls up to a pit stall and gets out of her car. A man with a scruffy beard walks up to her.

"How was that lap, Josh?"

"It was OK. You were about three seconds off the pace."

"I almost spun in the S turns."

"Yea, those turns are a bit tricky, especially on older tires."

"Any news on the WGPC?"

"Well. There are two teams holding testings."

"Who are they?"

"The first one is Omni Racing which are holding tests at Baranburg Circuit on the 2nd February. The second one is the Polaris Racing Team which are holding tests at Black Diamond Test Circuit on the 4th February. What are your choices?"

"Well, considering I'm a newcomer, lets try to test at both."

"Alright. I'll send emails out."

To: Omni Racing
From: teamjennifer@islesmail.tki

Greetings,

Jennifer Johnson would like to attend the drivers test at Baranburg Circuit on the 2nd February.

Sincerely,

Josh Rackford

To: Polaris Racing Team
From: teamjennifer@islesmail.tki

Greetings,

Jennifer Johnson would like to attend the free trial at Black Diamond Test Circuit on the 4th February.

Sincerely,

Josh Rackford

[Savojarna]

SavojarSports.sj - inside reports from all Savojarna
Where does Sigur Bjarnason go?

With the new season of the WGPC coming closer and closer, the Savojar driver Sigur Bjarnason has still not been confirmed as a driver for the new season. Bjarnason has a sponsorship by the state backing him up that was approved in a second approval procedure, which is a very important fact to bring the rookie into a team. Sigur Bjarnason has been rumoured to have taken part in the tryouts of Tropicorp Racing Aelund, about which we don't have any information. We also don't know anything about other teams he has been connected to, such as Mattijana Racing or the new Vannish VMR team. However, we believe that there is a relatively good chance that the skill of Bjarnason and his sponsorship together may earn the young Savojar a place in the cockpit.

MRT is likely the biggest teams that have been rumoured to be interested into the Savojar driver. Last season, the Mattijanan team had been third, and second in the year before. This would be a massive opportunity for Sigur Bjarnason, but of course a difficult environment to survive in. Similarly, there is no confirmation of interest from MRT, but it is a rumour that seems to persist and there are no confirmed drivers for the team yet. However, as Mattijanan Alex Dimitrianov is going to McPahan and not available to MRT, the rumours had been fired up yet again. Bjarnason stated that he would be highly interested to drive for the competitive and seemingly very competent MRT team, and that it would indeed be a great honour to be signed for such a successful team.

Of the other two teams, VMR and Tropicorp Aelund, much less is known as they are both new teams not yet established in the WGPC. The first team, VMR, is yet another unconfirmed interest. The team has already signed Vannish Jessica Franssen as their number one driver, while the other seat would still be open. The same is true of Tropicorp Aelund, where Abovian Terho Talvela is not only signed as number one driver, but also a member of the development team of the car. Both teams have some credit to themselves on account of the teams behind the cars. Tropicorp is filled with people that were part of a successful WGPC 14 team, while VMR has proven themselves on the WGP2 level. Bjarnason, when asked about the two unknown teams, stated that he would like to be a part of a new team and confirmed his participation in the Tropicorp tryouts. He said he liked the car and the team and would surely be interested in driving for them, but also didn't say he received an offer so far.

While there is no specific offer available yet, according to Bjarnason, the young Savojar is clearly rumoured to drive for multiple different teams. Should he agree to drive for any of them, we believe he has a clear shot to some points. While the MRT cockpit seems the least likely so far, we believe it would be his best choice, followed by the rookie teams of Tropicorp and VMR. We will keep you updated on SavojarSport.sj!

[Vangaziland]

Way out in the western tundra of Vangaziland was the Imperial Proving Grounds. It consisted of a complex of offices surrounded by a 5.052m Track. The course focused on high-speed, sweeping turns. It wasn't a comprehensive testing course. It was instead a proving grounds, a place to refine speed. It was a facility specific to the Racing division of Vannish Motors, VMR.



In one of the buildings, Jess Franssen and Vanessa Hattieson met in 'Meeting Room 112A'. This particular building had several conference rooms tucked away from a central office work space. Vanessa had her own office, but she didn't want to pull rank and file on her driver. She needed Jessica's advice and a change of scenery was nice. There'd also be room if they wanted to call anybody else in.

