WGP2 Season III [Roleplay Thread]

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Sun Apr 26, 2020 4:00 pm

WEEK 11
Tavernia Parkway Circuit, Eastfield Lodge

Conditions:			Cloudy
Laps:				32
Event:				Grand Prix of Westmeadow Tavern
Safety Car Deployed on Laps:
Cars on Grid:			24

Start  		After 8 Laps  		After 16 Laps  		After 24 Laps
 1 ▍AKS		 1 ▍JHC +0      		 1 ▍PEG +0      		 1 ▍JHC +0
 2 ▍JHC		 2 ▍C23 +19.863		 2 ▍JHC +7.093  		 2 ▍MTV +42.911
 3 ▍AUR		 3 ▍MTV +24.363		 3 ▍MTV +37.907		 3 ▍PEG +62.045
 4 ▍MTV		 4 ▍PEG +26.37  		 4 ▍C23 +39.035		 4 ▍GTA +91.46
 5 ▍C23		 5 ▍GTA +34.201		 5 ▍GTA +52.354		 5 ▍C23 +94.341
 6 ▍WES		 6 ▍AUR +36.055		 6 ▍AUR +61.838		 6 ▍GOZ +Laps: 1
 7 ▍PEG		 7 ▍AKS +43.115		 7 ▍BAK +66.668		 7 ▍CRT +Laps: 1
 8 ▍CRT		 8 ▍CRT +47.145		 8 ▍CRT +75.639		 8 ▍FAL +Laps: 1
 9 ▍FIR		 9 ▍STO +55.125		 9 ▍STO +85.868		 9 ▍AUR +Laps: 1
10 ▍STE		10 ▍BAK +57.149		10 ▍AKS +86.496		10 ▍NER +Laps: 1
11 ▍GTA		11 ▍NER +58.366		11 ▍GOZ +86.603		11 ▍STO +Laps: 1
12 ▍MAT		12 ▍STE +66.689		12 ▍STE +91.115		12 ▍STE +Laps: 1
13 ▍NER		13 ▍GOZ +67.02  		13 ▍NER +91.607		13 ▍ARC +Laps: 1
14 ▍FAL		14 ▍WES +69.406		14 ▍FAL +93.056		14 ▍WES +Laps: 1
15 ▍FAN		15 ▍FIR +70.009		15 ▍WES +95.468		15 ▍LAU +Laps: 1
16 ▍GOZ		16 ▍LNA +71.211		16 ▍LYN +97.368		16 ▍LGM +Laps: 1
17 ▍BAK		17 ▍LYN +73.87  		17 ▍LAU +Laps: 1		17 ▍AKS +Laps: 1
18 ▍LNA		18 ▍LAU +75.677		18 ▍ARC +Laps: 1		18 ▍BAK +Laps: 1
19 ▍LYN		19 ▍MAT +77.142		19 ▍FIR +Laps: 1		19 ▍LYN +Laps: 1
20 ▍ARC		20 ▍FAL +87.069		20 ▍LGM +Laps: 1		20 ▍MAT +Laps: 1
21 ▍STO		21 ▍ARC +Laps: 1		21 ▍MAT +Laps: 1 	
22 ▍LGM		22 ▍LGM +Laps: 1		22 ▍ARJ +Laps: 1 	
23 ▍ARJ		23 ▍ARJ +Laps: 1 	                                        	
24 ▍LAU

Pos # DRV Name Team Time Pts
1 37 PEG Jama'obo Pegasii ▍US Navy 01:02:46.960 25
2 21 MTV Taras Matviyenko ▍UrGa Motorsports Division 00:00:03.125 18
3 77 GTA Abdoulaye Goita ▍SVJ Racing 00:00:34.988 14 Fastest Lap Bonus Point! (1.47.882)
4 49 NER Mika Neretti ▍Polestar Racing 00:00:50.128 10
5 8 ARC William Archer ▍Bitten Heroes Academy 00:00:55.573 8
6 23 C23 Cocoabo #23 ▍VTM Tropicorp Engineering 00:00:57.176 6
7 11 CRT Lane Carter ▍UrGa Motorsports Division 00:00:58.894 4
8 7 WES Lourdina Westgrens ▍Bitten Heroes Academy 00:01:01.525 3
9 19 FAL Dom Falepeau ▍Badai Angin-IGR 00:01:09.909 2
10 81 STE Drake Stevenson ▍Nexus Racing 00:01:10.300 1
11 3 STO Olivia Stone ▍Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing 00:01:23.583
12 85 AUR Baxen Aurora ▍Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing 00:01:27.702
13 76 AKS Adriana Kowalski ▍US Navy 00:01:32.010
14 44 GOZ Rod Gozum ▍Badai Angin-IGR 00:01:59.052
15 33 LYN Laurencia Lynds ▍SinVal Racing Laps Down: 1
16 97 BAK Edward Baker ▍SinVal Racing Laps Down: 1
17 72 MAT Barnabas Mate ▍Kaylan Racing Team Laps Down: 1
DNF 17 LAU Janne Laukkanen ▍Nexus Racing Ret. lap 32
DNF 40 JHC Jolyn Caulfield ▍VTM Tropicorp Engineering Ret. lap 30
DNF 73 LGM Lorcan Greanaya-Matthewson ▍Polestar Racing Ret. lap 28
DNF 75 ARJ Roman Arjenko ▍SVJ Racing Ret. lap 23
DNF 69 FIR Carmichael Fire ▍Adelphia-VMR Ret. lap 20
DNF 50 LNA Sara Luna ▍Adelphia-VMR Ret. lap 11
DNF 18 FAN Isaia Fanene ▍Kaylan Racing Team Ret. lap 3

Pos # DRV Name				 Team                          Tyres           Pts
 1  3 STO Olivia Stone                   Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing     In Motion       88
 2 77 GTA Abdoulaye Goita                SVJ Racing                    Solymok         81
 3 50 LNA Sara Luna                      Adelphia-VMR                  Phoenician      76
 4 19 FAL Dom Falepeau                   Badai Angin-IGR               Solymok         63
--------------- Drivers above this line can win the Drivers’ Championship ---------------
 5 37 PEG Jama'obo Pegasii               US Navy                       Tropicorp       59
 6 75 ARJ Roman Arjenko                  SVJ Racing                    Solymok         42
 7 21 MTV Taras Matviyenko               UrGa Motorsports Division     Tropicorp       37
 8 44 GOZ Rod Gozum                      Badai Angin-IGR               Solymok         36
 8 72 MAT Barnabas Mate                  Kaylan Racing Team            Solymok         36
10 76 AKS Adriana Kowalski               US Navy                       Tropicorp       35
10 97 BAK Edward Baker                   SinVal Racing                 Tropicorp       35
12 85 AUR Baxen Aurora                   Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing     In Motion       34
13 18 FAN Isaia Fanene                   Kaylan Racing Team            Solymok         32
14 11 CRT Lane Carter                    UrGa Motorsports Division     Tropicorp       28
15  8 ARC William Archer                 Bitten Heroes Academy         Stellenbosch    22
16  7 WES Lourdina Westgrens             Bitten Heroes Academy         Stellenbosch    21
16 17 LAU Janne Laukkanen                Nexus Racing                  In Motion       21
18 23 C23 Cocoabo #23                    VTM Tropicorp Engineering     Tropicorp       20
19 81 STE Drake Stevenson                Nexus Racing                  In Motion       15
20 33 LYN Laurencia Lynds                SinVal Racing                 Tropicorp       14
21 49 NER Mika Neretti                   Polestar Racing               Cypress G2      11
21 73 LGM Lorcan Greanaya-Matthewson     Polestar Racing               Cypress G2      11
23 69 FIR Carmichael Fire                Adelphia-VMR                  Phoenician      6
24 40 JHC Jolyn Caulfield                VTM Tropicorp Engineering     Tropicorp       5

Pos NAT Team				Tyres          Pts
  1 SVJ ▍SVJ Racing			Solymok        123
  2 AUR ▍Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing	In Motion      122
  3 FID ▍Badai Angin-IGR  		Solymok        99
  4 SHW ▍US Navy  			Tropicorp      94
  5 STW ▍Adelphia-VMR			Phoenician     82
---------- Teams above this line can win the Constructors’ Championship ----------
  6 TGN ▍Kaylan Racing Team		Solymok        68
  7 PDN ▍UrGa Motorsports Division	Tropicorp      65
  8 EFL ▍SinVal Racing			Tropicorp      49
  9 LIS ▍Bitten Heroes Academy		Stellenbosch   43
 10 NIM ▍Nexus Racing			In Motion      36
 11 V&T ▍VTM Tropicorp Engineering	Tropicorp      25
 12 NEK ▍Polestar Racing  		Cypress G2     22

by **Valentine Z** » Sun Apr 26, 2020 6:09 pm

Jolyn and Adriana – Week 11 – Tavernia Parkway Circuit, Eastfield Lodge

JHC: 02 / 01 / 02 / 01 / DF (Standings)
AKS: 01 / 07 / 10 / 17 / 13 (Standings)

While the Valentians in NSSCRA 9 were celebrating their placements and podium finishes, the Valentians in WGP2 – Adriana and Jolyn, were down on luck. Adriana was still doing well, but as far as anyone is concerned, Jolyn has more or less disgraced herself for this season.

“There is NO damn way I am recovering from this!” she continued on ranting to Adriana, two of them in the room and Adriana, for the first time, unsure of what to do. She had never witnessed her friend in such a state of rage. Jolyn’s rant continued, “Like, seriously… will it kill me to do a little better, or just to maintain myself on the track? But nooooo… no Jolyn, you messed up again! I was getting first and second places on the segments and I just so happened that I crashed on the last few laps! What a damn surprise, not!” With all her strength, she grabbed her helmet from her shelf and slammed it onto the cold, hard floor. The helmet rebounded, but did not hit anyone and simply rolled off.

Jolyn, would sat down back on her bed and sobbed to herself, ashamed of the performance that she pulled during the season. She would try her best to speak during her sobs, “I am so sorry, Adriana… I am just so fed up. This season, this whole race… it was nothing but humiliation after humiliation. I am sure that those guys wanted to fire me. I don’t mind that, it will save me the face before I get fired in front of the public.”

Adriana walked towards the helmet that Jolyn has slammed onto the ground. To their surprise, the helmet (and the floor) have no visible damage, and the helmet was still functional as ever. Placing it back on the shelf, Adriana sat beside Jolyn and tried to console her.

“Well, err… maybe you have had a bad time here, but… you tried your best! That’s all that matters, right?”

“Yeah, but what would the company do? Goodness, this is so embarrassing. Placed dead last in terms of points. What kind of a racer am I?”

“A darn good one, Jolyn,” Adriana placed an arm around her friend’s shoulder, “Well… err, not really for WGP2, but I think NSSCRA is your main calling. Give this WGP2 business to someone else, maybe.”

“Yeah, maybe I should,” Jolyn agreed, wiping the tears off with a piece of tissue, “I’m gonna write a resignation letter, and… some compensation.”

Jolyn would then quickly give General Valentijn a call, the leader of Valentine Z.

“Heyyy, Jolyn! What’s up? I err… you don’t sound too well, are you all right?”

“Not well at all, Val… WGP2 is an utter disaster for me!”

“Ohh, that… yeah, I just heard about that just now, in fact. I am so sorry, Jolyn. What would you like? A trip back home?”

“That, but… Adriana?”

Adriana would talk in the background, “I will be Jolyn, don’t worry! Come back next week before the race, all right?”

Jolyn sighed and replied back to Valentijn, “Yes, Val. A ride, please. Also… can you check my balance?”

“Ahh, sure thing! You have… as usual, 2.301 billion Valentian Credits (4.76307 billion NSD). What’s up, Jolyn?”

