WGP2 Season 2 [RP Thread]

[Main Nation Ministry]

Chapter 6: The Slow-Down

An official from the Ministry of Sports knocked on the hotel room door belonging to Jason Masami, where he was trying to rest after a bit of a disappointment. "What do you want?" Masami was in a middle of a power nap, until he heard knocking. "I came with a gift basket from a fan back at the nation. Surely, you can use it." the official said, holding up a basket with items that were mostly red. "You know that I can't be eating sweets or what not. I just have what seems interesting." Masami stated, before wishing the official farewell and closing the hotel room. "Let's see what we got. Sweets which I put in a bag for later, stuffed animals of Stanley the Snakefish to have near my bed, and what is this?" Masami picked up a square carton that when opened contained powder. Reading the front of the carton, it showed that it was "Brain Boost Instant Tea" and reading some things on the back was the sentence, "It is recommended that you don't add any of the flavorings that comes in the packet for each carton. It is recommended that you trust the pure quality of L-theanine that comes in each carton."

Jason Masami went to the bathroom to fill up the carton with tap water, where after serving it with his own finger, sipped it. Naturally, it had that metallic taste to it. Jason couldn't use the flavoring, because he noticed that it didn't come with one. Braving the taste, Jason started to drink the whole thing. "Damn. Now I feel like I can't sleep. I might as well try to figure out what to do, if this is supposed to be typical herbal stuff." The problem that Masami was having trouble on was the fact that the circuit he was qualifying on had no straight lines. Trying to craft up a strategy, he figured that he can attempt to accelerate as parts of the tracks that were almost straight. Unless he accidentally crashed into a wall, that is. He still needed to know what to do and learn all the mistakes he did on practice and attempt to fix them.

[Aboveland]

The situation was dire, Janne ripping off his helmet and chucking it to the side of the scintillating #16 car, holding his head in his hands in frustration. The Cocoabo Park Circuit was gorgeous, but a far cry from the simple ode to speed that was the Yarkovo track from a race ago. His driving, too, was unrecognizable; gone was the period of rose tinted glasses between him and the Nimban machine, replaced with utter rage. At times, it felt like the whole situation was mentally overwhelming. The car simply had too many systems for him to keep his mind on: the projectors in his helmet, the driving aids, the RMEO suit, the buttons on the steering wheel, all made him feel like a sore thumb. The thrill of feeling his body thrash around in the spectacular space gray monocoque had been replaced by a feeling of uneasiness, the rookie afraid to drive too aggressively, his inputs magnified by the Nimban technology. For a moment, Janne opened his reddened blue eyes and set his hands to his side to think rationally for a moment. He was overthinking, a curse known to the Abovian racing world for destroying championship bids. He just needed to do what the Nexus Racing staff had hired him for: just drive. The car was designed to make driving a commodity, not an ordeal, with but a feather's touch the only requirement to get around the racetrack. And yet, the self pep-talk he tried so hard to give himself to convince everything was alright was in vain. He let his head drop once again, the moistened blond tufts of bed-head hair bobbing sadly downwards.

"Hey," he heard from amid the ringing in his right ear. "Hey, Janne, boy, come on."

The teen looked up to his right, Edvin's eternally calm expression failing to morph into a face of concern. His engineer kneeled down beside him, his hands wrapping around the edge of his seat.

"You're worried, I know. Good reason to, too." Edvin tucks his bottom lip inwards and cocks his head to the side, showing empathy. "But there's nothing to really worry about. You know who else flunked his second ever qualifying session? Terho. That same season, he became world champion."

"You've got to learn not everything here's gonna be plain sailing. Look, even I struggle with the Nimbans' ruthless, exemplary work ethic I could have never even dreamed of existing, I swear. But you can't let the bugs in your head eat you up. Suck it up, recapitulate, and think it through. You're here because you're undoubtedly one of the best drivers in the championship. All you have to do is drive, and even that's ought to be a breeze in this thing." He slaps the bodywork to sound a hollow clunk around Janne, the car's electric glow intensifying around the impact area. "What is really your problem?" Edvin says, his eyes staring into Janne's soul, accidentally.

Janne pauses. He looks forwards at the nose of his machine and turns back to Edvin, rubbing his eyes. He lowers his voice to speak, getting closer to his engineer. "The car's fucking nervous. I'm too aggressive for this track, the car slides around too much, and I can't get close to Rebecca. I thought I'd figure it out before qualifying but I shut up and it bit me in the ass."

Edvin's expression turns to disappointed disgust. "Seriously? I'm telling the guys now, they'll set the car up nicely for the race. Stop worrying so much, kid."

"I don't know how to set it up!" Janne exclaims, his whisper leaking volume as his tone becomes more desperate.

"Janne," Edvin says, insistently, "these guys probably know your exact fucking platelet count. They're gonna get it right, with no need to change your driving style, I promise. Just make sure to drive exactly as you've been driving the past few days tomorrow."

Janne sighs.

"Dude, seriously," Edvin says, almost ready to walk back to the team. "You're your own worst enemy if you overthink this one. Let the driving come to you; don't make any extra effort. You don't need to. You're amazing. Just drive. Oh, and I want to hear your feedback during the race tomorrow, don't be quiet. Now hit the showers and go get some rest," he says, scurrying off hurriedly to tell the team managers the problem with the rookie.

Janne stares at Edvin as he walks away, slightly flustered. He heaves himself out from his seat and walks stiffly to the shower rooms, towel wrapped around his shoulder, still donning his RMEO suit. It's only when the first drops of water rinse his scalp that he realizes he's left his bag next to the car, but by now his worries are on the way out, his mind blank, his head focused on the sole task of driving.

[West-East Timor]

Cocoabo Parc Circuit
Post-Qualifying

"Could have gone better...", Timo said after getting out of the car.

"Sure could have. But could have been worse, as well."

"Yeah, but tenth isn't quite what I've hoped for... but well, it's early in the season. And maybe things play out well like last race."

"Exactly, you started eigth last race and finished fourth."

"Yes, but things just played out there. I really didn't have to do much."

"Perhaps it'll be like nthat again."

"Perhaps. Hmm, how did Ade do?"

"He's sixth, there."

Kamil pointed at the leaderboard.

"Good for him."

"Yeah, it's not a bad result for the team over all."

"The bird is on pole... Well I guess it's... his? Her? Its?"

"I don't know."

"Anyways it's their homerace. I still don't get how that bird can drive a car, but it doesn't seem to be too bad at it..."

---

"Okay Jannik, that's P12. P12, only", Tomas told Jannik after he completed his last timed lap.

"Ugh. Let's hope it goes better tomorrow..."

Jannik parked the car in parc ferme, got out, and was immediately greeted by a bunch of journalists.

"Jannik, do you have time for some questions?"

"Ask away."

"Not the best qualifying result today, was it? What do you think about it?"

"Well... I'm certainly not satisfied with it. I clearly hoped to do better. Now I'll have to see what will happen tomorrow."

"What is it that you expect to happen tomorrow?"

"I don't know. I hope to finish in the points, of course, but the podium probably is too far away. That's all I can say really."

"What can you tell us about VMR's PsyKi Boost?"

"Not more than you already know. It wasn't developed by VMR, sort of erases lags of the turbo, glows red, which I think looks kinda cool... I think it's an interesting concept for sure."

"VMR was often seen as some sort of purist team, and your teammate, Karli Schmitt, said she wouldn't like to see the PsyKi Boost all ove the VMR lineup. What is your stance on that?"

"I think that if it works, and brings us an advantage, we should use it where it can be used. I'm not that much of a purist, you know. Of course, too many little gadgets everywhere might be annoying. Bit if it can be used for other things as well, I think it I do like testing it, especially if it helps me win the championship."

"Thank you for your answers."

With that, the journalists went on to the next driver, and jannik could go back to the garage.

[Vangaziland]

Jessica Franssen and Karli Schmitt worked out together on the night before her race. VMR's drivers were staying at a hotel on the outskirts of town. It was near a calm enough area where the two felt comfortable working out. Many racers put cardio exercise at a premium. These two were no exception.

They started with rotations and stretches. It was important to loosen up so as not to be sore the next day. This was magnified for Karli, who would be fighting her car all day. The pair then jogged to a quiet road which ran behind the hotel. They ran along the road's shoulder, which cut through a small section of forest. They went up about one and a half miles before turning back.

A three mile run wasn't the longest, but they pushed a tough pace. They were both struggling to control their breathing, but weren't done yet. "It's in.. these moments that.." Jessica paused between panting breaths. "You'll learn how to fight adversity." Jessica forced herself to stand straight up, allowing more efficient breathing. After a sigh of a deep breath, she continued. "You'll be exhausted. You won't think you can make it." Franssen wrapped her arm around Karli's sweaty back. "But trust yourself. Trust your car."

Karli fought to stand after resting her hands on her knees. She winced a bit, but was fine. She didn't think Jessica would be faster than her, but Karli wasn't as much of an endurance runner. Jessica ran 6+ miles on a regular basis. Karli would rather run 2 or 3 miles. She also wasn't as used to pushing the pace like Jessica did.

"That's great and all", said Karli, adjusting the hair tie which wrapped her blonde hair into a ponytail. "But do we really still need to do sprints? It felt like we sprinted the last quarter mile."

Jessica laughed. The pair made their way back to the hotel grounds. They walked onto the outdoor tennis court. The two would split the court into fourths, running on the side spaces away from the nets. They would sprint a quarter of the way, jog back to the start, sprint to halfway, jog back, do the same at 3/4s and finally to the end and back.

After that, they were both exhausted. The last sprint to the end of the tennis court was a smoker. Jessica tried to scream to motivate Karli, but she was also out of breath. She only got two words out. "Come on!"

It was a fight to stand during their cooldown stretches. Soon the runner's high started to set in. It came in like a relaxing wave which loosened the muscles and tingled the mind.

"Okay, after the race we'll do abs and a pushup pyramid and a crossfit burnout. Then we'll hit the stadium and do a sprint day."

"Do we have to run the stairs?" Karli had anxiety in her voice as she asked the question. She wasn't used to running up and down the stadium's steep stairways. Besides, she didn't like heights. Running down the staircase freaked her out.

"Yes, only four times." Jessica was taking her mentorship role of Karli seriously. She had to learn that preparation had a major impact on race day success. They had gone over the track with photos and maps. Karli ran laps on the simulator and the test track. She was becoming more comfortable with the car. Jess was showing Karli how a driver might work out during the season. Her workout plan included time in the gym and VMR's crossfit field as well. The team had invested in exercise facilities at their South Stead headquarters.

Jessica also showed Karli her pre-race meditation rituals. It seemed to work for Karli before her qualifying session. She wasn't necessarily forecast to run well at Cocoabo Park Circuit. Many thought this course would be too technical for her. Karli still had a bit of balance in that area. After all, she's faced many technical tracks at Hodori's GT2 series. Still, these cars were much faster.

She seemed to adjust well. The rain may have played in her favor. She brought this idea up in a post qualifying interview. "Conditions will play a big role on race day", Karli told a red headed male reporter. "We ran fast here, but we might have to replicate this on a dry track."

After showering and changing, it was already time for bed. Karli sat on her bed and closed her eyes. An album of Vannish folk music played in the background, set against the sounds of a thunderstorm recording. The music was powerful and relaxing. She also thought of it as a way to connect to any possible rain. She didn't want to fear poor weather. She'd use it to her advantage if she could.

