WGP2 Season 2 [RP Thread]

[West-East Timor]

Omnidirectional NEWS

West-East Timor in WGP2 Season 2 - An Overview

The second season of the WGP2, the feeder series to the World Grand Prix Championship (WGPC), has started, and as most people probably know, two drivers and one team from West-East Timor are participating. For those who don't know about it yet, we've put together a quick overview of Omnidirectional Timorian participation in the season.

Omni Katoa Racing

The Omni Katoa Racing cars (top: Timo Jänkirinää, bottom: Ade Imoju)

Based in Baranburg, Omni Katoa Racing is the only West-East Timorian team participating in WGP2. The team, which works closely together with car manufacturer Omni, and their WGPC team Omni Racing, was founded last year as Katara Racing by Mara Katara, now team principal for Katara Racing in the national endurance series WETEC.The team's participation in the inaugural season of WGP2 was a huge succes, with the team finishing the season on second place in the constructor's championship, and driver Jack Kelly fighting for the driver's championship until the last race and ending up on three, despite having had to quit a few races due to a bad accident during the season.

After Mara Katara left the team after only one season, it was bought by Omni Racing (and Nick Newman), and renamed to Omni Katoa Racing. Omni installed Parvin Langer as the team's principal, who also has experience as a race engineer for WETCheese Racing in Formula WET1. The team has signed West-East Timorian Timo Jäkirinää, who already participated for Katara Racing last season, finishing on eigth in the driver's championship, and the Vangazi racing driver Ade Imoju. The signing of Imoju, who is affiliated with Vannish Motors Racing, as well as Jannik Markner driving for VMR, has been causing rumours about a possible alliance between the two teams.

Parvin Langer about the team's expectations:

"Omni Katoa Racing has a team of very compentent mechanics, designers, etc. Together with two such highly talented drivers as Timo and Ade, we think we can do just as well, if not even better than Katara Racing last year. Yes, that means I think it is possible for us to become both constructor's and driver's champion. However, it is always impossible to predict how a season will go, so it's not a promise. But I do think it is possible."

#25 Timo Jänkirinää

Timo Jänkirinää's helmet design

Formula WET1 champion Timo Jänkirinää is driving his second season in WGP2. After driving in all national feeder series, he replaced Mick Schramm, who went to drive for Bitten Heroes in WGPC, at Formula WET1 top team WETCheese racing, and went on to win the championship. He then got a seat at Katara Racing in WGP2, finishing the season eigth. This year, he signed at Omni Katoa Racing.

Timo Jänkirinää:

"Last season wasn't ideal for me. I had a lot of bad luck and couldn't show my full potential. This year, I hope to be able to actually do so. The car seems pretty good, the team is great, and I hope to be racing for the championship."

#09 Jannik Markner

Jannik Markner's helmet design

Jannik Markner was Timo Jänkirinää's main rival in Formula WET1. Driving for Neumayer Racing, he finished the season second while Jänkirinää became champion. He, as well, will drive his second season in WGP2. He entered the series together with Jänkirinää and got a seat at Academy Racing. He was in for the title until the last race, but due to not finishing there, he only ended up fifth in the driver's championship. For the second season, he signed at championship-defending team Vannish Motors Racing from Vangaziland.

Jannik Markner:

"VMR are a fantastic team and it's an honour to be given the opportunity to race for them. I have been warmly welcomed at the team, and I hope to score some good results for them, and hopefully even become champion. I'm fairly certain that is possible to achieve for me, if I'm honest."

[Vangaziland]

Imoju Sets Fastest Lap, Still Flubs Qualifying

00:01:24.285 was the fastest lap time of the weekend at Yarkovo International Circuit. It was set by Ade Imoju at practice. The fastest lap of the first qualifying session was .003 seconds behind that. The time which won Dom Falepeau the pole in the second session was .008 seconds behind him. Ade ran extremely slow in qualifying, starting the season's first race at 15th.

"Normally when one thinks about a car doing better in practice, they think its because other cars held back", Ade said after his poor qualifying run. The numbers would show that his failure was do to his inconsistency, rather than the competition suddenly stepping up. No time was as fast as his Friday run.

"The fastest pre race track times don't necessarily predict who will win", Ade added. "It does show who is capable of driving fast laps though. When drivers do well for all three events, it might forecast who will have a good race. We can look at a few names over this weekend and know who will likely do well. Arjenko and Masami look really good, for example. Still, a lot of factors come into play over an entire race."

He was asked how he feels his early weekend sessions speak for his chances. "I'm capable of running some fast laps", he said. "If I can put together a string of laps like my practice session, I should be able to make up time. A top 10 finish is possible. It's still so early in the season. We need to see how the field runs. Who's consistent? Who has reliability issues? I'm not even sure where I fit in those categories. It's exciting, but also intimidating."

Ade was clearly not put off by his slow qualifying run. He plans to fight for points. His teammate Timo Jänkirinää placed 8th. This was after running 5th in the first qual session. "The two-tiered qualification system is a little pretentious, isn't it?" Ade spoke in a way that would surely aggravate some race planners. "I mean, let peoples' runs matter. It can feel as if the first run doesn't count, unless you fall behind the top 10. It can be disheartening to run great in the 1st sesh, but then fall closer to 10th because of a change in the weather or something. It just feels like jumping through hoops."

The journalist mentioned the fact that it was a challenge, to which Ade could not argue with.

Ade spoke on Timo in relation to the above statement. "But Timo should do well from 8th. He can also put up fast laps at Yarkovo. A top 5 or even top 3 finish is not out of the question."

Rivals from his former team in VMR ranked close to Timo, way above Ade. Jannik Markner was starting 4th. Karli Schmitt was starting 6th. Jannik was looking stronger than ever. Some seemed to forget he did so well in the WGP2 last year. The pre-season test and Yarkovo's first runs showed the Timorian was still on top of his game.

"Jannik and Karli can be quite dangerous from there. We'll have to see how their race comes together", Ade said. "I know Karli well. We drove the same car for a season. She is a threat from the top 10. Her style suits the course, but she's a fairly balanced driver. There are others even more suited to Yarkovo. Jannik has been looking like a monster. I expect him to put together a nice race."

Of course, most race weekends do not go according to plan. Ade was asked what his biggest worry is for the first race. "I just hope I don't wreck. I have faith in the car, but I'm ready to test it over a race. Let's see how well it holds up. Somebody is going to have to face the unexpected... Technical issues. Fender benders. For some, the problems may stretch over the entire season. That would have to be my biggest fear, to end up as one of the accursed."

Ade plans to suit up with his shiny gold and red helmet for race 1 at Yarkovo.

Vannish Motors Racing Introduces PsyKinetic Technology

The car company from Vangaziland shocked the Empire with a mentally based engine bolt on for Week 1 of the WGP2. The device known as PsyKi Boost is a rudimentary prototype, still in the early stages of development. Karli Schmitt and Jannik Markner were the first two to pilot the new technology.

"It's so subtle in design, a driver can almost pretend it doesn't exist", said Schmitt. After qualifying 13th in practice, Karli qualified 6th. Her fastest time came in the first session, although the field also ran faster at that time. This follows a finish of 11th at the preseason test.

"There wasn't much to notice from the driver's seat", she said. "There was a slight hum, almost like a buzz. It sounded like a distortion, almost tickling the ears. We also don't see the red light from where we sit." The PsyKi device emits a slight red glow. This might leak a little under the car at night. It has been seen giving off an almost underbody glow during a night run at practice. Red is the least demanding color of light on the eyes. It should not be too distracting to the VMR drivers or the field.

"The weird thing about it, is that there is still a turbocharger on board", said Karli. "We're sort of testing the PsyKi. It's not really about power. What the PsyKi does is put more boost where the turbocharger normally lags. It also takes some of the strain away from the engine. That's a reliability issue. We saw the computers overloading the engines because of timing problems in last season's WGPC. The PsyKi boost should help the new V8 run more efficiently."

Karli was asked how she felt about it from a purist's standpoint. "I wouldn't want to see this device all across the VMR lineup. It's not really neccesary. The goal should always be to build a better engine, versus adding a new bolt on. The technology shows promise though. It's great to be a part of such important testing. With another 10 years of development, PsyKi may truly become something."

She was asked why she thought Vannish Motors came up with this system. "Firstly, PsyKi is not a product of Vannish Motors. It was developed with government research by Eyetel." Eyetel is the preeminant mental research company in Vangaziland. They work with the most talented mentalist students at Overglade University. Vangaziland has been leaders in fields such as remote viewing and other psychic abilities. This is their first public foray into psyhic based technology. "It's not just about racing, but other applications. Can they help power homes one day? Everybody has spoken of military uses. The sky is the limit."

"This season will be important", she added. "If we do well with this new technology, over so many thousands of miles, the test will be a success. If we have a ton of reliability issues, we may have to scrap the project. A ton is at stake."

The Vannish Motors cars did well with the devices added, with Jannik starting 4th and Karli at 6th for Race 1 at Yarkovo. Both drivers' success probably had more to do with skill than the PsyKi device however.

Acting principal Jessica Franssen also spoke on the device. "We are simply bringing the 21st century to Vannish motorsports. We've seen other nations push psychic technology. Our government decided to invest in a trial run of their own brand of it. It's highly experimental, but it shows a lot of promise for the future."

She was asked if VMR plans to implement the technology into the WGPC spec cars next season. "At this point, there are no plans to do so. We'll have to see how this season works before we continue to push it. We'll have to see how the fans react also. We can make all the horsepower we need through conventional means. Will this help with reliability? That might help it stick around. The WGP2 is pretty much a testbed for each team. We see WGP2 as a test which have have implcations for the entire Empire. Even if the technology doesn't make the WGPC, it may find a spot somewhere in Vangaziland. Some think one of the technology's best utilizations might come in public transportation. It may prove much more efficient for buses and high speed trains."

Of course, Jessica couldn't be interviewed without being asked about her drivers.

"I'm really excited about the Jannik Markner signing", she said. "He's great to have around the shop. He wants to win and I think he can. The team is behind him. I stand by my claim that he is the top signing of the off-season."

Jessica also sounded excited about Karli Schmitt. "We obviously felt Karli was the most promising young driver in our roster. We think highly of Ade and even people like Floyd Hackerbee in NSSCRA. But Karli has something special. She's had a slightly rocky start, though 6th isn't a bad place to start her first WGP2 race."

"I'll be excited to see how this season shapes up", Jessica added. "As principal, there are always challenges. I think we did well with staffing. Now it's time to manage some races."

The crew at Vannish Motors Racing looks excited about their chances. Their engine is the complete opposite of a naturally aspirated V-10. It is now a turbocharged PsyKi V8. Only time will tell if the new technology is integral or a gimmick.

[Esmerel]

Yarkovo International Circuit, Yarkovo, Savojarna
Friday, 17 August 2018

NEW PERSONAL BEST: 1:24.344

This text flashed in purple text on the upper boundary of Rebecca's HUD, as she finished her 15 lap run.

Heh. Impressive.

TIME TO LEADER: +00:00.058
CURRENT POSITION: 11

"Wow, really? Only 6 hundredths back and I'm 11th? This is the tightest competition I've ever seen."

Rebecca set the systems on cooldown and made her way back to the pits. The car felt amazing here at Yarkovo. A good mix of corners, but an abundance of straights too.

Setup note: it's just right. Fine tune anything you can, but leave most of it the same.

Rebecca wrote those words down and went for an interview.

---

"Hey, Rebecca! Good to see you again."

"Hm? Again? We haven't met."