“Compensation. I want to repay these people…”

The next morning, with the account and everything else taken care of, it was time for Jolyn to face the music. A reprimanding? Maybe. Humiliated in front of people? Maybe. Her heart has not pounded this hard, which was rare considering that she was usually the most composed of the Valentians thanks to her occupation as a spy. She could feel that people are looking at her, giving her mocking stares, or anything else of that sort. She is not here to entertain them, however. She calmly walked towards the VTM Tropicorp Engineering tent and after greeting a few of the mechanics around, would find a representative to hand the letter over.

The letter reads:

I am terribly sorry about the flop that is my performance this season. I can assure you that I was not losing on purpose, and I took sports racing with passion just like with the other Valentians you might hear in NSSCRA 8, or NSSCRA 9 for that matter. My performance for this race was inexcusable either way, and I would once again like to express my sincere apologies to everyone involved.

As a result of this, I am paying you, the company and the team, a compensation for my failure, in hopes that you can forgive me, but more importantly, to recover from my loss. Please present this letter to Valentine Z's Leader - Valentijn “De Sierlijke en Vrij Valkyrie General ov Valentine Z” Samantha Maxwell Delta Weston Stijn Angelus Tracey Mitchell Tristian Marnix Basilisk Lewis Hyatt X. Constantine Sein Lin Zaw Naing (valentijn_de_sierlijke_valkyrie@valentine_z_official.gov.vz) along with your bank account, and I promise to pay you, out of my own pocket, 3.000.000,00 / Three Million Valentian Credits (6.210.000,00 / Six Million Two Hundred Ten Thousand NSD). Rest assured that this is from my own pockets and from my job as a Vice Foresittend / Vice President of an autonomous state of Victoriaans Nederlands, and none of the Valentian citizens or anyone else are exploited and forced out of their savings.

Signed, Yours Sincerely,
Vice Foresittend Jolyn Maxine Caulfield Moira “Неуловимая, Женщина-шпион” Marlene Wendy Lucille Lapis Jill Khorosheva Vin. Zolina łnt. Natasha Vasilisa Helen Ceeta Tescelyn Maximovna

With the paper handed over, and closing contracts signed on that day, Jolyn gloomily packed her stuff and made her way slowly to the airport, with Adriana in tow.

“I will come back later… I promise,” with the two of them exchanging hugs. The Valentian dropship soon arrived, but it didn’t land. Instead, Jolyn beamed herself up, along with her luggage, to which there are a few Valentian crew operating the plane. The 117-meter tall Valentijn would be sitting in the dropship’s living quarters, watching Jolyn beam herself and let her hop onto his hand.

Valentijn simply nodded at Jolyn and gently tried to get her chin up, a tedious task given the size differences.

“You did your best,” Valentijn reassured her, “That’s all that matters. Let’s go home, all right?”

"Thank you, Val."

[1042 words]

by **Auruna** » Mon Apr 27, 2020 7:11 am

Tavernia Parkway Circuit, Eastfield Lodge
Post-Race

"Don't worry you two, you guys did great. We can get them at the next race. I know we can."

Mixed emotions at the garage after the two VIska drivers finished outside the points. It's clearly not enough to keep the lead at the constructors' championship but there's still a chance. After all this, Jöna isn't concerned at all. Based on the performance of the team this season, his goal was accomplished before the mid-season test, so the result of the championship doesn't matter to him. After all, he will be team manager for Viska again but at the highest tier. To him, everything's going at the right direction.

Final upgrades are being installed on the two VL-01s for the season finale in hopes to take the top spot in both championships. After the failure of the previous upgrade and learning from it, this new one will be better than the current spec. Engine is carefully tuned and the gearboxes are replaced with fresh ones. For aerodynamics, new wings are installed and the double-diffuser is tuned for the maximum possible downforce. The car is ready for the finale. New sponsorships were acquired, although Viska rarely signs sponsorship deals. And at the end, everything needs to be perfect.

Meanwhile back home, Viska and the MNA are starting to get overwhelmed by the new drivers wanting to join. It was sudden and may be due to the team's performance one their first season. Looks like there will be a lot of choices for next season but only few will be chosen and the rest may pick another series to join.

Viska Garage, Karalinne

"We have someone who wants to talk to Jöna."

"Who is it?"

"Some driver called... uh... Laura Haukanna. Who is she..?"

"Wait, you don't know her? Are you sure you're from here?"

"Er..nie, I'm from Lonivan"

"Anyway, I think I know why she wants to talk to Jöna. I'll call and tell him about it."

"Huh, okay then."

"Get the new gearbox that we ordered, we need to finish this build."

by **TJUN-ia** » Mon Apr 27, 2020 7:24 am

The weather was cloudy for the race in Tavernia, Eastfield Lodge. Lane Carter's race was just smooth sailing as he converted 8th into 7th. But Taras was the main story as he managed 2nd.

The last race of this tight season will be the Nimban Deuxième Prix at Crossbay Circuit. 4 drivers will duel it out for the title, 5 teams for the constructors. But Lane is starting to see the time on the clock run out on his first season...

by **Aboveland** » Tue Apr 28, 2020 9:05 pm

Kylmajarvi, Aboveland
Janne's flat

Janne chucks the hand towel away towards the floor. He picks his eyes, getting the last few bits of crud, and pokes around his chin to check for any remaining blemishes. His face, freshly shaved, is smooth in one direction, but coarse in the other. He groans, his heart, already sunken, barely playing along with his anxiety. He glances to his side at the bottle of homeopathic remedies his aunt had dropped by his flat, with a little note which, read between the lines, said "get well soon", from nothing at all; or at least, nothing physically to get well from, despite it feeling physical more than often.

He drags himself to his living room, which was his living room in every sense of the word, his double bed right against the wall, and flops onto the couch. His phone, laying on the coffee table, chirps to life and blinks its display. Another email from Nexus. His chest caves in, as he clutches a pillow and presses it against his face. The phone chirps again; this time, he asks the voice assistant to spill the whereabouts of the message: It's Antti, so he quickly tells the phone to shut up.

It only takes a moment for his tear wells to swell up and pool at the bottoms of his eyelids before being sucked into the gray suede of the cushion cover. He sobs quietly, almost embarrassed, despite the fact he's alone. Nothing went the way he'd planned it. He he hadn't been a front-runner, let alone a championship contender; the eight-wheeled Chase Cutter wasn't the revolutionary mammoth it had been made out to be, first lagging behind in reliability and then falling foul to his own weakness; no home race to kick him back into action; no arms to fall back on; nobody to look forward to. His anxiety, which he'd managed to keep in check before the season, broke through its dam and ripped through his mind, his body, crippling him before he'd even had a chance to fight back.

And sure, he was still young, and foolish, and still had that peppy spark within him, and still had a long way to go before he could really write his career off for good, but why? Why bother? Why bother showing up again, after he'd floundered an entire season for his star employer who'd bet so much on him and his equally ill-performing teammate? Why bother when he'd fallen from the top to the depths of obscurity in the space of a season? Why bother if, even if he won a championship, Terho's own seat would be occupied at TRAE and, realistically, nobody would bet on him anymore?

Why bother?

He pressed the pillow harder on his face and starts to cry, muffling his sobs in the suede, when he hears a knock at his door. He closes his eyes, squeezes them shut, tries to force the knocking pest away, but whoever it is knocks again, harder. He quiets himself, tries sobbing silently, so as to give the impression that nobody is home, and hears a third round of knocking. Angry, he hurls the pillow across his flat, knocking over a lamp, which he heads towards furiously to pick back up, before opening the door in one overly-dramatic swing. The whoosh of the air coming into his room flutters his hair back, pushing his tears across his cheeks.

In his doorway, Anders, with his stupid blonde-turned-brown hair curled over his forehead, with his freshly shaved chin, smooth in one direction and coarse in the other, with his blue t-shirt which reveals his chest, especially when it's cold, with a stupid, oh so stupid make-up tray of take out coffees thinking that long lost symbol of their tattered, trampled-on, cheated and bastardized love will somehow coerce his own heart into instant forgiveness for all the hurt and dread.

Janne can't help but let his lip quiver. Anders, somberly, looks down at the floor.

"Two months?" Janne trembles, trying his hardest to sound stern. Anders nods, not making eye contact, his face expressionless. A silence ensues.

Janne continues. "And coffee is the best you could come up with?" Anders nods again.

He pauses, the rumble of both their heartbeats audible. "Why?"

Anders looks up at Janne, bending the edges of his mouth. He tries taking a step inside, but he's stopped by Janne's hand. He sucks up his tears and the sticky saliva that had collected at the back of his mouth, and whispers as seriously as he ever had. "Don't come back," he says, convincing himself of his decision as he finishes his words. Anders exhales.

"Don't." Janne says, keeping his position until the elevator chimes onto his floor to take Anders away. As he raises his head back up and closes his door with a well oiled clack, he cracks a smile and trots to the bathroom to pick out a towel, taking the stairs down from his third floor apartment to the sauna room in the complex. He steps inside, gets comfortable, and lets the steam penetrate his pores. Breathing in, then out, feeling the "negative energy" his aunt loved talking about cycling out of his system, no homeopathic brandy drops required.

At one moment, the sauna door swings open, a cold gust of wind creeping in along with a sliver of light, as a man steps in. Taller than himself, slightly better built, and far, far cuter than Anders. He greets him shyly, and sits opposite Janne, both their towels still wrapped around themselves. They begin, and progress, in their small talk, until Janne walks closer towards him. After a moment, he opens his towel and sets it across the bench. The man, he with no name, does the same.

by **Diarcesia** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:34 pm

The race
Sara's senses were on heightened alert when she came to the end of the particularly short start/finish straight in Tavernia. Only a few seconds after passing the grandstands, a driver in this race need to brake hard and get the car to optimal position in turn two.

Hold on, she thought. I need to finish my visualization and process what I just saw.

A BOOM shook right behind her, sending a shower of sparks flying everywhere. TV cameras focused on her registered this spectacle in addition to a plume of thick smoke.

Sara was forced to stop on the side. She shifted her body to prepare to disembark.

"That's it?" Sara asked as she saw the smoke coming out of the car. "That's the end of the line?" she radioed to the pit. It was a rhetorical question.

"Yea", Silver Chariot replied. "We're on our tail here, Sara. You need to wrap it up."

Sara let out a sigh. "Uh, Silver?", she replied after a few seconds.

"Look, we're both out of time", Chariot said in a rush, trying to reassure her. "We've got to get you out of there. The crowd still wants to see you in one piece."

There was no way Sara could possibly know how much damage the car took until much later. Thousands of people were watching this event, at home and around the world, and they witnessed a stricken Adelphia car in its death throes.

"Raptor's beaks", Sara said, biting her lip. "Y'know. I wish I could go back in time."

"...somewhere around lap 20", Chariot said, as if talking to someone else in the pits. "Sara!? Why are you still in the comm? Out of the car."

"See you later," Sara said as she complied on Chariot's suggestion, no, order.

Later, at the team meeting
Sara and Silver Chariot continued to exchange looks as they spoke. It was clear that they both believed they could make up this lapse in the next race. The crowd of engineers and Carmi seemed to forget about them as the discussions took a very serious tone. A double-DNF is nothing to laugh at.

"My mistake", Chariot said, fixing her mane. "It was too much for the engine to handle."

"Oh", said Sara. "I switched gears too early. I miscalculated the speeds involved. I need to do more simulator work and remember the limits once again." Even in this situation, she's still focused on how to maneuver for the win in the crucial final race. Four drivers, one of them being her, will vie for that cup. She wouldn't have imagined this happening when she started the season, and how she handled this race was a far cry from her first WGP2 outing.

[458 words]

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:52 pm

The Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System bids you welcome to the WGP2 III
Nimban Deuxième Prix
!