She began going over Cocoabo Park Circuit in her mind's eye, starting from the run up to turn 1. That stretch may have been one of the closest bits to a straight on this track. It would be a battle on the start. Karli imagined the beauty of the track as she ran her lines. The hills were so scenic. It felt like the complete opposite of the Vannish track which ran through the Imperial Capitol of Emeros.

Her meditation continued until she felt ready for sleep. Even as she lay down, her mind ran through the course. Eventually she fell asleep. The next time she would wake up, it would be race day.

----------

After speaking with Jessica Franssen, Jang Xiaopeng decided he would mentor Ade Imoju. Jessica's interests on both Ade and Xiaopeng were as potential future VMR drivers. She was good friends with Jang. Last year, she mentored him just like she was doing for Karli now when Jang drove in the WGP2. Jang ended up progressing into the WGPC, where he pulled a respectable 94 points.

In the process, Xiaopeng bought a home on the Timorian island of Weramiil. Ade visited the house during the week before the race. They flew from Omni's Baranburg based facility in a chartered helicopter. Soon after arriving, Ade met Jang's girlfriend Lydia. She was a local Timorian businesswoman of some notoriety.

They piled into a Vannish SUV and drove down the short road to the beach. Jang pointed out the different sights of his small town. The biggest landmark was a tavern which served great seafood. Jang was really into shellfish. The thought of fresh fish appealed more to Ade.

While hanging out on the beach, Jang gave Ade motivational advice. "You can carve out your own home on these islands too. All you have to do is make a name for yourself."

After a tough first race, Ade was stressing over the upcoming race weekend. He made almost zero headway at Yarkovo. He finished 15th, running most of the race in the position he qualified. He said a few words to that effect to let Jang know he was worried.

"Here's one thing I learned in the WGP2", replied Jang, the Tainese-Vangazi. "Jenna Vandersen looked like she was going to run away with the season. There were some outliers. But she felt two miles ahead of me. Thing is, I stuck with my season. We all did. She ended up falling to 4th. Anyway... The point is to never give up. It's all within reach. You just have to push."

The words hit Ade deep. It was pretty early in the season after all. It wasn't like he could give up. All he could do was fight.

When qualifying came around, Jang's words on the beach replayed in Ade's mind. It was with an almost angry intensity that he took to his car. He sped through qualifying. The track seemed very fluid to him. He felt much more comfortable here than at Yarkovo. This was partially because of his driving style. It was also because of the new outlook he picked up.

Sometimes it was the moments between the official practices that had the biggest impacts on a race week. Each driver had to prepare in their own way. They had to become comfortable in a dangerous sport where their lives were at risk.

Ade really pushed the car on one particular lap. It was almost as if he forgot the wet weather. He still had to adjust braking zones for the different conditions. The car seemed to make up time. It was really accelerating well here, thanks to the gear ratio and downforce setup of the week. The team at Omni-Katoa did well to bring Ade a competitive car.

The former GT2 driver had a new role model in Jang Xiaopeng. He saw the life Jang built for himself on the Timorian Islands. He would have to do the same. One day he might even take Jang's spot in the WGPC. That was surely easier said than done. Ade had to form goals though. He thought back to another conversation on the beach.

"Every protege's prime goal should be to best their mentor", Jang told him. "You should want to beat me in a race, a season, wherever we can compete. I'm lucky enough to get the chance to fight for this. I tried my hardest to top Jess last season. Didn't reach my goal, but I was right there. You've got to do whatever it takes to get to the WGPC. Don't hold back. This might be your only chance."

Ade knew what it was like to fall short of a title. While co-driving with Karli Schmitt in Hodori, their car finished a GT2 season second. Their car lost by a single point. They both live with the fact that they fell short by such a small margin. All they had to do was give a little more on any race day. Still, silver was not bad at all. Their Vannish Motors Ghost was the only international car to have a successful season. The two Vangazi beat a field made up mostly of locals much more familiar with the tracks.

When the times came out, Ade found himself ranked 6th behind Karli. There was a bit of frustration visible on his face. Jang came up to him with his arms crossed. "So there you have it? What are you going to do? She beat you last weekend. She slotted ahead of you this session. I think one of your first goals is clear. Best Karli Schmitt, your rival."

Jang's words caused a stir within Ade. He was right. Ade still kind of thought of Karli as his teammate. Just a year ago, they literally raced the same car. Now they raced for teams in different countries. He remembered the feeling of playing second fiddle to Karli that season. She routinely finished faster than him. That left him with much of the blame for not bringing GT2 gold to the team.

"You're right", Ade told him. "It starts here on race day."

----------

All the preparations lead to the day of the Cocoa Preservation Grand Prix. Jessica found herself trackside as the engineers went over their final race preparations. The drivers were away for a briefing. When they came back, they'd load up in the cars and get set to head on the track. It felt weird every week she filled in as principal around this time. She was used to being at the briefing. In that situation, it was simple. All she had to do was drive.

Now she had so much more to manage. The pit strategy would come into play again. Would she try for a one stop again? The new smaller engine made that more of a reality. She also had to manage personnel. Markner brought a great set of engineers and crew from Timor. VMR is glad to usually bring staff familiar with international drivers they sign.

Jess worried because she didn't hang out with Jannik as much as she did for Karli. The truth was that she respected Jannik a lot. He did well last WGP2 season. She didn't want to insult him by treating him the same as a rookie as green as Karli. She made sure Jannik knew he was appreciated though.

"Great points today", she told Jannik after his 7th place finish at Yarkovo. "A top 10 finish isn't exactly exciting. But every time we bring points home, it's a good day."

Jannik was facing a tougher start at Cocoabo Park. He'd be starting 12th. Points were definitely still within reach. Jess reassured him before the second race of the season. "No worries. No pressure. Just watch your lines. Push when you can. Never give up."

She knew he'd be facing an uphill battle. This track was fairly technical. Both Jannik and Karli favored tracks where their aggression could make up for technique. To do well here, both VMR drivers would need to be extraordinary with their lines.

The two cars brought the best setup they thought they could to the Island. Karli's car ran really well. The car's powerband seemed perfectly set for the course. The vehicle also handled well, not feeling too loose or too tight. Karli told Jess she felt really good on raceday. She didn't think her driving style would hold her back. She also couldn't use the car as an excuse.

Jess encouraged Karli, but had enough experience to know that anything could happen. A twinge of nervousness hit Jessica's tummy as she thought of VMR's reliability issues in WGPC 16. The company felt like they fixed most of those issues with this new chassis. The season still had to progress before they could tell one way or another.

As the drivers started to return from the meeting, Jess tied her shoulder length brown hair back in a bun. She adjusted the headset and prepared to go in the control room. After a deep breath, she began pumping up her drivers. "Alright! Let's do this, VMR. Bring home some points." She brought Karli Schmitt and Jannik Markner into a huddle.

[Vilita and Turori]

Event Guide :: Cocoabo Preservation Grand Prix

Track Location: Cocoabo Park, Cocoabo Forest, Atlantian Oceania
WGP2 Lap Record: 1:52.216 (Fast Cocoabo, WGP2 S1)
Track Lap Length: 6.63km
Precipitation Chance: 18%

Overview:

The Cocoabo Park Circuit is cut out of the Cocoabo Forest just a few kilometers from Cocoabo Park. Shuttles will run regularly taking fans and guests from the Park to the race track. The Cocoabo Park Circuit was originally designed for the Cocoabo Enrichment and Enhancement Project (CEEP) where Cocoabo are trained under the leadership of Tropicorp Scientists and the Cocoabo Preservation Society.

When the course is not in use by CEEP or hosting an international race weekend it is occasionally used as part of a driving tour of the Cocoabo Park. Cocoabo can often be seen grazing the hilltops on the Eastern side of the course between turns 1-3 and along the river delta under turns 5 and 6.


Racing Line:

Drivers will hug the line along the tributary between the hills around turns 1, 2 and 3; speeding out of turn 3 toward the over taking zones at turn 4, 5 and 6. Crossing the river they will bend around to set themselves up for the long, slow turn 8 - another prime opportunity for overtaking. Getting through the 'Esses' will be critical to set up back across the river for the 90 degree turn 12. Sweeping through 13 to set up for the Hairpin Turn 14 and then accelerate back across the line to complete a lap. While the turns are varied a moderately skilled driver will be able to handle them. The biggest challenge for drivers will be maintaining focus as a lack of any truly 'straight' sections means that the driver will always be on the wheel, setting up for the optimum line in every section of the track.

Previous Winners:

WGP2 S1: 1. Jang Xiopeng (VMR) | 2. Cocoabo #23 | 3. Timo Jänkirinää | Pole: Jannik Markner

---

Sponsors & Activities:

:: Cocoabo Park ::

As the host of the Cocoabo Preservation Grand Prix and the events major sponsor, Cocoabo Park is the publically accessible portion of the Cocoabo Forest, itself a joint venture between the Cocoabo Preservation Society, Tropicorp and the Island Emirate of Turori to Preserve, Study, Highlight and in some cases improve the existence and appreciation of Turori's Native Cocoabo.

While the Cocoabo Forest itself is a vast land where Cocoabo flocks are allowed to roam free, at Cocoabo Park visitors from around the multiverse are treated to intimate tours, close encounters and educational experiences all with the Cocoabo at the center. With limited on site lodging and a fully equipped village at the entrance area to the Park, visitors could spend days at Cocoabo Park without even venturing on one of the Park's tours into its different Cocoabo training enclosures or even further into the Cocoabo Forest.

In addition to the commercially driven aspect of the Park, and as a critical part of the relationship with the Cocoabo Preservation Society, the Park also serves as a hub for the team of Scientists and Researchers from both the Cocoabo Preservation Society and Tropicorp many of whom reside full time at the park. While the Cocoabo Preservation Society led efforts are more focused on passive studying and preservation, the Tropicorp team lead the CEEP - the Cocoabo Enrichment & Enhancement Project out of the Park. Beyond just researching and understanding the Cocoabo Genome, the CEEP team are tasked with focused training and enrichment activities to hyper-focus Cocoabo to hone their talents and skills and bring them to the forefront. One of the most popular enclosures on a tour of Cocoabo Park is the CEEP's sporting enclosure where Cocoabo can be found participating in activities such as Footsport and even on a lucky day, Motorsport.

Admission to the central areas of Cocoabo Park inclusion all Educational Exhibits are included in the cost of admission to the Cocoabo Preservation Grand Prix. Guided Tours, Educational Sessions and Childrens events will double in frequency throughout the race weekend up until one hour prior to the start of the grand prix. Any patron with a ticket to the Grand Prix will also get a "Cocoabo Passport" book where they can collect stamps for attending various sessions, exhibits and tours throughout the Park. Completed Passports can be turned in on Sunday for a free Race Programme or can be used for 50% off admission for up to four guests on a return visit to Cocoabo Park.

---

:: Tiones Lumber Lumberjack Challenge ::

The Tiones Lumber corporation has a long history of aligning itself with sporting events in Vilita & Turori, from being the long time shirt sponsors of the Vilitan Stellar Division's Yeaddin Owls AFC, to their sponsorships in motorsports, the name "Tiones" is always on the forefront. Competitors and fans alike reap the benefits of Tiones Lumber involvement in sporting events with their finances sometimes allowing a team to compete or an event to proceed and their famous Lumberjack Competition displays always a hit with the fans.