"Think back. High school. Does the name Richard Morrison ring a bell?"

"I... it does! You were in debate club and photography. Long time no see. Surprises me you didn't choose politician as your career. It would have gone great."

"You sure? I'd have to follow along with Richmond's every whim."

"Oh. True. Anyways, you're here for the interview, right? Who do you work for?"

"Not really anyone. I'm actually more of a freelance journalist that gives the sports networks what I can get from interviews. I also upload to YouTube. I've got the press clearance. So does he." Richard pointed to the cameraman next to him. "This is Brock. Say hi."

Brock briefly raided his left arm and waved. He didn't seem fond of conversation.

"Well, OK. First question. Rebecca, your first season in WGP2 was pretty mediocre. Got any ideas why?"

"Well, yeah, I do have a few ideas. I wasn't as good of a driver then, the technology Nexus gave to me was pretty out of this world, so it took a few races to get used to... The UHSGV- sorry, Ultra High Speed Ground Vehicle- 1.5 did feel more like a prototype for the second model used in WGPC16. It wasn't basic at all, as you might have been able to see during the races, but there were many times it felt like the car could have squeezed out more performance. Though, as usual, the rain did tend to ruin everything- look at the first race in Vilita, about a third of the cars were out at Turn 2- the car could end up underperforming even when it wasn't raining. All in all, yeah, it was pretty mediocre, if not bad, even though I did win a race. But it was at the home circuit. That counts for less in my mind."

"Got that. Second question. After a solid performance in testing as well as free practice, do you feel like you could mount some serious challenges in the races this year?"

"I'd wait until qualifying to answer that. But, I would say things are looking up. The UHSGV 2.5 is much more of its own machine rather than a prototype, and I definitely think it can stand up to the other cars on the track."

"OK, got that... So which teams look fastest to you?"

"I mean, I see Nexus up near the top, if not there already. In terms of other teams, VMR look as fast as they were for the past several months. Along them, I'd say Omni, Obey, and SVJ are pretty quick too. But the top 13 cars out of 21 so far are separated by less than a tenth- so just about anyone could be competitive, really."

"Hey, I noticed you still have your helmet with you. Would you mind showing the camera?"

Rebecca held up her helmet for Brock to see. He nodded once he got a good shot.



"Cool-looking helmet there. Mind explaining how you chose that design?"

"Well, the blue really looks more like a Nimban color than an Esmerelian one. I chose that to show a sense of peace and unity. The gold really represents me. Remember back in high school, other people would usually call me the Golden Girl because of my hair. And the fact that I was pretty popular and always did great in every class. Ah, the memories... all encapsulated in some paint on a helmet. Yeah, I don't see any sponsors on it, but maybe we'll find some. Or maybe not."

"Cool. Next question. Back in May, your idol- well, maybe an idol to all of us... and mentor Jean Mercer-Daly was seriously injured in an accident driving a Nexus car. Any thoughts on that event? Are you nervous it might happen to you? What do you think happened that caused it, and has that problem been fixed?"

"Well... yeah, it was a big event and a giant hit to Esmerelian morale. At least he survived, amputee or not. I can reveal that he's still going through therapy with his new cybernetics. He's told me it's going well, though. In terms of what happened, though... I don't have a clue. What I saw in the footage of the accident... it seemed his car completely shut down. At that point it was essentially made of paper. No wonder he sustained such injury. His body pretty much hit the barrier at 300 km/h. But was it Nexus' fault? I really don't think so. The car had never shut down like that at any point in the past. It could have been an external force. We don't know. But... I'm not afraid to be driving for Nexus. The new car will drive brilliantly- no, it has driven brilliantly already. I... OK, I don;t know where we're going anymore with this. Can we finish?"

"Yeah, sure. I might see you again after qualifying. Or the race. Or other races."

"Alright. I'll see you again, Richard."

"Good luck, Rebecca."

---Saturday 18 August---

FINAL RESULT: 1:24.545
STARTING POSITION: 7TH

"Oh, come on. Really? I was faster in session 1. Man, this ALWAYS happens."

Rebecca was alright, though. The car was still much faster than last year. And her teammate was pretty good too. Urdaneta was pretty mediocre.

I know. I should wait and see what the race holds for us before I start whining. Right? Right.

Rebecca was ready. Or maybe she wasn't. Either way things were going to happen and she was going to do just fine.

Hopefully.

[Lisander]

Yarkovo International Circuit, Superia Juniors Paddock
Friday Free Training

"I CAN'T TAKE NO MORE! This is ridiculous!" Completely upset, with three drivers lost, Ader threw his notebook on the wall, turning it into a mess of electric parts. Some people appeared, alerted by the sound of things crashing, between them, Juliano Lemos.

"Hey man, are you mad? Why you did this? You know, this isn't cheap!" - Lemos tried to calm down the Team Principal, but he was uncontrollable.

"I don't wanna know more about this! I tried my best to contact each and every possible driver. That stupid Dreamplanetian could have chosen us, but he chose that shitty car, that stupid battle tank of EVolution! I even tried to offer him a better contract, but he chose his stupid honor! Laukanen has gone to Nexus, and now that stupid Vilitan going to Savojarna! I don't want to work on this shit anymore! I'll go back to Lisander GT and all of you can go fuck yourselves!"

"Hey, don't say nonsenses like that... We need you, we need the Board to verify and allow cars to run." - Lemos was trying not to get pissed off too.

"Buy my share of the team! I do not want to be here anymore. I want to look at that car no more! I'm leaving! Send the damn computer bill to me."

Damian Ader left the paddock without giving a look at the press, even before the end of Free Training, leaving Lemos trying to recover parts of the laptop.

---

Later that day
Superia Juniors MotorHome, Yarkovo International Circuit

"This is what I was able to recover from the laptop:" - Lemos opened the Ader HD in his laptop, with the help of a cable. - "Ader quitted the team because of his failed tentatives of finding a second driver to Superia Juniors. After he failed Miguel Santos, who have signed EVolution and my try for Laukanen also failed, he tried other drivers. It looks like his last hope was Jama'obo Pegasii. But when Pegasii appeared in Savojar team, without any formal communication from the WGP2 organization, he was annoyed and simply gave up. Breaking a computer in the process..."

I always told you. You shouldn't trust in the people of the Board. - Andrea Lanza looked at him with that expression saying "You should have heard me." - "So, what you're expecting us to do? Do you want me to buy his share in the Team? Of course, I won't. I'm with you wherever you'll go, Lemos, but I'll not risk my personal money on it. Don't you have Stellenbosch? Camden wouldn't buy that?"

"I haven't offered them yet. Some of them will probably accept the offer. But I want to offer this to you beforehand because I want you to be the Team Principal from now on. Of course, your wages will rise."

"Is not about the money, Lemos. Aren't you tired? You should quit and recover. This is one more problem you're searching for yourself. Let's just send an e-mail to WGPO, saying Superia Juniors will quit after round of Savojarna. What will it do if you reach the end of this season as worn as it was at the end of the WGPC?"

"I won't. I can't. I can't stop. You know I can't stop. I can't just stop and drive in Lisander GT for an entire offseason. I need to lift up Bitten Heroes for WGPC 17. And I want you to be by my side in both."

One can't just take away the idea from you, right? - Lanza sighed deeply. - I envy your dedication. Okay, I'll accept the position. But from now on, your only concern will be driving. And my only one will be taking care of the races. Everything else is going to be delivered to whomever I think is the best, right? Go out, get some pizza. I'll start finding a second driver in Lisander. Tomorrow you'll need to do your best, at least to reach the top ten.

[Vilita and Turori]

Tropicorp Engineering Design & Administration Center, Tropicoast, Tropicorp :: Tropicorp Engineering Team Principle Gary Cook convened with his team following the test session at Mount Salt. The goal for todays meetings: Finalize the Tropicorp Engineering driving lineup for the upcoming WGP2 season and figure out how to go faster.

Donuts and pastries were out and beverages were on the table. Folks were settling into the place. Though Cook had debated even offering those as the speeds out of Mount Salt had left something to be desired.

In the corner of the room were a brand new stack of "hero cards" showing the VTM Tropicorp Engineering #23 machine that would be driven by Fast Cocoabo in the upcoming WGP2 season. The Turoki Island Tourism Board which had sponsored the car the previous season had left its role with its place on the side of the car being taken by Toys '4' All. It was likely somewhat of a conflict of interest for Visit TI with the growing push to get tourists to Cocoabo Park - reflected in the fact that the Educational Resort now featured on the VTMTE machine's front wing.

Cook took a stack of the cards and threw them on the center of the table while folks were chit-chatting and eating pastries.

"Do you see the problem here?" Cook asked the rhetorical question to the room...

"One stack. One stack of cards. We have two cars. We need two drivers."

The room was silent.

"We weren't very good in Mount Salt. We could have learned twice as much if we had another driver signed up"

Someone whispered about the availability of Jama'obo Pegasii

"I don't want to hear about Pegasii! He's a rogue like R.L. Cruisin and all the other athletes that those Yutzies up at the Vilisorma Beverage Company sign on to represent them. We are looking to build something here. A guy like Pegasii - he'll be in and out faster than you can down a can of Vilaye."

There had been a number of signings to other teams in the past week but Cook and his team were not in the mix for any of them and were left to strategize who was left.

Dom Falepeau? Taken. Jannik Markner? Already signed. What about the Eastfielders? Despite the struggles the season before, Cesaro Whittaker made the leap up to the WGPC circuit leaving Dahlia Dahl and the newcomer Laurencia Lynds behind. Dahl snubbed Tropicorp Engineering during WGP2 Season one and Gary Cook won't have forgotten that.

With Pegasii off the board and having likely signed over in Savojarna, Cook would have to look outside the Vilita and Turori Motorsports circuit.

So who was left? Edward Baker of The Krainin Isles? Baker was reportedly interested in the SVJ racing seat that it is now believed that Pegasii has taken.

"Shame that Felepeau is already off the board, probably should have taken him last season!" Cook added. Is there even anyone left with a licsence?"

The list was short. Boris Ludenhoff of Bellarona, Asaka Wongshi of Liongya, Nate Jackson of Northwest Kalactin, Markel Shemakker of Indusse, Hatake Kiso of Haikan and Edward Baker of The Krainin Islands.

Considering the turmoil in Liongya it is believed that Wongshi is back at home and is no longer looking for a ride in the WGP2 Season. Same could be said for Hatake Kiso as Haikan is in its own stake of fluxx.

That left just four drivers. Two of which were completely unproven - Ludenhoff and Shemakker. One of which had a poor reputation at best - Jackson, and the other was Edward Baker.

"So, I guess that settles it. We've no choice but to Offer the #2 seat to Edward Baker of the Krainin Isles!. Oh, and find that Manny "Lil E" Epula and see what his deal is too, we need a backup plan."

Cook left the room to make some communications while the rest of the team stayed behind to finish their pastries.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Chapter 4: Qualified

At the garage where Masami's car was getting ready, he was suiting himself up in his racing suit, gloves and helmet. Surprisingly, the helmet offered a lot of room just as usual. "Practice was a bit successful, however I guess today is going to be important." Today was important Masami knew. What he got to do was get past the first session, so as long as he barely put his foot off of the gas pedal, he would be in the clear. "Let's see. I have been braking at areas I shouldn't be braking. So if I go full speed at whatever is straight, then I can make sure I'm not among the last ranks." Masami got inside the driver's seat in his car and proceeded to drive it to the starting line, where the other cars were. "This is going to be a bit hectic, I can guarantee." Masami said to himself inside the car.