Jess also had an office, tucked far out of the way behind several doors on the second floor. An empty office sat next door waiting for the next VMR driver, although it was mostly a formality. The team would be on the road for most of the season. The office was just an allocation at this point, kept at the ready for the driver's convenience.

Jess had grown into more than just a seasonal driver. She was also the team's test pilot, the entire program seemingly based around her. Hattieson, the team's principal valued her opinion a great deal. They were currently debating who they wanted to sign as the second driver.

"I don't have the heart for business", Jess said in an almost whining tone. "I feel bad about not signing people. I wish we could sign everybody."

Vanessa laughed softly. Jessica had fairly pale skin with deep brown hair and dark eyes. Vanessa had mahogany skin and relaxed, straight hair. Jess wore a polo shirt and slacks. Vanessa was dressed corporate style with a skirt and matching top.

"People will find spots. We need to find the right driver for our team. The right driver for the car.It's all about who's in the right place and right time, you know?" Vanessa rubbed her driver's shoulder reassuringly.

"So we've narrowed it down to two names, hmm?" Jess spoke mainly to remind herself. "Gregori Krupin and Sigur Bjarnason."

Vanessa nodded, "Krupin is believed to be the top racer out of Sorlovia." She opened a folder and handed over a few sheets held together by a paperclip. "Look at these articles." As Jess flipped through it, Vanessa continued, "A few stats and race results too."

"He's got talent. By the numbers at least", said Jess.

"And he's a fighter. One of the first things the net brought up was the rivalry with Aboveland. That could play well for the media, but it just might push him through the long season."

"What about Bjarnason?" asked Jess.

"He's one of the most technical drivers out there. Real quality driver. He can run lines, that's for sure. He's more similar to your style. Krupin is more like Xiaopeng."

"Poor Jang", Jess said. "So he's reserve?"

"Yes. For now. He's free to look for another spot. It sounds like some teams are interested in him." Vanessa handed over a few more stacks of paper.

"So are we scheduling a big test? How are we doing this?"

Vanessa replied, "I think we should invite both of them here. Let's see who clicks. Let's see who wants it. I really think these are two drivers of the future."

Jess nodded, looking down at a warm cup of coffee to her side. She lifted it and took a sip. It was early and this meeting drained her. It was her third meeting of the morning. "Sounds fair. Do you want me to do the driver liaison thing and send the email?"

Vanessa nodded. "That'd be great actually. Oh!" She shouted as if just remembering something. "Guess what? We're going to have a new manager hanging around from corporate."

"That sucks", Jess said. "Who?"

"An investor who wants to shadow me as principle."

Jess didn't look impressed. She kept silent in response, at least until Vanessa continued.

"A Royal."

"Jenna! Vandersen?!" Jess was clearly excited.

"Yes!" Baroness Vandersen drove for VMR during the inaugural WGP2 run. Since then she's invested in VMR and is learning the management side of things. Some think she may one day buy the team and become the principle. Hattieson has always said to be in the role temporarily. She let Jessica Franssen principle the WGP2 season.

Franssen squealed and clenched her hands together. But soon she looked crestfallen. "Aww, if Jang were here it'd be a reunion."

Vanessa laughed. "Jang will get signed somewhere. He'll be on the grid. I'm sure he'll come hang out with us."

"You're right, he's too anti-social to make new friends."

Vanessa let loose a restrained and nervous laugh because she knew the comment was mean. "You sound like Jenna." Vanessa had heard how Jenna Vandersen teased Xiaopeng all WGP2 season. She hadn't heard how close Jess and Jen had become.
------

From: J. Franssen
To: G. Krupin, S. Bjarnason
Subject: Vannish Motors Racing

Greetings,

I send this message to you with excitement. The name's Jessica Franssen, formerly of MRT and currently driving for VMR. You've found yourself in the fortunate position of possibly piloting a car for WGPC 16. Only a select few in the multiverse will have this privilege.

As with any team, the key to success is personnel + chemistry. As a driver, finding the right team is paramount. I want to bring Vannish Motors Racing to your attention. Our company has made a name in several events leading up to this season. Many know we won the Drivers and Constrictors Cups in the WGP2. But VMR also has a cross country rally trophy. VMR also placed 2nd in Drivers and 3rd in Team Standings in HGTC GT2 racing, out of Hodori.

