World Grand Prix Championship 18 [RP/results]

by **Hapilopper** » Thu Dec 17, 2020 11:40 am

PRESTON AUTOS TO EXPAND WGPC EFFORTS IN FUTURE
Grand Prix program to include customer engine opportunity in all three WGP tiers
By Doug Goodman, Hapilopper Television Network

LJUBALA, MATTIJANA – On the heels of a surprisingly-successful first campaign for the World Grand Prix Championship, Preston Autos has announced that they will sell the Skychief V6 to teams competing in all three tiers of competition sanctioned by the World Grand Prix Organization.

This year, the Skychief V6, a 3.43 liter (209-cubic inch) pushrod engine based off the same engine used to power the base model Preston Skychief road car, propelled Preston Autos Grand Prix Racing to at least one championship win, two more non-championship wins, multiple podiums and a chance for Rudy Edwards to win the World Grand Prix Championship this weekend in Mattijana.

For Marty Lewis, team principal of Preston Autos GP Racing, and Shawn Hammer, head of Preston Performance Products, which directly oversees the company’s racing program, the strong performance in this year’s World Grand Prix Championship has been more than enough to prove the engine’s worth as a top WGPC option, not just for the Preston team, but for any team wishing to compete in the future.

“At this point, we figure we can offer the program to multiple teams next season,” Lewis said. “Preston Autos has been very happy with what we’ve seen this year, and our bosses have been more than happy to expand our personnel and budget to build engines for a number of teams.”

“We will be prepared to provide different options for teams competing in the international WGP2 series as well as domestic WGP3 series across the multiverse,” Hammer said. “We feel that our engine, a lower-cost option compared to others on the market, can revolutionize the sport of racing and provide teams with lower budgets the opportunity to compete with some of the very best in the multiverse.”

Hammer claimed that a Skychief V6 program, utilizing the stock block V6 engine for a season, will cost a third as much as other options for a variety of reasons, such as the ready availability of the engine block and the fact that Preston will outright sell the engines to race teams and train team mechanics in working with the engine, rather than use their own personnel and leasing of engines.

“With this, race teams are able to do whatever they view is necessary with the engine,” Hammer explained. “Essentially speaking, we’re providing an open-source engine program. If a team wants to run different cams, different headers, a different turbocharger, different whatever, they can. We’ll bring some of their crew over for a week or two to familiarize themselves with the peculiarities of the engine, and with that course, they will become experts on the Skychief V6.”

Preston Autos also announced today in Mattijana that they will not participate as a team in the upcoming WGP2 championship, but will participate as engine suppliers for any team looking to participate. Lewis said that Preston Autos hopes to hear from prospective WGP2 teams to compete with the Skychief V6 next season.

Lewis said the brand will sell a slightly smaller Skychief V6 to teams competing in WGP2. That engine, Lewis said, will clock in at three liters, or 183 cubic inches, but will still run the same 55 inches of boost pressure that the WGPC engine runs. Lewis also said that a program is ongoing concerning domestic WGP3 engines, but did not go into specifics. He did say, however, that Preston has been speaking to a handful of unnamed prospective customers.

When asked about how many teams that Preston could possibly supply in the future, Lewis and Hammer both declined to answer, but pointed to Tropicorp Racing Supply as a model to emulate.

“Tropicorp runs three teams and six cars right now,” Hammer said. “And quite frankly, they’ve ruled the roost in the WGPC. We think we can do something similar to what they’ve got at this point.”

by **Vilita and Turori** » Thu Dec 17, 2020 11:48 am

Liventia Airways Grand Prix of Liventia, Talbott Autodrome, Talbott, Liventia :: As iBen Toralmintii pulled the Tropicorp Racing Aelund AGP-003 onto the pit lane he could already see the team celebrating. A podium finish for Terho Talvela and a Top 5 for Toralmintii himself had secured the World Grand Prix Constructors Title for their team. It marked the first back-to-back constructors championships for a single team since the famed Carvenlo team accomplished the feat during WGPC 11 and WGPC 12. Overall it was a strong race for the team but perhaps one that iBen Toralmintii was hoping for a little more out of. Despite on track issues that kept the Turorian driver out of the points at the Talbott Autodrome during WGPC 17, it was still a track well suited to Toralmintii's driving style. He had qualified second for the race one season prior just 0.002 seconds behind Pole Winner and eventual Race Winner Alex Dimitrianov. Toralmintii also had a podium finish in Liventia in the previous race at the track during the World Grand Prix Championship's 14th season.

Of course, a top 5 was better than no points at all. Critically, Toralmintii had held off Preston Autos driver Rudy Edwards over the final laps - a critical four point swing in the standings which would give the Turorian a 22 point advantage over Edwards heading into the final round. Of course, Critical to that advantage was the decision by Tropicorp Racing Aelund to give their drivers soft compound Tyres for the stretch run. Toralmintii narrowly beat out teammate Terho Talvela for fastest lap of the race and secured an extra two points heading into the finale where just three drivers remain in mathematical contention for the Driver's Championship. There would be many photographs to be taken on the day, though Toralmintii couldn't help but chuckle when he noticed the Constructors Championship Banner hanging in the paddock. He assumed the Abovian's most have commissioned that one.

When the World Grand Prix Championship drivers and teams arrive in Mattijana to close out the 18th World Grand Prix Championship season they will be taking on new sights in the rolling hills of Eastern Mattijana for the very first time. That is because the Koplyov InterNazionRing - which has hosted the Grand Prix Tsa Mattijana since its inception during the 14th World Grand Prix Championship season is currently under renovation. In its place steps forth the Ljubala InterNazionRing, a challenge track that will require great composure from all participants in the WGPC season finale. The track itself offers a little bit for all driving styles including highly technical uphill esses and awkward breaking zones before opening up into a number of passing zones that could be both opportunistic and equally dangerous depeding on the skill level of the drivers involved.

Only a handful of World Grand Prix Championship drivers remain on the circuit from the last time a new track was christened by the World Grand Prix Championship circuit in Mattijana, but two will be fighting for a championship during the WGPC 18 Season Finale. While its new position as the championship decider has certainly thrown the spotlight on the Grand Prix tsa Mattijana, many believe that in many ways the Mattijana event also served as the decisive moment during the World Grand Prix Championship's 14th season title race.

The debut Grand Prix at the Koplyov InterNazionRing took place just after the WGPC 14 Mid-Season break and iBen Toralmintii entered the race as the leader of the Drivers Championship Standings - a lead they had held for the first time in their career since the second race of the season at the Western Route Circuit in Aels. Toralmintii had posted three straight podium finishes prior to the break and was in position to do so once more in the debut of the Grand Prix tsa Mattijana. The weekend was dominated, however, by Toralmintii's rookie teammate Terho Talvela. Talvela, driving the #56 Vilita & Turori Motorsports machine, was the fastest in practice, sat on the Pole and was solidly 7 seconds in front of Toralmintii's #77 as the duo took the white flag. Talvela was driving off to just their second career victory but it was also poised to be the first ever 1-2 finish for the teammates.

Then, the unthinkable. Cutting the kerb at Turn 1 like he had done solidly 40 time before on the day to set up the proper acceleration through the sweeping turns 2 and 3, Toralmintii's front wing came un done. As he accelerated through the hook the wing came unsettled and then as he applied the brake to make the tight corner, the shifting weight of the VTM Chassis caught the loose wing under the left front tire. Toralmintii immediately lost all traction and the car sailed off the track. The Turorian pounded the steering wheel as the field drove by. First Nadakei, then 20 seconds later Victoria Gardner. Toralmintii tried to move the car but it wouldn't go. He knew if he didn't go now that would be it. And there it was. The rest of the field were much closer and powered by led by Oliver Bliss. Toralmintii was out. On the final lap. Despite the issue, Toralmintii still finished in the points - thanks mostly to the dominant performance by his teammate Terho Talvela who had lapped past half of the cars who had finished the race. It was still little solace for dropping from the podium to the back end of the points positions. What seemed like an 18 point haul had turned into just 2 points for the Championship leader. What had been an 18 point lead was now just 2 points. Terho Talvela - who had just one podium finish on the season prior to Mattijana, had climbed from 7th in the standings to 2nd. While Toralmintii did leave Mattijana with a narrow lead in the point standings - it would not last long. The Turorian would be overtaken by Talvela the following week by a narrow three point advantage and Talvela - the unproven, unheard of rookie driver under Toralmintii's mentorship - would drive off to the Season 14 World Grand Prix Championship Drivers Title. Talvela's margin of victory over Toralmintii was just 7 points - less than half the amount of points that the Turorian driver lost on the final lap in Mattijana.

While the memories had quickly been swept under the rug - the joy of being part of a Championship Winning Team and seeing a young driving phenom succeed under their own tutalage overcoming and "what ifs" or "what could have been's", most critical analysis of the World Grand Prix Championship's 14th season will identify Turn 3 at the Koplyov InterNazionRing as the moment which the momentum of the season turned away from Toralmintii and instead towards his inexperienced teammate. The memory which was likely forgotten quickly with the events that still remained during the 14th World Grand Prix Championship season will almost certainly get dug up in the build up to the World Grand Prix Championship's 18th season finale.

Of course, Toralmintii has never actually finished a Grand Prix race in Mattijana. Despite a 1-2 Qualifying effort with then former teammate Terho Talvela during WGPC Season 15, both drivers would fail to finish. Just as it was a defining moment of iBen Toralmintii's lost championship during WGPC 14, Talvela's DNF at the Grand Prix Tsa Mattijana during World Grand Prix Championship season 15 is often cited itself as the moment the Abovian lost their battle for Back-To-Back WGPC Drivers championships. Talvela had controversially abandoned Vilita & Turori Motorsports for the Mattijana Racing Team and was widely expected to deliver MRT their first ever victory in their home Grand Prix. Considering the strength of the MRT platform and Talvela's dominance in the race the season before, there was little doubt - particularly when Talvela took pole position over Toralmintii who had stunned in the WGPC Motorworks ride that he had been relegated to after Talvela's departure and the de-sanctioning of Vilita & Turori Motorsports. While MRT would find themselves in victory lane, it was Talvela's teammate Moisés Delgado who delivered as Talvela retired on lap 38, missing out on what seemed an assured victory that severely cut into the points lead Talvela had accrued - but would eventually lose by 14 points to a winless Ryker Lane.

The Koplyov InterNazionRing always seemed to find a way to stand out amongst the mid-season events as one of the most impactful races on the season-end championship standings, delivering the unpredictability and championship-altering results. Now, in a new venue, the Grand Prix Tsa Mattijana returns after a one-season hiatus in a new venue, the Ljubala InterNazionRing, and a new position on the schedule ensuring that once again Mattijana is sure to be the site of the defining moment to crown the World Grand Prix Champion driver.

The future beyond this season is now unclear for the World Grand Prix Constructor's champion Tropicorp Racing Aelund with Talvela having announced their retirement at seasons end and teammate iBen Toralmintii - already once retired, having set up a busy post-driving career through Race Eelandii! and the Race of Stars circuit. However, this season is not yet over. Tropicorp Racing Aelund will hit the track in Mattijana having already secured the Constructors Title and being odds on favorites to see one of their drivers crowned champion. Terho Talvela could become the first ever three-time World Grand Prix Champion and fourth to win back-to-back Grand Prix titles. If they were to do it, however, they would have to do so from behind - something they did not have to do before. Both Talvela and Toralmintii will be running special throwback liveries to commemorate the start of their partnership during World Grand Prix Championship Season 14. It was Talvela, in their Grand Prix debut, who would win that first race together for Vilita and Turori Motorsports at the Yakumicha Circuit in Hodori. Now, at least at the World Grand Prix level, the partnership would be coming to an end just as it began with the two teammates fighting it out on track with everything on the line - one final time.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Thu Dec 17, 2020 4:37 pm

Boxenstopp!

Siovanija & Teusland’s #1 Motorsport Magazine!

The Weekly WGPC Report

What a week it was for Siovanija & Teusland motorsports this week at the Grand Prix of Liventia. Is there any other way to put it?

Niklas Schonbaum became the first driver from the United Republics to: win a pole position, lead a lap at a WGPC event, and finish on the podium. And although our hearts broke when he lost his lead to Abdoulaye Goita on lap 7, and couldn’t ever really make up any time from that point onward, it surely filled every Siovanijan and Teus with great pride to see our national flag on the podium. Let’s take a look back at this special weekend of racing.

If you said that you expected this result to happen after watching practice, you’d most certainly be lying. Niklas was sitting P26 after practice, certainly not a good performance from him and one that had observers disappointed again. After the disappointing DNF last weekend in Hapilopper, you were beginning to wonder if his confidence levels had truly hit rock-bottom.

In qualifying, however, everything seemed to change. Schonbaum had particularly struggled in turns 16 and 17 in practice, but in qualifying it looked as if he’d found and perfected his braking points. He was quick through the speed trap, and in Q1, he finished P3 - just 0.02 seconds off of Rudy Edwards in P1, and with Lane Carter just a tenth ahead of him in P2. Going into Q2, it was clear Schonbaum would have his work cut out for him against some of the top drivers of the world, including championship contenders.