Two qualifying sessions later..

Masami couldn't believe for himself. He managed to be within the top ranks during both sessions, while keeping things in a fast pace. Before heading to his hotel room, several photographers from Main Nation Ministry have came, upon knowing of his laps. The photographers mainly took photos of him near his race car, while he was posing with either his helmet or a Stanley the Snakefish stuffed animal to get the kids hyped. Back at his hotel room, he and another journalist had brewed themselves some coffee while discussing questions over the next race and what to come.

Q: "So how's WGP2 going for you? This is your first time racing after all."
A: "A bit hard. I'm actually surprised that all I needed to do was check on what to do from the practice runs."
Q: "Any other drivers that you're concerned about, in particular?"
A: "Nah. Some of them were a bit aggressive with me on the track, but it was their strategy."
Q: "How's that helmet fitting for you?"
A: "People keep telling me about how my hair fits into the helmet, even though it's much cozy than you think. I don't apply gel or anything to my hair. It's naturally sticks up like that. When I pad it down with my helmet, it automatically stays down till I want it off."
Q: "Any other questions you want me to ask?"
A: "Actually, I'm curious. How's the Ministry of Sports Racing Team? I see them all the time on the sidelines."
Q: "Oh, them? They still are a backup team for any driver that doesn't have a team. I heard they are also keeping a bit of an eye on you to make sure nothing bad happens to you."
A: "Really now? It's part of their good nature after all. Making sure no one gets hurt during the race."
Q: "Well, I see you for the next racetrack. You think you're ready after being qualified?"
A: "Hell yeah! I making sure Main Nation Ministry is proud to have me as their Grand Prix driver! Well, I see you also, if no one else from the Truth News wants to ask me for questions. Take care."

[Aboveland]

Vankkavalta International Airport, Vankkavalta, Sånkasus Maakunta, Aboveland
2nd of August

Ryker shakes his head. “Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself. Been a little… ‘Off’, recently.” He looks to his companion, inquisitive - though perhaps not to his usual degree. “How have things been on your end?”

Terho shrugs, trying not to let his face muster sympathy in case it came across as rude. "I've being doing pretty okay myself," he answers, as the two start walking off to a nearby bar. "The development for next year's TRÆ car has been coming along smoothly, but it's a ton of work. Fine tune this, check that, hear this, yadda yadda yadda."

He pauses to squeeze past a barrier of recently arrived tourists and waits for Ryker to do the same before continuing. "I've also been keeping an eye on this guy." Terho swings his hand to his side, pointing at a void with his palm facing upwards, his fingers outstretched, as if he were showcasing a present. Ryker frowns politely, yet confused, confusing Terho in the process. He looks to where he's pointing to find that Janne wasn't there, his face now morphing to show slight concern. He turns around and stands on the tips of his toes to scan the airport above the crowd, none of the bobbing heads sporting a glistening blond wave. He turns back to Ryker with his lips tucked in. The Nimban can barely contain a smirk.

***

As soon as they landed in the Wardship, Janne rushed to the bathroom. Of course, he asked Terho to watch his luggage for a moment and only began to sprint once he'd walked around a corner to hide him from the sight of his higher-ups, but he was extremely distressed. The bathroom was enormous, pristine and quite empty, so he took the full liberty of panting his anxieties into one of the many wash basins opposite the urinals. He splashed water vigorously onto his face, rubbing away the crud and grogginess from his eyes. He splashed some more, this time aiming at his hair, darkening it from light Scandinavian blond and ruffling it into a more presentable shape, rather than the flat droopy mess he had before. He stared at himself once he finished poking his head, fixating his gaze on his pupils as his deep blue irises widened around their oily pupils; his heart pounding, his face red. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the sweet solitude, before taking a deep breath. Everyone's a trigger, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, he whispered to himself, tapping his foot to the rhythm. He urged himself to calm down, forcing his frantic eyes to retreat to their doey serenity by walking out of the bathroom and heading back to Terho and the local man.

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

“…but if you so choose, you have the opportunity to convert that into a three year contract at any point over the season’s course.” Auburn Steel flashes a smile at Janne, a line of teeth shining brightly alongside her copper hair. “With that you will also have the option to, at any point in that period at which we do not have a pair of drivers ready for the coming WGPC season, activate a clause which will guarantee you a place in that season with us.”

The two sit in Conference Room 3 of Nexus Racing’s headquarters, Janne himself at the middle of the semi-circular table with Auburn sitting just to one side of him and Timothy Guard himself immediately to hers. Between herself and the Abovian driver Auburn holds up a tablet whose screen displays two columns of text, one in Janne’s own language and the other in the box-like glyphs that make up the Nimban formal - and, in this case, legal - Higher Script, which detail precisely what Nexus Racing’s resident lawyer has just laid out.

“There is, unfortunately, another limitation on that,” she admits apologetically as she flicks at the screen to scroll down. “Rebecca Darlington will have priority for admission to the WGPC team, since she signed a contract with us previously and we would be in breach of that were you to leap in beforehand. Nonetheless,” Auburn concludes, her expression turning warm and peaceable, “I doubt that you will find a simpler route to the highest tier of racing anywhere, Janne Laukkanen, and we are more than happy to provide it to you; we believe in your ability as a driver.” She looks across at his team. “If any of you have suggestions on improving the offer, of course, feel free to make them, but otherwise I can have the documents complete for all of us to sign in no more than a few minutes. You just have to give the word.”

The tension in the air was so thick Janne could almost smell it. Perhaps it was only the enthralling smell of the future present in the Wardship, which had certainly struck Janne when he first set foot on the alien land, but the texture of the situation was viscous and a little uncomfortable. Timothy waited for an answer, his hands clasped patiently, Auburn glanced between the contract and his eyes, and the sound of Terho's breathing tapped away at his shoulders as his manager stretched himself out to peek at the document. The pause was unjustified and a little strange, seeing as the contract had essentially been signed months ago. What was he going to say, nah thanks, I'm good?

Before either his deep anxiety began to nibble at his stomach or the Nexus Racing executives began to raise their eyebrows, Janne blurted out his acceptance. It sounded abrupt and improper to him, but Auburn, who was first to reply, seemed ecstatic. Janne reached for the cold metal stylus pen the lawyer offered him, her blinding grin showcasing her perfect teeth (a peculiar observation). He brought the rubber tip to the screen to jot down his signature, raising his gaze to Timothy once he'd finished to smile in gratitude. He waited eagerly for him to take over, hoping for a tour of the facilities or a shot at a few laps around Crossbay.

Yarkovo International Circuit
Yarkovo, Savojarna
Qualifying

Janne's torso knocks hard against the sides of the cockpit around the turn 12 to 15 complex at the end of the lap, his timing display showing an increasingly promising green gap to his previous best, and despite the physical battering he is mentally committed to his task, emotionally in control and at ease. His chuckles come across to the Nexus paddock, the rookie's excitement unrestrained. The braking into turn 16 lurches his body forward into the seatbelts, but the RMEO suit assists his turn into the apex and traction onto the pit straight. The Chase Cutter whips past the start/finish line to clock in a fifth best time as the session time counter dribbles away to zero. The Abovian smiles stupidly behind his helmet visor, this time wearing a plain white, radio enabled unit. "Nice job," says Edvin, but his words are as good as none. Janne's excitement starts channeling away from momentary fulfillment and turns into a wave of inspiration for his helmet design, which he wants to finalize before the race. Maybe it will look good with a few streaks of color after all.

[Togonistan]

Falepeau starting in Savojarna from pole position.
By: Austin Taufatofua


Falepeau after yesterday's qualifying session

First WGP2 race week in Yarkovo, Savojarna is going on at it's full pace and yesterday's qualification showed some pleasant (as well as not-so-pleasant) news for Togonistani racing fans. After two-session qualification procedure, Dom Falepeau, a 21-year-old MRT2 driver managed to secure himself a pole position for today's race. Falepeau showed some great pace, ending up 4th in the first session, thus qualifying for the second session. His lap time of 00:01:24.293 in the second session was enough to secure himself a spot in the top of the grid, shortly followed by Roman Arjenko (SVJ Racing) and Jason Masami (Brutus Obey Sport GP). ''Everything looks good so far. I'm really happy we managed to nail our setup for today and I just hope everything will go well during the race as well,'' said Falepeau.

Meanwhile, Togonistani WGP2 debutant team Kaylan Racing has been struggling a little, with Maryloupin driver Max Predofski starting in the middle of the grid at p12, right between two Pompeii Motorsports' drivers Dalia Dahl and Erik DeForest. Kaylan's #2 driver Isaia Fanene has been struggling in the bottom of the grid this weekend, driving the slowest time both in practice as well as qualifying session. According to unconfirmed sources, the team has been held back by their brakes which have encountered some reliability issues. Nevertheless, the 17-year-old WGP2 debutant needs to seriously step up his game if he is hoping to get any points this weekend.

How will tonight's race play out? Only time will tell. Stay tuned either through live broadcast on Ultrasports 1 or through tgsports.tn live coverage.

[Savojarna]

Yarkovo International Circuit, Savojarna
SVJ Racing Commando Bridge, about one week before the Savojar Grand Prix

On the track, the blue and white SVJ Racing car takes its turns. Or maybe we should say a blue and white SVJ Racing car, as it isn't the familiar vehicle with the number 75 and ARJENKO written on its fin. On the bridge, two men follow every move of the car as it drives through the taxing final sector of Yarkovo. Rjurik Marlund can barely contain a smirk as he looks onto the screen over the shoulder of chief strategist Krister Arlund and sees himself what Krister says about half a second later. "He's good. First time in the car and he already posts quite some times, even though he doesn't know the track very well either. The guy's a talent!", Krister smiles. Next to him, Jussi Parjamäki grits his teeth before shooting a death stare at Rjurik, one that says "if you even think about saying that you told me so, I will punch you in the face and then fire you from your scouting seat even if it means I have to do all of the bloody scouting myself". Jama'abo Pegasii's performance had convinced the principal despite his resistance to signing a driver from Savojarna's bitter sporting rivals Vilita and Turori - he couldn't argue with seconds and split-seconds after all.

As Pegasii slows down on the final corner and turns the SVJ back into the pit lane, the crew has gathered in the box. Krister seems relieved, like someone who had finally found what he had been looking for over the last weeks but could not quite believe that he only looked at the place where he did so late. Jussi, torn between gladness and frustration, like someone who had to give up something dear to fulfil a dream, but before the dream fulfilment actually happens. Rjurik, glistening with both triumph and hope, like someone whose seemingly ridiculous business plan just earned him his first major contract. Arjenko, sitting on the stool in front of the TV banned by it like someone who watches instructions critical to his life, trying to see any possible little improvement that his prospective teammate could find on Yarkovo's track. They all greet the Vilitan back from the track, presenting him with his times.

After a short feedback session, the party splits. Krister and Pavel Suvchenko, the head designer, take Jama'abo Pegasii for a tour of the facilities and try to get some info on the car from him. Meanwhile, Jussi and Rjurik together with the present SARA official retreat to the head office of SVJ Racing. After a long, painful silence, Jussi exhales finally. "Good rounds. The guy has talent. Is he faster than Baker?", he adds immediately as he realises he lauded the Vilitan. Rjurik rolls his eyes. "As I told you, he has more of a pedigree. Nobody knows how fast Baker is here yet. But we talked about this, Jussi. Jama'abo is our first choice. You told me yesterday, remember? If he drives well and SARA give their okay, we sign him. He drove well. He came close to Roman's time on his first attempt in the SVJ, and Roman can draw this track blindfolded with two broken arms. Hell, he can probably drive it like that". Jussi looks over to the representative. He nods, waits and calmly says: "Points matter. We're in this game to win. Do whatever it takes".