Track Information

Circuit Name: Crossbay Circuit
Location: Nimbus Bay, Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System
Lap Record: 1:26.018 (Ryker Lane, Nexus Racing UHSGV-1)
Lap Length (km): 4.83
Qualifying Type: Elimination

The first World Grand Prix-rated track with a section that runs above a large body of water, Crossbay Circuit continues the long and proud Nimban tradition of race circuits built in areas of astounding natural beauty by running across, through and below the stark dolomite rock cliffs of Nimbus Bay. It combines sections from three famous courses of the Nimban origin universe, Vertigo Loop Racetrack, Keelhaul Canyon Raceway and Dragonmaw Chasm Raceway, and combines them with often fearsome elevation changes to form a track that demands both driver ability and daring to perform well.

A Lap of Crossbay Circuit

A lap of the track begins in Sector 1 with a short run down the end of the start/finish straight to Turn 1, a long and smooth left-hander that is deceptively tight in the middle of the turn, as well as descending by a few metres over its course. From Turn 1 a tiny straight leads into the gentle Turn 2 before the car enters the first of the two tunnels on the course. Cars then descend rapidly into an underground stadium section that most analysts agree is the circuit’s most difficult, featuring the relatively mild Turn 3 and the hairpin of Turn 4 which, like Turn 1, tightens towards the middle; neither of these and particularly Turn 4, would be nearly as significant of a challenge as they are, however, if they did not each feature drops of several metres. The track then passes under itself before shooting down and out of the cliffs into the water-crossing Sector 2.

Immediately drivers are forced to deal with the esses of Turns 5, 6 and 7. While 5 does demand something of a decrease in speed, the latter two can be taken with surprising pace, in part the result of the increase in grip caused by the track levelling out; the measure of a good driver here will be how much momentum they can retain into the following straight. This straight leads up to the nudge that is Turn 8 and the sweeping, ever so slightly banked Turn 9, after which the chicane of Turns 10 and 11 provides another momentum-holding test into Turn 12, which technically begins immediately after Turn 11 and gradually tightens up to the beginning of the third sector, all the while presenting drivers with the track’s first rise.

Sector 3 is by far the fastest of the sectors. Drivers dart into the cliff tunnel after 12 to face a long, climbing straight broken only by Turn 13, a left-hander that may as well not exist for all of the change in speed that it necessitates but does create an obstruction to the driver’s vision. This drastically increases the difficulty of Turn 14, a slightly tighter but still fast right-hand turn immediately after the tunnel exit; not only does the flattening of the circuit after the tunnel mean that it is taken near-blind but it also substantially reduces a car’s grip immediately before and Turn 15, the sector’s slowest corner and where that grip is most needed. Overtaking through this section, though attractive due to the heavy braking zone, thus takes substantial daring and skill. From there a short run and the chicane of 16 and 17 bring drivers back to the far end of the start/finish straight and, through that, the finish line.

Being inaugurated at this event, the pit lane’s course has been altered to bring drivers out into the tunnel between Turns 2 and 3 rather than immediately before Turn 1; this will reduce the time cost of leaving the pits, which should encourage more aggressive qualifying and race strategies.

Safety

There are obvious safety-related challenges involved in high-speed racing above water. The organisers of the Nimban Grand Prix fully appreciate this and have taken steps to ensure that Crossbay Circuit is a paragonal track for motorsport safety, featuring:

Traditional belt-and-tyre barriers;
Imagikinetic force field technology to prevent cars or car parts from leaving the bounds of the racing environment;
Imagikinetic recovery of crashed cars and car parts within Sector 2.

Environment

Motor racing typically has a significant environmental impact; all efforts have been made to minimise that impact at Crossbay.

Significant care was taken before construction to relocate vulnerable wildlife away from the circuit to other areas around the cliffs of Nimbus Bay;
Roman-style concrete, used in part for its reduced carbon footprint, has been employed throughout the construction of the circuit and its facilities;
Harmful pollutants and greenhouse gasses created over the course of racing remain sealed within the confines of the Imagikinetic safety force field, whereupon they are scrubbed from the air by industrial-scale machinery housed underneath the track.

The Nimban Grand Prix - A Survival Guide

‘Need-to-Knows’

Language: Universal (English) (Higher [glyphic, formal] and Common [Latin, informal] Scripts)
Currency: Universal Standard Coinage (USC) (commonly referred to as ‘coins’) - 1 USC worth approximately $1.8 NSD
Climate: Temperate Maritime
Time Zone: -10 AMT (Arcadian Mean Time)

Warning

Please refrain from taking items into the country where doing so is illegal. This particularly applies to drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco, and firearms. Such items will be seized upon entry and may be either destroyed or confiscated for collection upon your departure.

Getting to Crossbay Circuit

By Air:
Most attendees of the Nimban Grand Prix will arrive by air at First City Airport in the First City. From there, take the inbound Airport Terralev Line to Tower Station, then transfer to the outbound Seaport Terralev Line. Be sure to board a service that specifically lists Crossbay Circuit as the penultimate stop. Alternatively, if you wish to land at Second City Airport, take the inbound Airport Terralev Line to Harmony Station, then take the Ultrarail to Tower Station in the First City, a journey which will take no more than half an hour, before taking the outbound Seaport Terralev Line in the same manner. If you require help, staff in white and blue uniforms will be on hand; information can also be found in both the Higher and Common Scripts and in a variety of other languages on boards around all Nimban Rail facilities.

By Sea:
A few attendees of the Nimban Grand Prix may arrive by sea at Nimbus Bay Seaport. From there, take the inbound Seaport Terralev Line directly to Crossbay Circuit. Be sure to board a service that specifically lists Crossbay Circuit as the second stop. If you require help, staff in white and blue uniforms will be on hand; information can also be found in both the Higher and Common Scripts and in a variety of other languages on boards around all Nimban Rail facilities.

Accommodation

In Situ:
Accommodation at Crossbay Circuit will be available in the Hospitality Village attached to the main race facility. Staying here is recommended for those who only wish to attend the Nimban Grand Prix and related events around Crossbay Circuit during their stay.

First City:
A huge variety of accommodation is available in the First City, from lodgings in the hospitality sector, including state-run NimbInn hotels offering three-star lodging at market price, to individual room-sharing. Staying here is recommended for those who wish to combine their attendance of the Nimban Grand Prix with more general sightseeing in the First City, featuring such attractions as the famous New Nexus Tower, home of the Nimban legislature and executive alongside the world’s only Imagination Nexus.

Events

Main Events:
Drivers’ Parade: Thursday, 12:30 p.m. (22:30 AMT)
Practice Start: Friday, 9:00 a.m. (19:00 AMT)
Qualifying Start: Saturday, 10:00 a.m. (20:00 AMT)
Race Start: Sunday, 10:00 a.m. (20:00 AMT)

Concert:
A concert will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Friday in the Hospitality Village, including a performance of the Nimban national anthem ‘Together Unto Possibility’ and a reinterpretation of classic Fleetwood Mac song and unofficial World Grand Prix theme ‘The Chain’ by the Nimban Symphony Orchestra.

Lectures:
A series of lectures from guest speakers will be held in the Lecture Hall within the Hospitality Village during the race weekend.

Friday, 13:00 p.m. – Gertrude Thompson, Head Designer for Nexus Racing and Regular Speaker – ‘Development, Resilience and Success in World Grand Prix Racing’
Friday, 16:00 p.m. – Jacob Gibbons, Former Minister for Sport – ‘Building Grand Prix Racing in the Wardship’
Saturday, 13:30 p.m. – Robert Manleigh, Motorsport Analyst for The Bullhorn – ‘Forging Success, Casting Failure: A Structural Examination of the WGP2’
Sunday, 13:30 p.m. – Solya Furino, Professor of Organisational Planning at the University of the First City – ‘Three Years On – What is the future of the WGP2?’

New for WGP2 III – World Grand Prix Experience Centre:
Minister for Sport Sable Hammertoe will open the new Crossbay Circuit World Grand Prix Experience Centre in the Hospitality Village at 13:30 on Thursday. Visitors will be able to participate in a sequence of activities explaining and simulating some of the key events of a team’s race weekend, such as formulating race strategies, performing last-minute repairs on a car, changing tyres at a pit stop and competing in practice, qualifying and race sessions, while their progress is tracked throughout by keycard so that each simulation adapts to their previous decisions and performance. After completing the experience, visitors will receive a full race report of their activities, allowing them to test their skills on repeated visits, and, should they wish, may enter their final race time on the public leaderboard for others to see and compete with.

by **Trans-Dniesters** » Fri May 01, 2020 11:21 am

Things were finally taking a turn for the better for UrGa Motorsports Division.

Of course, it had to happen when it was absolutely too late, when there was no longer any chance for UrGa to even challenge for the constructors' title or put even just one of its drivers in contention for the drivers' championship. Certainly UrGa could have used this kind of boost much earlier in the season, when everything was still practically up for grabs. But now they had to make do with what they had.

Taras Matviyenko was finally starting to become a little more aggressive. Perhaps it was the fact that he had finally had a run of races where he had not suffered a single incident. Of course, the incident with his teammate Lane Carter back in Filindostan was still fresh in the minds of everyone at UrGa, but after that Taras had run pretty much clean races every time, even when he was getting lapped.

But now there was no chance at all of him getting lapped. Taras was running in front, actually putting up a challenge against the rest of the frontrunners. Polesitter Adriana Kowalski was the first to fall away, followed by Baxen Aurora. By the 23rd lap the only driver between Taras and his first ever race victory was Jolyn Caulfield, and so far she was handling her machine quite well. Being a product of Vilitan and Turorian engineering, Taras expected the car to be quite good.

The day had been cloudy, but despite the threat of rain, it never materialized. After the debacle in their very first WGP2 race, UrGa had made the appropriate upgrades to their meteorology section so that they would not repeat their mistake of choosing the wrong tyre ever again. Today, Taras had chosen to start his race on a medium compound. His plan was to switch to softs and then make a late charge when everyone else's tyres would hopefully have gone off. And so far, the strategy was working.

"I'm boxing now," Taras called out on the radio on lap 23. "Ready the softs."

"Confirm, you're boxing," Konstantin Rezansov replied. He then ordered the crews to prepare a set of fresh soft tyres for Taras' car. The crew switched out the tyres as fast as they could, but they needn't have worried. The gap between Caulfield and Taras and the rest of the drivers was absurdly large at this point, reminiscent of grand prix races of old. Taras had spent 25 seconds in the pits but still manage to emerge in P2, ahead of his nearest challenger by a good ten seconds.

Taras rapidly cut down on Caulfield's lead but despite his supposed speed advantage on the softer compound, the Valentian driver was still keeping him at bay. But then his luck changed for the better. For some reason, Caulfield suddenly decided to retire from the race. Whatever happened didn't appear to be enough to bring out the safety car, but Taras could hardly care about anything else. He was P1!

But not for long. Like what happened in a previous race, an UrGa car found itself beaten in a drag race on a long straight by another driver, this time Jama'obo Pegasii. Oh well. Another podium, another P2. Taras hoped that he might still get that P1 in the final race of the season, but he knew that everyone else was gunning for that position.

Bring it on.

(575 words not including these)

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Fri May 01, 2020 11:32 am

A back room in the Schkeska-Viska Garage at Tavernia Parkway Circuit, Tavernia, Westmeadow Tavern, Eastfield Lodge
Grand Prix of Westmeadow Tavern; Post-Race

“Baxen, what was that?”

Olivia sits a metre across from her teammate, gaze pressed firmly against the floor and head in her hands. “I know you knew a one-stop strategy was the wrong strategy. You asked to be put on one anyway. Which means that you were actively trying to go slowly.” Olivia glances up – her face is crossed with sadness and hurt. “Why,” she asks, voice betraying broken steel.

Baxen Aurora pauses for a moment. “I believed that I could help you by backing up the field behind me.”

“Yes, I know that too.” Olivia’s expression curls up into anger. “I started twenty-first, Baxen. You started third. You were the priority. You’re the tactician – you know that.”