In a shock, however, Schonbaum would pull it out. Rudy Edwards would suffer a terrible accident early in the session after a problem with the DRS system on his car. Once it was confirmed that, thankfully, Edwards was alright, Schonbaum set the fastest time of the session, a 1:41.088. He picked up his pole trophy - and had perhaps his biggest grin of the season so far as he posed for a picture - before getting ready to prepare for the race. “Something special,” he told Boxenstopp’s correspondent in Liventia. Something special indeed - giving him a shot at a great race on the technical track in Liventia, the opportunity to pick up his first points of the season and maybe even a win.

When Schonbaum completed his first lap in the lead of the Liventian Grand Prix on Sunday, it was the first time that a driver from Siovanija & Teusland led a lap in a WGPC event. And while he only held his lead for 6 laps - losing out to the determined drive of Abdoulaye Goita, who seemed to just fly through the field in the early laps before building a commanding lead - it would not be for naught. Schonbaum put up an excellent defence of his second position for the rest of the race, against two-time WGPC champion Terho Talvela, and crossed the line in P2 for the best finish of his WGPC career.

His first podium finish received great celebrations from the TAS Alliance team, for it was also the season-high finishing position for the team - the previous best being 7th, from teammate Anneliese Devereaux. Devereaux herself would end the day in P20. And while the anthems of Recuecn and Auruna rung out from the podium, the winning driver and constructor respectively, there would be many in Siovanija & Teusland who perhaps hummed along the tune of ‘High Mountain Skies’ upon seeing the national flag flying proudly in second.

A historic weekend, then, and the focus for Schonbaum now shifts towards the final race of the year - the Grand Prix tsa Mattijana. Niklas will surely be hoping that another technical track will be one he can get a good result on. While it seems unlikely that he could match the heights of last week’s performance, especially with 3 drivers looking to be crowned drivers’ champion, there’s always hope. Practice, qualifying and the race will be available on, as always, RBC Sports. Now, let’s get to some other WGPC headlines of the day.

Rumour: Schonbaum’s unclear future

What Niklas Schonbaum does after completing the Grand Prix of Mattijana is still very much up in the air. It’s been a mixed season for him, naturally, with plenty of poor results to go along with the excellent performance last weekend. Either way, team TAS Alliance Racing will be shutting up shop at the end of the season, so he’ll be looking for new employment. Will he be able to find a ride in the future? A lot of it could come down to the race in Mattijana. If he puts in another strong performance, it’s possible that teams may be willing to forgive his struggles early in the season as those of a rookie who needed some time to establish himself. A poor race here, however, and teams may see his weekend in Liventia as a fluke. He can still bring plenty of sponsors to a team, as his popularity has grown within Siovanija & Teusland throughout the season, with ratings for WGPC races going up and up. Plenty could depend on the pre-season testing next year as well - Schonbaum will surely be actively looking for a ride again. He didn’t perform well in preseason this year, and will surely need to step it up if he is to continue his WGPC career.

Boxenstopp Weekly Poll

This week, we asked our readers to respond to the following question: Who do you think will become WGPC World Drivers’ Champion? The options, of course, being iBen Toralmintii, Terho Talvela and Rudy Edwards. Our readers favoured Toralmintii, with 56% of respondents saying they believed that his 14-point gap in the standings would be enough to oversee the challengers behind him. 27%, on the other hand, favoured Terho Talvela. The retiring driver will be in search of his third WGPC title, but he’ll need to overcome said 14 point gap for a fairytale end to his storied career. Rudy Edwards finished with 17% of the vote. His road to the title is much trickier - he’ll need to overcome a 22 point gap to Toralmintii, while also beating out Talvela. Next week’s question for our readers is: Where do you think Niklas Schonbaum will race next year? The options are: WGPC, WGPC2, or with TMW in the domestic circuit.

Rumour: Pomorie Avto-Fabrika looking to expand international presence

Traditionally the #2 team in Siovanija & Teusland behind Teussische Motoren-Werke, the rumour has it that Pomorie Avto-Fabrika is hoping to join their rivals on the international stage soon. TMW, having been the dominant force in Siovanija & Teusland motorsport for many years now, wanted to build their brand by sending driver Niklas Schonbaum straight up to the WGPC, and hoping to show their ability to both develop drivers and produce winning cars. Now, Pomorie Avto-Fabrika (PAF) are looking at a slightly different route.

The word is that PAF will be looking at entering a team in the upcoming WGPC 2 season, and taking driver Krystof Novak, who finished 2nd in the drivers’ standings in the domestic championship last year, with them. This would fit in with the philosophical differences between the two rivals, TMW and PAF: TMW focused on gunning for glory immediately, and PAF on building a strong base and being patient. If PAF were able to enter a team, it would signal a massive statement of intent from the Pomorie outfit to become players on the international scene.

Of course, these are just rumours for now. And with the level of interest in motorsports around the world at the moment, who knows if PAF will even get the opportunity to enter a team? We’re expecting further developments out of this story, of course, so stay tuned in for more!

Boxenstopp magazine again thanks its loyal readers for their support and interest. We send the best of luck to Niklas Schonbaum and Anneliese Devereaux this weekend in Mattijana, as well as luck to all 3 of the championship hopefuls. Look out for next week’s issue which will feature a review of the Grand Prix of Mattijana!

by **Diarcesia** » Thu Dec 17, 2020 7:26 pm

Sara's racing had been marred by the simple truth that her qualifying session just sucked. Eighteen others outran her in a track where overtaking is very difficult. Sara went right away to recovery drive mode as soon as the lights went out. By lap 11, she had risen to 14^th place. In the end, the track is such that even the most dedicated of Diarcesian drivers would struggle to go up by more than a handful of positions, let alone the 18 Sara needed to achieve a win. She was stuck in traffic for much of the race. She had to give up some of her hard-earned gains after a pit stop, having fallen to P17. It turned out to be one of the most miserable and boring races so far for her. The only consolation is the thought that if she finishes the final race at Mattijana next week, she would have driven the entire season with Fitten alone through thick and thin. "We have one more race to go. We will cross that finish line. Thank you," she whispered to the machine after the race and before she left the garage.

Her beginnings in the open-wheeled sports car series were anything but. She came to it by chance. Norris Racing of WGP3 had an open spot, and one of their scouts took note of her while watching a local drift competition. The scout asked for a one-to-one conversation with Sara, where they discussed the latter's racing background. The former was impressed by her versatility and work ethic, and invited her for a test in the Norris facility. There, Sara cut her teeth and made a very strong case for the team to take her as their new driver. Even once she got inside, it was not easy to progress through the ranks, much to her surprise... not.

Aldauren believed himself that maybe, he has finally measured up to his father's expectations. Two races remainined in the Diarcesian WGP3 season, and the Pryfors Bilar team is only behind a few of the established teams. The former team he drove for, National-Konno Power, had clinched the constructors' championship.

"Excellent job, everyone. In just one season, we have pulled off amazing results," said the dark elf. "Nothing is set in stone. You got to remember, we are the newbies here. Our bar is to win every race, obviously we can't expect that to actually happen. But, we always aspire to get as close to that perfection as we can. This is the bar we have set as our holy grail and our salient star."

His words caught the attention to the staff in front of him. They knew Aldauren meant well, and he deserved their dedication in the craft, just like his dedication that he showed driving in National-Konno Power. It was a long season, and they had worked hard, and their labors bore fruit as the season's end was within reach.

"This is what we have been working for, my colleagues. Sleepless nights and weekends, we have come this far, don't let it fizzle! Just as I am adamant in ensuring everyone's success in these final two races, I expect you to continue showing the same! This is why all of us are here in Pryfors Bilar, because we are one of the very best. I have faith in each one of you, and I won't hesitate to support you when roadblocks get in your way or the team as a whole. This is what this team stands for, and we have what it takes to be multiple-time champions in short order. I see it all in you. We pursue this and we are well-suited to the demands of this series. I say this with utmost sincerity."

The staff, mechanics, engineers, and the two drivers absorbed these words. Their morale was just as high, if not more so, as Aldauren's. It was a declaration of commitment, of course, and they would resume preparations in earnest.

"It's time to put our best out there," Aldauren continued. "We have just come behind our first race win, and I have my confidence that we will again. No matter what happens tomorrow, I am very pleased that everyone in this team would be on the same page. We can pull off another good result and push for a podium. I believe that we can do this. Together."

With that, the meeting was ended with a long round of applause and cheers. One by one, they walked out of the room to go their own way.

The Northern and Central Diarcesian countries have been at the forefront of research and development efforts into passenger vehicles and related technologies. Experiments have been done in dedicated centers in Chiyginia and Duolin, and in the former at the Institute of Industrial Technology (IIT) - the successor to the former Montcroix Automobile Research Center. One of the Institute's expertises is with researching, studying, and testing (Technique-Testing) these technologies.

This department in the Chiyginian institution is led by Professor Irene (Irenaeus), a former professor and director of the aeronautical sciences department at the Polytechnic University of Metanoea. He is one of the principal investigators for a project into the performance of the electric motor in a high speed low emission vehicle. The project has so far produced promising results which suggest the use of electric propulsion in practical applications and motorsport can be made more feasible. However, his main focus has been on the development of the battery towards increasing its range to a comparable figure to internal combustion engines. This field of study has involved several inter-disciplinary teams over a number of years. They have led to the conclusion that their advances would reach mass production within a few years. However, external obstacles have hindered this goal. The foremost of these obstacles is the resistance of the automobile industry to change until recently.

Professor Irene's team worked on ways in which they can overcome these obstacles. One avenue of attack is to collaborate with the automobile industry to use some of their new technology in racing. Diarcesia has no domestic and dedicated World Grand Prix series for electric vehicles, so the IIT in collaboration with the automaker Metacinesis run a junior WGP3 team using cars with this method of propulsion. Coincidentally, international interest in electric propulsion is waxing in the past few years, due in part to the maturation of the components used and the gradual proliferation of charging stations. The racing supplies company EVRT pioneered electric cars in the Diarcesian WGP3 in 2012 for a single season. Other electric car startups tried to follow suit, but they failed to get past the early pre-season testing by the then-unknown challenges accompanying them.

The Vanishing Point

The Vanishing Point is a primary antagonist in the story of Halson.

"He's a coward who can't fight the Empire..."

The voice was incredulous, but he replied, "I can't say that either. And I'm sure you can't either, since you're not even fighting for your country."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, everyone is."

"But I'm sure you know that I did the same."

"That's not the point." He looked down and saw the blood on his hands, and he decided to separate the word "apologize" from his vocabulary for the day, something which he thought was pretty good. "Actually, I'm not sorry..."

The moment he had done that, the voice changed, as if it understood something, and simply said, "I'm still sorry, old friend."

"Shit."

Halson knew what the shrouded man who is the Vanishing Point would do next. He instinctively turned around and ran. He ducked as a bullet flew through where his head used to be fractions of a second ago and struck a body panel of Halson's Skychief. He was very grateful that it was not the tires that got hit.

His bloodsoaked hands gripped the door handle and pulled it, leaving scarlet prints on it, and was forced to frantically start the car. "Start, damnit." The engines came to life to put an end to what silence remained around them. Halson stomped on the accelerator.

"You are still a coward, Halson!" the Vanishing Point bellowed. "You can't run away from me forever!" He rushed to his motorcycle and started it. He would be the horror in Halson's rearview mirror.

by **Recuecn** » Fri Dec 18, 2020 2:15 am

Sterlennau, Auruna, 2 weeks ago

The electric whine of the Schkeska Körd flew past like a swarm of angry hornets as Abdoulaye drifted around the corner. He slid into his apex far too late to make anything resembling a racing line, but floored it as he crossed over into the runoff zone, the torquey electric engine instantly launching him down the straight at full speed. It wasn't any sort of good practice, but it was fun.

Inside the car, Abdoulaye whooped and cheered as he barreled around the factory circuit. Jöna had offered to let him and Olivia try out some of the other Viska cars just for fun. He'd called it a 'stress reliever'. It didn't make a ton of sense to Abdoulaye, but he wasn't about to complain. He was having a blast. If the bosses thought stress relief was so important that it was worth it to skip the usual testing session in Livonsk, they were probably right. Sure, he'd managed to take some points in Hapilopper the day before, but he wasn't performing the way he'd hoped to here in the second half of the WGPC season. Ever since the break, he'd somehow been just a bit off.

Abdoulaye put the worries out of his mind. That was the point, after all, was to get rid of that stress. Abdoulaye smiled as the car danced through the turns. He'd certainly been missing this. He remembered that first time he'd been in a WGPC car, back when Gary Cook had given him a chance, and the pure joy he'd felt as he flew down the track. That time the joy had quickly been wiped out by the reality of his performance, but there was nothing to stop him now. I'm doing my best, Abdoulaye thought. I may not be able to win, but I'm doing all I can and if I can't enjoy that, why am I here?

His mind flashed back to what he'd seen on his phone earlier - his driving wasn't the only thing to stress over, after all. But in this moment of exhilaration the subject line of that email was no longer something scary, but something exciting. Contract Extension. And after all, why shouldn't he take what he could get? The season was slowly nearing its end, true. But for Abdoulaye, in his rookie season? This could only be the beginning.