Jussi grits his teeth. "What about reputation and focus? The GP is a week away. We need to prove ourselves on home turf. I was chosen for my job also to protect and promote the public image of SVJ Racing. Do you think I get that from a media controversy in the leadup to our home race? RevNews will have a field day and call us useless money wasters. Sports media will slander us for "helping" Vilita. We'll be in all the headlines, and not in the good way". Rjurik points to the numbers on his laptop. "Jussi, the times. Do you want the headlines of signing someone else; hell, the headlines of signing nobody, and see Pegasii do better with another team? Roman is a great driver. If we get another one, we may aim at a constructor's cup. That's good headlines". The quiet representative in the corner nods approvingly. Sensing he lost this battle, Jussi sighs. "Okay. We sign him. But under one condition: absolute secrecy. Nothing to the media. Nothing on our webpage. We only tell the WGPO until Savojarna, and when he does well in Yarkovo we hopefully keep down the controversy".

After a tour through the facilities, the party returns to the common area and heads straight to the head office. Krister knocks the door and enters, three seats and three cups of coffee being ready for the driver and the two SVJ members. In front of Jussi lies a paper and a blue, glistening, heavy metal pen. As Jama'abo Pegasii sits down, Jussi slides the paper over to him without a word. On the bottom, it has two signatures and a blank line. On the top, it says "Driver Contract for one season as #2 driver. Signing parties: Mr. Jussi Parjamäki on behalf of SVJ Racing; Mr. Calle Jarlund on behalf of the Savojar Automotive Racing Association; Mr. Jama'abo Pegasii."

---

Yarkovo International Circuit, Savojarna
Morning of the race

At precisely seven o'clock, the alarm in a room at the third floor of the SVJ Racing HQ goes off. Roman Arjenko is immediately out of the bed of the "hotel room" the team installed for when training and testing sessions ran late - or for race day. Here, Roman had lived an asketic and secluded life by standards of a professional driver participating in his home GP, or a rather busy weekend by the standards of everyone else. Before anything else, he gets dressed in a blue and black tracksuit with a white compass on its chest. Navigator Jaromirgrad reads the writing around the compass. Arjenko walks out into the calm and peaceful woods. Here, he slowly increases his pace to a light jog. After about 45 minutes, his loop is finished and Roman Arjenko, now a lot sweatier and a lot more awake, steps into the shower. It is 8:30 when he comes down into the SVJ cafeteria and orders the same breakfast as always, a müsli with blueberry yoghurt, a black coffee and an orange juice.

Thirty minutes later, Roman Arjenko is sitting in SVJ's press centre. Fifteen minutes is the time that the media get with their new darling before a press officer ends the talks and asks the next driver to come in. Arjenko leaves the room and breathes out deeply, going back into his room to study a videotape of the most important scenes of qualifying. At 10:00, he turns off his computer and writes down three sentences onto a note.

Do not attack in turn 2
Wait with the gas in turn 8
Be aggressive onto the home straight

He folds the note neatly and sticks it into the breast pocket of his SVJ shirt. Then, he sits down in the middle of the room and closes his eyes. In front of his mental eye, he drives his qualifying lap again. Then he pictures the start. He hits the throttle right at the moment where the green lights come on, stunning Dom Falepeau off the start. In the first corner, he holds his line and wins the battle in the second one, when he has the better place. Falepeau disappears in his rear mirror as he continues to imagine the perfect race. It is almost meditation for Arjenko.

At 11:20, he walks down into the cafeteria again and orders his lunch. After, he changes into an overall, tucks the note into it and walks down to the paddock. He discusses the race strategy - aggressive off the start, early stop on the harder tyres, long mid stint, late attack if needed - with his engineer, Yuri Dubranyov. After Roman goes out behind the paddock for a final warmup of himself, Yuri briefs him on the setup before it is time to take the car on a little warmup. The mechanics take their last few preparations. Roman looks over to his rival on the pole, Dom Falepeau. He fishes the note out of his overall and reads it again. Then, Yuri wishes him luck with a clap on his helmet. The mechanics disappear.

At 14:00, the lights switch and the field drives out on the formation lap. As they return, he lines up exactly as he studied before, with an ever so slight leaning to the left, where his opponent waits. He glances at Falepeau again. The track lies open in front of Roman Arjenko. He pushes a button. His display shows the words "Start Mode activated". Around him, the engines howl. Roman Arjenko breathes in, deep and calm. Above him, the red lights turn on. Roman Arjenko breathes out, sharp and focused. Then, the lights turn green.

[Former Citizens of the Nimbus System]

An Apartment, Shield Community, the First City, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System
12th of June

A middle-aged man with blond hair, shaven face and deep green eyes opens the door and is greeted with three individuals smiling pleasantly at him.

The one on the left carries a hopeful if somewhat shy expression. Somewhat tall, her wide black and amber orbs practically plead with him to help. The other two have a more determined, if still open - less so in the right one’s case - bearing to them.

“Ah… Can I help you?”

“You can!” The central one, shorter, with a visage akin to his own, answers. “We were wondering if you could help us with an investigation of ours… Mind if we come in?”

The man steps back, confusion running across his face. “I suppose… Could I ask who you are?”

“Tiffany Vallanite, Victoria Light and Alex Sanderson.” The one to the right - Alex - mutters something under his breath; Tiffany, the one to the left (according to Alex’s motioning, anyway), glances towards him, offering something between a sympathetic smile and a giggle. “We’re from Nexus Racing; the programming team.”

“Oh, you are? Cool!” The man nods enthusiastically, offering his hand to be shaken by each in turn. “I’m Germaine Umbra.” He chuckles. “I don’t do anything as interesting as you; I’m a Terrarail attendant.”

The two on the right raise their eyebrows and quickly gain knowing grins as the third gasps in delight. “Really? Oh, but that’s not boring at all!” Tiffany surges forward, practically levitating in excitement. “I love the Terrarail! Do you have any timetables that I could see?”

“I mean, sure!” Germaine looks perhaps a touch surprised; mostly, however, he seems happy. “Oh, I’m keeping you all out here; come on.” He beckons the team in from the corridor, leading them through to a mid-sized kitchen/dining room with a small sofa and television screen. “Sit down, please.”

“If it’s alright with you, we are on a bit of a tight schedule…” Victoria smiles apologetically. “We’d just like to ask for your help, that’s all.”

“Sure! Ask away.”

“Well, you know about…” The blonde-haired woman winces, putting her hand to her head, closing her eyes. The pause stretches out for a couple of seconds before Tiffany goes to her side, wrapping her in a hug.

Alex speaks in her place. “You might recall Jean Mercer-Daly’s crash two months ago.”

Germaine’s expression turns serious. “Oh, yeah, that was bad, wasn’t it? I couldn’t find a single media outlet that didn’t mention it. I can’t imagine what it was like to be in his position, the way the shields didn’t activa-” The man blinks. “Oh. Oh, goodness. I - I’m sorry.”

Alex shakes his head decisively, his hand curled into a fist - atop which seems to rest some sort of shoebox… “Don’t be. We’re working to find the person responsible, which is where we need your help.”

“I’ve geolocated the proxy server through which the hacker was operating. Turns out it’s right across the street from here - and whoever owns it didn’t bother to invest in anything to block the windows. No clue why.” He raises the box. “Your window is a perfect place to film straight through to the machinery itself. With your permission, then, we’ll set up this camera and take footage of it. Then, if anything further happens, we’ll know.”

The man frowns. “That’s legal?”

“We checked.”

“Huh. Well, I suppose so… I mean, if it’s to help catch this person, sure.” Germaine frowns, then nods his head. “Yeah, okay. Go for it.”

Tiffany smiles one of her radiant smiles even as Alex moves towards the windowsill and kneels down, taking everything out to put in place. “Thank you so much; that’s a huge help.” Victoria, now a little calmer, nods in agreement.

“Well, if I can help… Why not just get the police involved?”

Tiffany continues to smile. “Don’t worry; they are. We offered to help how we can, though, and they thought that we could help with this early part. They are busy people.”

Germaine raises his eyebrows, chuckling. “I suppose! That’s good of you.”

Tiffany’s blush is spared by Alex arriving at that moment. On the window now sits a camera upon an adjustable stand, miniature solar panel sticking up from the top. “Well, that’s done. Victoria?”

Nexus Racing’s Head Programmer nods. “Yeah… Yeah, I guess we’re finished. Let’s get back to headquarters.” She looks up at the apartment’s owner, weak smile on her face. “Thanks, Germaine. We owe you.”

“Actually…” Tiffany bites her lip, eyes shifting from her leader to her boyfriend. “Could I stay for a bit? If that’s okay with you, of course!” she adds quickly to Germaine. “I’d… I’d just like to talk about -”

The man laughs. “Certainly, if you’d like! I’ve got some maps here if you’d like to see them.”

Tiffany’s eyes gleam and, for the first time in the meeting, Victoria genuinely grins. “Oh, go on then, stay. We’ve got plenty done today anyway.”

Nexus Racing HQ, Crossbay Circuit, Nimbus Bay, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System
2nd of August

Timothy Guard obliges, clapping his hands together in one of his characteristic quirks. “Wondrous! In that case, while you -” he points with both hands at Auburn - “render the document in print, the rest of us can head to our respective stations.” He stands from the table and, with a gently-grinning nod, leads the Abovian contingent to the door, instinctively reaching for the handle - only for the pluri-folding panel that makes up the divider to smoothly and entirely automatically glide away into the reel alongside it, concealed within a cuboidal covering painted to resemble the rest of the wall. Ah, these ones have been replaced now, haven’t they? It oughtn’t be too long before all of the others are done; in fact, I believe that the technicians said that the work would be complete by the twelfth. Excellent.

After giving another nod, this one of acknowledgement and mental archiving, Nexus Racing’s Project Manager strides through the doorframe and continues striding down the corridors of the team’s headquarters, all the way to a certain door. Guard stops just short of it, turning with a patient upturning of the lips to wait for the others to reinforce him - for he has covered the ground purposefully - and then, when they have arrived, pivots back to the door and lets it open before him.

Thus, the inner sanctum is revealed.

On one wall, a practical whiteboard details a list of projects, arranged by priority and denoted with cheerful symbols representing individual team members, colour-coded for areas of specialism; in the corner between two others lies a table above which is projected a translucent blue hologram of something box-like and internally complex. Lining all of them are dozens of desks, some immaculately ordered, laptops and tablets neatly stowed, tools placed in neat rows and parts gathered in boxes, while others look the picture of organised chaos. ‘Organised chaos’, indeed, might well describe the room’s occupants, some moving about from place to place; some talking with each other in arcane language; some feverishly - or calmly - assembling, disassembling or reassembling various parts and mechanisms; some tapping or typing away at devices; and some just sitting down to think hard or mutter about things. Nexus Racing’s garage bustles.