The Tiones Lumberjack Challenge has traditionally taken place during Grand Prix events including at the Vilitan Mountain Challenge Course in Rockii Coast, Vilita ahead of the Vilitan Grand Prix and at the Grand Prix of Turori during the 16th World Grand Prix championships season where Tiones Lumber expanded to an even bigger event. Instead of just having one or two concurrent 'zones' that fans can test their lumberjack mettle in, there were five distinct zones where fans could participate in various activities. There were four 'competitive' zones where participants were timed and scored for their execution - whether they are truly competitive or not - with each days top times earning a prize and the best scores of the race weekend crowned champions. The fifth zone was a 'family zone' with events and challenges more suited for children to participate in.

One of the most viral moments of the most recent LumberJack Challenge in Eelandii was when WGPC drivers championship leader and eventual champion Jessica Franssen lost her balance in the Log Rolling zone and splashed down into the waters below. Cameras were rolling from the many fans in attendance to watch the special drivers-only challenge after the Friday Practice session and mini clips circulated quickly on twii.tur of the Plaidly-attired Vannish Motors Racing driving going for an unplanned swim. The Vangazi was immune to the effects however, laughing it off and going on to fight back from a poor qualifying effort to a 5th place race finish that set her up nicely to clinch the WGPC title one week later.

For the Cocoabo Preservation Grand Prix, Tiones Lumber will be bringing a scaled down version of the Lumberjack Challenge with a total of three zones - 2 Competitive and 1 Family Zone.

COMPETITIVE ZONES ::
Note, All competitive events will explicitly require a waiver and release of all liability against Tiones Lumber signed by the participant

Zone 1: Chopping & Cutting

There will be 3 distinct events available in Zone 1, the Standing Chop, the Firewood Split and the Saw-Through Cut.

Standing Chop: Tool: Standard Axe :: In the Standing Chop Challenge, competitors can be scored in two different categories: Time and Number of Chops. A single 12 inch diameter log will be stood vertically and the competitior will be tasked with chopping through until the log is severed. Competitive times are expected to be under 20 seconds.All contestants are required to wear chainmail protection from the waste down to protect against injury from errant chops.

Firewood Split: Tool: Standard Axe :: Like the Standing Chop, there are two separate criteria used to grade the Firewood Split. Contestants will have 45 seconds to split. as many firewood segments as they can. The first 10 segments will be pre-staged and the contestant will be timed in completion of the first 10 succesful splits. Should they have time remaining on the clock after the 10th split they will be tasked with resetting and further chopping segments until time runs out. Winners will be declared both on speed and number of splits made. All contestants are required to wear chainmail protection from the waste down to protect against injury from errant chops.

Saw-Through Cut: Tool: One-man Bucking Saw :: Contestants will saw through an elevated, horizontal log with a 20 inch diameter using a one-man bucking saw. Competitive times are expected to be below 15 seconds.

Zone 2: Climbing

The Climbing zone will see three identical Climbing Challenge stations to allow multiple contestants to attempt the event at the same time.

The event consists of a 20 meter tall vertical log which the contestant must after starting from a position with both feet on the ground, climb and bypass the 18 meter mark. Contestants will have spurred climbers on their feet and steel-cored climbing ropes. Several safety precautions are taken in the event. A support pole next to the designated climbing log will support a belay rope system managed by event staff. Time will stop once the contestant reaches the 18 meter mark on the vertical log and the contestant will not be timed on the way back from the top of the climbing log to return to the ground. Competitive times are expected to be below 13 seconds.

NON-COMPETITIVE ZONES ::

Zone 3: Family Zone

The non-competitive family zone will feature learning zones where Firewood Splitting techniques will be taught; three single-log rolling pools including one with a picture zone where the log can be locked into place for an individual or family to pose for photos, two 7 meter climbing logs, a firewood stacking challenge area and a special tree planting zone that teaches youngsters and parents alike the value of Tiones Lumber's Renewable Lumber Operations.

---

:: twii.tur ::

twii.tur is a short message communication service based in Turori allowing users to exchange content of 140 characters or less. The service originated as a way to allow officials to receive alerts and key information such as incoming weather notifications, major events and the ability to stay coordinated during a time of crisis but was under-utilized and doubts were raised as to whether the overhead of the infrastructure was worthwhile to maintain.

As capabilities of interconnected and handheld communication devices improved, the Turorian Weather & Information Interchange (Twii) was adapted into a public facing service where users could sign up to create their own twii nodes where users would sign up to a twii group to receive all the twii messages delivered by members of that group.

Ultimately, as demand grew, a fully public release of twii came at the connected location twii.tur where all users can participate in the public twii, selecting which messages to receive by adding individual users, groups or topics to their twii.tur feed.

Twii.tur will have a photo booth set up where fans can get behind the cockpit of a World Grand Prix racing machine and twii.tur representatives will instantly post the image to the users twii.tur account. Guests will also have the chance to spin a prize wheel to earn things such as Sunglasses, Socks, Pens and communication device grippers emblazoned with the Twii.tur Logo.

---

[Lisander]

Brax, Lisander
Bitten Heroes Training and Technology Centre

"Why are they so pessimist? They bought it for a song, and have a look at this plant..."

Sabine Valerian evaluated what they had. She was expecting a falling apart facility, deprived of most basic furniture and equipment, but they had the complete opposite. The Bitten Heroes Centre was a nice place. Probably not as great as the centres of the biggest teams, but the former airfield was the main stone in the crown of Bitten Heroes, in WGPC 15. The structure was completed prior WGPC16, but it was partially closed when the corruption scandal of Westgrens reached the team, some days before the first race of that competition. A three-story building, like new, with empty rooms still to be occupied, was the main building of the complex, but the main features of that places were the race track (short and narrow but very challenging) and the former airfield hangars turned into a giant factory/parts deposit. There were also other structures, like the Innovation Center, a structure imagined by Natassia Maud, where designers, technicians and other experts would work to improve the car and the team itself. It was also convertible in a small press room, and the Paddock Galleria, an interesting blend of paddocks on the lower floor, and shops in the upper floor. Both locations were used only to store repair parts and old cars.

"Lanza, I'm sending to your MePhone the list of assets I suggest you sell, after Lemos list... Please confirm with him." - She recorded the message and sent.

"Don't ask me. Just sell. We need to raise cash. Go ahead, sell and invest the money. Call AstleyBank. They're our bank and are completely aware of our plan. I already have Lemos approval. He was clear about not selling any Bitten Heroes cars neither any part that could be used by Superia Juniors. Otherwise, you can sell anything you deem superfluous or useless at this point. We'll replace it during the Season, with the cash prizes and sponsors. I believe you can make some million Lis on spare parts, memorabilia, equipment and furniture. Lemos does not want anything old there, just the permanent things."

[Former Citizens of the Nimbus System]

Nexus Racing HQ, Crossbay Circuit, Nimbus Bay, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System
21st of June

“Hmm… Do you have any siblings?”

Once more, Victoria and Ryker sit in his room, idling the time away - and, as happens in all such things, the conversation has taken an unplanned turn.

“No. I do have a younger cousin but… No, it’s always just been me and my parents.” There is a pause. “You?” Ryker eventually adds.

“Yep! One older sister. Astra, three years older than me.”

“Oh. How is it?”

Victoria presses her lips together. “It’s interesting. She’s really intelligent and she’s got this innate sense of order that made her really smothering. She annoyed me so much when we were at home together…” She gives a laugh. “But then she left to go to university - she’s just graduated to be a medical doctor - and I kinda missed her. She was right about most things, you know? Big into her philosophy.” She looks askance at Ryker. “I think you’d get along, actually.”

He smiles. “Oh? Intriguing. Be sure to introduce us at some point, then.”

Cocoabo Park Circuit, Cocoabo Forest, Atlantian Oceania
26th of August; Pre-Race

Virgil gazes intently at the Tiones Lumber leaflet. Huh. I mean, it’s a lot better than some foreign loggers I’ve seen. At least they’re replanting the trees. He taps his leg. Not sure how I feel about the whole ‘teaching children about the company’s value’ thing, though.

Click. “Virgil? You there?”

The Nexus Racing engineer blinks, looking up. He’s in the portal room - the ever-present, sunglass-adorned figure leaning back against the wall, taking in all proceedings - and in front of him is standing Gertrude Thompson. She’s smirking. “Sorry. I, ah… I got distracted.”

“You’re right there.” His boss laughs. “Don’t worry; let’s just get moving. Report on Laukkanen’s car?”

Virgil nods as the two head to the door into the garage. This he knows. “The feedback from yesterday’s been applied - less sensitive controls, more downforce. Got confirmation from programming that the various matrixes’ve been updated; apparently they also took Janne down to the simulator with the updated changes and he seemed happy based on that. Not one-to-one to the real thing, obviously, but still good to hear. Otherwise, nothing’s come up on diagnostics and everything’s ready to go for the final rounds of checks.”

Gertrude nods, expression firm. “Good; thanks. Let’s get those started, then. We’ve got plenty of ground to make up today, so the more we can be confident won’t go wrong, the better.”

“What, like transferring our power from one car to another mid-race?”

There is a roll of eyes. “You know that the theory’s sound on that. We’ll have the kinks worked out by next week.” She glances sideways at him, smile returning to her face. “Unless you don't think that we can do it by then, hmm?”

“I didn't say that.”

---

Timothy Guard waits in the same room - later, but in the same room nonetheless. He waits for potentially the two most important people in his team to arrive, that he might speak to and motivate them.

Not giving a speech last week was potentially a mistake. The results in Savojarna’s race were mixed but nonetheless positive for the team as a whole and the mood was good leading up to this one. The qualifying positions of their drivers may have changed that to a degree. Guard isn’t arrogant enough to view a potential contribution of his to the general mood last week as being able to have significantly influenced that; nonetheless, it would have helped. And yet the leader of Nexus Racing is still very aware of the difficulties that made him decide not to at that moment - difficulties that still very much apply now.

Thus, what is left is the personal. As he has done with Ryker and Jean before now, he will seek to do with Rebecca and Janne.

That, after all, is for now all he can do.

[Vangaziland]

North Emeros was known as the capital of mainland Vangaziland, as well as the Vannish Empire. Emperor H. Vang lived in a modest palace along the river here. The Prime Minister goverened from the rather corporate looking complex at One Emeros Way. Many government offices dotted the upper half of the city that shared a district with Overglade University.

A few dozen miles north of the home of the Vannish Grand Prix is a historic complex of Victorian Era Vannish buildings. The area is surrounded by fences marked with 'No Trespassing' signs. Police helicopters and private security guard the area around the complex. In 2013 an investigative journalist tried to sneak onto the site. They were met by mysterious security guards in black.

This was the unmarked home of two of the Vannish government's most mysterious politicians. The Royal Imperial Soothsayer was he Vannish government's top person in a department dealing with psychic and mental abilities. Countess Karolina Teslović, from Vangaziland's Esportivan territory, held the position. She belonged to an order dating back hundreds of years and spanning several countries.

She was currently meeting with the Royal Imperial Sage. The Sage's role differed in that his role was to read the world's energy and advise. The Sage was a more visionary role, a modern day oracle for the Vannish Empire. Baron Hafi Iwu filled the role, born in New Gazi on the African continent. Both Sage and Soothsayer held titles of Royalty. This was not of a Vannish House, but an international house of Royal mentalists.

Considering this background, one would not expect the pair to get involved in the WGP2. The two first became involved after Jang Xiaopeng hit a stretch of bad luck. The Countess began a psychic investigation. Her focus was the imagination based technology of Nexus Racing. She wanted to make certain that similar technology couldn't throw results negatively for rival drivers.