Bamako, Mali, 20 years ago

First the crammed houses of the mud shantytown disappeared as they met the main boulevards. Then the cinder-block high rises went past, one by one, their ugly facades made presentable by the bright colors of advertising and shops and salespeople. People thronged the edge of the streets, slowly finding their way to where they needed to be on foot, while the bus, just one of many, steadily outpaced them. The motos darted past trucks and pedestrians alike, in too much of a hurry to wait for anyone - or their own safety.

Moussa stared out the window of the bus as the sights of Bamako he'd been so used to went past one last time. His eyes glanced over to Fanta, bouncing up and down on the seat across from him as the bus jostled down the road. A line of concern wrinkled her tall forehead, and she held their two young boys tight to her chest, lulling them into sleep. Moussa thought she had never looked more beautiful. Outside, the bus stops on the outskirts of town were going past. People and animals waited under trees, and children ran around selling anything a traveler might need: fruits, candy, bagged water, fish. Now the buildings were more scarce until soon, as they drove north, there were none: only the flat, dusty Sahel, the trees all at arms length like untrusting neighbors. The noises of the city were gone too - the engines, the honking, the hubbub of voices - all gone now except for the bus's steady monotone as it rolled slowly north.

It's finally over for real, Moussa thought. Then he corrected himself. No, this was just the start.

Talbott, Liventia, 1 week ago

As Abdoulaye soared past the checkered flag, Jan's excited voice rang through his headset. "YES! P1! That's a win! That's a win!"

Abdoulaye grinned as Jan went on. Then it was Jöna's turn to congratulate both drivers. Abdoulaye thanked his engineer, the principal, and the team as he went around the circuit one last time to come in, but as the congratulations sounded in his ears, in his mind he heard his father's voice.

This season he'd felt closer to his father than he ever had before. He and his dad had always gotten along, but if he had to be honest, there had been some distance there. Abdoulaye had always felt a tremendous love and respect for his father, which he tried to demonstrate in ways he knew his father would understand, and one of those was the simple act of listening. But his father had had a lot to say and Abdoulaye couldn't always be there for it. This year, however, he'd uncovered something new. Perhaps it was merely that ancient father-son connection that the two of them had always had, that they had received from their fathers' fathers, passed down from time immemorial and now revealed to Abdoulaye for the first time more fully. Or maybe it was a new connection that they had built, a unique bond of trust that any two men would be lucky to have.

Either way, Abdoulaye felt that he understood his father more deeply now. He understood the stories his father told better now - they resonated more. Abdoulaye wasn't sure which had led to the other, but either way it was all intertwined, and he felt too that just as he now better understood his father, the inverse was true as well. His dad had always supported his desire to race, but had never really gotten it. Now he followed the championship maybe more closely than Abdoulaye did himself. A couple times he had called to ask Abdoulaye his thoughts on the latest rumor about a driver or team, only to find that he was the first to tell his son the news. The only thing he refused to do was to replace his old CRT TV with any sort of remotely modern technology, no matter how difficult it made it to see what was even happening when he watched the races.

Now, as he paraded through the Autodrome on his victory lap, Abdoulaye's thoughts turned again to his dad. The stories his father had told him over the course of the season seemed to align somehow with his own experiences. This victory was not a final chapter - it was the first real step on a new, exciting journey. From here on, he knew things would only get more difficult.

For now though, it was time to celebrate. Abdoulaye pulled into the pit lane and got ready for the podium celebrations with his team. He was excited to share the win with Viska. The support he'd received from them had been amazing, and he was keenly aware that without their help, he wouldn't be about to receive a winner's trophy. He would call his dad later when he had time, for now he had to be with his team.

Even the celebrations couldn't last too long. The Grand Prix of Liventia was not the only event Abdoulaye was scheduled to participate in here at the Talbott Autodrome. The next day he'd be trying to redeem himself at the second event in iBen's Race of Stars. The first round, he'd drawn pole position yet still managed to finish last. This time around, the grid was decided by championship order, so he'd be starting in front for the second time in a row, and he was hoping to not have nearly so embarrassing an outcome.

As the race began the next day, he realized he wouldn't have nearly so big a problem. IROS was designed to allow stock car drivers and formula racers to compete on even footing, and it achieved this by bouncing back and forth between disciplines. Having two races' NSSCRA experience under his belt had not been nearly enough for Abdoulaye to be competitive at the first race in Newmanistan, but here, in a car he was more used to and on a track where he had just won the day before, Abdoulaye felt much more at home. He laughed as he looked in his mirrors and saw some of the names on the grid behind him. Ryker Lane was two rows back. Behind him was Jessica Franssen. It was hard to believe that he was here with such big stars on such a small stage. Sure, he raced with the stars in the WGPC each week, but it felt like a bigger deal when the field was so mall. As the lights went out and Abdoulaye leapt across the starting line, he promised himself he was going to enjoy every moment of the competition.

It was a promise he found easy to keep. Dominating the race, much like he had dominated on the same track the day before, Abdoulaye kept first position for as much of the race as possible, asserting himself with full force. Today the race was less than half as long, but each minute was full of excitement and fun. Abdoulaye battled it out down to the wire with Ryker lane, only securing his lead on the penultimate lap and ultimately finishing only half a second ahead of him. Others - many of the NSSCRA drivers - were a bit slower.

Abdoulaye was happy to have a second celebration ceremony in two days. Although he wouldn't spray himself with champagne on the podium, he did get dinner again with his friends and teammates. He made sure to invite the Yeezies. It wasn't often that any of them would be at the course for the WGPC, he knew.

by **Auruna** » Fri Dec 18, 2020 11:08 am

Talbott Autodrome
Race
Starting from P11, Kinu was aiming for more points. At least P10 would be alright with him. Although he is struggling a bit with the car which caused him to lose out on qualifying on previous weekends. This time, it's his turn to fight back.

He lines up at the grid after the formation lap. He looks focused but inside he's slightly nervous.

Inhale, exhale.

"Let's get serious here." He says as he looks at the lights, waiting for them to go out. Holding the revs, waiting and still waiting. Then the lights go out. His starts are usually one of the best at the grid. Minimal wheelspin off the line, it was perfect. It's just the start and he's already on the offensive. Close to P10 and going side-by-side on their run to turn 1. He couldn't overtake yet, wanting to wait for the right time to overtake, he sticks close behind. Driving a slightly inferior machine, he puts a lot of effort in maximising his car's capabilities.

"Kinu, we're going to extend, I trust your tyre management here. We're going to extend and pit for mediums."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes, we're sure."

"Alright, if you say so."

Now running in the points, he starts to push further. He's already known for his defensive skills which caused some inconveniences to the other drivers, making him difficult to be overtaken, until he makes a mistake. Trying to defend his current position while pushing to take a higher one is a hard task but he always manages to do both.

While the others pit, he kept going. There were a few others with similar strategies so it's not that unique to him. Brave enough to slightly go further on the softs, he then reaches the point of needing to pit.

He didn't lose much positions during his stop but it was enough to drop him out of the top 10. Not much of a problem, as at that point, it looked like he managed to tame his car. He was precise at the corners and there were no mistakes from him. He first took P10, back at the points. He then took P9 a few laps later. He's close behind the current P8 runner.

Then it was time to take P8, he was noticeably faster as his gap to P9 increases. He was close to taking P7 but the opportunity wasn't there. Yet at the end, he still finished P8 and brought home 3 points for him and the team.

"P8, great job Kinu."

"Ahh... thanks. A few more laps, I would've gotten P7. I guess this is alright."

"Yeah, you were close."

"At least I got the points."

"By the way, no drifts for the highlight reel?"

"Nope, no drifting for now, haha."

Viska Factory
Sterlennau, Auruna
Three days after the race
The mood was great at the factory but it's still business as usual. Most of the team were at Livonsk for their usual testing. Jöna and a few remained at the factory. Then there was a surprise visit from Kiiro.

"Congratulations on your first WGPC win." Kiiro says upon entering Jöna's office. "Hope you guys enjoyed that. That was great!"

"Thanks, it was a tough wait for that win and it was all worth it. Anyway, why are you here?" Jöna responds, then gesturing to Kiiro to sit down.

"More good news, we have allocated more funds for you guys, it's mainly for the research and development for next season's car. If there are any leftovers from it, spend it on your facilities, contracts, and such."

"Oh wow, that's nice."

"No problem. Also, VSK is now jealous of your WGPC win."

"The wolf is jealous of the eagle while the fox stays home."

"Yeah." Kiiro laughs. "And Pryfors Bilar is now our junior team, all set, good to go. Zorten agreed to sponsor them."

"Brilliant. Suddenly, I can't wait for the next WGP2 season to start."

"Hopefully VSK would make it interesting. Anyway, I need to go, I have a meeting with Laura later."

"Alright, see you."

Kiiro quickly leaves, headed to the main Viska HQ just nearby.

Jöna sits back and relaxes. He smiles as he looks at the recent news and photos from the MNA. "Even though we had a difficult season, we actually had a lot of fun." He says to himself. "Two great drivers... I wonder if they already read that email."

Viska HQ
Sterlennau, Auruna
Minutes later
"Alright Laura, you're serious about going international, right?"

"Yes, and if possible I would like to race with Viska at WGP2."

"Well, Viska will still be at WGP2 but not directly. Since VSK would be competing there, trying to replicate Viska's success, we couldn't actually compete there directly. So we got ourselves a junior team so that we can continue in WGP2 without breaking that MNA international license rule. The team is Pryfors Bilar if you're wondering. Would it be alright with you to drive for them?"

"I'm fine with it."

"Great, we'll get in touch with them soon to discuss about your contract."

by **Hodori Motorsports** » Fri Dec 18, 2020 3:04 pm

Soeshu, Hodori
Pigeon’s Nest
Returning to her tiny studio apartment, Pigeon greeted the other occupants of the space: a pair of budgies in a cage on the tiny kitchen’s counter. She had spent the past several years teaching them to talk. The sum total of the fruits of her labour came in their reply: “Hei seksii”. The better part of their lifespan spent teaching them to talk. And this was all they could say.

Still, it was nice to be home. Walking through the narrow walkway formed by the wall – adorned with posters for foreign gory slasher movies – and stacks of books – an array of tomes on cybersecurity best practices, computer hardware maintenace, bird care, bird spotting, pigeons, avian encylopaedia (with sections regarding pigeons showing the most wear), and anthologies of Ajian and Hodoran pornographic comics – she made her way to the kitchen.
“How are my babies doing~”
The two, small bright green birds looked at Pigeon.
“Hei seksii”
After spending some time tending to and playing with her budgies, Pigeon traversed another aisle between knee-high stacks of books to reach the central table. Here was her laptop, a collection of parts for a future gaming rig, and a small 3D printer currently depleted of filament.

Booting up her laptop, Pigeon logged into her twii.tur accounts, and continued her stupid online pissing match.

Switching accounts, she began responding with Blue Flag Report

After sending off those last few twiis, she pulled up an e-commerce site and began shopping.

Half a million Kerai of adult toys and personal lubricant later, she submitted the order, directing it to the Ljubala InterNazionRing. The package was addressed to the Preston team, William Archer, and Guillermo Archer. Assuming it didn’t get lost in the process, the shipment contained a note: “Make sure Gil gets this. Gil: Now your holes won’t be sad anymore <3. From Pigeon.”

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Fri Dec 18, 2020 3:10 pm

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

Janne’s point is met with nods – first of encouragement, as those at the table gradually realise that they are speaking with somebody whose education has not conditioned them to speak up and share their ideas, propriety be damned, then of thought and consideration.

After a pause, it is Aldin who answers. “While I could not be sure, I have doubt that the MoS would support a retooling of the WGPi around Nexus Racing, given the societal focus of the existing model. For a theoretical development series, however…”

“It could undermine its objectivity,” Auburn notes with a regretful expression. “If we want it to be a place for drivers to compete entirely on merit…”

She tails off, point made. Gertrude answers: “Still, if a sabbatical in WGPi helped you, Janne, I’m sure we could make that offer systemic.” She briefly glances up to Aldin, projected on the wall; he nods in affirmation. “Adding Imagination systems training to whatever programme we come up with would probably be a good idea, too. We’re at the forefront of applied Imagitech research – why not do that part of the job ourselves?”

“Wait.” Lucia’s flint tone quiets the room. She raises a hand, looking to Auburn. “Not if the drivers were to guide development themselves.” The light in her eyes throws off sparks, her gaze turning to flow between Gertrude and Janne beside her. “If we were to somewhat abstract, even gamify the development process – hand out a set number of points across the season, perhaps, for each driver to spend as they chose for upgrades, then involve them in finalising those upgrades… It would truly give them practice in working with the team on the development of the car, understanding the process and our philosophies. Even failing that, the feedback would be invaluable, as would the testing time.”

Gertrude locks eyes with her. “You think you could manage that – transferring new systems from one chassis to another?”

“We could begin with the last developments of the prior year,” Lucia reasons; “that would ease things – that or take on a larger development team; we do have the funds. The ability to compare different approaches, though, as Janne suggests… That is more than worth any cost in time or specificity.”