And, at the centre of it all…




Timothy looks askance at Janne, searching for his reaction, and chuckles upon witnessing it. “Well, that will be all from me for today.” As if on cue, a short, brown-haired man of a seemingly quiet disposition walks up to the group and waits, hand behind his back. “Edvin, Terho, you’ll be going with Martin, here, to see our race tracking and communication set-up. Everything is in the garage; we don’t locate our nerve centre on the pit wall, so you needn’t worry about being rained on. Meanwhile, you, Janne…”

As the others depart Guard scans the room, searching for something or, indeed, for someone. And, seemingly, that someone arrives; a figure dressed in Nexus Racing’s sky blue and holding up a pair of racing overalls in the same colour dodges through one of the doors before it has a chance to fully open and speeds towards them. Timothy sighs in an almost fatherly way, then smiles. “You will be going with -”

“Sorry!” The newcomer, apparently on the technical side of things based on his garb, leans over, panting for breath in an almost comical way. “Gertrude and Lucia were both busy, so I had to fill in last min-”

Guard shakes his head, paternal smile still on his face. “Worry not, Virgil. I know.” He turns back to the Abovian driver. “Janne, this is Virgil. He’ll be explaining the Chase Cutter to you; after that, you’ll have a chance to go out onto Crossbay Circuit and drive it for yourself. Virgil -”

“Janne Laukannen, right? From Aboveland?” Virgil looks up, grinning. “Good to meet ‘ya. Shall we go?”

The two head walk into the garage, closing with and finally coming to Janne’s car. Sleek and grey, its livery is clearly simple - this is, after all, a prototype - but it still carries personal touches. On either side printed text is mirrored; where there is Common Script, otherwise known the Latin alphabet, on one side for the general public there are Higher Script glyphs on the other, denoting the team’s uniquely Nimban nature. More apparent, however, is Janne’s name; his chosen number, sixteen, in the colours of the Abovian flag; the banner itself emblazoned below the Nimban ensign on the air intake.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Virgil crosses his arms, smirking. “Most advanced car in the WGPC. You lucky thing. So,” he says, walking around the car, “this is the Ultra High Speed Ground Vehicle Three ‘Competitive Testing Prototype’.” He makes air quotes with his fingers on those last three words. “Don’t call it that, though. It’s the UHSGV 2.5. Easier to remember.”

“Not its actual name, though! You could at least call it ‘Chase Cutter’!”

“Yes, I know, Shana!” Virgil calls back. “I swear… Right, where was I? Okay. First things first: power.” He slaps the side panel of the vehicle. “In here is our Paragon Warp Imagination convertor array. It consumes Imagination -” he waves his hand - “it’s the substance that powers our cars, you don’t need to know much yet other than that it makes the whole thing glow blue - and converts it into energy. Three parts to it, each of which does a different thing.”

“The first is the static Imagikinetic convertor. That pushes the car forwards. No wheels involved; it just applies a forward force throughout the car. Simple as. The second,” he continues, somewhat confusingly raising a finger, “is the dynamic Imagikinetic convertor.” Virgil points to the car’s nose, at the centre point of the two wheels. “In there we’ve got an indicator aligned with whichever way the wheels are pointing. The second convertor applies force in the direction of that indicator. You turn the steering wheel, you’ve changed the direction of the force. Most of the time those two act in concert, so, if we have to turn one off for some reason, we’ll be turning off the other too. More relevantly, though, there’s no worrying about torque curves or gear changing or anything like that; just use the power when you need it.”

“The last part is the Imagielectric convertor. That converts Imagination to electricity, which then goes to four motors, each of which drives a wheel. Only part of the array that does and, well, it does make it a little more like a regular car to drive. Still got that instant torque, though.” Virgil gives a smile, then somehow gestures to the car’s entire body. “We’ve also got photovoltaic paint all across the car now, so there’s a bit more oomph there. My idea, that one. And there’s also the standard kinetic energy recovery stuff going on, so that too.”

“The final Imagination convertor in the car isn’t actually part of the array - but, well, it’s all in the same block. It’s an Imagithermal convertor and it basically regulates the temperature of the wheels for you. No need to heat the tyres on the formation lap for you, so, if there’s a habit there, you might want to break it.”

“Right, that’s that covered… Let’s get onto support systems. Most important is probably the Mass Aerodynamic Reconfiguration System. Basically, a ton of the car’s body surfaces are divided into panels that automatically adjust themselves based on what you’re doing with the car and the environment around it. Imagine the DRS that a lot of teams have got and apply it to the entire car, across the entire lap. Air-braking into the corners, less drag on the straights, that sort of thing.”

“Then we have the fan.” Virgil grins at that. “Yes, this is a fan car. Specifically, there’s a cross-flow fan just behind where you’ll be sitting. It’s pretty cool.”

He drums his hands on his thighs. “Let’s see, I’ve said… Right, next would be all the driver aids. First, the ‘Comprehensive Suspension and Traction Computer Control System’. Automatically adjusts power input, wheel alignment and camber, suspension and so on to make sure that you’re going where you want to be going. Then there’s the PA-AS. End result? Automated race starts.” Virgil chuckles at that one. “First mid-season addition that we ever made to the car and it hasn’t let us down once - the other half of our famous ‘off-line advantage’. And finally…”

Virgil holds up the suit that he’s been carrying in one hand, adorned, among other things, with the stylised depiction of the Imagination Nexus that is his team’s logo. “This is your RMEO. Thankfully doesn’t turn you into a sectionalist Veronese youth; it does have thousands of body heat-powered nanomotors woven into the fabric that’ll respond to and reinforce your movements. Given how Marika Pedanovic said it made her feel literally divine when she was here, I’d imagine that it’s good for making sharp turns.”

“Should probably let you know about the Imagination convertors assigned to safety, too.” Virgil grimaces at that.” We’ve got three. The IASG protects the car by locking the air around it in place before a crash; the IRASSU protects you by getting rid of the energy of random shrapnel before it hits; and the ISISU literally holds the car together. That last helps with things like mechanical failure as well.”

“Now… You’ve probably heard all about last season and Mercer-Daly’s crash. Bit of reassurance, in case you don’t already know: that was a hacker, who got into the convertors through our computer network and hijacked them.” He sighs. “Standard practice is now to have two separate networks, one for the car and anything affecting it and another for everything else. Makes data management a nightmare but it’s keeping you guys safer, so…” Virgil shrugs. “Well, that’s what we’ve done.”

He claps his hands together, as if to bring the topic to a close. “Speaking of data… The last thing would be inputs and information.” He reaches forward into the cockpit, decoupling the steering wheel from its mounting point, then shows it to him; for all of Nexus Racing’s technology its car’s primary interface is remarkably analogue, lacking any screen at all in favour of numbered and coloured buttons and dials - and fewer of those, indeed, than on many others of its ilk. “This is your steering wheel. Right now it’s in factory state; one of the people from programming’ll come and talk you through customising all of the twiddly bits later. Probably the more important thing, though…”

Virgil grins. “Well, let’s just say that we made a copy of your helmet for you and it’s got an upgrade. First of all, there’s an Imagikinetic convertor that we’ve got set up to synchronise the air in front of your ear and the mouth of whoever’s talking to you and vice versa. Instant communication; no latency involved. Secondly: two small projectors built into the helmet’s inside, one on each side of the visor. All of the information that you’ll need’ll be projected right onto it for you; more than that, the design’s modular, so it can be customised however you’d like. More than that, though -” and here Virgil’s grin widens - “we’ve got a supercomputer here analysing every driver’s lines and modelling their behaviour to predict where they’ll go at any given moment. That information goes straight to you; projected right onto the helmet with everything else.”

He waits for that bombshell to fully process. “So, yeah. That’s waiting for you in the changing room.” He points: “First door off the corridor down there. Unless you’ve got questions… Well, your guys should be finishing on their side soon. You can go to get ready and get out on track.”

[Mattijana]

Cutoff for the round 1 race. Time to award the first points of this WGP2 season.

[Mattijana]

Week 2: Race		
	
Conditions:      	Dry	
Laps:              	41	
Nation:         	SVJ	
Circuit:        	Yarkovo International Circuit	
Virtual Safety Car		
Deployed on Laps: (Not deployed)		
Cars on Grid:	21

POS DRV Name                     Team	Time	Pts
  1 LAU Janne Laukkanen             Nexus Racing                	01:03:15.564	25
  2 FAL Dom Falepeau                MRT2                        	00:00:16.639	18
  3 JSM Jason Masami                Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:00:24.777	14
  4 TJK Timo Jänkirinää             Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:00:31.188	10
  5 SCH Karli Schmitt               Vannish Motors Racing       	00:00:35.342	8
  6 ARJ Roman Arjenko               SVJ Racing                  	00:00:39.133	6
  7 MAR Jannik Markner              Vannish Motors Racing       	00:00:39.341	4
  8 FAN Isaia Fanene                Kaylan Racing               	00:00:46.665	3
  9 C23 Cocoabo #23                 VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	00:00:49.512	2
 10 DHL Dahlia Dahl                 Pompeii Motorsports         	00:00:55.722	1
 11 MIG Miguel Santos               EVolution Racing            	00:01:10.931	
 12 LEM Juliano Lemos               Superia Junior Team         	00:01:11.129	
 13 JUL Ekatarina Julic             Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:01:13.778	
 14 HIN Chiemi Hino                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	00:01:28.569	
 15 IMO Ade Imoju                   Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:01:32.838	
 16 DEF Erik DeForest               Pompeii Motorsports         	Laps Down: 1	
 17 DAR Rebecca Darlington          Nexus Racing                	Laps Down: 1	
 18 LYN Laurencia Lynds             SinVal                      	Laps Down: 1	
 19 TAB Tyra Tabuso                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	Laps Down: 1	
 20 PRE Max Predofski               Kaylan Racing                       DNF  (lap 28)      	
 21 PEG Jama'obo Pegasii            SVJ Racing                          DNF  (lap 4)

[Aanasq]

*deleted*

[Lisander]

Superia Juniors Office
Soria

“And then, Lanza, do you have what I asked for? The books, all the books, I need all of them.” The female voice entered the room next to her owner, a pretty middle-aged blonde, inside a tight Tailleur that bordered on the provocative.

“Not exactly, Sabine. It seems Ader was not very careful about finances. He had a fixed worksheet, and he took care of the structure as if he cared for a small team, as a privateer. There are no cash books or anything of the sort, the team only disputed a race, and only with one driver. We haven’t earned any money yesterday since we have not scored any points, so this is up to date. Here, connect this HD and you'll have access to everything he left.” Andrea Lanza, the Superia Juniors' Main Team, presented the woman with the challenge.

“Amateurs...” Sabine, the accountant lady, connected what was left of the Ader Laptop to her own Laptop, and began to check the files. There were photos of the car, supplier lists, sponsor data, and a myriad of information. She frowned when he finally saw the worksheets, and she did not look pleased with what we saw. “It was what I expected, chaos. It's going to take a few days, and I need to talk to Lemos. As for management, what do you have in mind?”

“Me? No. Nothing. Was I supposed to know something? I do not have much commercial talent, so you're my accountant. In fact, I want you to turn that mess into a formally registered company, a joint-stock company. I want you to be the CEO, or rather the General Manager."- Lanza was always straight to the point.

“Okay, so I'm going to need some information. Take note of what to remember while I see it here... How's the division of the team?”

“In fact, this is all more figurative than anything. There is no formal contract, and the sponsors were just pouring money into the Superia Juniors account. The planned money intake is what I wrote down in this paper.”

Shareholders/Sponsors:
Lisander Autosports Board, represented by Damian Ader (40%, for sale, including part of the Stellenbosch Tyres, which for reasons of sponsorship cannot be currently linked to the team.)
Camden Motors, represented by Camden Racing General Manager, Tiago Camden-Mott (40 %)
KB Motorworks, represented by Juliano Lemos (20%).

Sabine glanced at the paper and her only reaction was to burst into laughter.