The investigation proved the Nimbans had no negative influence on results. The Sage and Soothsayer soon noticed the imagination based technology of the Nimbans. The two didn't have access to the technology behind the Nimban's imagination system, but were able to start working up plans for how such a system could work.

The two paired with the President of Psychic & Mentalist Studies at Overglade University. She also brought her brightest students to work up a prototype. There were parts to the system that the faculty and students never learned. Certain things were classified. They understood thoughts were the control mechanism. They knew about the crystal receptor array that was able to store charged mental energy. The technology gave off a red glow because of the crystals used in the array. They were mostly bright red strawberry quartz. There were also ruby transitors and carnelian empahsizers. This was much of what was released to the public.

The Sage & Soothsayer expressed worry to one another when the Nexus represenative mentioned their 'power source' at a press conference. There is knowledge that the majority of cilvilzation is not privy too. Many call this a coverup. The Sage & Soothsayer do have access to hidden ancient knowledge.

Modern archaeologists claim the pyramids were built by the Egyptian civilization which flourished around 4000 - 6000 BC. Some go as far as to claim aliens built them. The reason for this is because certain things don't add up. The answer is not aliens, but rather an ancient advanced civilization. The African Empire of Ancient Gazi stretched across North Africa in the time before the last ice age. This was closer to 15,000 BCE. In this time, modern day Egypt was rainy. Evidence for the civilization before the Ice Age is seen in weathering around the Sphinx. The linear erosion wearing away on the structure is evidence of extreme rain. Some also think the head of the Sphinx was recurved from a jackal or lioness. Both were important symbols of the ancient Gazilian Empire.

Artifacts which prove this are hidden in Vangaziland and New Gazi as well as in museums around the world. The reason for the coverup is the ancient powerplant. The pyramids were never a tomb. No mummy was ever found there. The inside is plain, not marked with hieroglyphics or embellishments. It was built before Egypt. It was made to gather energy from the Earth's athosphere. The powerplant could also reflect the intentions of those trained in the field of psionics. Ancient mystics could harness this energy and accomplish incredible things. The Great Pyramids were built with the energy generated from smaller pyramids.

Nikolai Tesla picked up on this technology when he built his tower in the 1920s. He proved it was possible to generate power from the atmosphere under the right conditions and transmit it wirelessly. Several others have tried to replicate his experiments, though harnessing it seemed mostly elusive.

It was something which had to be kept hidden away. That was until Nexus Racing began to make a scene with their technology. This opened the door for Vangaziland to leak a little of the technology. If nothing else, PsyKi would be seen as some kitbash of Nimban technology.

So where was the Vannish power source? It was not the pyramids at Giza. Much like an array of antennae called HAARP, Vangaziland has a similar facility. The High Frequency Auroral Athmospheric Array (HFAAA) is known to be a set of antenna on a remote island North of the Vannish mainland. What's classified is that the antennae surround a pyramid. It is made up of several types of stones and has a gold capstone on top. There are many rumors about what HFAAA can do. Most of them are true. At the heart of it all was the Sage & Soothsayer.

The WGP2 provided a very public forum for the psychics to test this technology. They couldn't have the Nimbans asking too many questions though. That could expose a secret almost as old as civilization itself. The public would be left to wonder about what the power source would be.

The Sage & Soothsayer were keeping out of the public eye. They didn't want to be seen hanging around the WGP2 too much.

Questions were already being asked about government involvement with this new technology. People knew the state held around 20% of Vannish Motors. Critics have already begun criticizing PsyKi's potential military applications.

[-Anthor-]

Seónaid Proulx
Axlwhane Road, Private Study, 3rd Floor
9 km from the city of Girvan, northern Anthor
January 10, AE604; 12:13 pm

The sound of the electric guitar being vigorously played with in rhythm drums in the back flowed through the private study, flowing around the empty, cold fireplace, it's area filled with the dark, clumped ashes from the fire that had warmed the room the now previous night, and a few books lay on the table a few paces outside of the fireplace. The doors to the room, large oak paneled ones, were opened with little noise and effort thanks to the daily work of the building's staff, and a gentlemen with his blonde hair neatly cut short and kept pushed back wearing a black suit strode into the room, his leather shoes making loud noises even on the carpeted floor. He made his way towards the large desk that sat in front of the windows, large coral blue curtains drawn over them which prevented any sunlight from coming in the eighteen inch windows. The man looked at the person sitting before the desk, a young female whose light brown hair was spilling over the desk and her head, which had fallen onto the laptop in front of her and slight snoring was evident. He sighed and stepped to the left of the desk, pulling open the curtains and allowing the sunlight to flow through the room, its rays bouncing off of the cluttered, stained wooden desk as well as the beige carpet and illuminating the entirety of the space.

The man waited a few moments, tapping his left foot on the carpet before he carefully shook the left shoulder of the woman before him, which elicited a slight groan after a few minutes, the lady lifting her head and twisting her back around, while also rubbing her neck "Good morning ma'am, I figured it was about time someone came to get you after the staff told me you never made it up to your chambers last night."

Seónaid murmured "Yes, thank you for being the ever present human alarm Luther"

Luther nodded at the slight chiding and began walking over to the room's door, meaning to return to his duties of overseeing the variety of people who were employed on the estate, only taking a slight moment to pause at the door and turn on his heels, looking at Seónaid and remarking "Do not forget you have that meeting with that one gentleman, a Mr.Sartre I believe?"

Seónaid stood up from the simple office chair, and picked up the green shawl that had been laid across the back of it and threw it over her shoulders, folding her arms as she walked over to speak to Luther "Yes, Corentin Sartre, the Thibaean investor who spoke of some serious interest in my offer I fielded around."

Luther nodded "Ah yes, your crusade to reform the RAA; tell me how goes it?"

Seónaid snorted and gave him a sideways look "I don't know Luther, how do you think big noble money likes being reformed on?"

Luther let a sly smile escape out of the corner of his mouth and walked a little further in the hallway outside the doors "About as much as your beloved pets love the water when they're being bathed I imagine. Shall I have Connor fire up the oven for something to eat before you hit the road?"

Seónaid waved an idle hand as she joined her butler in the hallway and the two began walking down the long stretch, both heading for the elevator at the end which would take them to the other floors. "No, no thank you Luther, I'm just going to freshen up and then better hop to, wouldn't want to be late would I?"

"Indeed not I imagine. Where are you meeting him again?"

"That cafe on the corner of Pastel and Miller's Way, opened up a few weeks ago and I particularly enjoy the pastries they sell there; actually baked and not just taken out of a package of some kind and reheated."

The two of them joined each other in the brass elevator, with Seónaid looking to go up another floor and then down a series of passages to reach her bedroom, while Luther would head to the bottom floor to overseen that the gardeners were properly attending to the hibiscus in the greenhouse, and to also ensure the foyer had been shined already.

After changing into a rather simple, yet still formal attire of black suit pants and a nicer blue blouse, which Seo paired with a simple golden bracelet, a nicer silver watch from Brisbane Co., she headed off to the large garage at the rear of her property; originally the brick structure had been a carriage house when the estate and grounds were built in 1811, however it was converted to a garage a few decades later once automobiles became more frequent and easily available, and although it could fit quite a few number of cars, at the moment it's residents was limited to a single maroon four-door sedan, specifically the Régis Catalyst. She used her keychain device to unlock the vehicle and within a few minutes, was rolling out off of the long drive way of her home and onto the two lane road that one used to access, and leave, the property. The cafe was only ten minutes down the country road before she would take a left turn and head into the town of Harburgh; it was the closest town or city before one got onto the highway and headed into Girvan, and at more then 85,000 residents, it wasn't the big city feel of Girvan but it certainly wasn't small town lanes either. The traffic wasn't too crowded at the current time of midday, and given that Harburgh was far from the main highways used to connect to Girvan, Seónaid had little problem arriving at the cafe in fifteen minutes.

The cafe was a simple single story structure, painted a teal and tan color with a modernist form of design, it was connected to a local restaurant and some small chain retail stores in a small strip mall style of complex. She parked towards the rear of the lot, and begin walking towards the cafe pulling out her red blue smartphone from her pocket and selecting her new contact in her phonebook, and began texting him letting her know she had arrived. Once she got inside the cafe, she took up a seat in the corner of the south end of the room, ordering a iced latte treated with some cinnamon for herself and she didn't wait long before the person she was waiting on walked through the door and approached her to give her a handshake. Corentin Sartre was your average size, if a bit shorter then the average northern Anthor at six foot and was on the lean side of weight, with a charcoal grey suit paired with a navy blue tie and well polished, newer brown shoes that clacked across the black tile floor as he approached Seónaid. "Seónaid Proulx, what a pleasure to finally meet you in person!"

The two shook firmly shook hands and Seónaid offered him a seat opposite of her at the table she had previously chosen, a server bringing Seónaid her ordered drink almost imemdiately as the two took their chairs "Thank you mister Sartre, it is just as great a pleasure for me."

"Please, call me Cory, as my friends do."

"Very well Cory; where shall we begin?"

Cory folded his hands in his lap before he began speaking "Well, I was approached by our mutual friend Lady Dedrick, and Rox explained to me the cause you're looking for funding on and the particular reason behind it; I must say, even for someone from my country, it's most unusual that a noble seeks to reform a piece of the nobility, or in this case, one of the fields their most active in."

Seónaid took a small sip of her drink and looked Cory in the eyes "Yes well, when the RAA began, it was ...noble to use a pun for the landed lords and ladies to invest as they did, but some fifty years later, this is essentially decided by who has the bigger title, the best lands, and the most money; it sucks the competitive edge right out of it and the lack of organization hampers the sport even further. "

"Is it really true they refused to sign you to a team because your father was viewed as an upstart because he earned his titles, versus them being some family heritage passed down for generations?"

"Indeed, Minerva was the only one willing to trial me, and even after my rookie performances and university one, refused to sign me, selecting some Duke's heir. They offered to keep me as a reserve driver though, which I scoffed at. So now, I seek to bring them down and be the first privately funded, non gentry to enter the Prixs and win the whole season."

Cory shook his head "Absolutely disgraceful, I must say. How as putting a portfolio together come along?"

"I have significant funds on my own end, but I needed to match them or double them ideally using other, outside investors if I was to be serious about bringing a competitive team into the RAA. Little luck before I met you."

Cory nodded "Indeed, that's as much as Lady Dedrick let on. Tell me, have you thought of a different way of approaching things?"

Seónaid shook her head "I don't follow."

Cory continued "What if you were to gain fame and notoriety on an international scale, out pace even the best Anthoran drivers and use that spotlight to gain you media, and financial support."

Seónaid smiled "Like the WGPC? Only Minerva is allowed to enter anyone, and you saw what happened with the Kingsley kid, and the affair that came out of that. Criminal investigations, barbaric accusations, a very messy affair. Plus its the offseason for quite some time."

Cory shook his head "You'd be immediately disadvantaged if you went straight to the WGPC; no, I was referring to the WGP, its second tier event which has come to be viewed as a feeder for the higher Championship. It's currently about three races into its second edition."

"So an already started tournament?"

"Well, see, the Mattajanian hosting authority has struggled with advertising and right now, most teams are short a secondary driver, and for some even a primary one, such as a team from Eastfield Lodge. If you could perhaps attend some practice sessions at a facility I know of, I could let some of the data and footage find its way into the right hands."

Seónaid looked suspicious, folding her arms "You have a car for me to drive?"

