World Stage Rally Championship | RP Thread

by **Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland** » Sun Jul 11, 2021 4:31 am

Der Nordschutzenphalenglaubreiterfluchtschlamterkrötische Flümederthelweiderverlautzällegerwißmeinschlaftsörbschlimmelbeobachter.

Erkuns-Hohnschich-Furzeine-Motospiel will be returning to its rally roots in the upcoming WSRC season. Prior to last season’s venture into the WGP2 championship, EHF had exclusively had a rally focus, reflecting the greater popularity of the discipline over open wheel racing in the United Iron Principality. A former participant in the Nordic Rally Championship and the most successful team in the annual Schutzenphalian Rally Tour, EHF will nonetheless be competing for the first team at the full international in the upcoming season.

“We’re excited by the possibilities,” said team principal Annika Hundertwasser. “The WGP2 was a learning experience for us all, but I’m not at all disappointed with what we accomplished.” EHF used a revolving slate of drivers and notably did not sign the only Schutzenphalian driver in WGP2. Hundertwasser said she “would not be surprised” if the team signs foreign drivers for the upcoming rally championship. “We want drivers who are compatible with our team and provide complimentary skills,” said Hundertwasser. “Nationality isn’t a big part of the consideration.”

EHF has been boosted by a sponsorship with Schutzenphalian banking giant Überbankenkraftzeitschutzenphalen. Asked for comment, ÜBS spokesman Hannes Merkatz said “we will always honour client privacy and are not willing to comment on reports linking us to sanction-busting or non-compliance with audit regulations relating to transfers of arms, conflict minerals, and 10-inch ribbed… Oh, the motorsports thing? Yes, very commendable stuff, we’re excited to partner with EHF, a team we believe reflect our values of diversity, inclusion, equality, and being the moneyman for oppressive Islamist petrostates if they pay us enough”.

by **Filindostan** » Sun Jul 11, 2021 11:03 am

WSRC: A Filindo team to enter international rally stage
by TGF Staff

TAPIA - In a virtual launch event made by former WGPC team principal Rudolf Ibuna, the Anitun Tabu Multiversal Rally Team has announced their intention to participate in the inaugural World Stage Rally Championship. It has been confirmed by the new team principal that they have signed Franklin Egar and Tyra Tabuso to driver and co-drive respectively one of the cars and intend to participate in the Ælund Rallisport Invitational Rallysprint with Egar as their driver.

For the other driver spot, multiple sources have pointed out that Ibuna has offered a race seat to Abanhfleft's Trevon Gallegos. Ibuna has not been in the media spotlight after being relieved of duties as team principal of Badai Angin Tim Motorsport's WGPC operation, and it was rumored that he took Bryant Gambal and Werner Ragos along with him to Tapia, where Sangtian-aligned insurgents have taken control of the entire Kabunuklan Island.

This is the first foray of any Filindo team in the World Rally stage, as the Badai Angin Tim Motorsport planned a rally operation in the Hodoran Rally Championship, but pursued an expansion to Hodoran GT Championship instead.

by **Mertagne** » Sun Jul 11, 2021 11:17 am

Currently unsigned drivers recieve the following alongside a glossy press pack of bright pink cars careening around dirty marshes...

WYSIWYG-Staunch WRT is looking for you!

Hi, I'm Howitt Staunch. You might know me from the engine and fan system of your hovercraft. If you don't own a hovercraft, I've got to say, you're missing out! Just like I'm missing out on competent drivers. I've managed to wrangle one, in the way of Roberta Fipps, but she'll need someone to bounce off of and keep her sane if we're to score points. That's hopefully where you come in. I want to invite you to a factory tour of our outfit over in Dannmarsh - to drive the brand new car, get it dirty, break it, and make my folks fix it again. Just fill in the form included in this very press pack, and my people will get in touch with your people! (Or you, if you don't have people.)

Good luck out there,

Howitt Staunch
WYSIWYG-STAUNCH WRT

by **Bollonischian Maribaya** » Sun Jul 11, 2021 8:01 pm

Maribaya Times

Bernát Van Asch to take part in the Ælund Rallisport Invitational Rallysprint ahead of the WSRC season
Billionaire, Van Asch has often shown his love for motorsports and in a nation like Maribaya where motorsports don’t have a rich history, an influential person like him taking part in the WSRC will result in an increased interest in the sport and also can see a huge rise in participants in the motor sporting sector of Maribaya.
Ahead of the inagaural World Stage Rally Championship season, Van Asch has confirmed his participation in the Ælund Rallisport Invitational Rally as a tryout and as a chance for him to get spotted by teams and potentially get signed.

by **Aboveland** » Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:47 pm

Nurmikenttälampi Camping Ground
Iskajärvi, Aboveland

Konrad takes one final puff of his cigar before smothering it against the small pile of ash collected on the plastic plate beside him. A thin sliver of light is perched below his eyes, the late noon sun peeking through the Persian blinds. He peeks out through the slats at the drivers gathered around the service tents, watching how Marko scrolls past each of them—right now moving from Augustine Lorenzo to An'ue Shudakei— with his tablet in hand, making sure he'd jotted down the correct setup changes for each of them. Konrad nods, then lets out a soft chuckle, before heaving himself onto his feet, brushing the ash off his polo shirt, and carefully opening the door so as to not make himself immediately visible.

He crosses paths with the buzzing service tents of the visiting teams, those of Rick Sutcliffe RP, ENSADRINK-Tarogama Mazaregi, and Anitun Tabu, before reaching the Ælund Rallisport sector prepared specifically for the unsigned hopefuls. He takes a deep breath, shoots a wink and a thumbs-up at a Marko who’s concluding his previous task, and takes the center stage before the sixteen free agents—drivers and co-drivers—eager to get on with the event.

Konrad had already introduced himself in the morning, before the recce of the two stages was about to begin. All he does is greet the drivers again after having disappeared for lunch, and then he runs through the format of the event one more time. His explanation is met with nods from the drivers and the visiting teams’ directors.

Content, Konrad does a quick clap, together with the slightest of jumps. “Let’s get this started, then!” he shrieks joyfully. “This race won’t start itself!” The drivers swiftly make their way over to the Hodori Group A-spec Iskabil Kokko XB4-As to decide who gets to go for shakedown first. Immediately, the team principal realizes he could have had Axel race against the free agents in the new car, too...

Pre-Season Invitational

Conditions:			Dry
Expected Average SS Time:	00:03:49.600
Nation:         		ABL

Drivers run through the two stages at racing speed once to decide the starting order for the rallysprint.

POS # ▍DRIVER			TIME		GAP TO LEADER
1 18 ▍Franklin Egar		3:55.790	+0:00.000
2 23 ▍Naomi Keretene		3:57.284	+0:01.496
3  9 ▍Rick Sutcliffe		4:00.088	+0:04.300
4 50 ▍Sara Luna			4:02.922	+0:07.132
5  3 ▍Marisa Inyuseo		4:03.448	+0:07.658
6  5 ▍Shuzhen Zhu		4:05.394	+0:09.604
7 14 ▍Bastian Alcaraz		4:07.348	+0:11.558
8 81 ▍Bernát Van Asch		4:07.606	+0:11.816
9 71 ▍An'ue Shuadakei		4:09.234	+0:13.444
10 16 ▍Augustine Lorenzo	4:14.466	+0:18.676
11 68 ▍Sakke Pajari		4:15.408	+0:19.618

Conditions:      	Dry	
Stages:              	4	
Nation:         	ABL	
Leg:        	 	N/A (rallysprint)	
Rally:        	 	Ælund Rallisport Invitational Rallysprint	
No stages were cancelled on safety grounds
Starters:	 	11
Finishers:	 	11