“Oh no ... You can only be kidding me ...” he would say, and his voice was choked with uncontrolled laughter. “Is this all the organization you have? You guys are definitely screwed!”

When Sabine finally stopped laughing, they heard the door open. It was Juliano Lemos.

"Look at it, another screwed." - What a sharp tongue.

"Pardon? Lanza, who is this woman? "

"My accountant and new General Manager of Superia Juniors, at my expense. Sabine Valerian. "

Sabine took the words for herself.

"So, young man, you know you're full of problems, are not you? You know this team has little money, unsatisfactory structure and a car below expectations, do not you? "

"If you came here just to notice the obvious, Mrs. Valerian, you can get up and leave. We need solutions, not people joking in our faces." - Juliano Lemos did not even intend to hide his discomfort with the situation.

"Well, Lanza said you were unbearable in dealing with this, Lemos." - if there was any discomfort in that woman, it was certainly sincerity. "Still, listen carefully. You are a pilot, not a businessman. I read a little about you and I do not have a very positive prognosis. In short: You live to drive and drive to live. If you do not take care of your finances soon you will not have money to drive, much less to live. Saying this team is lost in the wilderness is too bland. This team is lost in the Savagery. Outside they are all monsters in search of results. Look ... Do not take me any farther than you should be. To get back to WGPC, you need to make money. Much more than you have to do for WGP2. You need sponsors, government support, TV revenue, good drivers bringing sponsors. You alone can not play a team in a WGPO category. "

"You are the woman of the suggestions, Mrs. Valerian. If my team principal trusts you, just go for it. "

"I'm obviously not going to give a free consultation. It will cost you thirty thousand lisanderian Lis. "

"If you guarantee it will work, I'll pay."

"No, you won’t…” - She was capable of saying the most hideous things with a smile in her face. "You are not giving the right value to your money. My consultations cost only a quarter of that. You do not think about how much it will be spent if you have a promise of return." She made a short pause and drank some water. "You bought Bitten Heroes on impulse, did not you? You bought it because you wanted to run with the name written in the car, did not you? You wasted the price of a set of engines in a name and some sheds of a practically bankrupt team."

"I thought about the symbolic value and not so much money I could make with it." he snapped.

"So you thought so wrong. If you were thinking of affection, with that money, you could have paid the three years of high school of your beloved niece Lana at the Pia Mater Institute, the most expensive ladies’ college in the country. Admit it. You do not even have financial planning for yourself."

Lemos had nothing to say, then admitted defeat.

"I understand. So I really need your help. What should I do next? Not with the staff, with my money. The team will be your responsibility. "

Very well. For starters, you need to focus all your investments on one company, to lower the amount of taxes you'll have to pay in the short term, and save money. If it were me, I'd sell Bitten Heroes. You can get a good price after all the name has some strength among the fans."

"No way. It's the only thing I will not do. Even if I have to spend more to recover it. It's an almost ready facility."

“The Brax Technology Center isn’t bad, Sabine. The place is up to date, we were able to recover most of the liquidated stuff. The structure is all functional, we even did the last tests there…” - Lanza objected. Sabine was thinking about costs but wasn't considering the effort of Lemos and Lanza to recover all stuff Bitten Heroes lost when the justice came after them.

“It’s fair to keep it, then. Let’s consider any modification and upgrade to that place as an investment. Anyway, you still need to leave something behind. You need to sell something to make money and invest. Like your shares in KB Motorworks and also this office, where we are right now.”

[Krainin]

Lugenburgh, Vestrad, The Krainin Isles

Edward is sitting in a chair looking at his phone. He's looking at the race results for the first WGP2 race of the season.

"Huh. Good on Janne for getting a win. Sucks that there's been a mixup with SVJ. I should have paid attention."

Edward gets up and stretch. He lays his phone down and walks into the kitchen. His phone dings as he's pouring a drink. He walks back into the living room drinking. He lays the cup down next to his phone and picks his phone up.

"VTM Tropicorp Engineering has offered me the number two seat. This appears to be the only thing available, so I might as well. Alright, I accept the offer for the number two seat at VTM Tropicorp Engineering.

[Vangaziland]

Karli Schmitt would start the race on the tail of Janne Laukkanen. It didn't take long for the Vangazi to fall behind. Rather, it was Janne who sped up and left Karli fighting for a top 5 spot.

Janne proved to be above the curve here, showing exceptional skill to move up the field. The field was relatively stagnant, with some cars finishing close to where they started. Karli started 6th and was running a one pit stop race, with the new V8.. The former GT2 driver seemed to be fighting the car for much of the early race. She sounded tense over the team radio. At one point she had fallen back to 7th.

Things picked up for Karli after the stop. Her car was back in 6th. She would encounter a few drivers who were falling back. Among them was her teammate, Jannik Markner. Jannik had started two spots ahead of Karli. Karli seemed to finally be on top of her lines by the time she caught up to Jannik.

She didn't want to make too aggressive a maneuver. She also didn't expect Jannik to just let her pass. The two indigo and red cars did about two laps side by side. They fought on their path towards the front of the field. The top cars were just a bit faster today. The Vannish cars seemed to be pushing with everything they had. Other teams had excellent machines and talented drivers that stayed one step ahead in Savojarna.

Karli finally got close around T5. She followed him tight through T6, formulating an angle of attack as her car sunk in behind his like an aerial dogfighter. After leaving T7, cars bucking to the right, Karli had the right angle to cut Janne sharp. From there, Karli would sink into 5th place and hold it. Unlike the WGPC, which had a dramatic set of field changes, Karli's race had much less back and forth action. She ran most of the race between 5th and 6th.

Another high starting driver who fell back behind Karli was Roman Arjenko. She had passed him to catch up to Jannik a few laps prior to meeting her teammate on the track. Arjenko had started 2nd after a solid weekend. The indigo & red #33 car ripped and roared as it sped through DRS2 after turn 16. The Vannish car showed power, bright flashes of red sparking glinting blasts which flared under the chassis.

The engine's note was not quite as overbearing as the WGPC machine, partially because it was detuned. More importantly, the engine was now a turbocharged V8. It did not reverberate in the same way the V10 did. There were more pops and hisses from the turbo. There was also a buzz like hum which spooled up as the car accelerated from the PsyKi unit. The VM222 of WGPC 16 was called the Dragon chassis. This new model, the VM33, was called the Specter chassis. It was seen as more of an ethereal being than the beast of cars past.

Karli had a quiet race, but pulled solid top 5 points. It was not a podium, but was a decent start. On the other side of the pack was Ade Imoju. The Omni-Katoa driver started 15th. Apart from a short time in 16th after his single pit stop and a few jaunts into 14th, he remained in 15th for most of the race.

Those tuning in to watch Ade make an exciting move were waiting for a moment which never arrived. Instead the Vangazi played it safe. After the race, reporters came to him for answers.

"Ade, what do you feel is the reason for such a dull performance on your part?"

"It's not that the performance was dull", Imoju said. "That's the way things turned out on the track today. A lot of people stayed close to where they started. It shows there is a big parity between the cars this season. It's not easy to gain ground."

"But Ade, couldn't you have fought harder to get into the top 10? Points are at a premium so early in the season."

"You're right", the driver replied. "The truth is that this track just never suited my style. It takes a lot of aggression to make moves on a track like this. Things were very fast and these are close quarters. I had to play it safe. I just didn't find space for a pass, without a massive chance of a wreck."

"Is this what you expected for your first race?" Another journalist took over with another hard hitting question.

"It's in line with what we expect from this sort of track. I'll look to do better in events closer matched to my skills... In a more complex battle of technical lines. I'll also hope to have consistency on my side. But yeah. There's nothing worth writing home about with 15th place."

Ade did fight a battle of his own. He made sure that he did not fall a lap behind. He finished as the last car on the lead lap. Rebecca Darlington of Nexus lost that battle, falling from 7th to 17th. Ade compared himself to her, stating, "I can relate to Rebecca. I guarantee she'll be a serious threat on more technical tracks. I think we both entered the first race with a lot of promise. It's going to make for an interesting season to see how all the different styles blend."

Karli also had her time in front of the media. They asked her how she felt about her first result. "Fifth is not a bad start. We've seen from other drivers how important it is to earn good points between any victories you may pull. We've even seen WGPC drivers win a cup without winning a race. The key will be to string together a series of good races."

She was told about Ade's thoughts on the track not being suited to him. Much like sabermetrics in baseball, there were 'numbers people' in the motorsports world. They broke down each track in terms of aggression and technical skill. They swore they could pinpoint each vehicle's performance down to specific numbers in a points system. Within that soup of formulae and decimal points, they thought they could get a glimpse into how a season might pan out.

"I don't really believe in all this 'numbers' guy' hoopla", Karli said. "A talented driver will be able to overcome those sorts of differences and difficulties on the track. I think Ade took the easy way out by blaming it on his driving style." A reporter tried to create drama between Karli and her former GT2 co-driver.

"So are you bashing Ade now?"

Karli pulled a wavy strand of blonde hair behind her ear as she squinted underneath her sunglasses. "I'm not bashing the guy." Her brow remained furrowed as she spoke. "I just think he probably could have done better. I'd be surprised if I didn't struggle on certain tracks. Still. I don't think numbers will affect the course of my season."

"The field is really strong though", Karli added. "The fans can look forward to a good show. Everybody is talking about how excited they are to see the season progress."

[Main Nation Ministry]

Chapter 5: Race Day

The moment the light went green, Jason put his foot on the pedal, as his car sped off with the others. At the start, he was around the front, already taking a lead. Jason tried to make sure that no one tried to swerve towards him to get rid of his position. Jason Masami made sure that he was remembering the stuff that was happening during the qualifying sessions. Things looked like he was going to be around 4th to 6th place, however after Lap 30, Jason managed to get a bit of a lead. Around a piece that started at T5 to T7 which required some technique and precision braking, Jason had his car near the raceway wall, as close as possible without scraping against it. With a series of turns, he managed to overtake several cars and ended up nearly at 1st place.

When he approached T12, he increased pressure on the gas pedal and managed to drive past what he believed to be the lead car. For the next 5 laps, he managed to wind up in 1st place. However, in Lap 35, Jason Masami felt his tire on the verge of going out. Not wanting to risk it, he drove to the pit stop, where after he nearly hit the back wheel of a car that sped past him. In the end, Jason Masami learnt that he was in 3rd place. As he pulled his car to the garage, he felt himself sweating from the tension on the track. A pit stop crew member went up to Masami to tell him that his fellow friends in the barracks were watching the race. The response that Masami gave was, "Glad for them to cheer me on. Hang on, how's the paint on the car? Is it starting to flake?"

[Former Citizens of the Nimbus System]

Yarkovo International Circuit, Yarkovo, Savojarna
19th of August; Post-Race

“I’m so sorry, Rebecca; that was an opportunity wasted. Still, let’s get that one behind us and have a fresh start next week, right?”

Valen sighs, shaking his head in disbelief as he steps away from the console, turning his back and leaving. “Imagination. That’s… That’s not fair.”

His departure is not a long one, finding an empty chair on the other side of the garage and sitting down on it. This is… It’s not just unfair, it’s tremendously unfair. She was doing so well until we called her in for that second stop. We owe her far, far better than that. We’re meant to have her back.

I’m meant to have her back.

“I agree, by the way.”

Valen looks towards his right. One Gertrude Thompson looks back. She sighs. “Sure, we won the race, and sure it’s good data, but that doesn’t make it any easier for you two.”