"I have one indeed, as well as an engineer to work on it. Nothing that's going to win a championship anytime soon, and he's no master, but they'll both serve their roles they need to and perform well enough to get you looked at seriously."

Seónaid mulled the thoughts over in her head "And if I do this, you'll still invest and help me"

Cory held up his hands and smiled "Swear on my Gods, and I'll even help you network and make the connections you need."

Seónaid smiled "Well, looks like I have a air ticket to purchase."

[Mattijana]

Race cutoff take 2!

[Mattijana]

Week 3: Race

Conditions:      	Cloudy
Laps:              	31
Nation:         	V&T
Circuit:        	Cocoabo Park Circuit

Start	First Quarter	Halfway	    Third Quarter	POS DRV Name                     Team	Time
 1 C23	 1 C23 +0	 1 C23 +0	 1 C23 +0	  1 C23 Cocoabo #23                 VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	01:07:46.928
 2 FAN	 2 ARJ +6.314	 2 PEG +42.761	 2 SCH +49.189	  2 PEG Jama'obo Pegasii            SVJ Racing                  	00:00:52.960
 3 ARJ	 3 SCH +21.757	 3 ARJ +47.314	 3 FAN +58.916	  3 SCH Karli Schmitt               Vannish Motors Racing       	00:01:31.179
 4 PEG	 4 PEG +28.3	 4 SCH +50.88	 4 PEG +60	  4 FAN Isaia Fanene                Kaylan Racing               	00:01:33.104
 5 SCH	 5 FAN +41.404	 5 MIG +60.141	 5 DAR +61.79	  5 ARJ Roman Arjenko               SVJ Racing                  	00:01:43.679
 6 IMO	 6 IMO +46.378	 6 DAR +60.698	 6 ARJ +69.603	  6 DHL Dahlia Dahl                 Pompeii Motorsports         	00:01:44.257
 7 DHL	 7 MIG +47.268	 7 FAN +66.196	 7 LYN +70.268	  7 LEM Juliano Lemos               Superia Junior Team         	00:01:44.744
 8 MIG	 8 LYN +50.618	 8 DHL +70.247	 8 MIG +76.002	  8 LYN Laurencia Lynds             SinVal                      	00:01:48.277
 9 PRE	 9 TJK +51.555	 9 TJK +71.742	 9 LEM +79.361	  9 FAL Dom Falepeau                MRT2                        	00:01:54.352
10 TJK	10 TAB +53.108	10 FAL +71.915	10 DHL +80.154	 10 IMO Ade Imoju                   Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:01:56.372
11 LYN	11 DAR +53.626	11 LYN +81.315	11 HIN +88.159	 11 TJK Timo Jänkirinää             Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:02:02.787
12 MAR	12 DHL +54.892	12 PRE +84.402	12 CAS +93.207	 12 DAR Rebecca Darlington          Nexus Racing                	00:02:03.545
13 TAB	13 JSM +58.172	13 HIN +91.884	13 TJK +95.577	 13 CAS Darius Castellammare        Superia Junior Team         	00:02:09.157
14 JUL	14 FAL +63.637	14 TAB +92.443	14 PRE +98.274	 14 LAU Janne Laukkanen             Nexus Racing                	Laps Down: 1
15 DAR	15 PRE +72.181	15 CAS +93.07	15 LAU +100.466	 15 MAR Jannik Markner              Vannish Motors Racing       	Laps Down: 1
16 HIN	16 JUL +73.508	16 BAK +98.035	16 FAL +105.156	 16 PRE Max Prefodski               Kaylan Racing               	Laps Down: 1
17 LAU	17 BAK +75.807	17 IMO +98.708	17 TAB +106.247	 17 HIN Chiemi Hino                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	Laps Down: 1
18 BAK	18 HIN +82.172	18 MAR +101.971	18 MAR +120.827	 18 TAB Tyra Tabuso                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	Laps Down: 1
19 JSM	19 CAS +84.986	19 JUL +105.702	19 IMO +122.245	 19 JSM Jason Masami                Brutus Obey Sport GP        	Laps Down: 1
20 DEF	20 MAR +85.203	20 LEM +106.05	20 JSM +Laps: 1	 20 BAK Edward Baker                VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	Laps Down: 1
21 CAS	21 LEM +92.503	21 JSM +109.213	21 BAK +Laps: 1	 21 DEF Erik DeForest               Pompeii Motorsports         	Laps Down: 1
22 LEM	22 LAU +93.009	22 LAU +Laps: 1	22 DEF +Laps: 1	 22 MIG Miguel Santos               EVolution                           Laps Down: 3
23 FAL	23 DEF +110.947	23 DEF +Laps: 1	23  +Laps: 3	DNF JUL Ekatarina Julic             Brutus Obey Sport GP        	Ret. lap 17

[Savojarna]

SVJ Racing Development Headquarters, Technical University of Pawlograd

Dr. Pavel Suvchenko and his team are assembled around a big table, together with the Head of Strategy, Krister Arlund, working on the SVJ-01's first big update. Arlund hands the engineer the data from the Cocoabo Park race. "So you say that your cars started to unexplicably lose at high speed corners, up to 1.5 seconds a lap?", the elder Russian inquires. Arlund points to the printout of the telemetry that he brought back to Savojarna: "Look at the numbers, Pavel. The Cocoabo is faster in every lap. There is a growing gap, and in the more straight forward sectors Roman catches up. The numbers are almost the same for Jama'abo, but less so because he knows the circuit better and has a different setup".

Suvchenko lays his head to the side, sceptically studying the numbers. His brows draw together as he goes over the numbers. "Okay, let's forget about VTM for a second. They have the home advantage, their setup will have been perfect I assume. Do the numbers hold?", he asks, before giving the answer himself. "What is this VMR doing? Schmitt? Did she drive much better or something, as she is taking even more from Roman at this time than VTM", he asks Krister. The race engineer sighs. "We don't know how they do it, Pavel. They have some weird magic thing in their car. Psychic energy or something. Nothing I ever heard of scientific proof for existing, and Nimbans don't count here. But somehow it works, or at least it gives off a great placebo effect. Do you want the papers on it?".

He shakes his head. "We won't tinker with other people's technology. Did you get any feedback from Roman and Pegasii?". Krister rummages through his bag, dropping a folder titled "Driver Feedback" onto the table along with a few breadcrumbs and a crumpled up Sigur Bjarnason sticker originally meant for his niece. He opens it and takes out two sheets of paper, labelled with the driver's names and numbers. "So overall: Not enough speed, and in the fast corners he felt like the car was getting wobbly when we tried to increase top speed, leading to more trouble than before. For the race, we settled for a medium setup, allowing for enough downforce in the fast corners. Didn't work all that great". Krister rummages through his bag again, now also throwing out a leaflet about holidays in Turori. Finally he grabs another folder, containing more telemetric data on the last race.

This time, Suvchenko puts on his reading glasses before carefully studying different columns of data. "It looks like the systems all work as intended, we can exclude a failure. The engine is not an issue, else we would have been in trouble in Yarkovo too. Leaves us with aerodynamics, doesn't it? I need a detailed profile of both setups. We need to look into this", the Head of Development says with newfound energy before picking up the phone. Suvchenko convenes a meeting of the people who worked on the aerodynamics of the team: Dr. Norre Hansen, head of Landsmarks Automobilen Sport; Prof. Dr. Boris Kalinin, professor for aerospace engineering a the TU Pawlograd; JMC's lead designer Olav Brunström and a colleague from the National University at Sjoedrhavn. Together with Krister, a few assistants, technicians and students of Suvchenko, around fifteen people assemble at the same afternoon.

They always knew it would be the big issue of the team. The engines were not a problem, as both JMC and LA had lots of experience with high-tech, high-output and very efficient engines. Hightech industries were the lifeline of Savojarna. The SVJ-01's board computer, constantly coordinating two different engines depending on the type and amount of power required at any given moment, was a testament to this strength. As far as Suvchenko could tell, and as far as the man who developed the system at JMC agreed, there was no major problem in this area. Nor was there any issue in transmitting the power to the road, another area in which the Savojar automobile industry profited from experience with road cars from high-efficiency vehicles to purely entertaining sports cars, years upon years of experience in high-level rallyeing, and the finest technical university in the country providing a world-class engineering education.

Aerodynamics, however, were a different beast. Nobody in the room had ever built an open-wheel racer on the level of a WGP2-car. Of course they could still use a lot of experience that translated, profit from the same world-class education and state of the art computer assistance, but they lacked the intuitive sense that they had acquired with other things. The aerodynamic considerations of Savojar motor engineers were usually more aimed at making everyday cars more efficient or giving a rallye car a little boost, not with the fragile balance of speed and downforce that was a WGP2 vehicle.

The panel studied the results from Cocoabo Park and Yarkovo, to come to the conclusion that they had two problems. Firstly, their car was not efficient enough when it came to creating downforce, meaning that their wings, while doing their job, took too much of a drag on the top speed unless the driver was willing to put them ultra-flat and reduce his downforce significantly. Secondly, the car overall seemed to be much too fragile in its course, leading to the problems Roman had reported in his feedback. And thus, the around fifteen people in the room started the creation of what would become SVJ-01.5 - the first major update in the history of SVJ Racing. Time was ticking.

[Vangaziland]

Karli Schmitt started the race fifth. She ran well at qualifying in the island's wet rain. It threatened to rain again as things got underway, with heavy clouds looming over race day. Karli kept her spot off the line, even as Ade Imoju challenged her. His biggest push to pass her came on lap 3. While leaving turn 2, Ade tried to run just inside Karli's line. He braked a little later, since the turn was relatively forgiving.

The move was more dangerous than anything. Karli had enough speed to hold her line. The cars came precariously close to colliding. In the end, the VM33 sparked with red energy as it pushed harder down the track. Ade was forced to fall behind her. The two Vannish drivers may have started one behind the other. Their races would soon start to take very different turns.

Karli started to gain time over Ade. The thing that made this course unique was how long each lap was. Each car clocked the finish line every 6.63 kilometers. By lap 8, she had climbed into 3rd place. She did so with a daring pass on Jama'obo Pegasii. Schmitt beat Pegasii out of the tight corner at turn 14, running an aggressive line. She never held a comfortable lead over the SVJ car. Her laps were a constant fight to keep the opponent in her mirrors.

To make things more interesting, Roman Arjenko passed Karli on lap 14. Pegasii had also passed Karli earlier and was riding 2nd overall. The high powered EVolution car was briefly gaining time on the VMR ride. "Oh Hell no", Karli said over the team net when told Miguel Santos was on pace to pass her. This caused her to step things up.

She had talked about the lines at Cocoabo Park Circuit with Jessica Franssen for what seemed like hours before the race. Jess spoke how she would run here. It was this advice which helped Karli run aggressive laps her on race day and at qualifying. She dug into her technique, forcing herself to run efficiently.

Karli would get as high as 2nd in the field. She had a quick first pit stop which saw her outpace the SVJ cars. The team could tell Pegasii was running faster. It was only a matter of time until he caught back up.

As the laps wore down, Jess decided the team needed to come in for one more pit. The timing was close, with Pegasii gaining. She lost her spot during the stop, Pegasii just beating her out of pit lane. The indigo & red machine still couldn't keep up with Pegasii's experienced technical lines, which was the hope for the stop. One of the Kaylan racing cars was closing on Karli as the race wound down.

Isaia Fanene was only two seconds behind the Vangazi when the checkered flag fell. It took serious defensive driving to keep her opponent at bay. Based on the cheers over Karli's team headset, one might have thought the Vangazi had won the race.