Karl Rain offers an open palm. “If we wish for this to test and build upon our drivers’ skills before WGPC competition, it ought to include all those that are relevant.” He glances briefly to Auburn, who nods, scribbling something down on her tablet. “Janne’s and Lucia’s proposal does so.”

Gertrude places her hand on her chin. Then a grin grows on her face. “Yeah. Yeah, it does. Entirely without compromising on our prototyping in WGP2 – First Builders, even augmenting that. Nice work, you two.” She looks around, past Janne’s slight blush, strengthened by newfound confidence, and Lucia’s tiny smile. “I think we have our framework, if we’re agreed?”

Only enthusiasm and assent greet her.

“Alright, then! Let’s workshop this, shall we?”

Ljubala InterNazionRing, Ljubala, Mattijana
18th of December

Ryker smiles, gaze parallel to Terho’s. “He’ll be great. You know, he’s already building the team around himself – his experience has basically been the foundation for what we’re doing with our junior programme, so Gertrude says.” He shuts his eyes. “He’s going to be here long after we’re gone, I’m sure…”

He turns to his companion. “When I heard… It was a shock, Terho. Between Timothy leaving last year, Jean coming in in place of Marika, Maria… You’ve more or less been the only constant in my career so far. Always something to aim for, to try to catch. I still remember the Mountain Challenge, all the way back in 15, running through those long, sweeping corners with you alongside. And last season – well. I don’t think I’ll ever forget Filindostan, then Aboveland, then Vangaziland.” He shakes his head, laughing, before the smile returns, tinged with sorrow. “I’ll treasure winning at home this year, obviously, but it doesn’t stick in my mind, because… Well, I think because it wasn’t against you. You’re the benchmark, Terho – ‘greatest of all time’, as some say.” He raises a hand pre-emptively. “I think a great many people would agree on that. So I should be thanking you – for being here, now, racing while I’m here too. And it’s going to be hard, not having you next year.” He lets out a single laugh. “Only two of the four of us left now, huh?”

He sighs – but still smiles, stopping now and turning to face his Abovian counterpart. The tarmac below anchors him. “But that’s not the point. I remember you said a while back – testing last year, I think it was? In lieu of joining Nexus Racing, you wanted to make TRÆ something like us. Looking back on it…” Ryker chuckles half-heartedly. “I think we were both naïve to think you, my friend, would do anything but better us. You built something different there, something that’s kept you ahead. At least for now,” he adds with a slight quirk of the head; “success is a process and all. I suppose what I’m saying is that…” He breathes, forcing down a tremor. “It makes sense why you’d be leaving now and I… I respect that.”

There is a pause. “Imagination, I came out to clear my head of this. I…” Ryker chokes, eyes glistening in the clouded light, stepping forward and placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I’m really going to miss you, Terho. I really am.”

Another pause. “Oh, forget – come here!” Ryker half-laughs, half-cries as he surges forward, briefly glowing with blue light, and enfolds Terho into an embrace. “You’d better come visit. Often. I know Janne would be happy to see you – everyone would.”

“I’ll do the same, too. I promise. Not going to let you go that easily.”

by **Liventia** » Fri Dec 18, 2020 4:24 pm

CUTOFF

for Practice and Qualifying at Ljubala InterNazionRing

by **Liventia** » Fri Dec 18, 2020 4:29 pm

Week 16: Practice

Conditions:      	Dry
Lap Record:      	00:01:35.423
Session Length:	75 minutes
Nation:         	MTJ
Circuit:        	Ljubala InterNazionRing

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

POS # ▍DRIVER                                     	FASTEST LAP	GAP TO LEADER
 1 42 ▍Alex Dimitrianov                           	00:01:43.486	00:00:00.000
 2  7 ▍Abdoulaye Goita                            	00:01:43.533	00:00:00.047
 3 76 ▍Adriana Kowalski                           	00:01:43.558	00:00:00.073
 4 77 ▍iBen Toralmintii                           	00:01:43.693	00:00:00.208
 5 50 ▍Rudy Edwards                               	00:01:43.788	00:00:00.302
 6 37 ▍Niklas Schonbaum                           	00:01:43.841	00:00:00.355
 7 94 ▍Ryker Lane                                 	00:01:43.849	00:00:00.363
 8 85 ▍Olivia Stone                               	00:01:43.979	00:00:00.493
 9 47 ▍Erica Okumura                              	00:01:44.039	00:00:00.553
10 56 ▍Terho Talvela                              	00:01:44.121	00:00:00.635
11 14 ▍Sigur Bjarnason                            	00:01:44.189	00:00:00.703
12 25 ▍Gregori Krupin                             	00:01:44.193	00:00:00.707
13 23 ▍Cocoabo #23                                	00:01:44.292	00:00:00.807
14 51 ▍R.L. Cruisin                               	00:01:44.460	00:00:00.974
15 27 ▍Dario Nülkeschläger                        	00:01:44.503	00:00:01.017
16 41 ▍Jean Mercer-Daly                           	00:01:44.665	00:00:01.179
17 22 ▍Jasmin Kranjska                            	00:01:44.678	00:00:01.192
18 63 ▍Daryl Mizushima                            	00:01:44.730	00:00:01.245
19 12 ▍Anneliese Devereux                         	00:01:44.806	00:00:01.320
20 11 ▍Lane Carter                                	00:01:45.107	00:00:01.621
21 52 ▍Sayono Souzare                             	00:01:45.157	00:00:01.671
22 82 ▍Kinu Luminna                               	00:01:45.164	00:00:01.678
23 19 ▍Dom Falepeau                               	00:01:45.262	00:00:01.776
24 71 ▍Rustom Ibuna                               	00:01:45.470	00:00:01.984
25  8 ▍William Archer                             	00:01:45.987	00:00:02.501
26 46 ▍Kitti Armbruster                           	00:01:46.304	00:00:02.818
27 28 ▍Sara Luna                                  	00:01:46.398	00:00:02.912
28 72 ▍Charyseine Valkyria                        	00:01:47.669	00:00:04.183

Week 16: Qualifying

Conditions:      	Cloudy
Lap Record:      	00:01:35.423
Qualifying Type:	Two-Tier
Nation:         	MTJ
Circuit:        	Ljubala InterNazionRing

POS # ▍DRIVER                                     	FASTEST LAP	GAP TO LEADER	FASTEST LAP	GAP TO LEADER
 1 28 ▍Sara Luna                                  	00:01:39.494	00:00:00.000	00:01:36.873	00:00:00.000
 2 42 ▍Alex Dimitrianov                           	00:01:39.497	00:00:00.003	00:01:36.876	00:00:00.003
 3 56 ▍Terho Talvela                              	00:01:39.500	00:00:00.006	00:01:36.878	00:00:00.005
 4 51 ▍R.L. Cruisin                               	00:01:39.522	00:00:00.027	00:01:37.001	00:00:00.128
 5 11 ▍Lane Carter                                	00:01:39.526	00:00:00.032	00:01:37.063	00:00:00.191
 6 22 ▍Jasmin Kranjska                            	00:01:39.527	00:00:00.032	00:01:37.081	00:00:00.208
 7 27 ▍Dario Nülkeschläger                        	00:01:39.519	00:00:00.025	00:01:37.087	00:00:00.215
 8 23 ▍Cocoabo #23                                	00:01:39.539	00:00:00.044	00:01:37.186	00:00:00.313
 9 41 ▍Jean Mercer-Daly                           	00:01:39.510	00:00:00.016	00:01:37.343	00:00:00.470
10 50 ▍Rudy Edwards                               	00:01:39.526	00:00:00.032	00:01:37.887	00:00:01.014
11 72 ▍Charyseine Valkyria                        	00:01:39.541	00:00:00.047		
12  7 ▍Abdoulaye Goita                            	00:01:39.544	00:00:00.050		
13 47 ▍Erica Okumura                              	00:01:39.552	00:00:00.058		
14 85 ▍Olivia Stone                               	00:01:39.579	00:00:00.085		
15 25 ▍Gregori Krupin                             	00:01:39.604	00:00:00.109		
 – 82 ▍Kinu Luminna                               	00:01:39.613	00:00:00.118		
16 52 ▍Sayono Souzare                             	00:01:39.616	00:00:00.122		
17 37 ▍Niklas Schonbaum                           	00:01:39.625	00:00:00.130		
18 12 ▍Anneliese Devereux                         	00:01:39.627	00:00:00.133		
19 77 ▍iBen Toralmintii                           	00:01:39.649	00:00:00.155		
20 94 ▍Ryker Lane                                 	00:01:39.702	00:00:00.208		
 – 63 ▍Daryl Mizushima                            	00:01:39.703	00:00:00.208		
21 71 ▍Rustom Ibuna                               	00:01:39.709	00:00:00.214		
22 76 ▍Adriana Kowalski                           	00:01:39.717	00:00:00.223		
23 14 ▍Sigur Bjarnason                            	00:01:39.746	00:00:00.252		
24 19 ▍Dom Falepeau                               	00:01:40.000	00:00:00.506		
25  8 ▍William Archer                             	00:01:40.090	00:00:00.596		
26 46 ▍Kitti Armbruster                           	00:01:40.573	00:00:01.079

by **Hapilopper** » Fri Dec 18, 2020 7:54 pm

Ljubala InterNazionRing, Ljubala, Mattijana
The morning of the Grand Prix tsa Mattijana
When his alarm went off on race day morning, Rudy Edwards woke up with some different feelings than he had typically felt on the morning of a race. Usually, he felt excited, ready to go and kick some ass. But on this day, he felt a wave of emotions, knowing that the next morning when he woke up, there would be no Grands Prix to contest for several months. But he also felt a feeling of strong accomplishment. No matter what happened on this day in Mattijana, Rudy had proven that he had belonged in the top echelon of drivers in the world’s most advanced racing series, the World Grand Prix Championship. He had proven that Hapiloppians, typically a country of oval track-loving types, could do just as good in open wheel single seaters on road circuits as they could on stock cars on ovals. If not better.

As he walked over to take a shower, he looked at his phone to see what was going on in the twii.turverse. Tons of well-wishes from his fellow Hapiloppians, from his fellow international racing drivers. And some news being broke by Doug Goodman, HTN’s resident Grand Prix expert.

DOUGLAS GOODMAN

@GPGoodmanHTN
Just got confirmation from Marty Lewis, Rudy Edwards will be back next season with Preston GP.

#WGPC

The night before, Rudy had signed a one-year contract extension with Marty Lewis, worth quite a lot of money, and a hell of a lot more than Rudy was being paid for this season. Marty explained that Rudy had been just an integral part of Preston’s success this season as anyone else, if not more. Without his driving, the team would not have been able to propel themselves to the top half of the WGPC field and who knows what they might have been capable of. Marty felt he owed a tremendous debt to Rudy and to William Archer, and Marty made it very clear that he would be offering a similar contract extension to the Fleftic driver.

Marty had reasoned that while Rudy was the one going for the glory, Archer deserved the recognition just as much. After all, it was William Archer that got the ball rolling for Preston GP. With the two non-championship wins, Archer showed the Preston team that, yes, they were on the right track, and yes, they were more than capable of running up front. Capable of leading races. Capable of winning races. Capable of beating the world.

Without William Archer’s two wins, Marty reasoned, Preston GP might not have turned the corner as dramatically as they did. A fire might not have been lit under Rudy’s ass to kick ass like never before. The team might not have been convinced that they were capable of going up against teams like Nexus Racing, like Tropicorp Racing Ælund, like Eelandii VTGP, like Polaris, or Volkov, or Fireline or MRT. And it’s entirely possible that without those two wins, Marty would have been called to meet with Shawn Hammer, his boss at Preston Autos, to inform him that Preston Autos would be pulling the plug, and he would be out of a job.

No. None of that happened. Marty’s job was saved. His career was saved. Hell, his life was saved from being that idiot that trashed hotel rooms and got drunk every night of a race weekend, embarrassing Preston brass almost without fail. And it happened because William Archer won those two races, he thought. It wouldn’t be right if he wouldn’t offer a huge contract extension to the Fleftic driver. For he reasoned that while Rudy was about to bring Preston to the stratosphere, it was Archer that saved Preston GP.

And, like Rudy, Marty had quite a few emotions running through him as time for the Grand Prix tsa Mattijana. He thought back to 15 months before, when Preston GP consisted of just a handful of people, working on the beginning of a race car and an engine. Not even in his wildest dreams could he have imagined – and we mean, actually imagined, that going into the final race of the season, one of his drivers could legitimately win the World Grand Prix Championship.

He had made a bombastic statement at the team’s official launch before the season that one of his drivers would be the “next World Grand Prix Champion,” but that was just bombast. He didn’t really think the team could actually do it. He felt Rudy and William were great racing drivers, but a world title this early? No way. But then the non-championship races came. Then came Nekoni and the second half of the season.

Marty sat down at a chair inside the Preston Autos’ pit garage and stared at Car No. 50. Rudy Edwards’ car. Mechanics were poring over the car, making sure it would be absolutely ready when the lights went out to start the Grand Prix. Making sure it would be perfect for Rudy Edwards.