“I just think… Couldn’t we have had the tyres in before now for testing?” Valen shakes his head, exasperated expression on his face. “This should have been worked out weeks ago, right?”

Gertrude rolls her eyes. “That one’s not on us; blame Petrovi for sending the tyres to us a fortnight before the season started. We barely had enough time to even get a good balance on those things, let alone to understand the degradation. Give me Brutus/In Motion and specialist support any day.” She exhales. “Might want to bring in Verti. He’ll understand.”

Valen laughs. “I imagine that it’d be nice for you to see him.”

“It would.” A smirk grows on her face. “I mean, I already do, but…”

“For a longer period of time.”

“Yeah.” Nexus Racing’s Head Designer gazes into emptiness, wistfulness in her eyes. “Listen, Valen; I’m sorry. We need to be better - but we will be better. Success is a process, right? We’ve done it before.”

He looks up. Moving light draws his peripheral vision, which focusses back on the console - and there is Rebecca. “I honestly think it'll just take a bit of time to get the team adjusted to all of the different situations we'll have to go through, but once we get there, things will definitely be better,” she says.

Valen smiles.

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

Alex, bleary-eyed, sits down to review the footage from the camera again. It is his turn, after all. Opening up the video file, he turns up the speed to several times faster than reality and somewhat lazily hits play.

A few minutes pass. Then…

Well, it would be hard to miss it.

A wide-eyed Alex begins to type. Rapidly.

20th of August

The Bullhorn ---------------------------------------------------------------- Sport News

NEXUS RACING’S LAUKKANEN CLINCHES WIN IN SAVOJARNA
Chief Sports Correspondent Caitlin Morris

Janne Laukkanen of Aboveland has taken victory for Nexus Racing in his first World Grand Prix Two race, placing both at the top of the WGP2 Championships.

Laukkanen, 17, whose mentor is former World Drivers’ Champion Terho Talvela, won the top step of the podium at the Yarkovo International Circuit by over sixteen seconds from his closest competitor, Dom Falepeau, racing for Mattijana Racing Team’s WGP2 subsidiary, and more than twenty four beyond Esmerelian Brutus Obey Sport GP’s Jason Masami.

After the race, Nexus Racing’s Head of Communications and Public Relations, Karl Rain, issued a statement on the team’s behalf: ‘Janne Laukkanen is an incredible talent whom we are thrilled to have racing with us, a fact which his victory today only confirms. This is doubtless only the beginning of a stellar career in the highest echelons of World Grand Prix racing.’ The team will be hosting a press conference today at their own Crossbay Circuit headquarters, deliberately timed after the first race to capitalise on media interest after a lack of it for the previous two.

This is not the first time that Nexus Racing has opened a season with a victory, that honour going to the Serbian driver Marika Pedanovic at Nexus Racing’s inaugural race at Mount Salt Raceway.

Elsewhere, season favourites Vannish Motors Racing’s drivers, Karli Schmitt and Jannik Markner, achieved fifth and seventh in spite of the addition of a psionic power source, nicknamed ‘PsyKi’, to their vehicle, while widely-hyped electrically-powered entrants EVolution Racing’s sole current driver Miguel Santos finished eleventh. Nexus Racing's other WGP2 driver, the Esmerelian Rebecca Darlington, currently in her second season with the team, managed only seventeenth after the choice of a one-stop strategy led to her second set of tyres falling off the cliff.

[Esmerel]

Yarkovo International Circuit, Yarkovo, Savojarna
Sunday, 19 August 2018

FINISHING POSITION: 17TH
TIME BEHIND: +1 LAP

Rebecca reminded herself not to let Nexus come up with the strategy next time.

---

"So what happened? You had a solid starting position, what happened in the race that dropped you to 17th?

"I'll be blunt here: it was strategy mishap. The mechanics thought we could pull off the one-stop, so we went for the harder compounds, but they were far too slow. And not only were they slow off the line, we were stretching them so much they had fallen off the cliff 5 laps before the end of the stint."

"Lucky for your team, Laukannen scored a brilliant victory in the race. He's only 17, so does it feel... odd to finish behind the driver who is seven years younger than you?"

"During testing, Janne definitely showed he had more than enough pace to match me, the same during the race. When he lapped me. I do believe it was down to driving style- considering that he's better with tyre saving, he was probably able to make the strategy work. Just barely. I honestly think it'll just take a bit of time to get the team adjusted to all of the different situations we'll have to go through, but once we get there, things will definitely be better."

"That's all I've got for today. See you next weekend, Rebecca."

"You too, Richard."

[Mattijana]

Cutoff!
For practice and qualifying in Turori.

[Mattijana]

Week 3: Practice

Conditions:      	Dry
Lap Record:      	81.954
Qualifying Type:	Two Tier
Nation:         	V&T
Circuit:        	Cocoabo Park Circuit

Practice:

POS # DRIVER                   TEAM                	FASTEST LAP	BEHIND LEADER
 1 15 Rebecca Darlington          Nexus Racing                	00:01:52.802	00:00:00.000
 2 23 Cocoabo #23                 VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	00:01:52.805	00:00:00.002
 3  3 Darius Castellammare        Superia Junior Team         	00:01:52.805	00:00:00.003
 4 97 Edward Baker                VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	00:01:52.806	00:00:00.004
 5 12 Ade Imoju                   Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:01:52.808	00:00:00.006
 6 44 Laurencia Lynds             SinVal                      	00:01:52.810	00:00:00.008
 7  9 Jannik Markner              Vannish Motors Racing       	00:01:52.818	00:00:00.016
 8 75 Roman Arjenko               SVJ Racing                  	00:01:52.820	00:00:00.017
 9 25 Timo Jänkirinää             Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:01:52.821	00:00:00.019
10 60 Chiemi Hino                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	00:01:52.830	00:00:00.028
11 37 Jama'obo Pegasii            SVJ Racing                  	00:01:52.832	00:00:00.030
12  2 Juliano Lemos               Superia Junior Team         	00:01:52.865	00:00:00.063
13 18 Isaia Fanene                Kaylan Racing               	00:01:52.891	00:00:00.089
14 33 Karli Schmitt               Vannish Motors Racing       	00:01:52.905	00:00:00.103
15 14 Miguel Santos               EVolution Racing            	00:01:52.905	00:00:00.103
16 16 Janne Laukkanen             Nexus Racing                	00:01:52.989	00:00:00.187
17 19 Dom Falepeau                MRT2                        	00:01:53.025	00:00:00.223
18 48 Tyra Tabuso                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	00:01:53.028	00:00:00.226
19 17 Max Prefodski               Kaylan Racing               	00:01:53.114	00:00:00.312
20  5 Jason Masami                Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:01:53.138	00:00:00.335
21 10 Erik DeForest               Pompeii Motorsports         	00:01:53.195	00:00:00.393
22 24 Ekatarina Julic             Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:01:53.413	00:00:00.611
23 63 Dahlia Dahl                 Pompeii Motorsports         	00:01:53.468	00:00:00.666

[Mattijana]

Week 3: Qualifying

Conditions:      	Light Showers
Lap Record:      	81.954
Qualifying Type:	Two Tier
Nation:         	V&T
Circuit:        	Cocoabo Park Circuit

POS # DRIVER                   TEAM                	FASTEST LAP	BEHIND LEADER		
 1 23 Cocoabo #23                 VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	00:02:02.328	00:00:00.000	00:02:02.371	00:00:00.000
 2 18 Isaia Fanene                Kaylan Racing               	00:02:02.328	00:00:00.000	00:02:02.443	00:00:00.072
 3 75 Roman Arjenko               SVJ Racing                  	00:02:02.332	00:00:00.004	00:02:03.023	00:00:00.652
 4 37 Jama'obo Pegasii            SVJ Racing                  	00:02:02.345	00:00:00.017	00:02:03.379	00:00:01.008
 5 33 Karli Schmitt               Vannish Motors Racing       	00:02:02.352	00:00:00.024	00:02:03.660	00:00:01.289
 6 12 Ade Imoju                   Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:02:02.355	00:00:00.027	00:02:04.734	00:00:02.363
 7 63 Dahlia Dahl                 Pompeii Motorsports         	00:02:02.359	00:00:00.031	00:02:05.035	00:00:02.664
 8 14 Miguel Santos               EVolution Racing            	00:02:02.372	00:00:00.044	00:02:09.503	00:00:07.132
 9 17 Max Prefodski               Kaylan Racing               	00:02:02.410	00:00:00.082	00:02:16.696	00:00:14.325
10 25 Timo Jänkirinää             Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:02:02.495	00:00:00.167	00:02:20.949	00:00:18.578
11 44 Laurencia Lynds             SinVal                      	00:02:02.508	00:00:00.180		
12  9 Jannik Markner              Vannish Motors Racing       	00:02:02.520	00:00:00.192		
13 48 Tyra Tabuso                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	00:02:02.540	00:00:00.212		
14 24 Ekatarina Julic             Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:02:02.576	00:00:00.248		
15 15 Rebecca Darlington          Nexus Racing                	00:02:02.624	00:00:00.296		
16 60 Chiemi Hino                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	00:02:02.645	00:00:00.317		
17 16 Janne Laukkanen             Nexus Racing                	00:02:02.650	00:00:00.322		
18 97 Edward Baker                VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	00:02:02.698	00:00:00.370		
19  5 Jason Masami                Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:02:02.776	00:00:00.448		
20 10 Erik DeForest               Pompeii Motorsports         	00:02:02.780	00:00:00.452		
21  3 Darius Castellammare        Superia Junior Team         	00:02:02.928	00:00:00.600		
22  2 Juliano Lemos               Superia Junior Team         	00:02:03.454	00:00:01.126		
23 19 Dom Falepeau                MRT2                        	00:02:04.920	00:00:02.592

[Lisander]

Superia Juniors Post-Qualifying Interview, via MyFace
Cocoabo Park Circuit

Hello, I’m Lourdina Westgrens and I was invited to be the hostess of this interview. As you may know, I decided to take myself a sabbatical year from international motorsports while I finish my College studies, but I’ll be in some rounds of Lisander GT. I’m here, inside the Superia Juniors Paddock to have a nice talk with you, to answer some of your questions. And our drivers are just coming! Juliano, Darius! Liked the anime faces in the tag.

The drivers appeared to the camera and took the seats for that informal conversation. Lemos had his hair combed to the left, almost covering the near bald sides of the head. But his haircut didn’t match the “anime style” name tag he was using. Darius Castellammare had his own haircut, big and messy, much more appropriately represented in his drawing. Lourdina started to ask:

Our first question comes from Bruno Monteiro, from Despina. What was the biggest difficulty you found in this circuit?

Juliano: This rain we didn't expect. We had a great start in the Free Practice, Darius had the third time, and I was not that behind, but of course, he's more balanced than me. The rain completely destroyed our chances to get better positions. The circuit was like soap, and with that amount of curves was impossible to deal in our current configuration. We'll work on the cars as much as we can today and tomorrow to at least battle for some points.

Darius: It's exactely what Lemos said. The rain was unexpected and it messed with all of our plans. My tyres slipped like hell. I'm not here to blame anyone, but if even the MRT2 had problems, maybe the manufacturer should re-think their supply for each race. Ok, it may be my first race with this compound and I'm saying nonsense.

Okay, next question: Juliano, how is your heart going since your fiancée will be on track for the first time this season in WGP3? Would you like to be there? This is a question from Ludwika Wiel, from Grandeville. Do you know her?