"Good job Karli! Yes!" Jessica was screaming over her headset. "That's how its done."

"We'll get one to drop sometime", Karli replied. "Good job team. Great car. Thank you, thank you." Karli couldn't be more proud with how her first two races shaped up. She was proving to be Jessica's disciple.

"It's what you do between wins that shapes your season", Jess once told Karli. "Are you going to DNF and 8 or 9 it? Or will you get podiums? Get top 5s? You have to push every race week, even when it feels like you're buried in sand."

The field was shaping up well for Vannish Motors.

Driver Standings
1. #23 27
2. Laukkanen 25
3. Schmitt 22
4. Falepeau 20
5. Jama'obo Pegasii 18

Team Standings
1. SVJ Racing 32
2. VTM Tropicorp 27
3. VMR 26
4. Nexus 25
5. MRT2 20

Vannish Motors had a tentative grip on third place in both cup chases. SVJ and VTM looked quite fast. Nexus also brought a race winning pedigree and a reputation which foretold a potentially successful season. The car company from South Stead would need to run extra hard to win more silverware.

"Third is a great result", said Karli after the race. "There is a long season ahead. Hundreds of miles. The goal will be to stay right there, every lap. That won't be possible, but dang... We'll try." She reached back to tie her sweaty blonde hair behind her ears. This course in particular was quite a workout to drive. There were no straights so a driver had to always be on guard. Karli took a sip from a heavily branded Vannish electrolyte drink before continuing.

"I feel motivated though. Energized. Vannish Motors has put out a great car." Her chassis sat behind her in the paddock for the interview. "Jess has a gameplan. We're ready to execute."

Karli was asked how she felt about her teammate finishing 15th. "The truth is that this track wasn't suited to his aggressive style. Maybe he needed a few good straights to make better passes."

The reporter mentioned how Karli's style wasn't exactly suited to the track. "My success came from extraordinary effort from the team, but also on my part. I'm sure that if Jannik pushed a little harder, he may have won the race. It just didn't work out that way this week. We're all going to have up and down weeks. Ms. Franssen says that its how we bounce back that makes the difference between a good season or a bad season. I know my first bad race is coming. I'll cope."

Karli continued to speak of ups and downs. It was clear she was in the season for the long haul. She had made the transition from GT2 touring into open-wheel.

Ade's race was much less exciting. He was lucky to finish with points. By lap 16, he'd fallen to 17th place. It was on this lap that he spun out while fighting to get around turn 14. He was lucky not to crash. Many cars passed him by the time he could get back on track though.

This was after starting 6th and fighting Karli for her spot. He should have been on pace to push for a podium finish of his own. After a later pit stop, he came out 19th. It looked like all hope was lost.

Jannik Markner was the first car he had to pass on his fight back up the field. He did so coming out of turn 14's apex. This move seemed to motivate him. He realized how good of a spot this was to pass. He also had finally figured out the quickest lines. Ade felt more focused than he had towards the early race. The move also helped him beat his anxiety around Turn 14.

One by one, Ade fought his way back into the top 10. He passed several big names in the process. He finished 10th and didn't look happy as he exited the car.

"My fans in West-East Timor and Vangaziland deserve better", Ade told a nearby reporter. "Omni-Katoa Racing deserves better. The silver lining is that we showed we can move up the field. I'll have to try harder not to spin in the future. We can earn some points, for sure."

He was asked how he managed not to wreck the car while spinning out. "A lot of that was luck", he said. "I had to turn into the skid and that pulled me away from the wall. I think the other cars just saw it early enough to turn wide."

Ade was asked how can improve. "I'll need to step up my effort. There are definitely things I can do. This team expects a world class effort from me. I'll see what I can do to bring that."

Jessica Franssen was seen patting Jannik Markner on the back after the event. "Don't let this get to you. Today just wasn't your day. We're still going to do great things. Just keep pushing. And party hard!" She didn't seem upset with the result. Jannik had already provided 4 important early points, finishing 7th on Week One.

"I have faith that our team will do what it must to have a successful season", Jessica told reporters. "Trust the process."

[Vilita and Turori]

Cocoabo Preservation Grand Prix, Cocoabo Park Circuit, Cocoabo Forest, Atlantian Oceania :: Fast Cocoabo was not going to be denied. After being agonizingly defeated at the Inagural Cocoabo Preservation Grand Prix by Vannish Motors Racing driver Jang Xiopeng, Cocoabo #23 returned a stronger, smarter, faster Cocoabo. More importantly, perhaps, Cocoabo #23 also returned with a better crew.

Questionable pit strategies cost the Tropicorp Engineering team during World Grand Prix To Season 1 as a pair of cars driven by Cocoabo #23 and Cesaro Whittaker that very well could have run 1-2 instead ran second and fifth.

This season, Tropicorp Engineering called upon Vilita & Turori Motorsports to field the race day engineers, pit crew and team strategists while Tropicorps Engineering team focused on the race car itself.

The opening round in Savojarna was a learning experience for everyone, the team gelling for the first time and working out the kinks - finishing in the points but not contended for the win. It was all just prep for the race in the Cocoabo Forest.

The VTM Tropicorp Engineering machines were fast off the dock with both Cocoabo #23 and Edward Baker posting 1:52.8 laps around the circuit level with the fastest times in the field in the opening practice session. The inexperienced Baker struggled when the rains came and dampened the track for the qualifying round but it did not phase Fast Cocoabo who blistered the pack to start on the pole ahead of Kaylan Racing's Isaia Fanene and the two SVJ Racing drivers including the Vilitan Jama'obo Pegasii.

For Cocoabo #23, however, it didn't really matter who was starting beside them, behind them, or anywhere else. From the moment the lights went out on the grid, Cocoabo #23 was on a rail never to be challenged. The Orange an Blue Tropicorp machine led the field from start the finish taking the checkers nearly a minute ahead of the nearest competitor. It was an exciting race for the podium places, however, as Jama'obo Pegasii fought back from a pit sequence past the halfway mark bypassing both Fanene and Karli Schmitt to take the second position. Schmitt would hold on to edge a determined Fanene to the line to put Vannish Motors Racing on the podium for the second consecutive season at the Cocoabo Park Circuit.

While strong home-track showings may have been expected for the two Vilita & Turori Motorsports drivers, Cocoabo #23's dominating performance set a tone for the season as the Cocoabo looks to take an early lead in the Drivers Championship with a view to proving they have what it takes to compete at the highest level of motorsport for seasons to come.

[Togonistan]

Cocoabo Park Circuit
Post-race

The race at Cocoabo Park Circuit had went better for Kaylan's team than expected. Tanielu Felafa was clearly pleased with Isaia Fanene's high finishing spot at the race as he walked around in the pit garage with a smile on his face. The rest of the team were also congratulating the young Togonistani for a good spot and, overall, the atmosphere was really positive. They had managed to pretty much nail the car setup, and even their not so top notch brakes had not failed them. However, there was still one person somewhat unhappy with this whole thing. It was Fanene himself. The young driver kept on nodding and smiling as he was being congratulated, but still, something deep inside was frustrating him. He had a good chance to end up in the podium that day, however, he had let both Pegasii and Schmitt pass him. He had a good pace, car settings were perfect, track was just the way he liked it. Yet, still, he couldn't help but think that, if he had tried a little harder, maybe he could've caught Schmitt near the finish line.

Meanwhile, Felafa was nothing but positive. A lot of teams seemed to have been struggling this weekend, yet, things had went pretty smooth for Kaylan. Also, he had started to build up faith into Fanene. The young and green he was, but the boy did seem to be a racer. A hard worker, always trying to do his best. It wasn't a simple insight, there were actual facts proving it. First of all, rising up all the way from bottom of the grid to P8 in Savojarna. And now, P4 by the end of the race. The fact he had let both Pagasii as well as Chmitt pass him didn't matter. What did matter was the fact that they even managed to actually compete against teams such as VMR and Tropicorp, both of which were much more experienced than Kaylan. However, Felafa also realized - it was just the beginning. They have to keep up the hard work if they want to keep up doing the way they had done so far.

Kaylan Racing HQ
Few days later

Felafa was sitting in his office, inspecting the track layout for the upcoming race in Aels. Seemed like, unlike last week, there were going to be a few tight corners. While the aerodynamics at their car were okay-ish, it was sure going to be tricky to nail the setup this time. They would have to find a balance between running enough angle on the wings for corners while still not losing too much in speed on the straights. Felafa sighed and closed the window, opening up tgsports.tn news site instead. He browsed through the titles with his eyes: ''Cocoabo wins in Cocoabo Park'' , ''WGP2 viewing figures have raised 15 percent'' , ''Togonistan starts World Cup with a draw'' Nothing interesting seemed to be there either. However, as he went to another news site, he found what he had low-key been looking for. Ultrasports had released a pre-race preview type of thing. Felafa quickly read through it:

Pre-race preview: Grand Prix of Aels

The upcoming Grand Prix of Aels is expected to turn out interesting. While the current leader Cocoabo #23 is expected to keep up showing great results, experts seem to agree on the fact that Nexus driver Janne Laukkanen is a favorite for the race. ''I can't see anyone having much chance against Laukkanen on this track. That is, if Nexus managed to get their setup right.'' said Keron Toal, an ex-racing mechanic.

Meanwhile, SVJ Racing are surely looking to increase their lead in team championship standings. Having shown a solid performance so far, it is believed that we are going to see SVJ Racing in the podium again.

MRT2 and Kaylan Racing are going to be black horses for this race. With both Falepeau as well as Predofski/Fanene having showed semi-decent results so far, it is hard to predict how this race is going to play out for them.

Meanwhile, Ibuna-Gambal Racing are considered outsiders this weekend. The Filindostan-based team has shown mediocre results so far, and are expected to end up somewhere in the bottom of the grid this weekend. They will need to step up their game is they want to turn the tides.

Having read through the article, Felafa shrugged. Well, it seemed like the usual pattern was occurred there. Fans predicting big teams like VMR or Nexus to do well. Although, he had to agree, the ''black horse'' role was kind of pleasant in it's own way. Means less pressure on his driver in Aels then.

[Main Nation Ministry]

Chapter 7: Concerns

After a long day at the races, Jason Masami returned to his hotel room to get ready for the next circuit. He did feel a little miserable that he ended up in 19th place, however he knew it was due to his unfamiliarity towards Cocoabo Park. Checking some fan mail send to him, he saw someone has brought him a murder mystery detective book with the Leader as the main character. Of course, he wasn't a bookworm. Turning on the radio again, Jason sat on an armchair, flipping through channels on the hotel room TV, where he proceeded to fall asleep in his room.

As he was napping, someone was knocking on the door, which caused Masami to wake up. The TV was in the middle of showing an infomercial of a kitchen applicant. "Ughh.. What time is it?" Masami said to himself, wishing he had gotten himself a watch. "Hang on, I'm coming!" Masami walked over to the door to see it's the same official from the Ministry of Sports. "Mr. Jason Masami?" the official said to Masami. "Yeah, what do you want?"

"You had a bit of a setback, due to the difficulty of this week's race. I have been send to make sure you're still on the right track."
"I'm always on the right track. I'm just tired, that's all."
"Still getting some fan mail?"
"Typical stuff. I got like one book today."
"Well, you're going to most likely going to be need some coffee in the morning. Unless you're starting to have insomnia from the jet lag. I recommend medication."
"Look, I'm going to take the flight to the next circuit in the morning. So let me work things out and if it doesn't work, I can take some of your advice."
"Alright, I hope you get some rest."