VMR has selected Sigur Bjarnason and Gregori Krupin as potential drivers for this season of the World Grand Prix Championship. You are both invited to the Imperial Proving Grounds at South Stead, Vangaziland. This is an open invite; first come, first served.

You will meet with VMR staff and drive the 'Dragon Chassis' full-spec WGPC car. Test the car and see if VMR is a fit for you. The best match for the team will hopefully be signed. We hope the driver who is not signed will still get an enjoyable experience out of the all-experiences paid trip.

You will fly into South Stead International Airport. The Grand Imperial Hotel will accommodate you for the duration of your trip, located in beautiful downtown South Stead.

All three of us are drivers. I hope to see you all on the field, even if you sign for other teams. The WGPC is a family, even if there are rivalries and bitterness. Let's make WGPC 16 a great season.

See you in South Stead,
J. Franssen

[Kita-Hinode]

Misei City, Esportiva's Hinodejin Gateway
Grand Hotel Inagusame Misei

The afternoon slowly passed as Ryu stared at the computer screen.

Unlike his brother and the woman they were managing, he chose to stay in their room while the two checked out Misei. They had just returned from a test, one Moe wasn't expecting to have done well and as such, was already looking for other chances. As such, she should be on her way to Omni Racing's test soon. But that still meant he would have to be on the lookout for other options.

Among the dozen or so tabs he had opened in his notebook, he found an e-mail laying in her inbox.

His fingers quickly raced through the keyboard and soon enough, he had sent a formal letter to Polaris Racing Team, agreeing that Moe Himura would attend the trial.

At last, he went back to reading PokéCards XP via Manga Reader. Because of course, he did.

[Ethane]

It was 9am. Someone was knocking on the door, loudly. The knocking caused Ethan to bolt upright in his bed. It was only 5am in the morning; he wondered who would visit him at this time in the morning. Worried about thiefs or murderers, he grabbed a baseball bat which he had kept from his childhood when he used to play a bit of baseball at schoo, and proceeded downstairs slowly and quietly.

He reached the door and put the security latch on. Ethan didn't want to be caught out by someone strongarming his way into the house; he took every precaution he could. Fearful, he pulled down the handle of the door and edged it open slightly, peering through the small gap between the door and the frame. There stood his racing manager, Janice Curtroy, panting.

A strange occurence. She wouldn't normally just show up at his door at 5am on a Saturday. She wouldn't normally show up on his door ever, for that matter.

Ethan closed the door again, unlatching it from the security mechanism, and opened it again, beckoning her in. She followed him into the living room, closing the door behind her.

''Do you want a drink or anything?'' Ethan asked Janice, seeing her shivering from the cold. It was the middle of winter in Ethane, and Ethan lived in one of the colder parts of the country near the range of mountains that stretched part of the central belt of the country. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground and more was falling.

''Yes, but after I have discussed this business with you'', she said urgently still panting. ''I assume that you intend to drive in WGPC 16?'' She looked across at Ethan, who stretched and laid back in the armchair looking thoughtful. She sat impatiently, fidgeting on the seat, mobile phone in her hand.

Ethan looked at up at Janice. ''I do, I think.'' She breathed a sigh of relief, falling back into the chair into a more relaxed position. She began to dial a number into her phone. Ethan assumed it was some kind of team or something that had offered him a place. ''But I want a decent drive. I want to do better. I know I can do better. I want a team that will help me to perform this season.'' Janice paused. She looked up at him.

''Your performances haven't been the best over the past couple of seasons. Do you really think you have what it takes to get on to a really good team?'' She looked across at Ethan with a certain look on her face which could only be assumed to mean 'you're really not *that* good.' ''You might have had a better chance if you had driven in another racing series as well during the off months, but you decided to take a break, which will hurt your chances.

''I want the best you can get me. I will only settle for that.'' Ethan stood up from his comfortable seat and walked into the kitchen to make a cup of herbal tea for each of them.

''I'll do my best. But I can't guarantee you'll get the best. The teams are already filling up,' she shouted through to the kitchen, seeing that another signing for a team had been approved. 'You are late to the party'.

The sound of a boiling kettle filled the house as Janice typed the last few numbers into the phone, calling up her minions.