“And you’re leading the Drivers’ Championship. Strategically –”

“We are fighting for the Constructor’s Championship!” Moisture gathers in the corner of Olivia’s eye. “You don’t get to decide that I’m more important than that! That’s the team’s job, not yours!” Her voice trembles. “Or hear it from me! ‘I’m less important than the team!’ So you can stop this now!”

Baxen closes his eyes. “What’s important is that you solidify your value to Viska. You need the points.”

“Why? Why me, why not us?”

“Because there is one remaining Nimban WGPC licence for the coming season.”

Silence hangs in the air.

Olivia’s face contorts further, reddening with furious anguish. “That’s our goal. Not mine or yours. Ours.”

Baxen shakes his head. “Ryker Lane is a high-performing World Champion. He won’t be leaving the WGPC for a long, long time. We can’t both continue.”

“We’ll wait.”

“Liv…” Baxen smiles a gentle smile. “I won’t let you squander your talent like that.”

“I…” Olivia sobs, points accusingly. “No! No, you stop that – you’re just as talented! You’re consistent, you’re precise, you easily outpace me in the wet…” Her clouded mind strains for more.

Baxen laughs softly. “You seemed to do well enough in Cocoabo Forest and d'Île Saint-Joseph. I…” He gathers his thoughts. “Ever since quad biking, you’ve been the most determined, upright, capable person I’ve known.” Baxen smiles again, more broadly now, tears gathering in his own eyes. “Olivia, the world deserves a chance to see that. You deserve the chance to show it to them. Please, don’t throw that away.”

“I…” Another sob – then she’s rushing forward, arms outstretched for an embrace that he returns without hesitation. “You can’t do that,” she says in half-coherent whispers. “We’re a team. It… I won’t work if you go.”

“I won’t.” Baxen holds them together, the smile remaining even as tears roll down his cheeks. “I promise you: that I cannot change. And I wouldn’t even if I could.”

by **Recuecn** » Fri May 01, 2020 3:59 pm

All week Abdoulaye could feel the pressure he was under, percolating in the background. Every other week he tried not to stress until it was racetime, but this week there was so much at stake. So much had changed on Sunday. Despite a disappointing qualification performance, he got a great start to the race and was soon well within the points. But his rival Stone had done even better, climbing an incredible twelve positions in the same amount of time. It frustrated Abdoulaye that no matter how well he perfomed, it wouldn’t be enough. He didn’t want to wish ill on any other driver, but if he wanted to catch up in the standings, they had to not get any points… no. It didn’t do to think that way. Abdoulaye focused on his own driving.

He slowly climbed closer and closer to a podium position, to the steady encouragement of Markko over the radio. Then, despite his promising himself he wouldn’t think about his competitors, his energy surged when he passed Stone on the twenty0second lap. He used the morale boost to catch Pegasii, but the gap was too big, and Pegasii was still climbing. Then, just two laps before the finish: “Caulfield is out,” Markko informed him. “You’re now P3.”

Abdoulaye’s heart thrilled at the news. He was even more excited, he had to admit to himself, to find that none of the Viska drivers had finished in the points. In just one race he’d found himself back in the Championship race, when it had seemed all but lost and going downhill last week. And SVJ even took a narrow lead in the constructor’s championship. The team was excited.

But even as he prepared for practice, Abdoulaye worried. Would he be good enough at the final showdown?

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Fri May 01, 2020 4:00 pm

WEEK 12
Crossbay Circuit, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System

Conditions:		Dry
Predicted Optimal Time:	00:01:35.576
Session Length:		75 minutes

Drivers have 75 minutes to complete as many laps of the track as they like.

POS #   DRIVER                                  FASTEST LAP     GAP TO LEADER		
 1 81 ▍Drake Stevenson                       	00:01:40.369	00:00:00.000
 2 17 ▍Janne Laukkanen                       	00:01:40.399	00:00:00.030
 3 19 ▍Dom Falepeau                          	00:01:40.473	00:00:00.104
 4 11 ▍Lane Carter                           	00:01:40.493	00:00:00.124
 5 97 ▍Edward Baker                          	00:01:40.503	00:00:00.134
 6 72 ▍Barnabas Mate                         	00:01:40.527	00:00:00.158
 7 77 ▍Abdoulaye Goita                       	00:01:40.536	00:00:00.167
 8  3 ▍Olivia Stone                          	00:01:40.567	00:00:00.198
 9 33 ▍Laurencia Lynds                       	00:01:40.602	00:00:00.233
10 18 ▍Isaia Fanene                          	00:01:40.804	00:00:00.435
11 50 ▍Sara Luna                             	00:01:40.823	00:00:00.454
12 21 ▍Taras Matviyenko                      	00:01:40.888	00:00:00.519
13 75 ▍Roman Arjenko                         	00:01:40.906	00:00:00.537
14 41 ▍Kitti Armbruster                      	00:01:41.024	00:00:00.655
15 85 ▍Baxen Aurora                          	00:01:41.076	00:00:00.707
16 49 ▍Mika Neretti                          	00:01:41.504	00:00:01.135
17  8 ▍William Archer                        	00:01:42.460	00:00:02.091
18 23 ▍Cocoabo #23                           	00:01:42.780	00:00:02.411
19 76 ▍Adriana Kowalski                      	00:01:43.251	00:00:02.882
20 44 ▍Rod Gozum                             	00:01:43.456	00:00:03.087
21 37 ▍Jama'obo Pegasii                      	00:01:44.934	00:00:04.565
22 73 ▍Lorcan Greanaya-Matthewson            	00:01:45.905	00:00:05.536
23 69 ▍Carmichael Fire                       	00:01:47.240	00:00:06.871
24  7 ▍Lourdina Westgrens                    	00:01:55.501	00:00:15.131

Conditions:		Dry
Predicted Optimal Time:	00:01:35.576
Qualifying Type:	Elimination

POS #   DRIVER                                   FASTEST Q1     GAP TO LEADER    FASTEST Q2     GAP TO LEADER    FASTEST Q3     GAP TO LEADER    FASTEST Q4     GAP TO LEADER								
 1 19 ▍Dom Falepeau                          	00:01:38.682	00:00:00.235	00:01:38.096	00:00:00.575	00:01:36.715	00:00:00.167	00:01:35.596	FASTEST : Q4
 2 37 ▍Jama'obo Pegasii                      	00:01:38.688	00:00:00.241	00:01:37.521	FASTEST : Q2	00:01:36.548	FASTEST : Q3	00:01:35.632	00:00:00.037
 3 85 ▍Baxen Aurora                          	00:01:38.542	00:00:00.095	00:01:37.609	00:00:00.088	00:01:36.559	00:00:00.011	00:01:35.905	00:00:00.310
 4 18 ▍Isaia Fanene                          	00:01:38.559	00:00:00.112	00:01:37.597	00:00:00.076	00:01:36.667	00:00:00.119	00:01:36.585	00:00:00.989
 5 17 ▍Janne Laukkanen                       	00:01:38.591	00:00:00.144	00:01:37.643	00:00:00.122	00:01:36.609	00:00:00.061	00:01:37.418	00:00:01.823
 6 81 ▍Drake Stevenson                       	00:01:38.447	FASTEST : Q1	00:01:37.671	00:00:00.150	00:01:36.663	00:00:00.115	00:01:41.407	00:00:05.811
 7 23 ▍Cocoabo #23                           	00:01:38.512	00:00:00.065	00:01:37.598	00:00:00.077	00:01:36.877	00:00:00.329		
 8 72 ▍Barnabas Mate                         	00:01:38.476	00:00:00.029	00:01:37.583	00:00:00.062	00:01:37.057	00:00:00.509		
 9  7 ▍Lourdina Westgrens                    	00:01:38.588	00:00:00.140	00:01:37.524	00:00:00.003	00:01:37.133	00:00:00.585		
10 75 ▍Roman Arjenko                         	00:01:38.934	00:00:00.487	00:01:37.913	00:00:00.392	00:01:37.134	00:00:00.586		
11 50 ▍Sara Luna                             	00:01:38.476	00:00:00.029	00:01:38.361	00:00:00.840	00:01:39.947	00:00:03.399		
12  3 ▍Olivia Stone                          	00:01:38.473	00:00:00.026	00:01:39.013	00:00:01.492	00:01:40.103	00:00:03.555		
13 44 ▍Rod Gozum                             	00:01:38.536	00:00:00.089	00:01:39.466	00:00:01.945				
14 77 ▍Abdoulaye Goita                       	00:01:38.544	00:00:00.097	00:01:39.537	00:00:02.016				
15 33 ▍Laurencia Lynds                       	00:01:38.620	00:00:00.173	00:01:39.953	00:00:02.432				
16 76 ▍Adriana Kowalski                      	00:01:38.474	00:00:00.027	00:01:40.639	00:00:03.117				
17  8 ▍William Archer                        	00:01:38.516	00:00:00.069	00:01:41.532	00:00:04.011				
18 49 ▍Mika Neretti                          	00:01:38.479	00:00:00.031	00:01:41.614	00:00:04.093				
19 21 ▍Taras Matviyenko                      	00:01:39.032	00:00:00.585						
20 69 ▍Carmichael Fire                       	00:01:39.373	00:00:00.925						
21 41 ▍Kitti Armbruster                      	00:01:39.416	00:00:00.968						
22 97 ▍Edward Baker                          	00:01:39.873	00:00:01.426						
23 73 ▍Lorcan Greanaya-Matthewson            	00:01:40.382	00:00:01.934						
24 11 ▍Lane Carter                           	00:01:40.713	00:00:02.266

by **Auruna** » Fri May 01, 2020 10:03 pm

Viska Circuit, Sterlennau, Auruna
Few days before the race weekend

The newly upgraded car went through extensive testing for the past few days, driven by Viska's Evan Kaukanna. It is to ensure exceptional reliability and great performance, and it shows. This would help them greatly in the title fight in the following season finale. It would be a huge achievement if they win the championship. Everyone should perform their best here.

Crossbay Circuit, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System
Practice

Gathering data is important, especially for an upgraded car. The two were sent out first before the rest of the field followed. They complete the usual practice programmes and pit simulations, the team is well prepared for the fight. The plan is to maximize race pace while getting a decent qualifying pace. Trying out different setups with different tires for different scenarios. It looks like chaos in the Viska garage but in a good way. Ironically organized. They have gathered as much data as they can from both drivers' laps and the results from practice seems promising.

In anyway, they are going to fight.

Qualifying

Another elimination qualifying. Both drivers are at home here, being their home race, results should be decent. The team considers Q1 as a small extension to practice. Then they try to go as late as possible after a few timed laps to prepare for their fastest lap. Both cars are setup for qualifying, time to take top spots. They managed to clear Q1, Q2 and then at Q3, Olivia qualified P12, a decent position. Then at the end of Q4, Baxen again qualified P3. It might go like the last race but there is still hope, with a strategy meeting after qualifying the team wants to win this one.

by **TJUN-ia** » Sat May 02, 2020 8:20 am

Nimban Deuxième Prix,
Crossbay Circuit, Former Citizens of the Nimbus System

We've battled across many lands and nations, but now we must decide our champions. WGP2's 3rd season will end here at half-amphibious Crossbay Circuit, and it will go down to the wire. 4 drivers and 5 teams remain in the hunt for the titles, and the pressure is one to decide which driver and which team is the best in the class.

Will it be local Olivia Stone for Schkeska-VSK Viska? Will Abdoulaye Goita overcome the 7-point gap to take it for SVJ? What about Adelphia-VMR's Sara Luna, the replacement to Lane Carter after he turned down the offer to race for the ponies? Or what about Dom Falepeau, who might be a long shot in the Badai Angin-IGR but still has a shot? Which one of these teams will take the Constructors? Or will it be the odd-one-out in the form of the US Navy?

These Questions need to be answered before the end of the weekend here in Crossbay...