Starting Order    After SS1           After SS2                After SS3      						
 1 ▍EGA       	 1 ▍KER +0           	 1 ▍KER +0           	 1 ▍KER +0           
 2 ▍KER       	 2 ▍EGA +1.832       	 2 ▍EGA +2.154       	 2 ▍EGA +3.088       
 3 ▍SUT       	 3 ▍LNA +3.413       	 3 ▍LNA +2.898       	 3 ▍LNA +4.043       
 4 ▍LNA       	 4 ▍INY +5.427       	 4 ▍ZHU +4.105       	 4 ▍ZHU +5.087       
 5 ▍INY       	 5 ▍ZHU +5.714       	 5 ▍INY +4.63        	 5 ▍INY +5.42        
 6 ▍ZHU       	 6 ▍SUT +5.914       	 6 ▍VAN +5.486       	 6 ▍VAN +5.491       
 7 ▍ALC       	 7 ▍VAN +5.982       	 7 ▍ALC +7.015       	 7 ▍ASY +8.194       
 8 ▍VAN       	 8 ▍ALC +7.586       	 8 ▍SUT +7.786       	 8 ▍ALC +8.452       
 9 ▍ASY       	 9 ▍AUG +9.284       	 9 ▍ASY +8.185       	 9 ▍AUG +9.706       
10 ▍AUG       	10 ▍ASY +9.678       	10 ▍AUG +8.669       	10 ▍SUT +10.146      
11 ▍PAJ       	11 ▍PAJ +10.857      	11 ▍PAJ +9.509       	11 ▍PAJ +11.663

POS  # ▍DRV Name                       Team/Car                    	 Time      			
  1 23 ▍KER Naomi Keretene             Iskabil Kokko XB4-A        	09:21.132			
  2 18 ▍EGA Franklin Egar              Anitun Tabu MRT            	+0:03.205		
  3 81 ▍VAN Bernát Van Asch            Iskabil Kokko XB4-A        	+0:05.468		
  4  5 ▍ZHU Shuzhen Zhu                Iskabil Kokko XB4-A        	+0:05.589		
  5 50 ▍LNA Sara Luna                  Iskabil Kokko XB4-A        	+0:05.694		
  6  3 ▍INY Marisa Inyuseo             ENSADRINK-Tarogama         	+0:07.240			
  7 71 ▍ASY An'ue Shuadakei            Iskabil Kokko XB4-A        	+0:08.190			
  8 14 ▍ALC Bastian Alcaraz            Iskabil Kokko XB4-A        	+0:09.397			
  9  9 ▍SUT Rick Sutcliffe             Rick Sutcliffe RP          	+00:10.010			
 10 16 ▍AUG Augustine Lorenzo          Iskabil Kokko XB4-A        	+00:10.010			
 11 68 ▍PAJ Sakke Pajari               Iskabil Kokko XB4-A        	+00:12.012

by **The Sherpa Empire** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 12:00 am

Shuzhen Zhu had mixed feelings as the results were tabulated and announced at Nurmikenttälampi Camping Ground. She'd driven competently, which was good, but a couple of other drivers had beaten her out, which meant she probably still did not have a ride. She had met a few people and shook a few hands with people from various teams, but she didn't know if anything would come of it. She'd done her best to be sociable, but she didn't really know how she came across. It was hard to judge, especially when you were dealing with people from other cultures and you were not speaking your own language.

She returned to her lodgings and sat down for a rest. The brightly colored press pack from YSIWYG-Staunch WRT was lying on top of her duffel bag, the bright pink cars sticking out against the cooler color palette of Zhu's own belongings. (Zhu liked the color blue.) She picked up the packet and glanced at it. It looked like it had been made by someone who shared her love for driving over rough dirt and mud at obnoxiously high speeds. She had no clue what Howitt Staunch was babbling about with the hovercraft stuff, but it didn't hurt to fill out the form and see if it went anywhere.

"Do you have a pen?" she asked Namkha.

Namkha glanced around and patted down his pockets, then concluded, "Uh...no."

Zhu rummaged through her own stuff.

After a few minutes of searching, she found a pen and filled out the form. She thought her handwriting looked awkward because she wasn't used to the shapes of the Latin alphabet. It brought back memories of being a little girl in second grade, learning the alphabets for the first time, and writing in shaky letters on big lined paper. She wrote as neatly as she could and hoped it at least looked passable.

She returned the form to WYSIWYG-Staunch WRT and hoped for the best.

by **Aboveland** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:18 am

Nurmikenttälampi Camping Ground
Iskajärvi, Aboveland

The Kokko clunks as Sakke pulls the gear lever, holds the brake, then yanks the handbrake to start the launch control sequence.

Sanna slaps her legs with her pacenotes and looks out the side window at the statgeside clock.

"Three, two, one... go!"

The Kokko, starting last on the road, digs into the ruts left by the competitors. The road has deteriorated significantly since the first runners had passed.

"Flat left, opens, 30," Sanna reads, her voice clear and strong. Sakke gulps, desperately trying to keep the car steady over the ruts.

"Keep left into braking, square right, 30, into flat three right maybe."

The young Abovian brakes hard, pumping the pedal to keep the tyres from locking up and feathering the clutch to save the engine from stalling. His mouth ajar, his eyes bulging, he pulls the handbrake and snakes the Kokko round the square right, and presses on to the incoming right hander. The 'flat three, maybe' pacenote is a little optimistic, but the rough ruts on the inside hook the car back towards the road.

"Two-hundred." Sanna clears her throat. "Come on Sakke, keep it clean—flat six left, two-fifty."

The Kokko flies past the left hander. Sakke dabs the wheel to the right to countersteer just enough to keep the car in line. A small smirk evolves on his face. He's in his element.

"Caution, sharp hairpin right, into flat three left narrows, neat."

Sakke's heart skips a beat. He's slightly lost in the notes—hardly a surprise for a rallysprint graduate—but he tries braking hard for the hairpin and overshoots. To avoid going straight off, he pulls the handbrake near the apex, sliding sideways off the road into a bank. He loses little time in getting back on track, downshifting to first and gunning the throttle, but he's losing time already. The Kokko whines as it digs through the ruts, and bites the ditch at the outside of the left hander with its rear wheels. Sakke clicks his tongue in frustration.

"Easy," assures Sanna. "Focus. Seventy over bumps, and square right plus, thirty."

The third sharp corner of the rally, and Sami navigates it smoothly. Sanna agrees. "Square left, thirty, into three right bumpy, narrows, one-fifty. That's it!"

Sakke enters the final stretch of the first stage past the three right, where the stage gets narrower, bumpier, and rougher. The incoming corners aren't sharp—"Into caution, six right flat maybe, keep mid, and six right, into six left minus dip and braking, six right, for open hairpin left over crest, dip,"—but they're treacherous, as the trees close in on the sides of the road and the ruts grow in depth. The image, for a moment, frightens Sakke. As he manhandles the car into the first six right, submerging himself into the trees, the ruts catch the front wheels and send the rear flying sideways. He frantically slaps at the wheel to keep the car steady; the suspension is advanced enough to steady up without breaking a sweat, but Sakke's already flummoxed.

Into the six left, and he taps the brakes to straighten the car up a little more. He loses a few fractions of a second with that tap of the left pedal, but it's a necessary evil to calm his nerves. He takes the downhill six left flat and steady, before braking hard for the open hairpin. He turns away from the sharp corner, slowing down sideways with his foot applying pressure on the brake, before releasing the pedal and giving the throttle a tap as he throws the car left. The ruts, instead of hampering his turn, ease his task, and he shoots away from the hairpin smoothly and in style. A satisfying, perfectly executed Scandinavian flick. He grins.