____________________________

Ethan Ellis is looking for a drive with a mid- to top-mid racing team who can give him a solidly designed car and can fit in with his style. This season, he wants to be able to prove himself as a driver after 2 seasons of average performances. He IS interested in signing for Kissan Motorsports, but wishes to be given a few days to decide.

---

'Ben!', a women's voice shouted from downstairs. 'Don't make me come up there!' The boy, groaned, twisting in his bed. He didn't want to get up. He wanted to sleep forever. He loved sleep. It was the only place he could call his own. His dreams. Dreaming about cars. Fast cars. Fast cars racing around race tracks. Stars. Fame. Success. The media. Television. Cars again. He dreamed, slowly drifting back into sleep.

Bang! He was jolted awake by his mother slamming open his bedroom door, looking annoyed. 'You have to get up. The school bus leaves in 15 minutes and you haven't even got out of bed yet,' she whisper yelled. She didn't want to wake up the baby sleeping in the other room. Ben groaned again.

'But I don't wanna go to school'. He sighed, looking up at his mum, pouting, hoping she would show him some sympathy. He could tell from her look that she didn't care what he wanted or not, so he decided to try a different tactic.

'Mum, I don't feel too well though. I'm not well enough to go to school.' He faked a cough and groaned some more, trying to make himself appear ill. It didn't normally work as a method to get time off school, especially considering he tried it almost every morning.

His mum looked at Ben sympathetically. She knew he hated school. He wasn't exactly academically gifted and struggled in class. But she also knew it was important that he attended and gained a formal education. She remembered her past. She had never wanted to go to school, but her parents didn't believe that much in formal education systems either and so she ended up dropping out of school at the age of 12. It barred her from almost all jobs other that those which were poorly paid. She always thought about how if she had tried in school, she might have got a decent job and not be in poverty. She saw the importance in education for her son because she saw what a lack of education did for her. She knew Ben had to go to school, no matter the pain she had to endure every morning to get him there. But she knew that she had more to get him there today, on this very special day as school days go.

''But Ben...'' she cooed, smiling to herself as she knew this would work. 'You wouldn't want to miss out on that go-karting would you. And meeting Ethan Ellis, only one of the best youth racing drivers in the country. I'm sure you definitely know who he is.'' Ben jolted up in bed, a smile appearing on his face. He remembered the special trip he was being sent on with a few people from the school that were his friends. A beaming smile appeared across his face.

'Come here, I'll help you get dressed, for speed.'' She beckoned him over, pulling some of his clothes out of his chester drawers. 'You wouldn't want to miss out on your school bus today would you now?'

_____________________________

Ben is looking for a drive with a lower-middle or middle ranked team. He was supposed to drive last season but ended up crashing out in training due to severe weather in which he shouldn't have been driving. He ended up in a coma, but has been training hard for the 8 months since he got out the coma. He is not as well-practiced because of this, but he is still a decent driver and is looking for a foothold to get back into professional racing after his incident.

[Former Citizens of the Nimbus System]

Gate 18, Lapiz Point International Airport, Lapiz Point, Vespucci, Esmerel
22nd of January

Ryker looks back along the corridor that connects the airport’s gates for Jean and Talia. He glances up at the electronic board detailing the flight’s status. Still got a couple of minutes… Come on, guys, I know the press is important but it’s not as important as catching our flight right now.

Fortunately he doesn’t have to wait long; shouts of a familiar name in a familiar voice echo down the corridor. Ryker breathes a low sigh of relief, then breaks into a mirthful grin as he sees Jean and Talia running frantically towards the terminal for the Pegasus Air flight. He gestures for them to hurry up before turning back to the gate itself, whereupon he walks up to the man manning the electronic systems and presents his boarding pass and ticket, smile still on his face.

“Thank you… Ryker Lane, huh? From the WGPC?”

“Yep!”

“Huh. Cool. Go on through; have a nice day.”

“And you!” Though he’ll probably be just as if not more excited for who’s coming through next , Ryker thinks as he passes into the jet tunnel. That job is stressful if I remember that article correctly; meeting someone with the status of an Esmerelian national hero might make for a nice shift in tone, if he’s Esmerelian himself, which is probable. No language barrier, since they speak Universal.

Still, even he’s got a relatively good deal; most destinations would have you dealing with passports, wouldn’t they? The Wardship’s good like that.