PRACTICE
He may not be taking part in the 4-way duel for the title, but that doesn't mean Lane Carter will leave the spotlight just yet. His future is unsure at this point: nothing from the Galarian to suggest where he may go. But Lane didn't care: he had a season finale to do.

4th in Practice certainly set the bar high. Taras was 12th, half a second back.

QUALIFYING
Elimination Quali is the most complicated of the formats, but Carter and UrGa didn't enough time to get used to it. A spin exiting the Sector 3 tunnel puts Lane in dead last with Taras in 19th. But Carter didn't mind. It's basically a "Last to ?" Challenge - nothing to lose, just try and get as high as you can in the available time...

by **Savojarna** » Sun May 03, 2020 4:55 am

Crossbay Circuit, Nexus Wardship, starting grid

Krister Arlund has the numbers exactly in his head. Seven points means a win over Stone for his number one driver, and a fastest lap on top, and Abdoulaye Goita is WGP2 champion. One point over Schkeska-VSK to secure the constructor championship. These are the numbers that are circling through his head as he walks down the starting grid an uncomfortable amount. Only at ten does he finally meet up with his first driver. Roman Arjenko. Not the best season, and maybe a bit below the team’s expectations; and certainly below his own. Krister feels the need to stop for a moment. “Hey Roman, ready to race?”, he asks the Russian, already getting into his legendary focus. “Da”, he responds, taking a moment to realise he got the wrong language, so deep is he in his preparations. “Always am. Time to show what I can do”. “Remember, it’s a team fight today. Don’t risk anything stupid, we wanna beat Schkeska most. I know you wanna redeem yourself, but remember there is a championship on the line”. Roman nods, remembering the times when he had been chasing too much and overstepped. It is painful in his soul, but he knows what he has to do.

Krister, now suddenly feeling a lot calmer knowing that his nominal number one driver is aware of the stakes, walks back further. On the way, he passes Stone, the great rival. For a moment, in his inner eye, he sees pictures - the championship leader making her way up the pack, attacking Roman, maybe in the tunnels where everything is chaotic and vision is bad, and then - a crash, the cars clinging onto each other, driving into the walls, crumbling Stone’s hope for the championship as Goita only has to cruise to a fifth place… then he shakes his head. Clears away the images and focuses on the task at hand. They would fight fair and square. Nobody would take anyone out. He reaches the car of Abdoulaye Goita, his surprise package and wonderchild that nobody had expected to do anywhere as well as he did.

Parked, fittingly, right behind his rival, Goita’s SVJ stands shining in the light. There is an almost radiant energy emanating from it, the energy of a car and a driver in perfect synergy aiming for greatness. In this situation, he cannot help but see the car shoot from the line and cut through the pack, knowing this will be the big race. Goita stands next to the car, looking a bit nervous, as if he wasn’t fully aware of what is going on here, and how he got into this situation. “How’s it going, Abdoulaye? Ready to become a champion?”, Krister asks, trying to cheer his driver up a bit. The Reçueçian looked as if he had been told that he had to swallow his car. “Look, we know you have it in you. You’ve driven fantastically this season. You’ve not always been lucky, sure, and the car has had its issues, but we’ll be good. Tonight, we can celebrate no matter what. And if you beat that thing”, he nodded towards Stone’s car, “we can probably celebrate a championship”. Then, Markko arrived, the race engineer for Goita.

Krister quickly pulled him aside, and the two went over the strategy again. Push early or conserve their tyres? They opted for the latter. It would be smarter to wait, and be free to react to whatever may happen - and leverage the SVJ’s incredible tyre longevity, still a core feature of the car. With the track being tricky, safety cars were a likelihood that they had to consider too. Get the most out of their position and look for a slow climb, that was SVJ’s gameplan. Giving just how nervous his driver seemed, Krister was quite happy to have Markko send him away to the pit in order to discuss the race plan and the technical details with Abdoulaye, and he wandered back towards the wall.

As he went through the little gate separating pit and final straight, the numbers circulated in his head again. Seven points. First place and an extra point, or Stone coming third. Sixth place if she wouldn’t score. And a single point for the championship. If Schkeska’s cars wouldn’t score, they would celebrate. He double- and triple-checked all the electronics systems in the pits and prepared for the race. Now, another number entered his mind. The time - 09:59. One minute until the showdown started. One hour, give or take, until they would be champions - or fools.

by **Nephara** » Sun May 03, 2020 6:00 am

Typical, wasn't it? The moment you'd given up on dream, it dropped right there at your feet.
Not that Kitti Armbruster had given up, not precisely. But... disillusionment had started to set in. She'd had some kind of informal thing in the works, Nikita making vague promises about the WCGP... yeah, as if anyone was gonna hire a nobody like her for the big event. People could afford to take risks here. If not even they were willing to chance the meme whose main claim to fame was stealing the safety car that one time...
Sorry, VTM what? Sign the dotted line where?
Aw, shit, they were in business now.

Jolyn Caulfield had made her exit. Polished, conservative, reliable. Well-liked. But the results weren't coming, and it was a meat market. The table never lied; that was the first thing any Nephar learned about sport. The supremacy of the result.
She'd even paid compensation. Let nobody say she walked out without dignity.
40 bowed out, 41 stepped in. Maybe it was fate.
Now she had more than a team of one agent and one accountant she'd slept with and hauled along for the ride. Now she had technicians, PR guys. People who wanted to talk to her. People who were becoming acquainted with what was immediately apparent as The Way Kitti Is.
Journalists quickly learned, too. Her first press conference was relatively unremarkable; her second, they came in for headlines. Armbruster's boots were on the table. Her PR guy was sweating through his suit, praying, praying she would ever answer 'no comment' to anything.
But no. She had opinions.
"What do you think of Jolyn's exit, Kitti?"
Armbruster blew a little steam-ring. She'd willingly taken up most of VTM's exacting, actually professional conditioning regimen, but a switch to e-cigarettes was about as much compromise as she could manage. "I think nobody with more middle names than points on the board is to be trusted."
Oh, God, thought the PR guy.
"How have you adapted to life in a professional system? We're aware you have something of an, uh, independent reputation..."
Armbruster chuckled. "Yeah, look. Anything that shaves seconds off the board is fine by me."
"But the vaping-"
"The smoking stays."
"A... aha."
"Last question!" chirped the PR guy.
"Nah, keep 'em coming, keep 'em coming. You, the hot one in the front row. Christ, no, not you. Her."
A young reporter cleared her throat. "You're set to become the first GP racer from Nephara... will you be the last?"
"Psh. Nah. Mark my words that moneyed little princess Koeller will be looking on from her fuckin' mansion or whatever. Probably bribe her way into the next one. Me, I'm here on merit."
"Last question!" repeated the PR guy, ankle-tapping Armbruster under the table.
Another journalist stepped up to the challenge. "Do you think, with time and practice, you could outperform your colleague on the team?"
Armbruster gave him a long, languid look. "Bro. It's a bird."

Depending on your perspective, it took her no time at all to outperform her colleague on the team. That perspective depended entirely on if you decided that practice rounds mattered and qualifiers did not.
This was not Kitti Armbruster's perspective.
It was her greatest asset that set her back. She attacked the practice round viciously, skimming every corner, slowly learning her car. Like her, it was a brilliant if sporadically combustible piece of engineering. They got off to a wonderful understanding.
But it wasn't enough. She knew she wanted to push herself harder, and harder, the moment it counted, and...
... and it didn't work out. Every lap, something to cut out or correct, or she misread the car, or the car misread her. The perfect Kitti Armbruster lap, spliced together, would have been brilliant. That isn't how tracks work, and she was shepherded off the course at the earliest opportunity. Rolling into the pits. Slumping back in her seat.
"It's fine," she muttered, unprompted, into her comms. "It's fine. I'll be a wolf among fucking sheep come raceday. Just trust me."

[679]

by **Filindostan** » Sun May 03, 2020 8:32 am

Bryant huddled the team for the final time this season, with drivers Dom and Rod still have championships to contend to. However, for Dom, despite the pole position he got today after the qualifying session, he needed a lot of dominoes to fall - even a win alone would not be enough to overtake Olivia Stone for the Drivers' championship, as her 6th place in Hapilopper would best Dom's 2 8th place finishes. Dom must take the fastest lap award as well as the win if he wants to be ahead of the Nimban driver in the decisive round of the season, let alone have the two other contenders, Abdoulaye Goita and Sara Luna finish not higher than 6th and 4th respectively. Although the chances are very slim, he was encouraged by the team principal to give it his all tomorrow.

On the constructors' battle, things are not so much dire compared to the Drivers' championship situation. Badai Angin-IGR are just 24 and 23 points behind SVJ Racing and Viska Racing respectively, and it would help much if the Togoni would convert his pole position into race victory. However, Gambal still talked to Rod about his tasks for tomorrow - give the title contenders a hard time, and climb up the running order to help the team's cause in the battle for team glory.

Bryant reminded them however that they should still be respectful of the other drivers and avoid any unprofessional conduct due to the possible consequences of their actions.

One entity that is happy with the situation is Kristian Szusza and the Solymok Tyre company, despite the above challenges. They are the current suppliers of leading constructor, SVJ Racing, and Abdoulaye Goita. If they both win the championship, then it would be good publicity for the Gergarian tyre manufacturer.

With the final race being crucial for other drivers, it couldn't be more important for Barnabas Mate as well, with he and Gozum both locked at 36 points, he is looking to finish ahead of the Filindo for a possible seat at the Badai Angin-IGR's WGP2 team next season.

Fireworks should be flying at the final race of the WGP2 season.

by **Vilita and Turori** » Sun May 03, 2020 9:41 am

Pegasii Takes the Checkers in Eastfield Lodge!

Race 9 Leaderboard

1 [43] :: @Ametza014

2 [40] :: @jaqeplanst

3 [35] :: @fastcocoa-no

4 [26] :: @holyiben77

5 [25] :: @garbage_time

- [25] :: @pegasiifan37

Season Standings

1 [228] :: @garbage_time

2 [181] :: @jaqeplanst

3 [168] :: @RustyIbuna71

- [168] :: @VilayeBlood

5 [164] :: @pegasiifan37

6 [153] :: @Light_of_Unity

12 [135] :: @drhamonii

14 [126] :: @Pigeon_87

14 [126] :: @LKrindleOfficial

22 [60] :: @garibouds_officiel

It was a big week in the Vilita & Turori Racer WGP2 Pick 'em contest for participants from Vilita and Turori who dominated the top 5 spots on the leaderboard after a race in Eastfield Lodge that saw the first podium finish of the season for a Vilita and Turori affiliated driver. While the big news after the race came from the VTM Tropicorp Engineering side of the house, it was all smiles in the Vilaye Energy Drink Camp at the Tavernia Parkway Circuit as Jama'obo Pegasii secured their first ever WGP2 Victory in a thrilling finish to the Grand Prix of Westmeadow Tavern.

Pegasii, who drove during WGP2 Season 2 for the current constructors leading SVJ Racing team, had a pair of runner-up finishes in their debut WGP2 campaign but made the switch to the promising Naval Corps Racing Team of the USS Monitor after they promised steam-powered machines that would have unique and independent race strategies when compared with the rest of the field. While the Naval Corps team is still in contention for the Constructors Title this season they will have their work cut out for them chasing SVJ Racing who currently hold a 1 point advantage over Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing and a further 28 points back to the Navy team and their drivers Jama'obo Pegasii of Vilita and Turori and Adriana Kowalski of Valentine Z.

While it likely require yet another victory for the Naval Corps team to challenge for the Constructors title, both drivers are now officially out of contention for the drivers championship with Pegasii being the highest placed driver at 5th in the standings to have been mathematically eliminated. It will leave a four driver battle between Olivia Stone, Abdoulaye Goita, Sara Luna and Dom Falepeau for the championship - none of which will be sporting Tropicorp Tyres after a disappointing season all around for the Calania based Tyre manufacturer and their team.