Yet the road gets bumpier and even more rutted over the final few corners, a slight left into a two right plus and a square right—maybe—before snaking down out of the forest onto the asphalt. Sakke holds onto the wheel dearly over the rough terrain near the end of the stage, but the choppiness of the road makes him miss yet another braking point. As he slides left out of the forest, he clobbers a tree with the rear left corner of the car, knocking out the tail-light and a chunk of rear wing. The car settles over the tarmac as he speeds over the finish, and once the timed section is done, the young Abovian lets out a heavy sigh.

As they approach the time control, the scratch board tells the whole story. Dead last.

"Easy, Sakke," mutters Sanna, mellow. "We have three runs left. We just need to work on a few places."

He hums a hardly convincing "mm-hm", holding back the knot in his throat and the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

Once the drivers have been sent away back to their hotels—some choosing to pack their bags and return home, others deciding to stay, and a select few awaiting their team's decision whether to fly straight to Brukkifordet before the opening round in under a week—Konrad and Marko meet together on one of the plastic tables set out beside their service tents. They remain quiet for a few moments, as the midsummer breeze wafts a mellow windchill over their faces. The ruffle of the pines mimics the sound of the ocean; the chirps of the birds and coos of the owls season the soundscape.

Marko is the first to break the silence, though he does so without disrupting the peace. "That was a good run," he says blankly, and rather vaguely.

"A total success," smiles Konrad. "Good to see all these fresh faces." Marko nods back.

"But I guess we have a decision to make," he says. It's an obvious statement to make; it's the only reason they haven't gone back home themselves.

Konrad sighs. "A difficult choice, for sure..." He leans back in his plastic chair, which creaks. "To be honest, I had hoped for better from Pajari... Poor lad didn't do so hot."

"I've heard Sakke Pajari has approached HMG Rally, EHF-Motospiel and ENSADRINK-Tarogama Mazaregi in seeking a seat. Not quite sure how that'll go for him, but we don't have to bear the burden of feeling obligated to sign the Abovian, at least."

The team principal nods, then rubs his face with both his hands. "Fair. Luck be to him." He turns from facing the sky to leaning on the table to face Marko. "You know, I already have my shortlist."

Marko frowns. "Okay, go ahead."

"I'd send offers to Naomi Keretene and An'ue Shuadakei—for very different reasons."

Marko's lips curl in on themselves. "Kon..." He sighs—after all, he doesn't have much brighter ideas himself. "I was thinking of giving Pedro Aguiar a chance... but he was a no-show. It'd be too much of a shot in the dark, I feel."

"Keep him as backup," swats Konrad. "But these two... they're both special." He coughs wheezily a couple of times, then clears his throat. "I thought Keretene looked like a rich girl, to put it bluntly—"

"—she is," interjects Marko.

"Yes, yes... but she has pace. A lot of it. Very impressive."

"And money."

Konrad nods, with concern more than with pleasure. Pay driver, in his lexicon, is a bad word... but Keretene might just be the person to redeem the concept in his eyes.

"So we can take her and her backing, which would do us well... or we could stretch for Shuadakei."

Marko nods emphatically. "I'd go for the Hodoran. With her dad by her side, she's got some invaluable experience."

Konrad hums. "And she's a professional, not playing around."

The sporting director agrees and leans in closer to his boss, who crouches over his legs and perches his elbows on his knees. The two stare blankly at the ground, their fields of view parallel but in opposite directions.

"Okay," cuts Konrad, slapping his things and sitting up in his chair. "Keretene and Shuadakei. If they both reply, we'll follow through with them on the details of the contract. If not, whoever accepts is our driver, then."

Marko nods, and cracks a rare smile. "Sounds like a plan." A falcon screeches in the distance.

by **Togonistan** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 3:01 pm

Ælund Rallisport Invitational Rallysprint
Iskajärvi, Aboveland

Few days after Naomi's initial meeting with Heriko, the two had boarded a plane to Aboveland for the pre-season rallysprint event hosted by Ælund. Marcus had come to the airport with them to give the last hugs to his daughter, before the latter walked through the gates to board her flight. Following a long flight, Naomi and Heriko finally landed in one of Aboveland's international airports, from where a rental car had taken them to Iskajärvi. Tagging along with them was also Carmen, Naomi's agent, who had come with them to help organize things and make sure they would get where they needed to be, when they needed to be.

With the trio eventually making it to Iskajärvi, they walked through the entrance to rally park, where security checked their documents before showing them the way to Ælund Rallisport area. Naomi looked around as they walked past the various team tents that were set up and couldn't help but be somewhat amazed by the atmosphere. Suddenly, she felt her heart beating in her chest. Realization had just kicked in. This wasn't her average weekend at the Togonistani countryside anymore, she was suddenly surrounded by teams and drivers doing it professionally. What had she gotten herself into?

However, Naomi soon got over her initial panic attack as things started to roll out relatively quickly. First a meeting with Konrad, then grabbing a bite to eat, a quick wardrobe change and they were ready for the shakedown. Wearing white racing suits with EchoCoin sponsorship on them, a special order made for Naomi and Heriko, the two listened to Konrad's format introduction. From the corner of her eye, a white-haired woman standing next to her caught her attention. Naomi turned her head and started staring at her. The woman seemed eerily familiar to her, but it took a moment before the realization kicked in. It was Sara Luna, the WGPC driver. Naomi had seen her on TV multiple times. For a second, their eyes met and Naomi saw Sara smiling at her with a quick nod. Naomi smiled back awkwardly, before turning her attention to Konrad again.

Done with the briefing, they waited for their turn before eventually taking their seats in the Iskabil Kokko XB4-A. Naomi felt her hands shaking as she held the steering wheel. There she was, in a car she had never driven before, on a road she had never been to before. Right now, her only comfort was the fact that she and Heriko had spent hours on plane making the stage legend and going over the stage map. The flag was waved and Naomi took off. Driving through the stage, she was listening to Heriko's instructions: ''Flat left, opens, 30, keep left...''

Once the test runs and shakedown was done, Naomi and Heriko took a moment to go over their stage legend again. ''You know, that second square, I think we can cut that,'' Naomi said to Heriko.

''Cut it? You want to end up on the field?'' Heriko asked, raising his eyebrows.

''No, I want to drive through it,'' Naomi said with her arms crossed.

''Too risky. We might end up breaking the car. We already took it fast enough.''

''Fast enough? We ended up second. I want to win this thing, not drive like a grandma.''

Heriko looked at Naomi deep in the eyes: ''It's your first time driving this car and you already want to do something like this? Now is not the time to test the car's limits like that.''

''I don't care. I will cut it.''

Heriko sighed and shook his head, ''if you want to end up in a ditch, go ahead.''

Driving the second fastest time in shakedown had given a boost of confidence to Naomi, which could be seen in her competitive runs. Increasing their gap ahead of Franklin Egar with each run, it was time for the final shot. ''Brake, hairpin right into left two,'' Naomi let the rear end of the car slide as she drifted through the corner. Flooring it on the straight, they made it to the second square. ''Over bumps, into square right, don't cut,'' Naomi sped up and took the car into corner, cutting it aggressively. Heavy shaking in the car accompanied by loud noise as they drove through the corner, however, the car stood in one piece. ''I told you... argh! Square left, thirty...''

Eventually, they made it to the end of the stage. Heriko looked at Naomi and was clearly pissed: ''I told you NOT to cut it!''

''Well, I did. We are in one piece, what is your problem?''

''Fine, we'll talk about it later. Let's just get done with this.''

Having gone through the final stage, Naomi brought the car back. Having taken off her seatbelts and climbed out of the Kokko, she was greeted with an applause. Fastest time of the event, over three seconds ahead of Egar on second place. Naomi looked at Heriko with a smug, bitchy smile on her face. ''Don't cut the corner, huh?'' Heriko didn't reply and focused on unstrapping his helmet instead.

Hotel room
Aboveland

After making it to their hotel room, Heriko had changed his clothes and headed downstairs to the hotel's bar area to spend some time thinking about the meaning of life. Meanwhile, Naomi and Carmen had ordered a bottle of wine from the room service and were discussing the results.

