Excerpt from Sara's Notebook
Schedule of Activities
Friday | Praeparatio
6:15 a.m. - Breakfast
6:45 a.m. - Gym workout
8:00 a.m. - Preparation for practice
12:00 p.m. - Lunch
2:30 p.m. - Practice
4:00 p.m. - Debriefing
7:00 p.m. - Dinner
8:00 p.m. - Press conferences
10:00 p.m. - Bedtime
Additional Information
Filindo Sun Shines Off the Lines
In the wake of the brutal race in Nekoni and the consequent debriefing on what transpired, I should step up in verifying the settings in my car. With the tragic pit speeding penalty in mind, my crew and I created more efficient procedures to address the inefficiencies we uncovered.
Now equipped with the corresponding hindsight, I don't think the methodologies we used in the Nekoni race were appropriate, nor were my admittedly brash actions that lead to less-than-ideal outcomes. I still am deeply apologetic for that, and I wish to make amends in the next race.
I will review my prior notes in the circuit here. There will be changes given that I'm driving a WGPC-spec car against a different set of people.
In the meantime, I have to set aside a moment to review the replays of the street-circuit specialists.
The practice was going well given the circumstances. First, WGPC racing in a street is daunting. The course is narrower than usual. The straight sections are at a premium. Lots of precision-required corners. The place shapes the track and it defies the cars' attempts to reach top speed.
This meant the right amount of braking is important. It had worked for Sara before. She was used to this type of driving. She trusts Fitten to work with her here.
She pulled hard for the corner on the end of the fast section. She wasn't going to take for granted that she would win. Such a reward would be given as a result of focus and discipline. She was ready to give it all to try to bring Volkov up the constructors' list and chase the drivers' championship.
The practice dragged on for some time. There was still enough left to evaluate her options when entering each corner. She was able to complete all her objectives once the session ended.
At the debriefing, her team would interview Gregori and her. Their goal would be to evaluate the cars' telemetry and how driveable they are in the streets. She had experience in this regard. Even when she took unorthodox approaches towards certain sections, the car's handling was superb. The engines' response when she steps on the gas allowed her to execute her plans with pinpoint accuracy.
During the week, she got to speak separately with Gregori and Terho. Gregori was polite as ever, and they discussed the importance of driveability in the everyday cars that they drove (Sara made a point that her personal full-size sedan didn't drive like a yacht). Sara values Gregori's words; she has a vested interest in receiving his opinions. She always has something to learn from the way he competes in the series.
Gregori followed up with his own thoughts on the upcoming street race. The way he reacted on the Nekoni results made him appear somewhat deflated to Sara. He hoped it would not end up with a bad qualifying position by Saturday.
His pre-race interview wasn't his most positive for Sara. He seemed to be caught off-guard or hesitant. In the end, he might just be tired and want to get to tomorrow's practice.
The way he carried himself leading up to the practice and Saturday's qualifying was very professional. One would forget how his prior interview went. It was even better post-qualifying, when his spirits were clearly up as a reporter asked him how he felt. Being at P5 would do that to anyone.
His biggest worry was keeping his lofty position all the way to the finish line. He will do his part, and he has faith that his team will do theirs to support him. It was that faith that helped him in his qualifying success.
Sara's 'chance encounter' with Terho, as she called it, was the defining feature of the drudgery between the Nekoni and Filindostan grands prix. It stood out amongst the blur of that time span. Being in different teams in their own busy schedules make for very few times when they can strike up casual conversation. It was rare for them to even exchange a word of encouragement or a glance, let alone a discussion centered on a topic. Terho wasn't even present in William Archer's drivers' party.
Terho, with some time to spare, quickly dropped what he was doing and said hi to Sara. She was glad to be near the two-time WGPC champion and to have someone to talk to even if they are presently competitors. It had been a tough time for her, having to constantly endeavor to finish races with points. It helped that events like this allowed her to blow off some stress.
"Nice to meet you," she said. "And congratulations on leading in the drivers' leaderboard. How is the day going for you?"
Terho smiled, perhaps out of surprise, and replied.
This was more than meeting a new driver. Emil once predicted that Sara would have a hard time curbing her enthusiasm if this happened. He might be right. Sara was in the mood to be uncharacteristically chatty now. What would it be about? How the season would shape up, for instance?
"My day is going great!" she said in a voice that was just a touch hoarse, though she made a conscious effort to sound enthusiastic at the same time.
Who would reach the podium in the upcoming Grand Prix Filindostan Cepat? It's currently unclear, but here are some who can grab this acclaim.
a. Cocoabo #23
Cocoabo #23's races were middling after a strong result just outside the podium at Eelandii. However, the avian driver was able to gain momentum starting in the Twicetagria non-championship race. This streak continued with grabbing pole position this Saturday. Can this be maintained and soar above the competition for one of those rarefied spots?
b. iBen Toralmintii
TRÆ is known well for being one of the most aggressive teams in the WGPC, and their high risk-taking had their corresponding high rewards with their 1-2 finishes. Toralmintii smooths out the rough edges by his experience in technical circuits, making for a nicely-balanced driving dynamic. A potential complication would be finding himself behind Sara Luna, who is loath to concede positions if she can help it.
c. Rudy Edwards
Get Good (and not just the motor oil)! He took a qualifying P2 in Nekoni, he did it again here! Lots of eyes are on him in this high-stakes street race. If he takes a win once more, everyone should delete their Preston-related memes stored in their drafts. Disclaimer: You gotta pray his car doesn't blow up in the early laps.
d. Alex Dimitrianov
It was a large shock to the home crowd when Badai Angin Tim's Rustom Ibuna figured in an unfortunate incident while on his way to pole position. No such fate befell Dimitrianov. With a qualifying lap that earned him P6, he has plenty of opportunity to snake his way to P3 or better with his deliberate pacing and patience. He may have dropped in the drivers' standings, but don't count him out yet.
e. Sara Luna
Redemption is in her mind after buckling in a race that was hers to lose. The Luna Wolf eyes for a repeat of her earlier win here. Having shown amazing recovery drives in much of the first half of the season, it is a breath of fresh air for Diarcesians to see her start within the top 10 again. Her consistent driving style, technique, and her string measured overtakes gives her a fair shot at the podium.