While Jama'obo Pegasii has flown the flag for Vilita and Turori this season with the occasional solid performance for the Naval Corps team, there has been nothing to celebrate for VTM Tropicorp Engineering as World Grand Prix 2 Season 1 Runner Up Cocoabo #23 has just one more shot extend their WGP2 Winning Streak to three seasons after having won at least one race in each of the two previous World Grand Prix 2 seasons. Cocoabo #23 is mired back in 18th place in the point standings while teammate Jolyn Helen Caulfield in her first season of open wheel racing finds herself in last place in the standings having accrued just 5 total points thus far in the season, worse even than Hapiloppers Drake Stevenson.

For Caulfield there will be no redemption as she has been replaced behind the wheel of the of the second VTM Tropicorp Engineering entry by Nepharim driver Kitti Armbruster who will make her debut in the season finale at the Crossbay Circuit.

In terms of the WGP2 Pick 'em Competition there are just five competitors that still have a chance of claiming overall first prize and three of them are celebrity contestants. At the top of the pack is Nikki Kater of Garbage Time fame who has accrued 228 points over the first 9 events and holds a 47 point advantage over the closest challenger the former Vilita National Team Goalkeeper Jaqe Planst. Considering Kater herself holds the top score of a single round in the competition at 46 points, it would seem her 47 point lead in the table will be difficult to eclipse. It is, however, possible for an entry to accrue up to 68 points in a single race meaning that Filindostani WGPC driver Rustom Ibuna is still in contention in third place sixty points behind as well as a pair of Vilita and Turori based users @VilayeBlood and @pegasiifan37.

There is also an interesting battle brewing for last place overall amongst competitors involved in the full season. The last place finisher in the WGP2 Pick 'em Competition will earn a complimentary 1-season subscription to V&T Racer The Magazine in order to help increase their racing knowledge in hopes of a better performance next season. @khakusa91 of Hodori currently occupies the bottom spot on 57 points made all the more impressive by their strong showing in the seasons opening race. Next closest to bottom is @garibouds_officiel of the Ile Saint-Joseph who is just three points ahead. It is likely that one of those two competitors will be walking away with the last-place subscription but should they manage a podium performance at the Crossbay Circuit then the honors could still go to the participant @nsscra4lyfe.

With the WGP2 Season coming to a close it will be back to the drawing board for VTM Tropicorp Engineering who will certainly need to contemplate the future of their second tier racing program as well as the Tropicorp Development amongst open wheel drivers as the once promising Cocoabo #23 appears to have hit a wall in their development after a disappointing WGP2 Season 3 campaign. It comes at a time where Cocoabo are performing strongly in Stock Car Racing with Cocoabo #28 having recently won the Tropicorp 500 NSSCRA event which could see Team Tropicorp and its Cocoabo driver into the stock car racing playoffs for the very first time. Former VTM Tropicorp Driver Jolyn Helen Caufield has already made her way back to the stock Car Racing circuit entering the recent Vilaye Energy Drink Clash event in Lonngeylin while Jama'obo Pegasii is rumored to also be crossing over on a temporary basis to drive the #87 Vilaye Roast Dart in select NSSCRA events once the WGP2 Season comes to a close, with a new found confidence after securing their first ever top tier multiversal motorsports victory.

by **Trans-Dniesters** » Sun May 03, 2020 9:52 am

Elimination-style qualifying. Something about it felt quite familiar to the staff of UrGa Motorsports Division. Oh, yes, of course. It was the very same style of qualification used by the CGPRA in every race of the season. Here in WGP2, not a single race had had an elimination qualifier until the literal last race of the season, which was an honest shock for Vasily Gatutin and the rest of the UrGa engineers. They honestly believed that elimination qualifying would have been a more common thing, simply because everyone in the Coalition was doing it.

On paper, UrGa believed that they would have a very good time with this qualification format. They didn't know about the other teams but UrGa certainly had a lot of experience with this quali type. But experience was only half of the battle. The cars and the drivers had to do their part as well. And in the case of Lane Carter, he was just simply unable to pull his weight in terms of qualifying. P24, last place, absolute rock bottom. This was simply and absolutely unacceptable, even though this was the last race of the season. No, it was unacceptable because it was the last race of the season. This was potentially the last chance for UrGa and its drivers to impress, and so far it appeared that Lane Carter had not taken the opportunity at all.

"Great job, everyone, great job," Gatutin told everyone as the UrGa cars returned to the pits even as he thought that it was anything but. He couldn't tell that to their face at this point though; he still wanted to have a good finish to the season. It was going to have to be a matter of using both the carrot and the stick to motivate everyone to do better.

And there was also the matter of settling driver contracts and figuring out what to do in the next season. If there was going to be a next season. Vasily Gatutin had been thinking about this for a long, long time. In fact, he had already begun planning for the future even before the first race in this season of WGP2 had even started. He'd been looking over race and performance data acquired throughout the season, and he already had a good idea of what he was going to do moving forward. Gatutin also believed himself convinced that he had made a decision regarding the driver situation; namely who to keep and who to let go. But there was still one more race in which UrGa's two drivers could change his mind. Maybe. Nothing was yet set in stone, and Gatutin preferred it that way.

(447 words not including these)

by **Togonistan** » Sun May 03, 2020 11:04 am

Crossbay Circuit, Kaylan Pit Garage
Race Day

Tanielu Felafa had gathered the team around him to give them the final motivational speech before the final race of the season. ''Okay, listen up! This is it! The final race of the season. It has been quite a journey so far. Many bumps on the road... yet, many fantastic moments as well,'' Tanielu took a pause to look at everyone's faces, before continuing, ''Right now, we are 6th in the constructors championship. Right in the middle. Our main goal will be to retain this position. The cap between us and our closest rival UrGa is 3 points. They bottled their qualifying, which means we have an upper hand in this battle. However, we know that their drivers are more than capable of improving on it, thus, we must not let our guard down.''

Tanielu made another brief pause and took a sip from his coffee mug, before carrying on: ''On paper, we might be considered as a factory team. However, it is no secret that we do not have the largest budget in WGP2. We do not have a large amount of experience under our belts. We do not have the greatest facilities for car development. However, there is something we do have, that gives us an advantage amongst other teams.'' Another brief pause from Tanielu, as he looked as his team members faces. ''We are Kaylan! We are badass! Look at the tribunes, see all these light green shirts? We have a great fan army behind our backs, who have been there for us during every race, and continued supporting us! We have a kickass pit crew, one of the greatest and fastest WGP2 has to offer! And last, but not least,'' he looked at Isaia and Barnabas, ''We have two badass drivers, who take the most out of the cars we have provided to them! We have shown great improvement since the last season, and I am truly proud of each and every one of you! We are a team! We act like a team! We work like a team! And we shall go into that final race as a team! We are Kaylan! We have exceeded expectations before, and we can do it now! Let's show the world, why we are here!''

A round of applause was heard in the pit garage, as the team took in their places to make last preparations for the final race. Cars left the garage to take in their spots at the pit lane. Mechanics took their seats behind the monitors and Lead Mechanic Jared cracked open a new can of energy drink.

Crossbay Circuit, Starting Grid
Race Day

Dom Falepeau was sitting in his car, waiting for the lights to go off. He heard his race mechanic talking through the headphones, who went through the strategy and reminded him of the track's specifics. Dom was ready. More ready than he had ever been in his life. So far, he had given everything during the weekend. Starting on pole, he couldn't have asked for more. He knew the chance to still claim the title was only a mathematical possibility and that the odds were far from his favour, but at this point, it didn't bother him too much. His intention was to still fight for it. He knew the team was counting on him, and Bryant Gambal's words before the race had given a lot of positive energy to him. Dom planned to go out there and do his best. Finish this season on a positive note, whether a title win will happen or not. He placed his hands on the wheel as the countdown started. 5...4...3...2...1... Lights off! Dom floored the pedal and took off!

by **Diarcesia** » Sun May 03, 2020 11:30 am

If Sara was accused of harboring any regrets, it might be for fumbling her race at Pryfurium. Just a few more laps in that unassailable position, and she would be sitting at a comfortable margin over Olivia Stone and Abdoulaye Goita in the quest for the driver's championship.

"No regrets for this one", she said to Carmi, taking a long swig of iced tea from her mug. "I just got caught up in the moment."

It was a casual meeting between the drivers and their boss, Winter.

"You two have to race for the team points", he said to them. It was a lofty goal. If Carmi and Sara can be motivated to help the team to a 1-2 finish and grab the opportunities that lie ahead. It was a long shot, but it's worth trying.

"...but whatever happens, I'm immensely proud of you," he concluded.

"For what it's worth", said Sara. "I had financial troubles. The team had pulled out all the stops. They've put out interviews and all that. They wanted to hire a professional driver, and I was selected. I couldn't do it by myself, but you all pitched in and helped bring us to where we are now. Carmi, can you help me in bringing the constructor's championship to Adelphia?"

"Well, I can", said Carmi. There was a tension in his voice as Sara spoke of "doing it by myself". There was a certain glint in his eyes. The way the number one driver spoke it, was it determination? Something big was about to happen.

"I guess I need to be in top shape. I mean, I was just hoping to score a point. Anyway." Carmi was trying to sound casual as he spoke. "Okay, the podium, and the quest for the constructor's championship."

"It has to be", said Sara. "If we had a better qualifying session... If I somehow worked smarter, then maybe we could put up more of a fight."

"No," Carmi replied sternly. "Don't you dare put yourself down in this crucial moment. I should have taken my responsibilities more seriously. I should have encouraged you, and not..." he thought of that time when he lashed out at Sara earlier, "...not shouted you down because of my insecurities!"

He turned to Winter. "You gave me the number one position for a reason, and I will not disappoint you. Not in this last race."

And back to Sara, he continued. "You know Sara, I only now learned a valuable lesson that I would have put to good use before. The past is the past, and we have work to do if we want the championship for our team. After all, the roar of last year's champions is present in our cars' engine bay."

The Race
Sara and Olivia stood side-by-side on the podium on Circuit d'Arès, and now they were also next to each other in starting positions. Here in Crossbay Circuit, the race would reveal which of them had a better meld of woman and machine.

She wondered if she was starting to feel a little of that sensation when racing against her WGP3 rival Aldauren Ginintella.

[458 + 524 words]

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Sun May 03, 2020 2:52 pm

CROSSFIRE AT CROSSBAY: WGP2 III CHAMPIONSHIP OVERVIEW
A Final Race Special by Robert Manleigh

As the clock counts down to the final race of the WGP2 III season at our very own Crossbay Circuit, both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships are on a knife edge: a single point separates the two lead teams with only twelve dividing the top three drivers. With everything to gain and everything to lose, this piece will provide an overview of who’s competing for high honours at the end of this season.

▌3 STO Olivia Stone (NIM, Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing) – Points: 88

Victory Conditions

Winning or taking 2nd with fastest lap;
Taking 2nd without GTA winning with fastest lap;
Taking 3rd with fastest lap without GTA winning;
Taking 3rd without GTA winning or LNA winning with fastest lap;
Taking 4th with fastest lap without GTA winning or LNA winning;
Taking 4th or 5th without GTA taking 2nd or higher or LNA winning;
Taking 6th with fastest lap without GTA taking 3rd or higher or LNA winning;
Taking 6th or 7th or 8th or 9th with fastest lap without GTA taking 3rd or higher or LNA taking 2nd or higher;
Taking 9th without GTA taking 4th with fastest lap or 3rd or higher or LNA taking 2nd or higher;
Taking 10th with fastest lap without GTA taking 3rd or higher or LNA taking 2nd or higher;
Taking 10th without GTA taking 5th with fastest lap or 4th or higher or LNA taking 3rd or higher;
Taking fastest lap without GTA taking 4th or higher or LNA taking 3rd or higher;
Not scoring without GTA taking 5th or higher or LNA taking 3rd or higher or FAL winning with fastest lap.