''I have to say, that was a spectacular drive from you,'' Carmen said and took a sip of wine, ''I'm sure that after this, teams will give an arm and leg to have you on board.''

''Yeah... they better be. Have you gotten any news, by the way?''

''As a matter of fact... yes,'' Carmen put her wine glass on the table and brought up her tablet, ''two offers. One is from WYSIWYG-Staunch WRT. They have invited you for a factory tour, with an opportunity to test out their car. There is a possibility to get a deal signed after that as well.''

''Wygi-what?'' Naomi asked, almost bursting out laughing. Some of the teams seemed really odd with naming themselves. ''Okay, uhm... anything else?

Carmen smirked, ''Well... there is also a message from Ælund.''

Naomi looked at Carmen while rapidly blinking her eyes. ''Ælund?!?''

''Indeed. They want to negotiate a contract with you. From what I know, they are strongly considering making a deal with you.''

''Ælund? Yeah, of course, let's negotiate with them! I don't think you even needed to ask me, haha.''

Carmen nod, ''Looks like it was a good idea to stay here for a few days after all, hmm? I will reply them then.''

''Yeah, totally! Also, write to those Wygibigithingy people too, just in case Ælund will change their mind or whatever,'' Naomi emptied her wine glass with one go.

''Of course, I will let WYSIWYG-Staunch know that you are interested in their offer.''

''Uh-huh. If I do sign with Ælund, then I won't show up though. Can't go much better than Ælund I think?''

''Mh-mh,'' Carmen mumbled and started sending out e-mails to the two teams.

by **Auruna** » Wed Jul 14, 2021 5:38 am

Nisko, Auruna
The silence of the northern Nisko forests was broken by the near-redline screams of a Schkeska I6 as Kälö and Zuiha are doing their practice runs with Könä's Schkeska Vezrel S1 after months of not driving a rally car and as expected, the two were rusty but are still quick enough through the makeshift rally stages as they push themselves to the limits in preparation for the season. For most of the day, it was the only thing the two were doing, hoping to not get affected by the curse badly whenever any Aurun driver goes international. Ivan Könä, meanwhile, is at Schkeska's HQ, acting as an agent for the two, it marks his return to Schkeska but not as a driver. Anyway, they take a short break before their final runs.

"You were great out there, instead of hitting the deer, you hit the sign warning us of said deer." Zuiha says jokingly as she passes a bag of biscuits to Kälö who was visibly embarrassed, he couldn't come up with a reply so instead he laughs it off. "Anyway, you think Ivan will approve of Schkeska now?" She asks, Kälö gestures that he can't answer it. "Alright then... it makes me nervous that we signed up for something big." She sighs deeply before taking a huge bite out of a Nisko tälvänpan (Nisko winterbread). Looks like we're going to wait for a whi---

Kälö's phone suddenly rings, he takes it out of his pocket and answers immediately after seeing that it's from Ivan. "Täre." He says in an anxious tone. Then he waits for Ivan to respond.

"Good news!" Ivan excitedly tells Kälö. "Schkeska's got my approval, they're going to offer you a seat! If there's another offer waiting for you, please take your time to decide. There's no rush but please respond to them as early as possible."

"Wait, are you serious?!" Kälö asks in disbelief then he turns to look at Zuiha, who already expected the outcome but is trying to play along.

"Yep, they got their eyes on you since the beginning which surprised me. Felt like they already have a plan. Anyway, the email is sent to your MNA account so you can check it later. "

"Alright! I'll let you know!"

The call ends and as a result of the news, Kälö couldn't contain his excitement. He pats Zuiha, who was innocently enjoying her bread, on wherever he can on her head and at her back. "A---küj! Goddammit Kälö! I'm still eating here!" And Kälö doesn't seem to mind as he continues, couldn't help it as his excitement overflows. The two mess around for a bit as a result.

As things calm down, Kälö starts the Vezrel and asks Zuiha. "Shall we go for another run?"

To which she replies. "Let's go!"

Schkeska Rally HQ
Livonsk, Auruna
A surprise visit from Ivan Könä caught us off-guard. It was difficult to convince him that we are here to bring back the team. Good thing he was eventually satisfied and we went on with negotiations which was intense. He was acting as an agent for Kälö Aurinen, which was a surprise but since she had eyes on Kälö since the beginning, it was a perfect opportunity.

After Könä left, Haruna is relieved that it was a successful encounter with one of the best. She closes her eyes and leans back on her chair, trying to relax for a bit before thinking about the second seat. Ah... what to do for the second seat. I'm sure Aurinen will accept for the first and if that's the case... why not just offer to the rest of the free agents, first come first serve. Like that. She calls in Leo to discuss her plans for the second seat, it is going to be a huge risk but hopefully there's a driver that would be great for them. While they don't have the championship in mind, it wasn't acceptable to not be competitive and a strong driver lineup would be a fine route to go if it starts to get challenging in other aspects.

"Now, have you made a decision?"

"Yeah, no regrets to this, we need to get what we can. I have made notes on some that I found interesting"

"Alright, I trust you on this one."

"Strike the perfect balance. Hopefully, it will go our way."

MNA News
Official statement from Schkeska Rally:
The team is offering the second seat to (in descending order of preference) Sara Luna, Fuji Listr, and Bernát Van Asch. If the listed drivers decline, the offer becomes available to the remaining free agent drivers.

by **New Lusitania and the Algarves** » Wed Jul 14, 2021 7:48 pm

II - The Search Continues…

Despite many attempts, the Lusitanian pair hadn’t gotten too far with their job search. Aguiar’s inability to travel during the Invitational Shakedown Event in Aboveland didn’t improve matters, as all the main outfits had now looked for those times to decide who to sign – their case wasn’t easy. In the end, even the field had been restricted from twelve to eleven – with Major backing out. So far most teams, had signed their first driver – most of them of them a home driver, which is a surefire way to get national interest really going. There were a further three teams still to select their first choice, besides a full round of eventual second picks – the walls began to close in and it became increasingly difficult, truly, harder by the minute as time ran out and there were no other chances to prove on track, relying on pragmatism, a couple of letters… and a good agent, of course.
Aguiar truly thought about all this in the agency office. The dark-wooden table in the middle still looked off in the middle of the more contemporary office, sterile and grey, filled with folders, books and other such relevant content; with the exterior brightness being let in and seeping through the window blinds.
Despite sending a message to ALL, announcing his existence to the greater world, where would he fit best, what should he strive for? “So, what’s the state of play? Who should we go for?” A very nervous question, he half-knew what the state of play was, but hearing it from someone else’s perspective, would truly put a spin on things.
Barroso sighed before his response – “It’s not great, but we’re getting there. Everyone’s looking out for who they should sign.”
“We should have gone to the Invitational; I could have driven that day”
“No! It was better for us to stay here, you wouldn’t be focused or in complete shape to drive… One mistake and we could be in the exact same position or worse… it was the right call!” – Bettencourt interjected as his teammate silently admitted it to be true, that issue he had had on his leg was now recovered too, something it also may not have been had he gone.
Their agent tried to get things back on track. “Well, we can ideally go for a team that fits your driving, or in turn complements it.”
“So, someone like Tarogama? Oh, or Schkeska” – Manuel Bettencourt cut through.
“It seems you’ve been looking out. Well, yes and yes, but those are likely some of the hardest to get into, probably. The second one has some of the best out there and know exactly what they want. Schkeska on the other hand, seems to have a neat list of shortlisted drivers to drive beside Aurinen, so you’d need a lot of work convincing. There’s also a team like Camden, which seems to have a decent car – I’m not entirely sure of the situation there, so it’s worth checking out”.
“Seem like good choices, who else is there? Say…Anitun… Tabu or Aeland”
“Once again, I don’t seem them being viable unless their negotiation with Gallegos goes through, they seem set on him. Aeland also seemed like a good option, though I’m not sure about their turning ability, but they might get Keretene, who topped the shakedown. Good all-rounder, her”
“No harm in trying anyway. If we can convince them, we’d probably have a good car”. – Bettencourt considered
“Besides them, I see most the others as having very low reliability, so maybe they’re not the best choice, but they’re there as a choice. That said, most have good speed and design so on a perfect day they’ll be up there in the timings for sure, so even then an EHF or a Staunch would still be a good option ”
“Sure, but honestly, I just want to get in. Of course, we want to get the best car and team possible, but we should send an offer of availability to all” – Aguiar stated, and his co-pilot Manuel agreed.
It was a big ask and occasion, but it wasn’t a very complicated message:

To the Teams of the WSRC and to who it may concern,

We are Pedro Aguiar and Manuel Bettencourt of New Lusitania and the Algarves and would just like to enforce the fact that we are eventually openly available to run for you during this year’s World Stage Rally Championship. Whilst we don’t have much top-level rallying experience and also missed the Invitational Rallysprint, we would like to assure you of our complete commitment to the championship, having some prior experience in National Championships and Smaller categories.
We would be interested in any opportunity or event still on offer and hope to hear from you soon.
I am sure that with the help of my agent, António Barroso - whose methods are contact are designated for any information - any meetings can be set up and we can eventually come to an agreement should both parties be satisfied with the prospects and any eventual negotiations.
We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your time and attention.

Cumprimentos,

Pedro Aguiar Manuel Bettencourt

...and so the waiting game continued.

by **Hodori Motorsports** » Thu Jul 15, 2021 1:53 pm

“Sakite has given me permission. Who do you want to drive for?”
An’ue considered the offers before her. “I think I’ll try negotiating with Iskabil-Ælund.”

ENSADRINK WSR Team Tarogama Mazaregi offers the second seat to Sakke Pajari.

by **Nico Hulkenberg** » Thu Jul 15, 2021 5:38 pm

HMG Entwicklungszentrum
Emmerich, Hülkenberg

Dario Nülkeschläger sat in the office of HMG’s Head of Development, Jöhan Turbringer. Before the conversation had even gotten underway, a contract was placed in front of Dario - an offer to drive for HMG for the upcoming WSRC season. That was what the conversation was always going to be about, but Dario didn’t expect to be offered a deal THAT quickly. Jöhan began to speak.

”Look, Dario. I’ll cut the crap right here. The car will definitely be ready for the WSRC season, but for now it’s in bits and being developed in the tent over by our building.”

“What, do you not have a special-built facility for rally?”

“We will, when it’s actually finished. For now, we work out of a bunch of tents, trying to get both cars ready for the season opener.”

“Oh, that’s fine then. Can we at least go through this contract to make sure I’m not getting shafted?”

“Sure, sure. Just read through it right now, and if you see anything you don’t like, just say.”

“Alrighty then.”

Dario meticulously read through the contract, exploring all the technicalities and details. There was absolutely nothing in the contract that would be a disadvantage to him, but he was wary. Dario was the type of guy to read the terms and conditions of every user agreement that was shown to him, even when the simple thing to do would be to click accept. If you had to describe him without pointing out his slick hair, glasses, or moustache, you’d probably say he was annoyingly scrupulous. After about another 20 minutes of contract reading, Dario seemed to be finished.

”Well, this all looks good to me. You got a pen?”

“Only if you’re signing that contract.”

“What else would I need the fucking pen for?”

“Hah, just pulling your leg. Here’s your damn pen.”

“Danke schön… aaaaaand it’s done.”

“Well, that’s you now officially a rally driver. A very warm welcome to HMG, Dario!”

“Thanks, mate. Looking forward to getting started here.”

“As you should be! We should be getting a teammate for you soon… in fact, I’m just sending over an offer now.”

“Oh? Who is it?”

“Well, we had some drivers in mind, but when this guy explicitly approached us for a place on the team, we couldn’t resist.”

“Are you not going to tell me who?”

“I’ll let it be a surprise for you, Dario. I suggest you go and meet up with the folks down at the tents, anyway - they’ll be dying to meet their new driver.”

As Jöhan finished his sentence, he hit the enter key on his keyboard, specifically to send an email. The email had read:

From: Jöhan Turbringer (jöhantur87@hmg.hü)
To: Sakke Pajari (spajari@abacus.ab)
Subject: RE: Opening at HMG

Hi Sakke,

Just letting you know that we’ve received your approach for a seat at our new rally team, and I have to say that I’ve been intrigued by your history as a driver. Not many people your age can say they’re as good a driver as you, eh?

Anyhow, I’ve attached a contract to this email for you to sign if you’re willing to take it up. Take this contract as an offer to drive for HMG Rallye-Team.

Jöhan Turbringer
Head of Development at HMG

TL;DR: Dario Nülkeschläger has been signed to drive for HMG Rallye-Team, with Sakke Pajari being offered the other seat at HMG.

by **Diarcesia** » Thu Jul 15, 2021 5:50 pm

Rhamnasis
Dieresis of the Dyrrhonian Isles
The Monarchy Diarcesian

"Zac, pack your bags, we'll be leaving soon."

"Aww, I liked it here, mom. Where are we going next?"

"Aboveland, dear. Remember the place?"

"But it's a long flight!"

"Don't worry about it! It's actually quick to get there from here!" Sara Luna smiled.

"Really?"

"Yes! Even I was surprised!"

Ælund Rallisport Invitational Rallysprint
Iskajärvi, Aboveland

"Long time no see, Sara."

"Matko! Glad you made it safely. How are you doing?"

"Eh, not too shabby. Life is good, even though I have to travel much. Hopefully, you ain't hounded by the paparazzi recently."

Sara laughed. "No, no, nothing of that sort. My family also travel all over lately. Our vacation was overdue after the WGPC season."

"Then, what made you decide to go here?"

"Later, Konrad's now speaking..."

Her eyes eventually wandered to her other side in thought. To her surprise, she apparently caught the attention of the lady next to her. In acknowledgement of her existence, Sara flashed a smile and nodded. She paid attention to Konrad afterwards.

"What were you saying again, Matko?"

"Ah, I don't know why you invited me out of nowhere."

"A driver can't be parted with her race car for too long..." Sara lowered her voice to a whisper and continued. "I heard they have this one-time event and I want to be behind the wheel of a rally car again. You know, a vacation activity."

"I see," the co-driver replied in understanding, matching Sara's soft voice. "We can do this again, for old times' sake."

"For old times' sake."

Post-event

Matko looked at the final results table with satisfaction.

"Third in all stages... fifth overall. We still got it," he said.

"That was a satisfying drive."

"And also the level of carelessness sometimes."

"Wha-" in places, the Kokko XB4-A struggled to keep up with the way Sara drove the car. It was a sharp contrast to a spectator who would have seen her first in a WGPC race. Part of it could have something to do with her assessment that rally cars can take more punishment than an open-wheeled one.

"Just kidding. Anyways, thanks for the trip. I always liked working with you before you went to WGP3."

"Anytime!"

Later

Quelle surprise, Sara Luna mentally exclaimed in the tongue of the Chiyginians. Before her was an offer from Schkeska Rally. She fully expected it to go to someone else, like a rising star for instance. After all, she entered the invitational because she now has the luxury to race as a hobby. This was unlike before where she had to enter events whenever it happened, whatever format it was, so she could bring food on the table.

She talked about it with her boyfriend and her kids. What about the cars Schkeska would field? She guessed it shouldn't matter too much. She didn't mind not winning in the WSRC either (her full attention in that regard remains in WGPC), and she deduced Schkeska wanted her there because (1) she kept the ability to bring a decent result in a rally stage and (2) a mentor figure for Kälö Aurinen would be the best teammate for him...