He looked over to see Rudy walking into the garage, already suited up. Away from the track, Rudy looked somewhat nerdy, a chunky guy who didn’t necessarily give the impression of being one of the multiverse’s top drivers. But in the suit, the blue and green Preston Autos firesuit, he looked the part. He looked like a badass racing driver that could go out there and wreck some shit against the best racing drivers on the planet.

Marty smiled. This was the guy that, conceivably, if everything went his way, would leave Mattijana as the World Grand Prix Champion. It required a lot of things to fall into place, sure, and it required Rudy to have the race of his life, but if anyone was capable of getting the job done, Marty felt, it was Rudy.

But he’d be starting from 10th place after another poor run in the second round of qualifying. Rudy knew that he’d have a tall hill to climb, to get past guys like Sara Luna and Alex Dimitrianov, like Terho Talvela and R.L. Cruisin. Like Lane Carter and Jasmin Kranjaska. Like Dario Nülkeschläger and Fast Cocoabo 23, and like Jean Mercer-Daly. But at least he had iBen Toralmintii behind him. Way behind him. iBen being that far back made it seem realistic that he could make a chance at the title.

As time drew near, Rudy knew the eyes of the multiverse were on him. He knew the eyes of the Dominion of Hapilopper was on him. Millions of Hapiloppians had woken up extra-early to watch the Grand Prix tsa Mattijana, with the hope that Rudy could pull off the miracle and reach immortality with the championship. And as he climbed inside his Preston PGP-01, he closed his eyes and said a soft prayer to himself.

“Please, let me do it,” Rudy said softly to whatever was out there. “I don’t ask much of you, but please just grant me this one wish.”

For what seemed like forever, he sat inside the car, fully suited up. Helmet on, visor down. The sounds of the outside world were muffled as he was alone with his thoughts. Inside this environment, he felt he could truly relax. He could get away from the pushing and pulling of people, of reporters, well-wishers, fans, crew mechanics, autograph seekers. He looked around from his 10th place grid position, and towards crew members putting on the finishing touches on his car, and towards the other cars.

One minute until the formation lap. Two pairs of red lights appeared on the starting lights, and a horn went off. Rudy pressed a button to kickstart the Preston’s Skychief V6, the stock block engine that had more than overachieved.

“Good day, Rudy,” a sweet female voice said over the comms in his helmet. “Today’s the day.”

And as the lights went out, Rudy, partly in an attempt to take care of his own butterflies, weaved his car around on the formation lap. It was also in an attempt to keep heat in his tires and to make sure all systems were working just as fine as they needed to. And to his delight, they were indeed. Through each of the 23 turns, Rudy calmly maneuvered his car as he prepared for what could be the biggest race of his life. The biggest moment of his life.

It was back to Grid Position 10. About time for racing. He looked left and in his left wing mirror to see the rest of the field take their grid positions. When they did, he trained his eyes on the lights right above the start-finish line.

He moved a dial to Mode 7. Machismo. Full power.

One light. This was the moment.

Two lights. He looked over to Mercer-Daly.

Three lights. Back to the lights. Back to the start-finish line.

Four lights. No turning back.

Five lights. Now was the time.

by **Diarcesia** » Fri Dec 18, 2020 8:21 pm

Emil Kovalev

The WGPC 18 drivers' championship will not be Sara's to hold, but if someone sees her think how she had done so far, you would think she actually did. Getting behind the wheel of Fitten is a godsend to her, and how she fared at the Hapiloppian Grand Prix would surely go down as one of the drives of her life. This is one of those times when she felt she was truly free like a child in her wonderland.

Trust me, I've been there to witness it.

I stood at the garage and examined the Volkov Mark II that Sara christened as Fitten. I watched her use the steering wheel during races with the surety and subtlety of a seasoned driver. She had taken good care of the car since it was introduced to her, and when I was assigned to be her race engineer. It was difficult at first to coordinate with her, though not for lack of trying. It was more in terms of language and cultural barriers, but we both learned. It is just like I learned when to relay information to Sara, or when she learned more about the quirks of Fitten and become accustomed to it. It was a moonshot that we would have her as a driver: she could have easily went to MRT with me currently staring at Taras Matviyenko's car instead.

She entered the garage too, and saw me.

"Smitten with Fitten, Emil?"

"Hi, Sara. No, I'm not," I replied with my prominent accent. Not like she doesn't have hers, too. But we have long since adjusted to them. "What's the latest news?"

"Apparently, Diarcesia's in a bit of a bind over some distant island. One of my friends happens to be there. Hope she gets out safely."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Don't worry about it. What are you doing here?"

"I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"Our team's present and future."

Sara slowly nodded at my reply.

"It's been an honor working with you," I continued.

"Me too."

"Have you thought about next season?"

"You mean if I would still continue to drive for Volkov?"

"Uh... part of it, I suppose."

She nodded. "I get that you would be thinking about it. I can't have a conclusive answer to that. We discussed it before. The team chose me because they thought I am the best driver available. I chose the team because I thought they have the best car available."

"You just compared ours to a team like MRT, didn't you?"

"Well, what do you think? I tried their car during the test. It was also fantastic, but this one?" She motioned her hand towards Fitten. "It was more... tailor-made for me."

She didn't give a direct answer on the MRT comparison, but I know clearly that as it stands, Volkov is second in the constructors' race, ahead of several of the established teams. TRÆ's championship is secure, but we, like Preston, showed our competitiveness.

Sara continued her explanation, "For instance, Rudy surged ahead with his Preston and is one of three who can win the championship in the final race. That car suited him. I couldn't handle it. William Archer did, and he became their second driver."

"Oh?" I asked, surprised. I only followed her pre-season activities in MRT, Volkov, and Cocoabo Forest. I forgot that she was also in Preston's test.

"It was a mixture of shock and the connection between their car and me. The second part is... difficult to explain. It was the very first WGPC-spec car I ever drove, and I also had difficulties with its throttle and steering response."

Sara Luna holds axioms in her conduct of racing: physical, mental, and moral. Mentally, she keeps her brain sharp by studying the performances of her competitors. Sometimes, she would hit the books to try to comprehend more abstract principles that govern motorsport. In the physical sphere, she recognizes the rigors her body undergoes while she moves around a racetrack in high speed. A sudden slip in her focus because, say, she was not well rested, could be dangerous. Slower than normal reflexes could see her careening all the way to a wall. Lastly, she holds high the virtue of fair racing and sportsmanship. If your opponent is faster than you and you are not in a position to defend, admit it and move over.

Maintaining a high level of mental toughness is important in Sara's race wins. It is only a truly exceptional individual who can start a career not knowing defeat. That was not her, and she did not recognize this lesson in her younger years. She learned the hard way that whenever she lost a race, she had to pick up all the pieces and start all over. She did learn, eventually. With the help of her coach, she came up with a plan to shore up her mental faculties. It helped her stay afloat when she hit a trough in her personal, financial, and professional life.

She made her preparations in the final qualifying session of WGPC 18 recalling these memories. She had finished the previous race without any points and she considered it a disappointment. She felt she didn't live up to her purpose there. But what else could she do but cut her losses? It is her responsibility to not let her motivation fall further and worsen her results in Mattijana, despite the pressures of carrying the weight of her job or her still-rising reputation.

"How is everything with Fitten?"

The mechanic promptly replied. "It's good to go, Sara. We double-checked that all systems are ready for today's qualifying. We made sure that what happened last week will not be repeated."

"I appreciate it," she grinned.

She had her mental map of the Ljubala InterNazionRing ready once her initial lap was underway. Emil advised her yesterday to not focus on lap times during practice but make a feel of how each section would be like when she passed through them. His point was to make sure his driver had an intimate sense of the pace of the track, its layout, and where she needed to either assert herself or play it safe. It would give her a great deal of room to choose her options today and in tomorrow's race.

So far, so good. The track was wet after some heavy rains early in the morning, so a decision was made for Sara to run on inters in Q1. Her fastest lap attempt began with Sara letting Fitten loose and harness maximum power as it went uphill to Turn One. On cue, she braked at the precise point she marked at practice. With a slight nudge of her steering wheel, Fitten smoothly changed direction and exited at a speed that she wanted.

Sara maintained radio silence as she methodically sliced through the sections. Her composure remained constant while she was in progress. She crossed the finish line thinking that everything was done perfectly. She could run multiple scenarios where she committed a hypothetical mistake. All of them couldn't reconcile the time she got.

"Your time is... 01:39.494. I'm sure this is a lock for Q2. Great driving, Sara," Emil confirmed.

"Good job, Fitten!" Sara cheered. Her tires would be changed to slicks now that everything's dry enough.

"Now, let's keep this up in the next session!" she said over the radio before she left the pits.

And she did keep up.

"Sara, I got good news for you. 01:36.873. That's a provisional pole, unless Dimitrianov or Talvela beats you."

Dimitrianov also had a good lap, though at 01:36.876, he would start at second. Behind him at P3 would be Terho Talvela himself, who was 0.005 seconds behind Sara. The retiring Abovian is determined to grab his third drivers' championship and the results spoke for themselves.

"Congratulations, Sara! You got another pole. This is not a drill, you got a pole!"

Sara sighed both in relief and in exasperation over Emil's attempt at a pun.

Planets and magnets have two poles, but for this season, Sara has three.

by **Aboveland** » Fri Dec 18, 2020 11:30 pm

Furuhøytie VIrtapiiri
Tyttebærsby, Aboveland

"Let's go!" yells Janne, clutching his phone from the center console and kicking the drivers' side door open. Antti, still undoing his seatbelt, pulls the handbrake which the teenager had forgotten about, and clambers out of the fleet rental hatchback onto the painted white line of the parking spot. Shoddy, he thinks quietly, before taking his coat from out of the footwell and jogging heavily to meet the far over-excited, quickly disappearing Janne--not before slamming both of the open doors of the car. As they make their way to the circuit lobby, Janne a fair way ahead already, a soft flurry of snow dusts the outskirts of Terho Talvela's hometown, the snowflakes glistening under the floodlights on full blast at two in the afternoon. During their trot, Ælunder Nyttispalvelu's end of season decider song bellows across the coniferous forest.

The passage through the lobby is relatively simple, but only once Janne reaches the stairs for the grandstands--already breaking a sweat, under the layers of his winter clothing--does Antti catch up to him, having broken a sweat evidently earlier. Even for qualifying, the human traffic at the stairs is at a standstill, and as both he and Antti start to pant heavily for frigid air, they remain silent; Antti, slapping his forehead with the palm of his hand, breaks the quiet once he's regained his breath. "I forgot the coffee bag!" he exclaims, met with a groan, then a shrug and a smile, from Janne.

The line to break into the grandstands, as it seems, moves at a pace of one stair step every five minutes, the crowd somber and burrowed in their thick winterwear--many sporting limited edition Talvela Taiga coats--and not particularly rowdy or vocal. However, as the wait continues, and the line simply inches upwards, the broadcast announcers proclaim the start of qualifying. Now, Antti, usually compassionate and grown-up, is the one who shoots sassy eyes at Janne, his stare saying 'we should have left earlier' far more efficiently than he can with words. Janne concedes, using his chin to pull up the coat neck to his nose.

Ljubala InterNazionRing
Ljubala, Mattijana

Terho stares at himself in the full length mirror of his drivers' room before Q1, his eyes wandering down to his navel, as he pulls the zipper up on the gray WGPC14 tribute overalls and straps the velcro around his neck, rubbing the pad in with three fingers to make sure it's extra stuck together. Still in his socks, he takes a step forwards, his peripheral vision now just reaching down to his chest, and gazes into his jet black pupils, his gray-ish teal eyes glistening with the frame light around the glass. He takes a moment to analyze himself: the tufts of hair posed upon each of his ears; the couple of plucky hairs sticking out of his eyebrows, and how they disappear towards the top of his nose; the pimple scar to the left of the bridge of it; the deeper, faded scar under his right eye, product of a childhood accident with a cupboard; the edges of his mouth, where his very slightly--chronically--cracked lips meet each other; the freshly shaved, sparsely vegetated skin above his upper lip. He puckers his mouth quickly, then pouts as if mocking himself. His eyes become glassier, but don't produce tears.

Then, he takes a step back, and scans himself again, from golden mane to cloth-laden feet, his hands landing on his hips as he passes his sternum, and almost subconsciously imagining himself glowing cyan. He cocks his head to ask himself, as he's asked himself all year, the question, the reafirmattive, 'click-to-continue', don't second guess yourself question, and nods. And nods again, but puckering his lips and taking a deeper breath than he had been taking up until then, then pulling a stifled smile. Yes. I am. Throwing himself onto the ground, he slips on his gray boots, taps his feet together, and thrusts open the door of his room to head towards the garage, his head now held high, running his hands through his hair and pulling at the skin on his forehead in the process.

Edvin, standing in the paddock next to Resilience, pretends to not have awaited his arrival.

"Ready?" he asks, looking Terho up and down. "Dapper," he quips, smirking, half-jokingly and half-sorrowfully, his eyes revealing his future nostalgia for the present moment.