Observers of Nimban motorsport would perhaps be unsurprised to see Olivia Stone competing for the WGP2 Drivers’ Championship. Blazing though the Nimban Junior Quad Bike Leagues and then steamrolling to victory in the WGPi with three consecutive wins in the final three races, Olivia was quickly onto the international scene; perhaps wary of the slow-moving Nexus Racing junior programme, she pinned her hopes on the Aurun outfit of Schkeska-VSK, making its own entry into WGP2. Those hopes have seemed justified thus far: Stone has taken two race victories and a podium and currently stands as champion-elect. That said, of all her qualities as a driver her reliability is the weakest and, with no points scored in Eastfield Lodge, she cannot take anything for granted. Still, she remains ahead in points and has WGP3 experience of Crossbay Circuit. In those ways, this is her victory to lose.

▌77 GTA Abdoulaye Goita (RCN, SVJ Racing) – Points: 81

Victory Conditions

Winning with fastest lap;
Winning without STO taking 2nd;
Taking 2nd with fastest lap without STO taking 3rd or higher or LNA winning;
Taking 2nd without STO taking 4th with fastest lap or 3rd or higher or LNA winning;
Taking 3rd with fastest lap without STO taking 5th or higher or LNA winning;
Taking 3rd without STO taking 5th or higher or LNA taking 2nd with fastest lap or winning;
Taking 4th with fastest lap without STO taking 7th or higher or LNA taking 2nd or higher;
Taking 4th without STO taking 9th with fastest lap or 8th or higher or LNA taking 3rd with fastest lap or 2nd or higher;
Taking 5th with fastest lap without STO scoring or LNA taking 3rd or higher.

Abdoulaye Goita is perhaps characterised by inner strength above all. Coming from a nation without racing heritage, he got a start in karting but was unable to progress from there. Despite this, his first attempt to race internationally was in WGPC 17 – where his only success was an abortive test drive with Eelandii. Undeterred, he went back to WGP2 and sealed a fateful contract with SVJ Racing that would catapult both towards the top of the standings. Victory in Nekoni put him in the spotlight; since then, his style has become considerably more cautious, granting him consistency rather than the all-or-nothing results of the early part of his campaign that has put him in contention for the drivers’ crown. As a track, Crossbay, with its rain, tunnels and track high above the rolling sea, might well reward that. Goita’s solitary win doesn’t stand him in good stead should he only equal Stone or Luna but if he drives to his best, he shouldn’t need to rely on it.

▌50 LNA Sara Luna (DCS, Adelphia-VMR) – Points: 76

Victory Conditions

Winning with fastest lap without STO taking 2nd;
Winning without STO taking 3rd or higher;
Taking 2nd with fastest lap without STO taking 5th or higher or GTA winning;
Taking 2nd without STO taking 6th with fastest lap or 5th or higher or GTA taking 3rd or higher;
Taking 3rd with fastest lap without STO taking 8th or higher or GTA taking 2nd or higher;
Taking 3rd without STO taking 9th or higher or GTA taking 4th or higher.

Sara Luna is something of an oddity in the WGP2: not born into wealth, significantly older than much of the rest of the competition, more melancholic and considered than her peers and typically focussed on precision and evaluation rather than outright pace. None of this has prevented her from making a success of motorsport, however, making her mark first in WGP3 and then ascending to WGP2 with new team Adelphia-VMR. Thus far, her unique abilities have proven her something of a street circuit specialist, taking wins in Filindostan and at the Circuit d'Arès, though also notable is her third place at Hapilopper’s decidedly unstreet-like Surrey International Raceway. Luna lags slightly behind the other two major title contenders and Crossbay Circuit is perhaps not most suited to her skills; that said, her two victories stand her in good stead should the title fight close up. It would be more than unwise to consider her out of the running.

▌19 FAL Dom Falepeau (TGN, Badai Angin-IGR) – Points: 63

Victory Conditions

Winning with fastest lap without STO scoring or GTA taking 4th or higher or LNA taking 3rd or higher.

Dom Falepeau’s racing career has, ironically enough, started slowly. First a rallycross, then a stock car driver in Togostani national series, he found some success at both Domerton Motorsports and then his mothership team Kaylan Racing – before being unceremoniously booted out in favour of young talent. Finding a home in WGP2, he joined up with MRT’s junior team – which then failed to enter for the current season. Perhaps fittingly, his new campaign at Badai Angin started pointless until Auruna, where he took eighth. He did, however, find more pace since, his consistency and calm earning him a podium in Esmerel and a win in Diarcesia. All of this has put him with the slightest chance of a shot at the Drivers’ Championship, which one would have thought almost impossible until yesterday’s qualifying put him on pole with all of his rivals far down in the midfield. He would need a perfect drive to do it and for his rivals to race poorly themselves – but if anyone can do it, Dom Falepeau can.

▌SVJ Racing (SVJ) – Points: 123

For a relatively recent entrant the WGPO, Savojarna has showed promise with the successes of Sigur Bjarnason in the past two seasons of the WGPC. SVJ Racing’s fortunes have been more mixed; seeking to promote Savojarnan talent and provide a launchpad for a potential WGPC entry, they have so far failed to gain significant enough traction to do either. That might change this season, however; Abdoulaye Goita’s presence has seemingly energised the team and, with Roman Arjenko picking up points here and there, they’ve duelled Viska for the top of the Constructors’ Championship throughout the latter part of the season. For now, SVJ seem to have wrested momentum from the Auruns; whether they can hold onto that into the last race of WGP2 III remains to be seen.

▌Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing (AUR) – Points: 122

Despite having an established motorsport presence in their home nation for years, the union of aerospace manufacturer VSK and automotive company Schkeska didn’t enter international motorsport until this year. Their prior experience, in combination with the relentless energy of their Nimban drivers, has driven them to the top of the WGP2 rankings; they seem set either to win the Constructors’ or to take second in their first season and rumours swirl about a potential advance to the WGPC… Baxen Aurora’s third place in qualifying yesterday, combined with home advantage, gives them a significant chance at the former, while a charge from Olivia Stone could see them take a double crown.

▌Badai Angin-IGR (FID) – Points: 99

Badai Angin have built something of a WGP racing powerhouse by this point. The team’s first outing in WGP2 as Ibuna-Gambal Racing was, to put it mildly, not a success; that quickly changed in WGPC 17, where Badai Angin’s investment and partnership with Solymok Tyres saw Alex Dimitrianov beat both Nexus Racing cars to be ‘best of the rest’ behind the dominant TRÆs. Tasting success, their efforts in WGP2 III have been almost as fruitful; still equipped with what some would argue is the best rubber on the grid, they have propelled Dom Falepeau to an outside chance at a Drivers’ Championship. If he converts his pole today, any slip-up from the two leaders could see the Filindos take an unexpected victory.

▌US Navy (USN) – Points: 94

Since WGPC 15, Nexus Racing have been seen as the benchmark for the bizarre and upstart in world single-seater racing. It was believed that this would be the case in WGP2 III as well. Not so. Seemingly displaced in time, two winged barrels of algae-driven steel rolled off the USS Monitor to join the first test at Willitya. Of all the teams with a chance to win the Constructors’ Championship, they lack a driver in the running; Pegasii and Kowalski seem to have taken the latter and former parts of the season for themselves, leaving them both adrift in the points. That said, the team doing well at Crossbay, and in the season in general, will prove that innovation and diversity remain powerful forces in the WGPO. With Pegasii starting second, that proof is well within reach.

▌Adelphia-VMR (STW) – Points: 82

Adelphia-VMR looked like outsiders from the season’s beginning – a team staffed almost entirely by beings without opposable thumbs did not seem to a good chassis make. Sara Luna disagreed, however, and the established force of Vannish Motors Racing, the former WGP2 champions seemingly regrouping after an underwhelming WGPC 17 campaign, seemingly concurred enough to offer them an engine supply deal. That and Sara Luna’s skill have served them well; sadly, however, despite the resolution of apparent friction between the two drivers, her Strayquestrian teammate Carmichael Fire has underperformed, leaving him at the back of the field and his team only with an outside chance of Constructors’ victory. Still, this is motorsport. Anything can happen.

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Sun May 03, 2020 3:35 pm

Lecture Hall, Hospitality Village, Crossbay Circuit, Nimbus Bay, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System
1st of May

“Ultimately, the central characteristic of competing in World Grand Prix racing is that you can’t stand still.”

Gertrude Thompson walks along the edge of the stage, a great projection reading ‘Conclusion’ behind her. The rows of seats ahead tower above the stage – yet the audience sits, intent. Gertrude is at ease here now, far from the first time she spoke on this stage two years previously; she gazes up at the gathering, assured smile on her open face.

“Everything you do,” she unfurls, “everything that everyone does, has to do something to make the car faster on track – whether that’s working on a new part to reduce friction in the wheels, or improving the simulator’s software to help drivers prepare for the next track, or making the canteen meals just that a little healthier or tastier or more personalised to raise morale and help everyone else work better!” Her intonation lifts a little at that last part; her audience sits up a little more, some nod a touch – laughter sparks in a few places. “You can’t just let something or someone go by the wayside, or another team’s going to put effort into that and make gains where you aren’t.”

“Sometimes,” she continues, the words flowing easily, “that means doing everything you’re doing a little better – iterating, not innovating. That has its place – it’s safe and it normally gets decent results. And sometimes that does mean innovating. We tend to do more of that.” Genuine laughter; Gertrude grins. “And that means we can lose ground sometimes! Innovating isn’t safe and sometimes you have to be prepared to walk back progress, which is why being resilient is so crucial – but do enough of it and you’ll unlock potential that you didn’t even know was there. That’s where iteration comes in again.”

“And the same’s true with people.” Gertrude slips into a slouch, hands falling behind her back. “Sometimes, people need to just do what they do – keep on practicing, learning from those around them, honing their talents and getting better so they can do better things for the team. And sometimes,” she breathes, “their talents mean that they’ll do well somewhere else, can help the team better somewhere else. It’s hard to work out when that is – one of the things that a leader needs to be able to do and, ideally, that everyone else should be thinking about as well. I’m certainly not a master at it yet.” She gazes up. “But I can get better, as can everyone else. Success is, fundamentally, a process, and not a continuous one. It requires time, focus and strength of will – but its rewards are worth it. ‘Be not afraid to follow the winding paths across the mountainside, for they often have the best views.’”

Gertrude smiles wryly. “Mardolf did know a thing or two. Thank you all for coming.”

by **Recuecn** » Sun May 03, 2020 3:54 pm

Here it was, the moment that the whole season, and indeed Abdoulaye’s whole life had been building toward: the WGP2 finale. One race would decide the title, and Abdoulaye knew it had always been meant to be that way.

The WGP2 would never feel quite like the WGPC; its second-tier status prohibited that. The power limit, which had always been a thing, plus now the new budgetary restraints this season, combined to mean that there could never be quite the amount of sheer collective effort and will as the world championship itself displayed. The WGPC showcased the best in humankind: bravery, daring, ingenuity, engineering, technology, meteorology, chemistry, architecture, data analysis, physics, even biology. The best of the best competed with no holds barred.

In the WGP2, there were limits to what one could accomplish. Engines were only allowed to produce so much power. The new budget rules limited practice time, and thus data collection. There was less prestige all around. Yet Abdoulaye wouldn’t have traded away his WGP2 season for anything. There was one area where the WGP2 surpassed the WGPC, and Abdoulaye wouldn’t have it any other way: it was more competitive.

The names in the WGPC had a certain weight to them—a weight that Abdoulaye wanted for himself one day. Names like Franssen, Toralmintii, and Lane would take a career to catch. But if Talvela could run away with the title weeks before the season ended, that took the wind out of the season just as it ought to be reaching its climax. The joy of the sport itself in its purest form was still there, but with nothing left to race for, the excitement was missing. At the end of the last WGPC season, Abdoulaye had been a bit disenchanted with the sport—he’d failed to find a ride, and then the season itself essentially ended early.