Matko Gomułka was about to prepare to return to Diarcesia when he received a call from Sara.

"Are you free for the next few months?"

Sara Luna accepts the offer to race for Schkeska Rally

There's always something with the Luna surname and wolves...

by **Aboveland** » Thu Jul 15, 2021 9:40 pm

Koivuslott, Aboveland

Sakke sits at the round table at the edge of his kitchen, his feet touching the floor with his bare toes and his legs bouncing frantically up and down in unison. He groans and inhales through his teeth from having bitten a fingernail too far, yet immediately digs in at the last one remaining. With his free hand, he double taps his phone screen. No new messages. Shit.

The twang of dread hanging out at the base of his gut festers further into all-encompassing displeasure. His breathing becomes a conscious exercise; his chest pounds and turns heavy; his stomach turns inside-out; his underarms swell and release a torrent of sweat. A chill runs up his spine, his hairs spiking out and standing on end, and as he hears his heartbeat thundering in his ears—a blip:

‘Just now: NorMail - HMG Rally—Seat offer for Sakke LASTNAME’

He gasps and collapses onto the table, letting out a sigh of relief, through which all the searing neurotic energy races out of his insides into the still air in the room. He becomes lightheaded as his mental state returns to normal.

Suddenly, another blip.

‘Just now: NorMail - ENSADRINK WSR Team Tarogama Mazaregi—Re: Interest in driving for your team’

Sakke sighs again, muttering an expletive under his breath. A new chill attacks his back. From nearly imploding, to choices?

He sighs, bringing his hands up to his face and rubbing his eyes. Hunched over his phone, he double taps his screen, punches in his PIN code, and lowers the notification shade. He ponders the contents of the messages. An offer from ENSADRINK WSR is a near-dream scenario… but he’d certainly not expected them to reply to his interest at all. And HMG… well… they had certainly seemed promising, but he’s heard little more than outlandish promises from their Hülkenberger headquarters. And yet… after having put on such a horrid performance at the invitational, he can’t fathom how any team at all had replied to his inquiries.

He holds his head in his hands, placing his cold palms against his cheeks and massaging his temples with his index and middle fingers. Staring down at his screen, he brings one of his hands close to the glass. HMG is a team essentially starting from scratch; ENSADRINK WSR holds immense prestige to their name.

His finger wavers over the notification card for the Hodoran team.

But what if there’s too much pressure? What if the team wants to mount a massive offensive on the championship and he fails to deliver?

Maybe he’s being silly. Yeah, he tells himself. Yeah, that’s dumb. Trust yourself.

But he can’t. Not after the invitational. And perhaps… a clean slate team with not much to prove would prove a more comfortable environment. Growth in unison, something like that.

His finger, twitching, hovers from the Hodoran email to the Hülkenberger one.

And from what he’s heard, that Hülkenberger machine is fast. Like, really fast; the Hodoran’s challenger, as incredibly sophisticated as it had seemed on paper (and from the quips he’d heard while in earshot of their service tent), had sounded a fair bit more tuned to a precise, experienced driver’s skills.

He closes his eyes, grimaces, and takes one last deep breath.

His finger drops. Sakke decides to sign with HMG. Immediately after tapping the card, he gasps. Was that the right choice, or had he been impulsive and immature?

Ælund Rallisport HQ
Lintulahti, Aboveland

Konrad gives a toothy grin, his head cocked downwards but his cheeks brimming with giddy excitement. “We’ve chosen your teammate for this season, and wanted to give you the news.”

Axel’s perpetually frowned eyes relax. His bushy eyebrows soften and reveal his icy gray eyes.

“Delighted to have An’ue Shuadakei on board,” he says, cracking the slightest of smiles. Marko responds similarly, though not directed at anybody in particular.

Konrad frowns, looking to Marko for approval of his reaction, yet Marko is entirely convinced of Axel’s statement. The team principal shakes his head and lets his open hands fall on his desk.

“Who told you that?” he inquires, his eyebrow raised almost violently. Marko, until then nodding along serenely, turns to face his boss with a similarly scathing frown. The three find themselves in a bit of a standoff; Konrad, numerically, is at a disadvantage.

“Konrad,” mutters Marko solemnly, directed at him. “Was the final decision?”

“Yes!” he exclaims. Promptly, it’s Axel who interjects next.

“Naomi Keretene, of Togonistan!” exclaims Konrad in a sudden change of tone, his eyes darting towards Axel. He shuffles the drawer under him to pull out an updated dossier slip of paper to hand out to himl. The central Abovian’s face shifts from confused to speculative. Konrad quickly intervenes.

“She’s… well, inexperienced,” he concedes. “But she was blazingly quick the other day.” Marko, in the background, shakes his head. “She’s a self-styled gravel expert—to compliment your asphalt ability—she’s determined, and she has some great backing to boot.”

Axel raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t look away from the paper.

“She’s inexperienced, but you’re not. You can give her some help along the way, and she’ll deliver results and funding. Win win!”

“What’s Echocoin?” inquires Axel, almost detached from the conversation.

Konrad stammers, opening his mouth a few times and also raising his eyebrows, but not quite managing to verbalize. “It’s… uh… It’s…” He looks at Marko for a line, but he’s not planning to comply. “Her… sponsor. Modern stuff.”

For the first time since receiving the sheet of paper, Axel looks up at Konrad. He darts a look at Marko, who’s holding his head low in ponderance.

The team principal frowns again, this time in a more confrontational matter. “Doesn’t matter. It’s funding, and she’s driving for us,” he concludes, stepping his tone up a few notches and snatching the paper from Axel’s hands. “That girl is more special than you—two—think. I promise you.”

“But she’s nobody,” claims Marko. “Shuadakei is supposed to bring heaps of experience from Hodori. Her dad, he’s amazing.”

“Marko—” he elbows his desk and leans over the surface to inch closer to him, leaving Axel almost a footnote in the conversation. Before he continues, his elbows relax, signaling an end to his outburst and the start of the understanding period of the discussion. “If we were coming into this blind, you know I would have taken Shuadakei. In. A. Heartbeat.”

Marko smirks, unconvinced.

“But her, and her father’s secrets—” he stretches an arm beyond his desk at the man sitting in the croaky plastic chair before him. “—We beat Hodori at their own game. No disrespect to them, none at all— but we’re running a car based on a domestic title winner, with the domestic champion right in front of us. We may have stuff left to learn, but we may surely—no, we do— have what it takes to carve our own path.”

Axel’s look turns from speculative to doubtful, backlit by a swath of pride. Marko’s frown relaxes, but is no less opposing. Konrad, suddenly, turns forceful again.

“I’m making the correct choice. You’re going to have to trust me on this one.”

“And if it fails?” defies Marko.

“Then so will you. Just as much as you will revel in the glory if the choice is right.”