Terho smiles back, sheepishly, looking down at his helmet on a chair behind Edvin and automatically reaching for it. "Yeah," he says, pulling the balaclava stuffed in it onto himself. He looks into Edvin's patient eyes, holding his helmet upside down before slipping it on. "Last time," he says.

"Stop it!" pleads Edvin, staring hopelessly as Terho straps his blue helmet in place. "Don't remind me," he mutters, absently reading the text on Terho's visor, but stopping him from pulling it down fully with his thumb. Again, he smiles, the proportion of joke to sorrow now more 10/90, and lunges to hug him, sniffling. "Do well out there," Edvin chokes, sighing, and slapping the Abovian's helmet hard to throw him off balance.

"I'll try," replies Terho.

Furuhøytie Virtapiiri
Tyttebærsby, Aboveland

"Thanks," grins Antti, handing the coffee vendor a two yonder bill with one hand, reaching out with the other one to grab, unsteadily, the cardboard cup carrier with the two lattes sloshing about. He stretches the box to Janne who, teeth chattering, grabs the coffee with both hands to subdue the jitter.

"Are you not from Kylmajärvi, poika?" the elder Abovian asks, holding in a belly laugh with his free fist.

"Yeah, fuck," Janne replies, laughing. "But it's freezing!"

Antti's residual chuckles continue. "You've gotten too used to the Nimban weather, huh?"

Janne doesn't reply, still grinning politely but shushing his beer-bellied, family-mechanic-turned-folkrace-manager-turned-race-engineer at one of the most advanced racing teams on the planet. Terho has finally set off on his qualifying runs of the second session; they'd only just missed the entire first session by the time they had cleared the line to make it to the grandstands. He turns to face the massive projector screen set up on the tarmac of the main straight, one of multiple screens set up before the largest grandstands on the circuit and flanked by booming speakers. Despite the snow, and the fact that qualifying is nearly over, the people continue to pile into the main stands, and it seems that the doors have been opened to let people off onto the asphalt right below the giant screens. Antti, unseen by Janne, winces at the thought of the traffic on the return trip to the city center.

Against the dark blue afternoon night sky, the vibrant colors of Ljubala InterNazionRing are contrasted by the appearance into the frame of Terho's 56 car, or as Janne had heard mentioned, 'Resilience'. The broadcast is late to show the WGPC14-liveried machine, and as the--still, current--world champion careens out of turn 20, through 21 and flat past 22 and 23, his time pops up on screen to collective whelment. He's P8 so far, but only by two tenths; an incredibly tight battle for pole, it seems.

After showing the Preston of Rudy Edwards, Terho's fellow title hopeful, dance around the track, the cameras on the broadcast switch back to the Abovian's vehicle; Janne, taking a precautionary sip of his piping latte, stares mesmerized at the projector screen, the intrepid figure of AGP003 swooning in the reflection of his pupils, his chattering teeth calmed by the path of the warm liquid down his throat. Antti, slightly uncomfortable in the tiny seats, shifts and knocks the spectators in front of them in the back of the head with his knee. They turn around, somewhat annoyed, but dismiss the accident.

Resilience, as they liked to call it, leans impeccably through the initial esses on the track, slowing at the entry to turn four but powering out before the braking at the exit of seven. It carries itself gracefully again towards turn nine, lunging forwards and changing direction instantly towards ten and eleven. His first sector time is purple.

Terho, rounding turn twelve cleanly, opens the throttle once more towards thirteen, as the broadcast camera switches from trackside to onboard and a timing card flashes Sara Luna's time onto the screen: provisional pole for the Diarcesian, met by the crowd with a collective "awh" and some distant "oohs"; Terho's first sector is now green, though his second is purple, again.

Once more, the camera goes trackside as the Abovian enters the final sector of the track. Through the triple apex seventeen, eightteen, nineteen, Resilience never skipping a beat or kicking out its rear in protest, barreling down towards turn twenty, and again through the final rapid succession of shallow chicanes before Terho completes his lap.

"One minute, thirty six, point eight-seven-eight! Five thousandths off pole position!" holler the announcers. "P3! P3 for Terho Tavela, in qualifying for the final race of his World Grand Prix career!"

The crowd, collectively as usual, erupt in a cheer. Janne manages to set his latte down before springing from his seat. Antti, having taken a moment to stand, is kneed in the back of the head himself.

"P3!" shouts Janne at Antti as he stands. "P3!"

Ljubala InterNazionRing
Ljubala, Mattijana

"P3?" asks Terho over the radio, crossing the line nearly out of breath. "Whoof," he sighs. "P3, then?" His tone of voice, in addition to exhausted, is reverent, cold, and almost remorseful.

"P3," affirms Edvin, nodding. "P3." Though he keeps somber as the team and, specifically, the Vilita and Turorians, are far from in a celebratory mood, he clutches his hand into a fist and simultaneously closes his eyes, pulsing his arm into his side. "Excellent work," he reassures.

"Thanks, thanks to you guys," Terho replies, flicking the knobs on his steering wheel to set Resilience into in-lap mode. He tries extremely hard to maintain his facade of seriousness through to the end of his out-lap, throughout the debriefing, on the trip back to the hotel, during his shower, as he undresses for bed, while dreaming, when waking up the next morning and setting the coffee maker, and after his early shower.

He's thus far been successful in keeping his mind off the implications of the weekend: his last practice, his last qualifying, his last radio check, his last formation lap, his last five red lights, and his last start, all facts lingering in the back of his head which, though not ignored, he's managing to keep from affecting everything he does.

All that's left for him is to go out onto the track, strapped into his grey homage-liveried car, rolling his gray-clad shoulders and stretching his gray-wrapped legs, and just drive, drive ferally but with enough caution to finish, maybe in third place with a fastest lap, or in second place or, God forbid, in first.

He dares not to let himself even think about the championship.

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 6:59 am

GUILLERMO RODOLFO ARCHER ✓

@ItsGilArcher69
- -@Pigeon_87

87 replies? That's a new record, even 4 me. But fitting 4 u. & I'm not taking u 2 dinner. U are the dinner. I turn u & ur pigeon babies in2 fried pigeon. (1/2)

#WGPC18 : #BlueFlagReport : #FuckPigeons : #DontMessWithAnArcher

GUILLERMO RODOLFO ARCHER ✓

@ItsGilArcher69
- -@Pigeon_87

& thx 4 the toys & lube. Wifey's gonna have a lotta fun making my holes happy (2/2)

#WGPC18 : #BlueFlagReport : #YouThoughtThatWasAnInsult : #FillMeUpBaby : #TheBestAManCanGet

His father embarrassing himself on social media (once again) and his poor qualifying notwithstanding, William Archer was having a great last racing weekend in the WGPC.

The mood at the Preston Autos garage as they arrived in Mattijana for the final race of the season was one of nervous anticipation. Never in a million years did anyone connected with the whole project think that they would actually have one of their own drivers competing for the Drivers' Championship. Nobody thought that Marty Lewis' initial announcement would actually turn into a premonition of a possible future. Sure, a lot of things had to go wrong for both iBen Toralmintii and Terho Talvela for Rudy Edwards to even have a fighting chance, but then again, stranger things have happened. And Rudy probably wouldn't have been in this position in the first place were it not for William. Yes, even though William was as far away from his teammate in terms of points as he possibly could, the Fleftic driver still very much played a huge part in turning Preston from just your ordinary first-time constructor entry into having one of its drivers actually contending for the title. Were it not for William winning the two non-championship races in the middle of the season, Rudy might not have had the kick up his ass that apparently motivated him enough to win the Nekoni Grand Prix (a race that actually counted for the championship). Preston might have never seen that not only did they have a package that could compete with the big boys but also one that could actually win a race or two.

Downplay it as much as he did, even William Archer couldn't deny that he had played a big part in the history of Preston Autos Grand Prix Racing.

Which was why he was very much disappointed in himself when he was unable to get himself out of the first qualifying session. He was the teammate of a championship contender, for God's sake! At least he wasn't as far off the pace as he was back in Liventia, the track where his MGU-H or MGU-K (it was either one or the other) had exploded and the place where he was literally 2 seconds behind his teammate. But being almost 0.6 seconds off was almost as bad as being 2 seconds off, maybe even worse, because the small gap seemed to suggest that much as he was a capable driver, he was still not capable enough of performing to the same levels as his teammate. That was already a bad problem to have as a racing driver, but when your teammate is an actual championship contender? That just makes things worse.

So when Marty himself walked up to William and the former said that he wanted to give the latter a contract extension for next season, William simply didn't know what to say. The Fleftic driver had already been preparing himself for the possibility of going back into the free agent market for the start of the next WGPC season, so now to find himself with a contract extension on offer for the next season in spite of his recent performances... Honestly, literally, William didn't know what to think.

The decision should have been an easy one to make. William was already determined to stay in WGPC for the next season, and here Preston was offering him his seat right back. Anyone else would have said yes already. But for some reason, William couldn't bring himself to do so, at least not right away. He said something along the lines of "Thank you, but I'd like to think about this for some time, so let me get back to you later, okay?"

Of course William was going to sign that contract extension. He'd be a fool not to. For once, William had finally found a car, a team, where he felt he belonged. And it was always to have a seat lined up for next season. But why am I hesitating? William asked himself.

Maybe it's because you don't actually deserve that seat, a darker and more malevolent William shot back. What have you actually done to deserve that extension, man? You haven't done anything for this team at all! Not something that matters to the bottom line anyway. Your teammate needs a driver who can support him now that he's actually got a shot at a title, and yet what have you done? Put yourself in the back of the grid, that's what. Yeah, you won two races. But guess what? They don't count for points at all, meaning you can only win races when there's nothing on the line! You didn't even fight back when Preston pulled that 'Rudy is faster than you' bullshit! You're not a real racing driver, William Archer. You're not even fit to warm the seat in a Motorworks car!

"Go fuck yourself, man," William told his darker self. "Why am I even listening to you? You don't know jack shit about what you're talking about. Yeah, I didn't get any points for Twicetagria and Saint-Joseph. I still won 'em both, didn't I? And I showed everyone that this Preston, this PGP-01, is more than capable of winning a race. Fuck, I'm also the guy that basically made Rudy kick on and win an actual championship grand prix, one that actually counts. So for you telling me all the reasons I don't deserve this Preston seat, here's me telling you all the reasons I do."

Before the start of the Grand Prix tsa Mattijana, William would walk up to Marty Lewis and tell him that he would gladly sign the contract extension. No matter the result of this grand prix, no matter who won the drivers' championship, William Archer had enjoyed his time with Preston Autos, and he was looking forward to driving for the Hapiloppans for one more season.

by **Auruna** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 8:42 am

MNA News
- Former Schkeska E-Series driver Laura Haukanna confirms plans to compete in WGP2. She will become the second Aurun driver to compete in WGP2 as Kinu Luminna skipped the feeder series to go straight into the main game. Rumours started circulating about which team she will be driving for with some saying that VSK Racing will sign her. However, she has made several appearances with Viska in their tests at Livonsk and the WGPC mid-season test indicating her affiliation with Viska.

- Akresna Circuit chosen by the MNA to hold future WGPC races after changes to the International Layout and further improvements to infrastructure and facilities. It's a different story for WGP2 where there are plans for the Trinity Circuits to rotate every season in order for each circuit to hold WGP2 races starting with Akresna. The MNA will decide near the end of this year.

Viska Factory
Sterlennau, Auruna
1 day before the race weekend
The final race of the season is near but the factory is still busy as usual. They are focusing on developing next season's car as development of the current car ended at the mid-season. They couldn't contest for the championship as expected from them but it's just the start, they had fun along the way even through their bad luck. Jöna knows it well, as he walks around the factory seeing the faces of the engineers, the mechanics, everyone at Viska, they have a smile on their face, enjoying their time at the factory.

It's another thing that makes Viska what it is. "Can't help but notice that Viska is not just a team, but a family who is there to race." He says to himself. Then he looks at the banner above one of the cars.

Abdoulaye Goita, tarvellanet Viska kerheisi! - Abdoulaye Goita, welcome to the Viska family!

"Was that put up recently?"

"No, it's been there since the beginning of this season."

"Ah, Artur."

"Heh, how did you not notice it until now?"

"I don't know, maybe because I'm just busier than before. A lot of meetings and usually stranded in my office."

"Next season, you'll get more free time. Kiiro said he'll help us out directly."

Jöna laughs. "Ah... nice."

He looks at the banner once again.

"It reminds me of our first season. Hastily made welcome banners for Baxen and Olivia. At least it was worth it."

"Yep. As a team boss, you are great."

"Anyway, quick rest then prepare for tomorrow."

"Alright."

Ljubala InterNazionRing
Qualifying
The final weekend of the season, the team is aiming to finish high in the last race which made qualifying very eventful for them. Practice was the usual data gathering and setup stuff but chaos starts at qualifying. A sign of things to come was in the form of horrible tyre degradation and another set of stubborn wheel nuts. It was not the start the team was hoping.

They continue Q1, sending out both drivers at the right moment. It was an opportunity for the tow but they decided to not do it. A risky call, it was then up to the drivers' skill to qualify high. Both managed to get on the top 10 but as qualifying goes on, they were pushed down the order, kicking them out of the top 10 in the process.