On that note, it’s good to know that I’m still not on any criminal database, he mentally comments as, after smiling and nodding respectfully to the steward and stewardess at the door, he passes into the aircraft proper and, checking his ticket, goes to take his seat to the right-hand side in the centre of the plane. Once there, he waits for his Esmerelian companions to join him.

Nexus Racing HQ, Crossbay Circuit, Nimbus Bay, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System
26th of January

Chassis: Imagination-forged carbon fibre composite monocoque

Powertrain:

• Imagination-forged steel alloy compressed Imagination tank
  - Pure Imagination shard
• 'Paragon Warp 8.1.5' Imagikinetic/Imagielectric converter array
• 4 in-wheel electric motors
• Internal Imagikinetic directional indicator
• Waste Kinetic Energy Recycler System (WKERS)

Internally-Housed Car Features:

• Mass Aerodynamic Reconfiguration System (MARS) - Individually reconfigures many of the car's various aerodynamic devices and body panels to modify drag and downforce.
• Comprehensive Suspension and Traction Computer Control System (CS-TCCS) - Actively alters the suspension, braking and power for each individual wheel as a supreme driver aid.
• Underbody Pressure Reduction System (UPRS) - Reduces the car's underbody pressure by means of a large cross-flow fan.
• Photonic Analysis for Automated Starting (PA-AS) - Detects the amount of red light emanating from a circuit's starting lights, automatically beginning the flow of Imagination to the convertor when they go out.
• Imagithermal Tyre Heater (ITH) - Heats the car's tyres directly.
• Nimban tyres (TR) - awful tyres that damage the car’s ability to tu

Externally-Housed Car Features:

• Imagikinetic Atmospheric Shield Generator (IASG) - Fixes the air around the car in place in the instant before a crash to protect the car from damage in all but the most destructive collisions.

Driver Equipment Features:

• Comprehensive Driver Information Visor Display System (CDIVDS) - Projects detailed information about the car and its systems and live visuals from cameras around the car onto the driver's visor, controllable using buttons next to each of the driver's fingers on the steering wheel.
  - Line Prediction Software (LPS) - Uses an off-site supercomputer, linked to the CDIVDS via Imagitech to avoid a latency delay, to predict the lines that other drivers will take and display the information through the visor projection system.
• Reactive Motion Enhancing Overalls (RMEO) - Employs tiny endothermic motors woven into the overalls’ fabric to act as an exoskeleton, enhancing the driver’s movements.
• Imagikinetic Remote Anti-Shrapnel Shield Unit (IRASSU) - Drains the momentum of shrapnel about to come into contact with the driver.

Gertrude Thompson clenches her left fist. She highlights the line of text and hits the backspace key.

It's true, though. Just as the handling was getting acceptable.

She and the rest of her engineering team had been counting on the Tigar tyres that they had secured for use on the UHSGV-1 when Marika Pedanovic with her connections to the Serbian company had joined the team; in spite of the fact that she had left to pursue driving opportunities elsewhere, the tyre manufacturer had given no indication that they were going to stop providing them with racing compounds. Naturally, that meant that Tigar had pulled out at the last moment, leaving the Nimban team with Nimban tyres to run on.

Nimban tyres are horrible.

Those Maelstrom-blighted… It’s a good thing we got the directional Imagikinetic power sorted when we did. We’d be back to square one if we hadn’t.

Still… Gertrude can’t help but look up and down the rest of the text that she has composed. Pride swells in her chest. This has to be the most expansive set of features of any WGPC car on the grid. Probably ever. We done good. She smirks, shaking her head. And besides - success is a process. The tyres can be improved. I even know who can spearhead the effort… She closes her eyes, smiling as pleasant memories rise to the top of her mind.

Gertrude chuckles, dismissing them for now as she attaches the document to an email alongside the previously-constructed images and sends it off to Karl Rain to put into the press release that’ll be going out in a few days to confirm Mercer-Daly joining the team. She folds her arms. Let’s see if anyone else can match that.

After that, of course, will be the press conference, an event that Gertrude finds she is looking forward to. It was announcing the IRASSU that it happened, wasn’t it? That and giving that lecture at the Nimban Grand Prix. I wouldn’t have even had to think to file this away under ‘Preferably avoid’ before now.

Might be something else, too.

Someone.

More memories.

Gah! Come on, Gertrude, focus! Plenty of time for that later!

She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t happy thinking about it now, though.