Because if anyone is going to get Iskabil-Ælund off the ground and into stardom, it’s going to be him. Him, and the two drivers signed for Iskabil-Ælund’s international competition debut: Axel Novikov and Naomi Keretene.

by **Bollonischian Maribaya** » Thu Jul 15, 2021 9:43 pm

Success in Ælund provokes interest in Bernát
Maribayan driver and billionaire Bernát Van Asch who shall be taking his first steps in the world of motorsports with the World Stage Rally Championship. Prior to the beginning of the WSRC season with the Nordenflyg Rally in Aboveland, 11 drivers from the upcoming WSRC season competed in the Ælund Rallisport Invitational Rallysprint. The invitational Rallysprint being held in Aboveland was clearly seen by all the drivers as a chance to have some pre-season practice along with a spotting ground for teams. Van Asch who was yet to be signed on by a team had something to prove at the Ælund Rallysprint. Van Asch who finished third behind Keretene and Fillindostani Franklin Egar. Finishing third was a solid performance by Van Asch and certainly enough to achieve the purpose of the appearing in the Ælund Rallysprint. The goal of attracting interest from teams as it was soon reported that numerous teams were looking to sign Van Asch especially with three teams, namely HMG Rally, EHF-motospiel and Harmonik Racing Team all lacking even one driver. Van Asch on the hand received large amounts of publicity in Maribaya and Bollonich following his inspiring performance. In an interview following the Rally, Van Asch also outlined his intentions and acknowledged the competition he shall be facing. He said, “Competition in the WSRC is tough with so many trained drivers taking place. But if last week proves anything it’s that we also have a chance and we showed it in Aboveland and we would like to show it again. As for the season, the goal is to always win as much as you can and I hope to sign with a team as discussions have been taking place.”

by **Auruna** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 3:25 am

Schkeska Rally HQ
Livonsk, Auruna
After everything has been settled, the team as a pretty solid lineup of drivers which looks promising especially to Haruna. It should serve as a perfect basis for Schkeska's return to form. With the vast experience of Sara Luna and the rookie energy of Kälö Aurinen complementing each other well, Haruna expects a great start to the return of Schkeska and next in line were the cars that they will be driving. The news spread quickly back home of the recent development of Schkeska and all attention was on them.

"Perfect timing." Haruna says after reviewing the news. "It's time to move forward, let's reveal the car and our final lineup of drivers. It's all coming together and I can't wait to see how it goes."

"We're ready for the reveal.

"Get it on quickly, we want them to know that Schkeska is seriously back in business but please, don't make it too grand."

"Got it."

With Schkeska's sudden entry into international rallying, there was only one car that could cater to Schkeska's needs within the WSRC regulations. The Schkeska Kana SR is the latest of Schkeska's Kana hot hatches, born to complement the Vezrel in the ARC, it is often said that the Kana is the smaller, hot hatch version of the Vezrel. It is light and nimble but it still packs a punch with a heavily modified FE-series inline 4s that is able to output more power while still being reliable than most racing engines. It recently competed against Viska's Vezrels and Mikuren's VSK V45s and evidently, the Kana is still a capable machine and at the hands of a great driver, it is surely able to keep up whatever challenges it faces.

For the WSRC, the Kana SR is specially tuned and modified to be competitive while being within the regulations. It almost wasn't chosen if not for the Vezrels being barely legal so while it wasn't the primary choice, the car should be able to prove itself in a new but still familiar environment.

Schkeska Kana SR (WSRC-spec)
Chassis: Kana SR - KN4S/ARCS
Engine: Schkeska FE-42TR/M2 | Turbocharged Inline 4 | 419hp @ 8200 RPM | Redline @ 9800 RPM
Gearbox: Schkeska JSA440 sequential gearbox
Drivetrain: Viska-tuned Schkeska Lÿhet AWD
Suspension: Viska-tuned ARC-spec MacPherson struts with Törhen S2N dampers
Tyres: Kaikau-Mälö
Weight: Regulations minimum of 1400kg

Sponsors
Zorten - An Aurun oil and tech company which supplies all teams in the MNA with high performance engine oil and fuel. Their subsidiary of Zorten Computers makes custom electronic components for the teams. They sponsor one race of the AEC at Novinaya where they are based in.

Aurunair - Flag carrier of Auruna. It is the oldest state-owned Aurun airline. During the late 2010s, Aurunair has expressed interest in motorsport eventually leading to them sponsoring many Aurun teams and two of the MNA's Big Three (Schkeska and VSK) were sponsored by them recently. They are the primary sponsor of the WSRC Aurunair Vellanhimaa Rally Auruna.

Nela Kina | ネラキナ - It is an Aurun beverage and dessert company known for bringing sake to Auruna where it became their most popular product. Had previously sponsored Krazivaran and Viska in the domestic series and they were the title sponsors of VSK in WGP2 IV.

Karrehus - Kuyonnen audio company with a large presence in Auruna. They also manufacture musical instruments from pianos to guitars.

Mattari Oil - Another Aurun oil company that specializes in engine oil. They partnered with Zorten in high-performance oils for the domestic MNA series. They are known for their special endurance oil for the AEC.

Kaikau-Mälö - Aurun tyre company that is the primary tyre provider for the MNA. They are prevalent as sponsors for the major teams which includes the MNA Big Three. Their primary specialty are off-road tyres which they started from but eventually branched out to road and racing tyres.

by **Tumbra** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:05 am

Tumbra

"And we're live now with rally driver Francis Carpenter, preparing to embark on his last season in motorsports before he retires. At 38, how would you have described your career?"

"I've been in motorsports for twenty years now. It feels like the right time to go. But I do want to have one more shot at glory before I ride into the sunset. And what better way to do it than by getting a seat in the new World Stage Rally Championship."

"You've flitted around various categories of motorsports, before finally settling on rallying. How did you arrive at that?"

"Like most Tumbran youngsters, I began in open-wheelers. Some will remember my few seasons in Tumbran Formula racing; I'll easily admit that I wasn't matured enough then. Crashed a lot, spun out quite a bit. Ruffled some feathers, I did. But I was...unsatisfied. I didn't enjoy the inch-perfect precision required. Much preferred throwing cars about on track."

"You caused quite a bit of a stir when you decided to leave Tumbran racing after just three seasons. Midway through it, in fact."

"I was, as I mentioned, just a stupid young rookie. But my heart wasn't in it anymore. So one race — Couno Grand Prix, I think it was — I pretended I'd lost control of the car. Slammed into the barriers. Then told my old team boss I quit there and then. He wasn't pleased."

"And in the years since...?"

"We still don't talk."

"Ah. How did you arrive at rallying?"

"It was midway through my first season. During the midseason break I went down to Caduke — they hold a small event there, of course, every year, and they still do. Ripping through the forest, muddy as it is. I tried my hand that year — under a pseudonym, of course, and then the love just blossomed from there. It was a no brainer. Once I was out of open-wheelers, I disappeared into the world. Wherever there was rallying, I was there too."

"What made you decide to come back to Tumbra after all these years?"

"It was when I read about Ted Pressley in WGP2 that I properly...properly considered coming back. The boy reminds me a lot of myself in my younger days, though he's obviously got more of an aptitude for open-wheelers than I had or ever will have. But I wanted to do the country proud one last time, y'know? So here I am."

"You haven't gotten a team yet, and the start of the season's only quite a bit away. Are you hopeful you'll be able to secure a seat for the season?"

"Absolutely."

"No qualifiers?"

"None."

"How would you describe your style of driving?"

"Well, it's less my style of driving than the style of car I drive. It must be able to take what I give it — because I do tend to go pretty hard. There's no point in going slow, you know, on rallying, because you never might know where it might go wrong. So best to make up time wherever possible."

"How's your relationship with your co-driver?"

"Mara? She's perfect. We're in sync all the time, and she knows how I drive. Knows when I like to shift up gears and all, isn't fazed by me throwing the car about whenever."

"Are there any teams you're looking to drive for?"

"I'd drive for anyone who offers me a seat, really. Just say the word and I'll be in their car. I'll make it work. Twenty years of racing ought've taught me something."

"Thank you for your time."

"A pleasure to be here."

by **Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:29 am

Der Nordschutzenphalenglaubreiterfluchtschlamterkrötische Flümederthelweiderverlautzällegerwißmeinschlaftsörbschlimmelbeobachter.