Both drivers are out to do their hot laps again, trying to reach into the top 10 but all attempts ended up in failure. They keep setting faster laps but their competitors did the same. Their positions ding-donged back and forth in a silly dance of trying to qualify inside the top 10.

As a last ditch effort, they send out both drivers on their tow strat. Hoping that it would work, all fingers are crossed that they qualify inside the top 10. Hot lap after hot lap, they couldn't do enough. Goita qualified P12 and Olivia qualified P14 with a special mention to Erica Okumura for splitting the two Viska drivers apart. Qualifying ended for them there. It was at least close to the top 10 and there's still a chance at the race.

Artur is now put to work coming up with a strategy that could get them some points at the race.

"Alright, great work you two. We tried out best here but it's just qualifying. The race matters more so let's go and put all our skills to good use and finish high in the race. Snacks and drinks are available at the garage if you want some."

After that message, Jöna tries to clear his mind. Always thinking positive even with a headache that distracts him.

Then hoping that their bad luck in qualifying will not spill into the race.

by **TJUN-ia** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 10:40 am

WGPC18 - Round 10
Grand Prix tsa Mattijana
Ljubala InterNazionRing, Ljubala, Mattijana (Sorry Squid, it was too fitting!)

Well then...this is it. The final race of this season. When we began WGPC18, we didn't know what to expect at all. It would turn out to be a great season, filled with changing fortunes and great racing in most races - non-championship or otherwise. After all of this action and drama, we arrive at Ljubala, Mattijana and it's InterNazionRing for one final duel. One three drivers can claim the crown here: iBen Toralmintii and the retiring Terho Talvela from Tropicorp Racing Ælund and Rudy Edwards of new boys Preston Autos. Ælund already has the constructors crown, but now we must see who will claim the drivers crown.

But that doesn't mean that Lane Carter and the other 25 drivers have nothing to fight for on the final weekend. With next season looming large on everyone, this may be the final chance to impress the racing world before the offseason begins. After all, every point counts in this series and if our favourite Galarain takes some good points here, his chances of returning for Season 19 would definitely increase...

Friday - Practice
It felt weird to the Galarian, to be at the end of this journey already. It felt like yesterday when he made that interview to SportNight about his plans for his future and yet here he was, in Mattijana, preparing for the final practice session of his first season in the elite tier of open-wheel racing. He'll certainly remember this debut campaign, the highs and the lows, but there was still work to do and he got out onto the InterNazionRing for one final Friday in this season.

He quickly discovered there was a reason why they saved this circuit till last. Ljubala was a definite challenge to tame, the circuit sometimes going the way it wanted instead of what he wanted, and the Galarian struggled to tame this final circuit of the year. In a wide practice, he was down in 20th and 1.6 secs off Alex Dimitrianov and his quick pace. Considering both R.L. Cruisin (14th) and Daryl Mizushima (18th) faired better than him, he knew that there was definitely work to do tomorrow. iBen and Rudy were up there in 4th and 5th, Terho down in 10th.

Saturday - Qualifying (Two-Tier)
Saturday arrived and for the final time, both Q1 and Q2 awaited us all. Lane knew he had to improve on yesterday's running in order to get himself in a good position for tomorrow's final showdown, the main aim of the Galarian being to leave this season in style - whatever that meant.

Turns out, he didn't need to worry at all. In another hotly contested qualifying session, the Galarina and Cruisin pulled sensational laps out of thin air in order to make Q2. Dario Nülkeschläger made it in as well, with Valkyria just about missing out on Top 10 by the bearest of margins. Daryl will not be racing tomorrow, but it was iBen who was the big shock here - the current championship leader will start the final race from P19.

Q2 was similar to Q1 and that related in the final standings. Sara Luna was once again driving like a goddess out there and took pole ahead of Dimitrianov and Talvela, who now has a clear advantage over his teammate heading into tomorrow. Cruisin beat Carter to 4th but it was very tight, the two Race Eelandiis separated by less than a tenth out there. Jasmin Kranjska starts her home race from 6th with Nülkeschläger, Cocoabo #23, Mercer-Daly and Edwards rounding out the Top10. iBen in 19th, Edwards in 10th, Talvela in 3rd. That's the set up for the final duel tomorrow.

But Lane didn't want to think about the title permutation right now, as he had other business to attend to. He had to meet up with Daryl for the last time this season and he didn't really know how to feel. If he could, Lane would want Daryl to come back to TJUN-ia with him or maybe meet up at the TJUN 600 in a few weeks time, but he didn't really know if he would accept this invitation. Still, as he walked over to the Motorworks garages, he did have something to give to Daryl at least. In Galar, if you wanted to be remembered by a person who was going away, you gave them a silver apple. It was a tradition invented when Galar fell and TJUN-ia picked up the pieces, a reminder of both the former homeland and of the people as well. He knew that a piece of Galar was already in Daryl's conscious, the apples he gave the Inkhallen put to good use in Squidroidia, but Lane wanted to be sure that, no matter what happens next, Lane would be there for his friend. He saw Daryl from afar and, for the final time this season, went to talk to the person he knew best.

"Well, hello there! Are you OK?"

by **Former Citizens of the Nimbus System** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 11:14 am

Nexus Racing HQ, Crossbay Circuit, Nimbus Bay, the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System
15th of December

Nexus Racing

Nexus Racing are a Nimban WGPC racing team, wholly owned by the government of the Nexus Wardship of Former Citizens of the Nimbus System and based at Crossbay Circuit on the edge of Nimbus Bay. A recent entrant into World Grand Prix motorsport, they have met with success in both Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships of the WGPC and are typically competitive with the fastest cars in the field, though Ryker Lane’s world drivers’ title in their inaugural WGPC 15 campaign remains their only outright victory in either. They also operate a WGP2 team. Nexus Racing are partnered closely with Nimban performance tyre manufacturer In Motion but conduct the majority of their operations in-house and have few other commercial partnerships.

Origins

Nexus Racing was founded as Project Overdrive, an attempt by the Nexus Force Assembly to rework the Dragoon medium combat vehicle after the events of the Krypton Novan campaign. The project’s major purpose, to improve the speed and traction of the Dragoon, was intended to increase the Venture League’s overall ground mobility, allowing the Nexus Force to perform rapid strikes and prepare battlefields and ambushes more easily. The project, whose personnel were assembled by then-Engineer Lieutenant Timothy Guard, met with only limited success for their year of operation.

By this point, the Ministerial Offices of Science and Technology and Sport had become interested in a joint project to further establish the tradition of Nimban racing after the local success of Cityprix and to globally promote Nimban technology. After discussions with the Ministerial Office for War, Project Overdrive was reassigned to constructing an Imagination-powered car with the purpose of entering the fifteenth World Grand Prix Championships in three years’ time and rebranded as Nexus Racing, though the project retained their former Assembly testing facilities to ease the transition.

This new focus proved successful in reinvigorating the project; the lax design constraints of the World Grand Prix regulations combined with the freedom that the extensive development period allowed were well-suited to creating a supportive atmosphere and culture of blue-sky thinking within the team. Notably, Head Designer Gertrude Thompson successfully spearheaded improvements to Imagination convertor design that made possible construction of the dual-convertor Paragon Warp array. Nexus Racing also gained the aid of Ryker Lane alongside his race engineer Martin Veri in their second year for the purpose of testing the car, with the intention that the Cityprix Drivers’ Champion would drive for the team in their first year of racing.

WGPC

Entering WGPC 15 on schedule, Nexus Racing were one of the most anticipated teams debuting that season. They quickly secured Marika Pedanovic for their second seat, bringing with her a partnership with Tygar Tyres, and she won their inaugural race at the Grand Prix of the Imperial Commonwealth. Though contact with Maria Cattaneo placed Ryker Lane twelfth in the same race, he would finish every race other than the Grand Prix of AF-DR in the points, taking six podiums from twelve races in the process. Despite not winning a race, Lane’s consistency and Nexus Racing’s own ability to outpace the field for upgrades put him in position to capitalise on Terho Talvela crashing out at the Audioslavian Grand Prix and win the Drivers’ Championship. Nexus Racing would place second in the Constructors’ Championship, behind fellow newcomers Red Lion Racing.

Alongside the departure of Tygar Tyres and the formation of a new partnership~~Partnering~~ with In Motion and Brutus Tyres~~for the first time this season~~, Nexus Racing would be formally detached from the military and relocated to the newly-built Crossbay Circuit for WGPC 16, while Marika Pedanovic was replaced by Jean Mercer-Daly after a promising three race wins at the end of the prior season. Though not as consistent as Lane, Mercer-Daly would win another two races and challenge for the Drivers’ Championship, taking second place with ninety-eight points. Ryker Lane would only earn forty-six points, hampered by a faltering mental state and poor reliability that the team faced in the first half of the season. Most desperately, however, Jean Mercer-Daly suffered a high-speed crash unshielded by his car’s systems at the Audioslavian Grand Prix after athis car’s electronics were hacked, crushing one side of his body and forcing the replacement of his arm and leg with prosthetics.

Jean Mercer-Daly, his left arm and leg now replaced by advanced Esmerelian prosthetics, and Ryker Lane were retained by the team for WGPC 17. Though a more consolidated, less optimised car made for a mediocre first half of the season, improvements in the second half and a renewed sense of optimism and determination saw Ryker Lane achieve his first race victory at the Abovian Grand Prix. Ryker Lane and Jean Mercer-Daly would secure fourth and fifth place in the Drivers’ Championship and Nexus Racing second place in the Constructors’ Championship in a season otherwise dominated by the TRÆ alliance.

Continuing the partnership of Ryker Lane and Jean Mercer-Daly into WGPC 18 under the new leadership of former Head Designer Gertrude Thompson after Timothy Guard’s departure, Nexus Racing entered the WGPC having resolved the UHSGV-4’s major flaws, allowing them to properly take advantage of its eight-wheeled design. Each driver began strongly with a win each in the series’ first three races, including a victory at home for Ryker. Ryker would win again at the sprint race in Aboveland and, despite performing poorly in the technically dominant circuits of the second half of the season, the team remain towards the front of the Constructors’ Championship behind the still-dominant TRÆ.

WGP2

Nexus Racing entered the first season of WGP2 both as a testing ground for the next year’s car and as a junior programme to allow drivers to adjust to the unique driving characteristics of Nexus Racing’s vehicles. Taking on Rebecca Darlington, Jean Mercer-Daly’s former teammate, and Lukar Urdaneta, the team’s only significant though nonetheless morale-boosting result was a first place for Darlington at the newly inaugurated Crossbay Circuit.

Lukar Urdaneta would leave the team for WGP2 II, replaced by Abovian prodigy Janne Laukkanen, who would win the first race of the season in Savojarna. While the team secured fifth place in the standings overall and Laukkanen would take third place in the season, it is arguable that Nexus Racing missed an opportunity to properly compete for prominence in the category~~season~~, sacrificing it for long term gain in the WGPC 17 season.

Nexus Racing debuted a new four-wheeled car for WGP2 III, intending to test the vehicle before entering it for WGPC 18. An early second place with Janne Laukkanen at the air.NK WGP2 Race of Nekoni proved a false dawn as he and Drake Stevenson, recruited from NSSCRA after Rebecca Darlington left the team, struggled with reliability and pace for much of the season in large part because the use of the CS-TCCS’s automation to control tyre camber gave the UHSGV-4 prototype inconsistent grip, significantly reducing its driveability. Nonetheless, the two showed signs of improvement towards the season’s end, culminating in a double points finish at the team’s home race at Crossbay Circuit.

Driver Academy Series

Responding to growing concern that Nexus Racing’s WGP2 programme is unsuited as an unaugmented driver training programme due to the inherent unreliability of the cars fielded there, Nexus Racing have begun work to establish a new, in-house series hosted entirely at Crossbay Circuit to train drivers in UHSGV characteristics, racecraft, car setup and development, as well as to acclimatise them to the team’s approach to WGP racing. The series will field underpowered copies of the UHSGV of the prior WGPC season, ensuring a reasonable level of reliability, and run semi-simulated development both to further augment Nexus Racing’s current innovation cycle and give its drivers experience of the process.

Characteristics and Philosophy

Nexus Racing have always been significantly smaller as a team than most of their competitors on the WGPC grid while still receiving stable funding from the government equivalent to or greater than those competitors. This, alongside their cultural origins as Nimban ex-military personnel, has afforded them a radical approach to grand prix racing; unable to compete with other teams’ ability to optimise every aspect of a car, they instead focus on areas of ‘blue sky’ development shunned by other teams for their complexity, unreliability or outlandishness. Their cars, beyond being powered directly by Imagination convertors instead of the petroleum fuels used by many WGP cars or an Imagination-infused liquid fuel, have adopted underfloor air fan extraction, whole-bodywork adaptive aerodynamics, substantial electronic driver aids and, most recently, increased numbers of frustral wheels and a longitudinal steering wheel control system to change their camber mid-race. This philosophy of ‘victory by overwhelming innovation’ creates cars with unique driving characteristics, sometimes worsened reliability and increased weight but frequently grants substantial performance advantages over the rest of the field, especially in terms of power.