The official let Masami close the door, where Masami decided to get the coffee maker, ready in advance before he went to sleep. Checking for some mugs to use, he saw that there was a mug with his nation's flag on it. A small chip on the front has left a scratch on it, similar to a crack.

[Former Citizens of the Nimbus System]

Nexus Racing HQ, Crossbay Circuit, Nimbus Bay, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System
29th of August

There is a knock at Gertrude’s door.

“Co-” Gertrude frowns, then presses the newly-installed button on her desk.

The door slides smoothly open, revealing Lucia standing, hands clasped behind her straight back, immediately before it.

Nexus Racing’s Head Designer grins. “Hey, Lucia. What can I do you for?”

“The ICAST codes have left the final stages of controlled testing and are ready for field testing, Gertrude,” her second-in-command answers. “I am happy to report that there has not yet been visible reliance on the ISISU as we had feared might be the case.”

“Awesome!” You want more power, Ryker? How about double?

…okay, so that’s theoretical, but even so. Still a gamechanger.

ICAST - Imagikinetic Convertor Array Shared Thrust - truly is that, allowing the two Chase Cutters to pool their Imaginational power during the race. The principle behind the idea is a simple one: the targets of the Imagination convertors in each UHSGV’s Paragon Warp array aren’t actually bound by location on a mechanical level and indeed are merely carried in the cars on the basis that it would be immensely unfair to house the power source for each externally, mainly because they are also their heaviest load. That, in addition to the fact that each can run each other’s very similar coding, made it a simple task for Victoria’s team to add a master switch to change one array’s target from its own car to the other - even if they did seem a little distracted.

There were a couple of complications, of course. For one thing, it was quickly discovered that the Chase Cutters’ current electrics can’t handle two Imagielectric convertors’ power at the same time. An upgrade for them is thus being worked on but likely won’t be ready until next week. That isn’t too big an issue, considering that the primary use for this will be for extra power on the straights, where the directional element provided in part by the power going to the wheels isn’t needed so much. Even a purely Imagikinetic system, however, would have been compromised by a far greater problem: the fact that each convertor couldn’t act on both Chase Cutters at once, let alone provide power that varied between them. That was solved by using time as an ally; by turning each convertor up to a higher power whenever the system activates, then switching the focus of that power between each car hundreds of thousands of times per second, an effect superficially identical to providing constant power to both is achieved.

The system does have its drawbacks. For one thing, it takes up another button on the Chase Cutter’s steering wheel. In fact, it takes up a button and a combination button/dial. If either car is using less than the maximum power available to it, the driver of the other activating ICAST will deploy it automatically, using as much as is spare, but, since the system is both new and requires significant trust and cooperation between the two drivers and both sides of the garage - after all, it basically steals power from one to give it to the other - the button merely requests full use; actual control will be down to the driver and race engineer of the other car, alongside Timothy Guard himself. Pushing the second dial in will activate ICAST (and pulling it out deactivate it), whereas turning it will increase the power sacrificed to the other car. That said, it will activate as soon as any of those three push the dial and default to the highest setting of the three for speed’s sake. Perhaps it will even foster the cooperation that its use requires. Regardless, it’s a significant boost in available power for either car when it’s needed; that’s the thing that matters.

“The new designs for the DIADEM are also ready to look at. Would you like to see them with the holographic projector?”

Gertrude’s expression shifts, turning more serious. “I would, yeah. Thanks, Lucia.” She stands, walking with purpose into the garage alongside her deputy. Good that we’re still moving forward on this… We need to keep momentum. The sooner we can get the other teams to accept it, the better.

The two join a few designers and engineers gathered around the projector’s table, most still busy with other projects, tests, tunings or modifications. Navigating the gaps, they stop a metre or so from the device, where the two prospective designs, mounted on virtual cars, are projected.

“Gertrude!” Shana greets her. “We’ve got the two proposals ready. Any decisions yet? You know the advantages and disadvantages.”

Gertrude considers. Hard. Eventually, she shakes her head. “Rebecca and Janne don’t have the experience that Ryker and Jean do…” Especially Ryker compared to Janne… “Giving them the ICAST will give them enough to adjust to as is. We don’t need to test them right now - and besides, I need to get Karl on discussion with the other teams. Let’s see how that goes first.”

Western Route Circuit, Watersedge, Aels
31st of August; Pre-Practice

Valen sits back down at the control console. Determination fills him as he speaks into the receiver for the Imagikinetic communication between himself and his partner driver. “Alright, Rebecca, remember that we’re using this session as a chance to practice for qualifying tomorrow and the race on Sunday with the new system. That means you’ve got full access to ICAST when Janne’s not out but only partial access and only when he’s in the corners or if we want to try overtaking someone when he is out; I’ll give word when that happens. Just like at Crossbay, the pulsing blue bar icon on your HUD will tell you when it’s ready and the height of the bar how much you’ve got. Remember, think of it like the KERS that you had on your old cars - same principle here, same button activation, just a lot more of it.” He pauses for a moment. “Don’t be too cautious, though; feel free to push the limits. You’ll have plenty of time for precision tomorrow, when you’ll need it. Now’s the time to experiment. Let’s get out there and see what you can do with this.”

He breathes, sitting back, waiting for her confirmation. She’ll be fine. She’ll be fine.

[West-East Timor]

Cocoabo
Vilita & Turori
Race

After a mediocre qualifying at Cocoabo Park Circuit, Timo was starting from tenth. It was cloudy, and while it didn't rain yet, it looked like it could. Timo didn't know if he wanted that or not. It would entirely depend on how his race would go.

"Kamil, how's the weather report?", he asked, already on the grid and sitting in his car before race start.

"It should stay dry, Timo. There are clouds, yes, but it doesn't seem like there'll be any rain."

"Copy."

"Also remember the pit strategy, one stop, lap 22. You're starting on mediums, will change to soft tires then."

"Copy again."

The race started, and Timo overtook Max Predofski, who seemed to have a rather bad start, putting him on P9, where he stayed for a while.

Lap 22

"Alright, we'll stop this lap, you'll be on softs. Box box box."

Timo pulled into the pits, stopped at his pit crew, they lifted his car up, changed tire - and had problems fitting his right front tire.

"Okay, go! Finally. That took longer than expected. Sorry for that."

"What exactly happened there?"

"You could see it, we had problems fitting the tire, but everything should be fine. Well except, you dropped back to thirteenth."

"Great job guys..."

Timo overtook Castellamare, Hino, and Darlington and worked himself up to tenth again.

In the second to last lap, however, he could see a red, white and yellow car in his rear view mirror.

"Timo, Ade is immediately behind you. We know you are fighting for a top ten finish, but remember it's only one point, and our priority at the moment is to see you both finish. The race didn't go well for either of you. Ade is however on better tires than you, so, don't fight too hard if he tries to overtake you, please."

"So... you want me to let him pass?"

"No, but don't risk crashing into him."

At that point, Ade had already started an attempt to overtake Timo, and was already beside him. It was impossible to not let him pass.

Post-Race

Timo crossed the finish line, in eleventh place.

"P11, Timo. P11."

"I know."

"Good. Bring the car back in one piece please."

Timo stopped his car in the parc ferme, got out of the car, and walked back to the garage.

"I know that wasn't your best race today, but..."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, but, it'll surely go better next time..."

"Sure."

Timo left the garage and went to the paddock without saying any more. In the paddock, however, he had to face a few West-East Timorian journalists.

"Timo, not a good race today. What happened?"

"I didn't qualify well and a misserable pit stop. That's what happened."

"What happened during that pit stop?"

"They had problems fitting a tire to the car, I think. That's all I know. It happens from time to time, you see it a lot."

"Do you think next race will be better?"

"Hopefully. I have a great team behind me, if they don't fuck up pit stops, I still think we can do quite well."

"That would be all."

"Good."

[Aboveland]

"How was that, eh?" Edvin asks cheerily as Janne stumbles out of the chase cutter, wiggling his legs to unsitck his RMEO suit from the nooks and crannies of his body.

Janne stares at his engineer through his visor before lifting it to reveal his dry, bloodshot eyes. "The drink didn't work," he replies. "I'm dying."

Edvin's eyes widen, and he stammers as he runs to get a bottle of race juice for the rookie. Janne sits on his Chase Cutter's fender to rest his legs, which while not as fatigued as they should be (thanks to the RMEO suit), they still ache. The race had been abysmal until the end, when Rebecca finally ceded her additional power boost to help Janne slingshot into a respectable 14th place. Like the first event at Savojarna, the race in Vilita hadn't been very eventful, the majority of his positions gained through an ambitious tyre strategy which saw him stay out for longer than anyone else; most of his laps were spent alone, which gave him time to relax and find the flow to the circuit. It was quite beautiful, he realized, and the roads were great for something like a tarmac rally. Maybe Terho would have enjoyed it, he thought.

Janne pants, his tongue pasty and dry, as he runs his hands along the matte gray body of his ethereal machine, its blue glow waning. It has a sort of comforting gentleness to it; despite its incredible acceleration and sophistication, its raw and imperfect. He remembers Terho's fabled bonds with his cars, how for him his victories were a double ordeal, how he shared his glory with the machine that got him to the top spot. Perhaps it was time to name his own car.

"Here you go," interrupts Edvin, stretching out a gray quasi-lemony drink. "Sorry about that," he says, before leaving to discuss his performance with some other Nexus staff. Janne takes a sip and grimaces. He's going to have to think wisely after whom he's going to name his car.

[Vangaziland]

After meeting with Jang Xiaopeng at his Timorian home, Ade Imoju left with a phone number. Xiaopeng's girlfriend Lydia Brown told Ade about one of her friends. Her name was Mary, one of Lydia's co-workers. Mary always had trouble meeting people. Lydia said it was because her professional career intimidated others. Ade was suspicious immediately. Normally dysfunctional friends are the ones people try to find relationships for. He wondered if maybe Jang thought he was dysfunctional, since he was also trying to set him up.

"I think I'll give her a call", Ade said after checking out her VannLook social media page. She seemed nice enough, smiling in all of her pictures at least. One picture seemed to make him nervous. She was dressed in a dark corset, holding an aggressive look in her eyes. It intrigued him as he wondered what it meant. Maybe she was just confident. The setting looked like some kind of Halloween party, with gothic furniture and art in the background.

Ade would pick her up at her home and drive her deep into the city. The date started off rough right away. She deflected all of his attempts at humor. She was even condescending to him with the way she talked down. It was amplified by how long the trip took. They ran into traffic before heading into a crowded downtown district.

The Vannish driver felt like he was on pins and needles. He couldn't help but rush the trip. Ade made the biggest mistake of the night when he cut left ahead of a car coming down the opposite lane. He could tell the car was slowing down. She didn't seem to care about that.

"Who do you think you are?" Mary shouted as she asked him question after question. "How could you put my life in danger like that? Do you think you're special because you drive race cars?" The other car stopped before the intersection as the light just turned red.

Ade thought she was one of the most confrontational people he'd ever met. As they got closer to the park, she tried to tell him where to park. He insisted that they look for a closer spot. It became awkward when he couldn't find a closer spot and ended up parking where she told him to.

On the long walk to the park, he tried joking once more. She resisted, staunch in her sullen expression. It was even worse that she didn't make any attempts at humor. Things backfired when he brought up the race. He didn't think she was much of a fan since she hadn't brought it up.

"Oh come on. Didn't you finish 14th?"