Erkuns-Hohnschich-Furzeine-Motospiel has made the surprising decision to offer its first seat in the upcoming World Stage Rally Championship to Tumbran veteran Francis Carpenter, according to rumours circulating from the Schutzenphalian team’s camp. Details of the proposal leaked last night, with word of a conversation between team principal Annika Hundertwasser and Carpenter, a 38 year old driver embarking on what is expected to be his last ever season of competitive driving. The partnership would be surprising given Carpenter hails from Tumbra, a nation not known for their rallying expertise, although he has racked up a great deal of experience during a journeyman career overseas. With the majority of Schutzenphalian rallying taking place in snow and ice conditions, his lack of experience on such surfaces, and his aggressive no-bolds harred style, are also at stark contrasts with EHF’s image as a conservative, reliable team targeting cold weather conditions.

Yet it could be just those contrasts that make the partnership appealing, according to motorsports journalist Alexander “Three Elbows” Bruckner, who declined to elaborate on the circumstances of her nickname but was willing to speak at greater length about the possibility of Carpenter joining EHF-Motospiel. “Sometimes opposites attract, and EHF made no secret of wanting to hire aggressive drivers,” she said. “But with that comes risks, and there’s perhaps something to be said for a veteran who’s been around the block and knows what limits he can push. It’d be a very EHF move to hire the most conservative possible choice of the most aggressive possible drivers!” Schutzenphalian rally driver and eugenics enthusiast Sebastian Ransmayr said he “respected Carpenter’s skills” and could see him being a decent fit for the team. “Tumbran drivers earned quite a bit of cachet after watching Ted Pressley’s exploits,” he said, referencing the recent WGP2 season. “Carpenter’s cut from a pretty different cloth. In fact it’s not even really cloth, it’s more, mangled metal and burnt rubber. But still. There’s some of the same ‘racing DNA’ in there.”

Carpenter would certainly join expecting to be paid commensurate with his experience, but as EHF continue to attract sponsors, that may be no obstacle. Brewing giant Kronecker, manufacturer of the popular commercial lager Tränkpiß, are among the latest to join EHF’s growing list of sponsors, expected to be finalized with the reveal of a livery. There is some concern, though, at rumours EHF have hired notorious graphic design workshop Cabañas Calligraphy to design said livery. Cabañas are known for their “blurry hatchet jobs” using “Microcosm Paint, not even 3D”, according to Bruckner. “So this might not be pretty.”

(Erkuns-Hohnschich-Furzeine-Motospiel offers a seat to Francis Carpenter.)

by **Tumbra** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:35 am

Francis Carpenter accepts the offer from Erkuns-Hohnschich-Furzeine-Motospiel.

by **Aboveland** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:02 am

Ælund Rallisport Headquarters
Lintulahti, Aboveland

Before a set of deep blue tarps hanging from the ceiling, Iskabil-Ælund World Rally Team's two 2021 challengers sit under warm floodlights atop two presentation podiums. There's just a little ambiance from a smoke machine to set the mood.

The exclusive set of journalists are invited to have a closer look at the vehicles.

Iskabil Kokko XB4 Evo-III

Developed from the Group A, Hodori Rally Championship winning Iskabil Kokko XB4-A, the Evo-III—actually only the first evolution of the base car—is Iskabil and Ælund Rallisport's first full-blown attempt at developing an international rally challenger. The XB4-A had been designed according to Hodoran Group A regulations, employing a neatly disguised 5-door bodyshell, keeping the stock 2.5-liter engine block, and limiting the power output of the twin-turbo powerplant to the maximum value of 375PS.

In light of the less restrictive WSRC regulations, Ælund Rallisport adapted the Evo-III adapted to take full advantage of the newfound development freedom, downsizing the engine, utilizing the three-door Kokko chassis, and increasing power—and torque—output as much as possible. A further reduction in weight of the original vehicle also allowed for the use of ballast to improve weight distribution and reach the minimum allowed weight of 1400kg. The end result: a sleeker, quicker, and more stable version of a championship-winning car which, while below the maximum power output stipulated by the regulations, brings with it a more efficient powerband.

Length/Width: 4,099mm/1881mm
Wheelbase: 2,569mm
Weight: 1400kg
Weight distribution: 51/49 F/R
Powertrain: Front engine, all-wheel drive w/ active front and rear differentials
Engine: ART-4BST (2.0 liter, four-cylinder, single-turbo boxer engine with antilag)
Power output: 405HP @ 6300 RPM
Torque output: 540Nm @ 4200 RPM

by **Mertagne** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 11:29 am

The WYSIWYG-Staunch WRT factory looked like an industrial farming complex. That's because it had a history of being an industrial farming complex. However, time and the two founder's love of the rallysport had stained the sleek marshes and cornfields into something a bit more... punk.

Howitt Staunch wheeled himself along the carefully placed boards that lined the edges of the compund's test track. Currently, several drivers were pranging the factory's latest iteration of the car around the track, skidding and throwing marshy mud into the trees. Staunch loved to be at the centre of the action, and didn't care if it meant he'd get into another debilitating accident because of it.

His partner in crime, Karls Graner, was stood by his side, and put a hand on Staunch's shoulder.
"So, what do you think so far? Any promising candidates? Anyone that'll fit in with the ethos?"
Staunch narrowed his eyes for a moment before responding.
"I don't know, Karls, this has all been rather taxing on me so far. We're only a few days out from the start of the season, the cars haven't even been painted, and whenever I feel like we're on the cusp of something, it seems to just slip away from me."

"Sounds like you need a bit of a wake-up call, Howitt. Something to come along and slap you in the face, remind you exactly why you're doing this."

The thundering of the vehicles came to a fever pitch as an unidentified car careened around the corner, throwing up gravel and mud right into the two men.

Staunch wiped the mud off of his cheek with a smile on his face. "Who's that?"

Karls checked his tablet. "Shuzhen Zhu, of the Sherpa Empire. Not much of a talker, but knows how to shake the car about."

"Let's head back to the office. And get Roberta there too, I think she'll want some input in our decision.

Shuzhen Zhu recieves the following...

Shuzhen Zhu,

Thank you very much for attending our track day in Dannmarsh. We at WYSIWYG-Staunch WRT were certainly impressed with your handling of the car and your efficiency on the track. Furthermore, we feel that yourself and the team speak our language in relation to driving. We're a home grown, mud loving team, and we believe that you exhibit our ethos and can help us drive on forward to victory. We wish to offer you and your co-driver a spot on the WYSIWYG-Staunch WRT team for the coming season. We hope that you will consider us for the rally season, and that we can continue to build a relationship as the season progresses.

Thank you for giving us a chance,

Howitt Staunch and Karls Graner
Team Principals
WYSIWYG-Staunch WRT

by **The Sherpa Empire** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 11:38 am

Shuzhen Zhu accepts WYSIWYG-Staunch WRT's offer.

by **Hodori Motorsports** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:05 pm

“I hope you’re ready to be shocked. What’s your plan B?”
“Uhhhh…” An’ue looked up from her notes on the WSRC calendar.
“Iskabil’s gone with Keretene.”
An’ue flipped through her notebook, turning to the pages covering the teams.
“Sakite’s finally sent me the details, so I’ll get the sponsor packets ready while you think about alternatives. Pick three.”

“Father, I’ve decided. In descending priority, Anutin Tabu, EHF, and Harmonik.”
“Very well. I’ll let them know of your interest.”

“Pajari’s with HMG. We need alternatives.”
A sense of urgency filled the ENSADRINK WSR headquarters as they scrambled to secure a snow specialist.
“Send offers to Gallegos, Lorenzo, and Tastycrumpets, in that order.”

by **Filindostan** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:57 pm

Anitun Tabu MRT offers a seat to Pedro Aguiar and An'ue Shuadakei in addition to the existing offer to Trevon Gallegos. Whoever is the first driver to accept will be the other driver to Frank Egar.

by **New Lusitania and the Algarves** » Fri Jul 16, 2021 6:05 pm

Pedro Aguiar accepts the offer of Anitun Tabu MRT

World Stage Rally Championship | RP Thread

Who is online