Juliano: Never saw any fatter (laughing). Just kidding, hunny. I believe Ludi make a great appearance in Grandeville. The F3 car is very good, we tested it in Brax. Now that Lisander's F3 has joined the WGPO, I expect great things for the season. Fortunately, the time doesn't overlap, so I'll be able to watch it. Not just to cheer, but also to keep an eye on some names for next year. Next season I want a Bitten Heroes team at WGP3.

Great. Now for Darius. This one came from Alan Dorman, from Sirenia. What do you think about WGP2 so far? It's your first race, of course, but I bet you already have something on your mind.

Darius: It's still too early to say. I first liked this course, but now I'm definitely disliking it. Apart from that, nothing that much different. I already knew the Bitten Heroes facility in Brax, I had a good time testing the KS-02 under the eyes of Lanza in the entire week. Also, the new CEO, Sabine Valerian, she's overseeing an overhaul in the centre. They're tidying up the structure there, painting the buildings, mowing the lawn, making inventories of some things that will be sold, and I believe that now properly furnished with all the rest of the structure that was still kept under the control of justice, the team will only improve.

So, our last question, from Léa Marès, from Soria: What are the next actions for Bitten Heroes? Where can we see our favourite team racing?

Juliano: Keep an eye on a certain air racing category. Soon after that interview I need to deal with that. Keep an eye, people. Who knows a Bitten Hero does not fly by your side?

[Savojarna]

Cocoabo Park Circuit, Vilita & Turori
SVJ Racing Post-Qualifying Press Conference

Roman Arjenko still didn't exactly enjoy press conferences. It seemed to run in the Savojars, albeit for very different reasons. Sigur Bjarnason didn't like the setting of them, being in the centre of attention and having to speak to people. Roman Arjenko, however, simply thought they were a waste of his time. He wasn't here to make friends or be liked, even though of course the tourism agency expected a solid return on their big sponsorship that they gave towards SVJ, but to win races. The advertising part, he thought, should be left to those who knew how to do it. He'd just be there to do the racing part. Surely driving at the front of the pack also had to be worth something? Thankfully most of the questions so far were directed at his local teammate, dealing with all kinds of things from his fourth-lap exit in Yarkovo - courtesy of technical problems not entirely unresponsible for his sixth place - to how it felt to be targeted by Savojar fans online afterwards.

The latter made Roman uncomfortable. They were racers, and racers for SVJ specifically. As such, they were here to win for themselves and the team, but not their country. Jama'abo was doing his best to win a race for SVJ exactly the same way Roman was (maybe a bit less so because hardly anyone was trying to win as much as Roman was), and seeing the people on social media target him for that was not fair in the Savojar's eyes. The reason seemed so... odd. Sure, he kind of understood the debates before Savojarna faced Eura at the World Cup, as the disputes were flying high at the time. But Vilita had never intruded on Savojarna's daily life. Vilita had simply had the audacity to beat them at football and ice hockey, where the Vilitans had done the exact same thing as the Savojars - trying to win. Roman shuddered a bit at the thought that had the ownership of the team been different, or had an ice hockey player whom he didn't even know shot to a slightly different place a few years ago, he may now be on the receiving end of that kind of treatment.

Finally, the journalists had stopped asking his teammate about his early exit. There wasn't even much to say: The electric engine had not charged itself properly and was running low. Once it gave out, the coordination between the gearbox and the engine was no longer the way it should have been, and after four laps the car was retracted because the engineers feared that either gearbox or engine would completely break, and it was no longer able to keep up with the pack anyways. Roman was notified of this and adviced to turn off the highest setting of the electric engine to avoid a similar problem, and with the loss of power that came from this, he had lost his ability to contend for the top spot. Add some issues with the tyres that seemed to have befallen most other teams too, and suddenly a sixth place was all he could get, thanks to knowing every little bit of the track by heart. Now, however, the faulty charger had been swapped, a software update that allowed for the gearbox to run properly on one engine was written, and the test runs seemed promising. At least another defect in the electric engine wouldn't mean retiring the car or losing the gearbox.

The Savojar was now the centre of attention as his own country's writers got to their turn of asking questions.
"Johan Grönqvist from the Landsmark Chronicle. We have talked about the rivalry between Savojarna and Vilita a lot recently, and in Yarkovo some fans were attacking your teammate over his origin. Does this throw any shadow on how you work together, and do you experience any retaliation so far in Vilita and Turori?"
Roman internally rolled his eyes as some of the more enthusiastic Vilitan journalists scoffed quietly. That was not the kind of questions he had hoped for. "Of course Jama'abo and me are rivals. I am everyone's rival out there, and within teams you always want to prove that you're faster than the other and earn a contract for the next year. But at the end of the day I don't see any reason to want to beat him more because of where he is from. I like to beat him because if I don't, that means I can't win the race. But we're also a team, and I don't think this rivalry thing is relevant to anyone except the fans. As for the fans here, they have been pretty great so far, even if they are more in favour of VTM and the Cocoabo, obviously. Big thanks to the Savojars travelling with us too, by the way - please be nice and keep supporting SVJ!"

Simon Jarushkin for STVru. You have driven the SVJ in wet conditions for the first time in competition today. How much of a challenge was this qualifying, and how happy are you with your performance in these difficult surroundings?
He gave the journalist a friendly smile, thankful to talk about racing again. "The first round was a bit of a poker and I'm very happy that my team decided to send me out early today, when we could still risk it on the dry tyres, and it seemed to have paid off. Overall, we also tried to use this qualifying to get to test in the wet, which is why I was out for a lot today. But obviously I have driven it in the rain before in Yarkovo, and the qualifying situation didn't change that much - it's not like the car knows the session. I think that in rain, many things can happen and my focus is an advantage there, so I would say I am happy that I got through the session without much trouble and ended up where I did. The Cocoabo clearly had an advantage here, on home ground, and Isaia did a stellar lap, but I think I can beat him over the course of a race. I have a good shot for tomorrow, so overall I am happy!"

"Thomas Livonen for SavojarSports.sj. Is it an advantage for you to be starting next to your teammate, and do you think that it will influence how you go into this race?"
"There is definitely some advantage to knowing the guy next to you will probably not be out to get your head. I can probably focus a bit more on hunting the front row or defending against the Vangazis behind me, but then again I also have to look out because Jama'abo is as strong an opponent as everyone else - probably worse because he has a good car", he chuckles. "But overall, knowing a bit what the person next to you may do will definitely be helpful".

Roman started to get bored by the questions again. I could be in my trailer studying the qualifying video now, he thought. He looked over to the moderator thankfully as he started to look at his watch. One last question was admitted, about how scared Roman was about another failure in the car after Yarkovo. He almost sighed out of relief they wouldn't make him discuss international sporting politics again, and that the last question would be about something as simple as that. A few sentences about his trust in the team's engineers and how a malfunction could always happen, but thinking about it wouldn't change that seemed to satisfy the journalist who asked the question. He still had to sit around for a bit as Arlund and Parjamäki were asked some other things that would probably be spun into wild speculations about the WGPC, but in his head Roman was back on the track.

Cocoabo and Isaia Fanene ahead of him. Jama'abo next to him. Behind Karli Schmitt and Ade Imoju. He thought about the incoming threats. Usually, Roman would beat Jama'abo off the line at least when given an advantage, but the question was how the Vilitan would react in the first corner. Would he take Roman's lead or insist on fighting his teammate? Then, the back. He couldn't really believe the VMR or the Omni-Katoa would be capable to contend with the SVJ's electric-supported car in the start mode, but the lack of a true, tight first turn concerned him, as it seemed to set him up for a slipstream attack if he couldn't distance the VMR right away. The front. Fanene was a great question mark - would he be capable to catch the Kaylan driver off the line? Should he stick to Cocoabo's back or attack the bird right away? In front of Roman's inner eye the start began to take shape; but only time could tell whether he'd be able to stick to this plan.

[Togonistan]

Cocoabo Park Circuit
Kaylan Racing Pit Garage
Post-qualifying

The situation in Kaylan's garage was, to put it lightly, a big mess. Pit team and race mechanics were swarming around the two cars, Fanene was looking at the lap times on a TV screen while visibly struggling to contaminate his happyness. Lisa Tauati, lead designer, was discussing with Jared Toelau about the new set of brakes they had attached to the cars. In one corner, there were two other team members who had taken out one Petrovi wet tyre. One of them was currently telling the other about it's pros and cons while following the pattern with his finger. In the middle of this mess was Tanielu Felafa, eyes attached to the same screen Fanene was examining. He had to give credit to the young Togoni, compared to last week, these qualification times were on a whole new level. Was it just that slightly wet conditions suit better for him? Also, Predofski didn't have a bad result either. P9 in the starting grid, he can certainly use that edge to push himself further. However, it was just qualifying. The race itself was still ahead, everything can change. This very fact was actually proven by Fanene himself, who started from the bottom and moved all the way up to 8th. And now, P2 in the qualifying. Yup, this boy seemed to be full of surprises, maybe he had underestimated him?

Felafa's flow of thoughts were cut by a voice right next to his ear: ''Mr. Felafa, would you please answer a few questions for Ultrasports 1?'' Felafa almost jumped. Jeez, who had let the press in all of a sudden? Having taken a quick breath, he put a humble smile on his face and turned to face the reporter: ''Sure, please, ask me anything.''

Cameraman zoomed up on Felafa as the reporter started with the interview.

''First of all, congratulations on the good result in the qualification today. 2nd place for Fanene, 9th place for Predofski. You seem to be well set for tomorrow's race. Is Kaylan aiming for the podium tomorrow?''

''We are definitely going to do our best, however, i'm not going to give any promises right now. The race itself is still ahead, anything can still change really.''

''Fanene had a really good pace today, compared to last week. Do you think these rainy conditions gave you some kind of an advantage compared to some other teams?''

''No, I don't necessarily think that. It's really all down to how well you prepare yourself, rain is a factor that needs to be taken into account when deciding a car's setup. Maybe we just hit the nail better than some other teams this time.''

''Both Superia cars in the bottom, MRT2 with Falepeau ended up dead last this time, do you think the rain had an effect on their results today?''

''The conditions definitely affected their performance today, but it affected everyone else's as well. As I said, rain is a factor that needs to be taken into account in motorsports, and everyone in the team needs to make decisions according to the conditions. From mechanics picking the right setup to drivers choosing the appropriate driving style. Maybe Superia and MRT failed with the setup today, maybe their drivers just had a bad day. Really, I can't tell.''

''Thank you, and good luck tomorrow!''

As the press team had left their garage, Felafa went on to get himself a cup of coffee. He moved back to his thoughts. Yes, they had done well today, but they must not let their guard down. Tomorrow was a brand new day, no one knows what happens then.

Cocoabo Park Circuit
Near the pitlane
Post-qualifying

Meanwhile, Ultrasports 1 press team had catched Dom Falepeau.

''Dom Falepeau, worst lap time today, starting in the bottom tomorrow. What happened?''

''Well, I guess I should have driven faster,'' Falepeau laughs, ''but on a serious note, there can be a number of reasons that made the result be what it was today. Maybe it just wasn't our day.''

''There are rumors circulating that MRT2 did not manage to get the car run on a right setup for today, how would you comment on that?''

''There are a number of things that went wrong today, that's just how it is sometimes. I'm wouldn't roll all the blame on mechanics though, they are awesome guys who know what they're doing. It's just that, sometimes things don't go the way they're planned. The best we can do right now is carry on and see what tomorrow brings to us.''

''So, we can't really say MRT2 is out of the game yet, right?''

''No, absolutely not. I'm gonna do my best tomorrow and battle for the points, that's for sure.''