"Hey! I finished 10th", Jang replied. "I scored a point." Again, he thought that was humorous. She just sighed and shook her head.

"Seriously, if we're going to be dating... You need to produce", she told him in a deep burn.

Ade bit his tongue. At this point he didn't even want to date her for the next 10 minutes. They were too deep in the city for him to back out. There was still something charming about her. She had wavy blonde hair and a wide, angular face. She was fairly tall at 5'9. Her blue eyes had silver and gold filaments in what looked like a starburst explosion.

The park turned out to be nothing more than a crowded walk. He tried putting his arm around her. She surprisingly tolerated it. Things started going better, at least until dinner. Things seemed to have smoothed over. Sitting across from each other, they finally began to exchange warm glances. That is until one more incident ruined things.

While reaching over with a plate, the server knocked over a bottle of vinegar. It spilled into Mary's purse. The waiter apologized and took off. Mary told Ade that he better not pay and better request compensation. That would have made Ade feel cheap. He thought it was just an accident.

When Mary saw that he wrote him a tip, she was livid. She reached over and pushed her hand into his chin. Ade felt so embarrassed. From there, they decided to call it a night. It was a long, agonizing ride back out of the city. Finally the date was over. By the time he laid in bed for the night, he couldn't help but think that was one of the worst dates he's ever experienced.

His phone buzzed and the screen lit up. Mary sent him a text.

Mary
4:12PM: Where are you? You're almost late.
4:35PM: I'm here... Mostly on time.
4:35PM: ...
9:58PM(now): Let's do this again next week.

He had to sleep on it. It freaked him out more than anything. Did she enjoy that? He closed her messages and opened one with Jang.

Xiaopeng
1:28PM: You should take her to Seafood Shack. They have the best ribs.
9:59PM(now): Bro, don't hook me up with Lydia's friends no more...

[Mattijana]

Cutoff! For practice and qualifying for raceweek 3.

Due to the fact I've had a stomach bug for the last three days, scorination has been a bit delayed. The race will be scored on Tuesday whilst p/q for raceweek 4 will be scored on Saturday to allow a little more RP time between events.

[Mattijana]

Week 4: Practice

Conditions:      	Cloudy	
Lap Record:      	81.954	
Qualifying Type:	Two Tier	
Nation:         	AEL	
Circuit:        	Western Route Circuit

POS # DRIVER                   TEAM                	FASTEST LAP	BEHIND LEADER
 1 97 Edward Baker                VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	00:01:33.240	00:00:00.000
 2 33 Karli Schmitt               Vannish Motors Racing       	00:01:33.244	00:00:00.005
 3  5 Jason Masami                Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:01:33.246	00:00:00.007
 4 12 Ade Imoju                   Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:01:33.246	00:00:00.007
 5  3 Darius Castellammare        Superia Junior Team         	00:01:33.276	00:00:00.036
 6 16 Janne Laukkanen             Nexus Racing                	00:01:33.299	00:00:00.059
 7 75 Roman Arjenko               SVJ Racing                  	00:01:33.306	00:00:00.067
 8 14 Miguel Santos               EVolution Racing            	00:01:33.311	00:00:00.072
 9 24 Ekatarina Julic             Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:01:33.325	00:00:00.086
10 25 Timo Jänkirinää             Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:01:33.342	00:00:00.103
11 23 Cocoabo #23                 VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	00:01:33.352	00:00:00.113
12 48 Tyra Tabuso                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	00:01:33.360	00:00:00.121
13  9 Jannik Markner              Vannish Motors Racing       	00:01:33.410	00:00:00.170
14 63 Dahlia Dahl                 Pompeii Motorsports         	00:01:33.465	00:00:00.225
15 17 Max Prefodski               Kaylan Racing               	00:01:33.596	00:00:00.356
16 60 Chiemi Hino                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	00:01:33.623	00:00:00.384
17  2 Juliano Lemos               Superia Junior Team         	00:01:33.659	00:00:00.419
18 15 Rebecca Darlington          Nexus Racing                	00:01:33.675	00:00:00.435
19 19 Dom Falepeau                MRT2                        	00:01:33.734	00:00:00.495
20 37 Jama'obo Pegasii            SVJ Racing                  	00:01:33.779	00:00:00.539
21 10 Erik DeForest               Pompeii Motorsports         	00:01:34.258	00:00:01.018
22 18 Isaia Fanene                Kaylan Racing               	00:01:35.111	00:00:01.871
23 44 Laurencia Lynds             SinVal                      	00:01:35.447	00:00:02.207

[Mattijana]

Week 4: Qualifying

Conditions:      	Cloudy	
Lap Record:      	81.954	
Qualifying Type:	Two Tier	
Nation:         	AEL	
Circuit:        	Western Route Circuit

POS # DRIVER                   TEAM                	FASTEST LAP	BEHIND LEADER		
 1 17 Max Prefodski               Kaylan Racing               	00:01:33.241	00:00:00.000	00:01:33.466	00:00:00.000
 2  3 Darius Castellammare        Superia Junior Team         	00:01:33.244	00:00:00.003	00:01:33.528	00:00:00.062
 3 44 Laurencia Lynds             SinVal                      	00:01:33.246	00:00:00.005	00:01:33.614	00:00:00.148
 4 33 Karli Schmitt               Vannish Motors Racing       	00:01:33.253	00:00:00.012	00:01:33.770	00:00:00.303
 5 15 Rebecca Darlington          Nexus Racing                	00:01:33.254	00:00:00.013	00:01:33.911	00:00:00.445
 6 25 Timo Jänkirinää             Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:01:33.291	00:00:00.050	00:01:35.036	00:00:01.570
 7  2 Juliano Lemos               Superia Junior Team         	00:01:33.318	00:00:00.078	00:01:35.360	00:00:01.894
 8  5 Jason Masami                Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:01:33.334	00:00:00.093	00:01:35.634	00:00:02.168
 9 12 Ade Imoju                   Omni-Katoa Racing           	00:01:33.336	00:00:00.095	00:01:36.220	00:00:02.754
10 16 Janne Laukkanen             Nexus Racing                	00:01:33.343	00:00:00.102	00:01:42.031	00:00:08.565
11 19 Dom Falepeau                MRT2                        	00:01:33.377	00:00:00.137		
12 75 Roman Arjenko               SVJ Racing                  	00:01:33.415	00:00:00.175		
13 97 Edward Baker                VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	00:01:33.613	00:00:00.372		
14 18 Isaia Fanene                Kaylan Racing               	00:01:33.619	00:00:00.379		
15 37 Jama'obo Pegasii            SVJ Racing                  	00:01:33.649	00:00:00.408		
16 23 Cocoabo #23                 VTM Tropicorp Engineering   	00:01:33.674	00:00:00.433		
17  9 Jannik Markner              Vannish Motors Racing       	00:01:33.815	00:00:00.575		
18 60 Chiemi Hino                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	00:01:33.854	00:00:00.613		
19 63 Dahlia Dahl                 Pompeii Motorsports         	00:01:33.937	00:00:00.696		
20 48 Tyra Tabuso                 Ibuna-Gambal Racing         	00:01:34.138	00:00:00.898		
21 14 Miguel Santos               EVolution Racing            	00:01:34.164	00:00:00.924		
22 10 Erik DeForest               Pompeii Motorsports         	00:01:34.239	00:00:00.998		
23 24 Ekatarina Julic             Brutus Obey Sport GP        	00:01:34.276	00:00:01.036

[Aboveland]

Janne wrinkles his nose and rubs it with a gloved finger, his other hand holding a tablet with the Q1times. He nods at the screen. "Okay," he says, and hands it over to Edvin, who's standing at his side, his hands on his hips. "I'm going out now," he says, and flips his visor down as the team start to clear the paddock for his Q2 run.

He behigs his outlap with enthusiasm, and he dances his Chase Cutter around turns one and two, skipping across the kerbs of turn three before the braking at turn four. Another hop past the kerbs of turns five and six, and he's got the line for turn seven, the car glowing blue with increasing intensity, its Imagination systems in full force. A small lift through nine gives him a stable line through turns 10-12, the tyres screeching past the second corner, the machine clawing at the asphalt with but a whispering whir. The Abovian launches out of turn 12 to the braking point for turn 14, which is exceptionally tricky, since it's at the apex of the previous corner, and starts his dash towards the final trio of turns before starting his flying lap, adjusting the ICAST knob to its highest setting. He curls his fingers around the steering wheel's handles as he floors the throttle into the main straight, biting at his bottom lip, his ocean blue eyes channeled on the apex of turn 1.

Janne swings wide onto the kerb that ends the pit straight and hits the brakes, the emanated blue tint from the chassis gone in an instant. He loses the rear and steers into the spin, hoping to keep the car roughly in shape and away from the tyre barriers at the end of the tarmac runoff area as he pumps the throttle pedal, desperate to get the Imagination back in motion. Suddenly, the car jerks forward, the screeching of the tyres replaced with the charge of the Imagikinetic converters pulling him back onto the track and turn two. He circumvents the corner easily, but as the car speeds onto the kerbs at turn five the vibrations from the flat-spotted rubber intensify, the car landing askew halfway between turns five and six. Janne countersteers again, this time applying full throttle, to slide the car past turn six. The nose of the Chase Cutter clears the turn, but the rear rides the kerbs on the inside, intensifying the counter-clockwise spin. The car howls as the rear hits the wall to the left of the straight between turns six and seven, its nose pointing the wrong way. Enraged, the veins in his eyes pulsing red, Janne kicks the rear around to continue his lap, the car noticeably crabbing along.

"Janne!" Edvin screams through his helmet, annoyed. "What are you doing?!"

"Be quiet!" the rookie replies, uncharacteristically angry.

As the car crosses the line at the end of the lap, his rear tyres both pop, the car lifelessly skidding to the runoff area outside of turn one. Janne, dejected, hauls himself out of the car, walking toward the paddock with his visor locked shut. When he arrives, he talks to no one, and snatches a towel. Saunas had always worked for Terho; perhaps they'd work for him, too.

[Esmerel]

Western Route Circuit, Watersedge, Aels
Saturday, 1 September 2018

There wasn't much to say about the events of the previous week, to be honest. P12 in Turori didn't really lead to anything worthwhile. At the very least there were still many races left to make a comeback in.

Though developments over the week definitely gave rise to further opportunities. Nexus were pushing hard for the DIADEM to be installed on all of the cars for the safety of everyone involved. While most people were still dubious, Nexus were at least going to install them on their own cars, and Obey were very interested too. Safety was always a key factor in developing the car, and despite its hideous frame (at least, one of its versions) it would likely do its job well.

Back to Rebecca. After the mediocrity of practice Rebecca had done well enough to reach the third row of the grid. Laukkanen was 5 places behind her. And, (well I guess we're going to bring up something else on the development side) the car was faster, with the help of the new ICAST (Imagikinetic Convertor Array Shared Thrust) system. Basically, for those not as affluent with the Wardship's technology, it was an energy tank full of stuff that made the car go faster, shared by both Rebecca and Janne. You didn't really feel the difference, but there certainly was one, as Rebecca certainly saw as her lap times improved by 3 tenths compared to without the ICAST.

With the fifth place in qualifying and a new system that made the car even faster, things were looking up for the Lady in Black. Of course, we'll all have to wait and see what happens in the race before we say everything is fine. We're all rooting for Rebecca, at least.

Again, I'm Claire, here in Aels reporting for the Esmerelian Sports Super Channel. Back to you in the studio.