But here in the WGP2, everything was different. Abdoulaye was good at not getting ahead of himself, but he’d still hoped after his strong start to the season that he could have been the WGP2’s Talvelo. The way things had turned out was so much more enthralling. He’d gradually started to fall back, but then, just as he was all but eliminated from contention, he’d made a comeback.

Now, here he was, standing awkwardly next to his car on the grid with his heart pounding, surrounded by his closest rivals. Two cars ahead of him, his own teammate. To Arjenko’s left, Luna, and right behind her, Rod Gozum. Stone, still ahead of him, now the only one ahead of him—embodying to him in this moment just the seven points he needed to surpass for glory—was parked exactly between Roman and Abdoulaye, next to Gozum.

Abdoulaye looked at her tailfins with a strange feeling. It wasn’t hate—no, he obviously didn’t hate her, she was just another driver like him—but he felt an intensity he didn’t quite know where to place. And mixed with that, apprehension... His thoughts were interrupted as Krister came up to him.

“How’s it going, Abdoulaye? Ready to become a champion?” Krister’s cheerful tone was like laughter at a funeral. Only Markko’s arrival rescued Abdoulaye from the pep talk. Krister was wonderful and Abdoulaye liked and respected him, but there are moments in one's life where a pep talk from one’s boss is the last thing one needs.

Krister and Markko held their brief war conference before the former returned to the pits and Markko came to take his turn speaking to Abdoulaye.

“The boss wants you to look for a slow climb, get the most out of your tires. One-stop.”

“Right.” They had discussed this before. Abdoulaye had made it clear to Markko how he felt.

“Now Abs—”

“I mean you know what I think. The tires are good, we should use them. All season my strength has been a quick climb through traffic, not anything slow.”

Markko’s arms were crossed.

“Yeah, I know. I’ll follow the plan. You guys know what’s best.” That was true. Abdoulaye hadn’t been particularly reliable, hot in some races and cold in others. Krister had the data to know the best strategy.

“All right. Good luck, you got this.” Markko departed with a last slap of Abdoulaye’s shoulder, leaving him staring at Stone’s tailfins again. He swallowed nervously, and stepped towards them.

...

“Hey, Olivia.”

She looked at him, surprised. They’d never actually spoken.

He offered a handshake. “Good luck. You deserve this more than anyone else.”

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Sun May 03, 2020 3:59 pm

Olivia looks at the hand for a moment. Her lip quirks up.

“Thanks – you too. Do all you can out there.”

She turns to go, then looks back. “Oh, and Abdoulaye?”

“See you in WGPC, okay?”

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Sun May 03, 2020 4:00 pm

WEEK 12
Crossbay Circuit, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System

Conditions:			Rainy
Laps:				38
Event:				Nimban Deuxième Prix
Safety Car Deployed on Laps:	6, 7, 8, 20, 21, 22
Cars on Grid:			24

Start  		After 9 Laps  		After 19 Laps  		After 28 Laps
 1 ▍FAL		 1 ▍CRT +0      		 1 ▍PEG +0      		 1 ▍LAU +0
 2 ▍PEG		 2 ▍FIR +1.411  		 2 ▍STE +28.132		 2 ▍GTA +9.146
 3 ▍AUR		 3 ▍BAK +6.832  		 3 ▍AKS +31.03  		 3 ▍STE +10.835
 4 ▍FAN		 4 ▍PEG +8.181  		 4 ▍STO +31.228		 4 ▍STO +11.185
 5 ▍LAU		 5 ▍AKS +10.171		 5 ▍CRT +31.522		 5 ▍C23 +11.704
 6 ▍STE		 6 ▍ARC +10.539		 6 ▍FIR +37.394		 6 ▍FIR +13.495
 7 ▍C23		 7 ▍NER +11.421		 7 ▍LNA +37.782		 7 ▍CRT +23.886
 8 ▍MAT		 8 ▍GOZ +12.843		 8 ▍C23 +37.873		 8 ▍LNA +24.019
 9 ▍WES		 9 ▍ARJ +14.58  		 9 ▍ARC +38.493		 9 ▍LGM +24.503
10 ▍ARJ		10 ▍STO +14.954		10 ▍GOZ +39.092		10 ▍ARC +24.949
11 ▍LNA		11 ▍LNA +15.015		11 ▍AUR +45.29  		11 ▍AUR +25.254
12 ▍STO		12 ▍STE +15.996		12 ▍MTV +53.112		12 ▍FAN +29.891
13 ▍GOZ		13 ▍LAU +17.977		13 ▍LAU +53.562		13 ▍ARB +30.347
14 ▍GTA		14 ▍LGM +18.076		14 ▍ARB +61.531		14 ▍PEG +38.02
15 ▍LYN		15 ▍MTV +18.484		15 ▍NER +67.849		15 ▍MTV +40.614
16 ▍AKS		16 ▍ARB +18.825		16 ▍GTA +68.022		16 ▍GOZ +41.775
17 ▍ARC		17 ▍GTA +19.856		17 ▍LGM +68.357		17 ▍LYN +43.378
18 ▍NER		18 ▍C23 +22.008		18 ▍BAK +70.644		18 ▍ARJ +45.045
19 ▍MTV		19 ▍LYN +23.421		19 ▍FAN +72.294		19 ▍BAK +46.086
20 ▍FIR		20 ▍FAN +27.771		20 ▍LYN +81.26  		20 ▍NER +53.413
21 ▍ARB		21 ▍AUR +28.136		21 ▍ARJ +84.804		21 ▍AKS +78.598
22 ▍BAK		22 ▍FAL +29.093  	                                        	
23 ▍LGM	                                        	                                        	
24 ▍CRT

Pos  # DRV Name				Team				Time		Pts
  1  8 ARC William Archer		▍Bitten Heroes Academy		01:30:42.969	25
  2 77 GTA Abdoulaye Goita		▍SVJ Racing			00:00:06.265	18
  3 50 LNA Sara Luna			▍Adelphia-VMR			00:00:15.177	14
  4 23 C23 Cocoabo #23			▍VTM Tropicorp Engineering	00:00:16.819	10
  5 17 LAU Janne Laukkanen		▍Nexus Racing			00:00:20.796	8
  6 69 FIR Carmichael Fire		▍Adelphia-VMR			00:00:20.973	6
  7 11 CRT Lane Carter			▍UrGa Motorsports Division	00:00:23.250	4
  8 73 LGM Lorcan Greanaya-Matthewson	▍Polestar Racing  		00:00:26.376	3
  9 81 STE Drake Stevenson		▍Nexus Racing			00:00:44.677	2
 10 44 GOZ Rod Gozum			▍Badai Angin-IGR  		00:00:49.465	1
 11 97 BAK Edward Baker			▍SinVal Racing			00:00:49.947	
 12 85 AUR Baxen Aurora			▍Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing	00:00:53.362	
 13  3 STO Olivia Stone			▍Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing	00:00:56.429	Fastest Lap Bonus Point! (1.55.412)
 14 49 NER Mika Neretti			▍Polestar Racing  		00:01:00.244	
 15 75 ARJ Roman Arjenko		▍SVJ Racing			00:01:00.281	
 16 18 FAN Isaia Fanene			▍Kaylan Racing Team        	00:01:05.129	
 17 76 AKS Adriana Kowalski		▍US Navy  			00:01:06.118	
 18 33 LYN Laurencia Lynds		▍SinVal Racing			00:01:17.670	
 19 21 MTV Taras Matviyenko		▍UrGa Motorsports Division	00:01:20.731	
 20 37 PEG Jama'obo Pegasii		▍US Navy  			00:01:23.519	
DNF 41 ARB Kitti Armbruster		▍VTM Tropicorp Engineering	Ret. lap 32
DNF 19 FAL Dom Falepeau			▍Badai Angin-IGR  		Ret. lap 19	
DNF 72 MAT Barnabas Mate		▍Kaylan Racing Team        	Ret. lap 5
DNF  7 WES Lourdina Westgrens		▍Bitten Heroes Academy		Ret. lap 3

Pos # DRV Name				 Team                          Tyres           Pts
 1 77 GTA Abdoulaye Goita                SVJ Racing                    Solymok         99 WGP2 Drivers’ Champion
 2 50 LNA Sara Luna                      Adelphia-VMR                  Phoenician      90
 3  3 STO Olivia Stone                   Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing     In Motion       89
 4 19 FAL Dom Falepeau                   Badai Angin-IGR               Solymok         63
 5 37 PEG Jama'obo Pegasii               US Navy                       Tropicorp       59
 6  8 ARC William Archer                 Bitten Heroes Academy         Stellenbosch    47
 7 75 ARJ Roman Arjenko                  SVJ Racing                    Solymok         42
 8 21 MTV Taras Matviyenko               UrGa Motorsports Division     Tropicorp       37 (2nds: 2)
 8 44 GOZ Rod Gozum                      Badai Angin-IGR               Solymok         37 (2nds: 1)
10 72 MAT Barnabas Mate                  Kaylan Racing Team            Solymok         36
11 97 BAK Edward Baker                   SinVal Racing                 Tropicorp       35 (5ths: 1)
11 76 AKS Adriana Kowalski               US Navy                       Tropicorp       35 (5ths: 0)
13 85 AUR Baxen Aurora                   Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing     In Motion       34
14 18 FAN Isaia Fanene                   Kaylan Racing Team            Solymok         32 (3rds: 1)
14 11 CRT Lane Carter                    UrGa Motorsports Division     Tropicorp       32 (3rds: 0)
16 23 C23 Cocoabo #23                    VTM Tropicorp Engineering     Tropicorp       30
17 17 LAU Janne Laukkanen                Nexus Racing                  In Motion       29
18  7 WES Lourdina Westgrens             Bitten Heroes Academy         Stellenbosch    21
19 81 STE Drake Stevenson                Nexus Racing                  In Motion       17
20 33 LYN Laurencia Lynds                SinVal Racing                 Tropicorp       14 (3rds: 1)
20 73 LGM Lorcan Greanaya-Matthewson     Polestar Racing               Cypress G2      14 (3rds: 0)
22 69 FIR Carmichael Fire                Adelphia-VMR                  Phoenician      12
23 49 NER Mika Neretti                   Polestar Racing               Cypress G2      11
24 40 JHC Jolyn Caulfield                VTM Tropicorp Engineering     Tropicorp       5
25 41 ARB Kitti Armbruster               VTM Tropicorp Engineering     Tropicorp       0

Pos NAT Team				Tyres          Pts
  1 SVJ ▍SVJ Racing			Solymok        141 WGP2 Constructors’ Champions
  2 AUR ▍Schkeska-VSK Viska Racing	In Motion      123
  3 STW ▍Adelphia-VMR			Phoenician     102
  4 FID ▍Badai Angin-IGR  		Solymok        100
  5 SHW ▍US Navy  			Tropicorp      94
  6 PDN ▍UrGa Motorsports Division	Tropicorp      69
  7 LIS ▍Bitten Heroes Academy		Stellenbosch   68 (1sts: 1)
  8 TGN ▍Kaylan Racing Team		Solymok        68 (1sts: 0)
  9 EFL ▍SinVal Racing			Tropicorp      49
 10 NIM ▍Nexus Racing			In Motion      46
 11 V&T ▍VTM Tropicorp Engineering	Tropicorp      35
 12 NEK ▍Polestar Racing  		Cypress G2     25

WGP2 Season III [Roleplay Thread]

Post 10 - Week 11.

Lane Carter: The Forgotten Galarian... (pt17-2)

Lane Carter: The Forgotten Galarian... (pt18-1)

WGP2 Pickem - Round 9 & Season End Preview

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