Nexus Racing’s internal culture has been noted as exceptional among WGP teams and contributes to especially powerful synergy between its team members. The freedom of ideas, mutual supportiveness and ambition common in Nimban culture are given increased space by an unflinching communal self-belief and willingness to seek out long-term advantages, which enhances those former qualities. This culture supports the philosophy of car development described above and helps the team to endure the intense competition involved in WGP racing.

Beyond WGPC 15, the team have tended to improve relative to the rest of the field across a WGPC season, both by addition of new systems to their cars and consolidation of the flaws in previous ones. Less productively, Nexus Racing’s approach has also placed mental strain on drivers and other team members unable to adapt sufficiently to potentially erratic performances, which has been especially problematic for the WGP2 programme; the team are in the process of integrating psychologists and therapists into their organisational structure in an effort to combat this.

Save Changes?
[Yes] [No]

by **Lisander** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 12:02 pm

Before the start of the Practice

That was an unusual scene. Ricardo Vetinari talking to the team. He was most of the time the silent guy who dealt with the money.

"So, TAS is bringing us unexpected extra money, and that's why we missed the yesterday meeting. We're working to make bring these to life. Also, there is a set of Yellow uniforms for everyone in the pitlane on that box. They're making a final stint with us, before they adventure in their new sport: Cricket. They signed up with Grearia, where they started to operate this month, and are about to sign with Lisander... By the way, apart from the bats* game most of we played in childhood, do someone here understands cricket?"

Four hands raised up.

"They gave us a set of backyard cricket. Two bats, some tennis balls and a plastic wicket. - Vetinari shook a black plastic bag. - It has the Cricket Grearia logo on it, so if you want to play a while and do some advertising for them, would be nice. Later, between the Practice and the Quali. Anytime.

People weren't worried about cricket or whatever TAS was making in the future. The company only put a lot of money on the team, but never really aligned with the ethos of the team, Never advertised effusively. It was mostly for the naming. And now, at the very end of the season, they make this move. The feeling within the team was TAS Alliance wasn't TAS at all. Not even in those new liveries, because TAS kept only that minimum logo on the front. The car was really more interesting, by having the yellow of Grearish Union. But it was also the yellow of Bergsteiger Beer, so the Niklas Schonbaum sponsor would be pleased with that.

But the thing that caught their attention the most were the Anneliese side covers, with that brand... that name was so familiar and so dear, but for everything that had happened, that brand was somewhat feared or ominous. seeing that left that bitter feeling in the throat of the team members. They had some confused and even worried expressions on their faces. But that was a sign. After two seasons by leasing his license to the Lisander Autosports Board, they would be back.

"So, I wouldn't call you a bunch of sissies, because that's my nickname. You have to be very bolder if you want to be called Sissies. Why are you so worried about two words in my livery? Honestly, what's that stupid superstition? We live in a world where everything is technological, everything is man-made." - Anneliese Devereux appeared, already wearing her racing suit in black and gold, with Bitten Heroes on the chest. - "If you believe that Bitten Heroes name will give us bad luck, so you're the worst bunch of idiots I ever had the honour to work. We'll probably make that qualifier "not good enough" as usual, and it's not because the car has these decals on it. It's because this car is a WGPC17 spec. It's because we formed this team in a hurry. Because we're paid through crowdfunding. There's a lot of reasons. Let's not make the "supernatural" or something like that to be blamed for our own problems. That's silly. So, you prefer to be called the Sillies?"

Soon after the qualifier

"And that's 0.133, Sissie. It makes us P20." - Lasseps watched together the last moments of the qualifier with Anneliese Devereux and Anne Siebler.

"FUCK!" - Sissie kicked a can of DHMO that was there. - "I knew that it was to happen, but it still bothers me a lot. Every time... every time. Why we can't even do more than the pay driver? They should have chosen Athan Lille, those bastards!"

"Calm down, Sissie. Sometimes is like that. You knew from the start that we were trying not being the last. And we made it! You made points, Niklas made points. Those will convert into money and..."

"Shut up, Carol! Why is everything about stupid money? What do you think? Do you really think I'm the stingy girl created by this stupid plan of your boyfriend? No, I'm not? It's because I'm poor? Its because I was sending resumés before accepting this job? Do you think I'm a stupid, bureaucratic driver?"

"Sissie, calm down. You're throwing a tantrum!" - Anne Siebler interrupted.

"Who cares?" - Sissie complained, being slapped in the face near instantly by her engineer and friend. The sound of slap moved even some heads outside the box to see what was happening

"I care. I worry about you." - Anne took Anneliese's red face and kissed her. In the middle of the pits, everyone who stopped to look at Anneliese's tantrum watched astonished the engineer's kiss on her driver. Six, seven, eight... Tears flew from Devereux's closed eyes as the seconds passed and the kiss continued. When their lips parted, long fifteen seconds later, she muttered.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Now. Calm down both of you. Well... I don't know what happened, it's up to you. I'm not getting into what's happening, but you're tired, Sissie. You raced around this circuit a lot today and once more it wasn't the result we wanted. You know the problems. They're bigger than you can deal. You must not worry. About nothing. You should worry only about driving. Now go and rest. But before, get me another DHMO. And I'm not making you do this for me because I'm richer than you. it's because you kicked my can and spilt it."

Anneliese took a deep breath and went to pick up the can on the floor, which she quickly threw in the trash. After picking up another can in the cooler, she delivered it to Carolina Lasseps. At the table, her mePhone was vibrating. *Darius Castellammare* name was appearing on the screen. Sissie sweeped with the finger:

"Hey, boss..."

"Ding-Dong! You passed! Welcome to Bitten Heroes! Congratulations! You only threw the tantrum in the last episode! You know, it's a trait of us, lisanderians. Lisander Motorsport is a prolific field for Drama Queens. Despite being so educated, so cultured, we're still emotional, we're wholehearted, we can't hold our feelings. Well, I usually can, but it took me a lot of time."

"Wait, you must be kidding me. Are you praising me for throwing a tantrum?"

"C'mon, you can't even call it a tantrum. It was just a little fuss compared to Damian Ader throwing a notebook on the wall and covering up Lemos with insults in Yarkovo two years ago. You're stronger than you believe, girl. And you have potential. I'll send the contract right now, and you sign it with your LSiD. As soon as this race finishes, you start to prepare for the next season."

Bitten Heroes Grand Prix Engineering is returning to WGPC 19.
Anneliese Devereux is confirmed by Bitten Heroes driver for the next season.

by **Squidroidia** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 12:05 pm

The Squidroidian had just got his balaclava off his head when he saw his familiar friend, Lane Carter. For the final time this season, the young kid with rich backing was talking to his friend. He knew that tomorrow was going to be spent in the seats watching the final Grand Prix of the season, and with nothing else to do before packing up for a wild offseason, he, at the very least, had one last conversation with a friend. A friend that was where he was before the halfway mark.

The conversation went smoothly, as was expected. Daryl was okay. He didn't like it that he wasn't going to participate in the final race of his maiden voyage in the World Grand Prix Championship, but with everything that happened this season, he didn't mind it one bit. Everything this season was a hard fought fight right to the very end - Perfectly encapsulated by qualifying at Dashoze where he narrowly beat out Dario to qualify for his first ever Grand Prix. It wasn't good that he only ended up even making the grid for 2 GPs, but when one of those starts gave him 2 points? It was totally cool by him. It was an introduction to the world of open wheeled racing that served as a sort of baptism of fire for Daryl, tested against teammates that want to make the race as much as he wanted to.

Lane was cool with this too. The 2 had been through so much through their careers that if anything they sympathized with each other. All of those emails, those NSSCRA Pick-Ems, and the conversations too... It was a way to get those voices out of their heads. From Lane having to deal with a collapse of Galaria and the TJUN-ians giving him hope to Daryl having to suffer months of constant apocalypse and insanity and chaos, all for the phoenix to rise from the ashes anew... It was an outlet to share their stories, to tell the world that they will never give up no matter the odds that stacked against them. Lane wanted to keep him as a friend and Daryl welcomed him with open arms, before Carter presented Mizushima with the silver apple.

A piece of the former nation of Galar was in Daryl's friendship with Lane, and the silver apple was a way of cementing it in his head. Before the season even started he didn't know of Lane apart from the Preston trials and the Cocoabo Expo, but now they were friends. Friends that were there for each other. As he placed the silver apple next to his Squidroidian blue helmet, Daryl would hug Carter like he won the race. He was proud of Lane, and Lane was proud of him. Who knows what next season would bring? Lane and Daryl on the same team? Only time would tell.

But he had a future to share with Lane. He was going to start his offseason driving in the Lao Long 380 to get his driving skills up in a stock car in the Sherpa Empire. Daryl wasn't afraid of spreading his wings, and even though he was partly interested due to a chance to partake in an actual NSSCRA event, he knew his skills were needing a polishing. And with his interest in NSSCRA at a high, he was going to go to TJUN-ia for the 600 race weekend as well to meet Lane again. He was excited for the offseason to come.

With one last hug in the garage, Daryl said goodbye to Lane for now. As Carter walked away, the Squidroidian looked at the silver apple - An apple representing Galar and his friendship with Lane. It would end up representing his season as well. He had nothing when he arrived at Eelandii for the start of the season - Nothing except hope due to the Expo pole, and even then hope could be shredded away as with the turn to the gravel during the sprint race. Hope was shredded away with failure, but with every shredding a new piece of paper came and gave him hope. Hope for an immediate future next season and hopefully seasons after that. The apple was his metaphor for the season.

As Mizushima sat in his stands with his father before the start of the Grand Prix, with a legend retiring with a shot at his 3rd title, a Turorian legend having to start 19th and having to gain 10 spots to get wrapping paper on the driver's title and a rookie with a brand new team hoping to complete the underdog story of the Championship's history, he saw Lane Carter starting 5th. Daryl couldn't help to shed a tear for him as he was ready for the final round in Ljubala. He wished him the best of luck this race, and wanted their paths to cross again in some way next season. Lifting the silver apple up, he gave a celebratory toast to Carter. It was the best thing he did up in the stands.

The World Grand Prix Championship has come down to this...

A legend ready to hang his helmet...

His partner wanting that title as much as he wants it...

And an underdog who needs a miracle to snatch the title away from both of them.

51 more laps to crown a champion...

IT'S LIGHTS OUT AND AWAY WE GO!

OOC: Thanks to everyone for Daryl's rookie season! First and foremost I would like to give special thanks to TJUN-ia for the Mizushima/Carter storyline! It was very fun to do, having 2 drivers let everything out about their journey to come to the grid, and it was great worldbuilding! I couldn't have participated in the season without Liventia's scorination too, if it wasn't for Liv this would have been a lot different! More thanks to Vilita and Hapilopper for the trials Daryl took part in as well. Another special thanks goes to his Motorworks teammates and their nations as well for giving him a hard fight that helped this story be fleshed out. Bravo to everyone for helping Daryl's first season in the WGPC be as special as can be! I don't know what his future will take hold next season, but I will be there to help his story go along.

See you for WGPC 19!

-Squidroidia

by **Vilita and Turori** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 12:24 pm

Grand Prix tsa Mattijana, Ljubala InterNazionRing, Ljubala, Mattijana :: With just one event remaining in the World Grand Prix Championship 18 Season, the Race Eelandii! Vilita & Turori Motorworks World Grand Prix team were sitting in a very similar position than they were at the conclusion of the 17th World Grand Prix Championship season. 6th place. Of course, during the 17th World Grand Prix Championship season, a 6th place finish was quite a celebratory accomplishment for the team. In their first season as a fully-supported World Grand Prix outfit after shedding the WGPC Motorworks insignia, Race Eelandii! VTGP outperformed expectations to take "Best of the Rest" honors behind a 5-constructor Top-Tier that included Tropicorp Racing Aelund, Badai Angin, Nexus Racing, the Mattijana Racing Team and Vannish Motors Racing. With Vannish Motors halting their Grand Prix program after the season, the opportunity was there for the taking for a new constructor to jump into the Top Tier of the World Grand Prix circuit.

Unfortunately for Race Eelandii, who still sit in 6th position in the standings with just one race to go, early indications are that it would be Preston Autos taking over the Vannish Motors slot in the upper echelon of Grand Prix constructors. With 70 points in 10 races, however, it has still been an improvement for Race Eelandii! who scored just 74 over 13 events one season prior. Another point of pride for the team has been the balance between its two drivers. While Vilitan driver R.L. Cruisin certainly stole the spotlight with their victory in the season opener, both Cruisin and Rookie driver Lane Carter have contributed greatly to the teams success with Cruisin accounting for 40 of the teams 70 points and Carter for 30. It comes as a stark contrast to the teams performances from one season prior when the bulk of the points accrued came from Rustom Ibuna whose 50 points put the Filindostani driver inside the Top 10 of the drivers standings. In fact, Race Eelandii! collected more points from temporary fill-in driver Drake Stevenson's four starts than they did from former World Champion Jai Kardaeri's nine Grand Prix starts.

The real question that will be answered when the checkered flag falls in Mattijana, is what are the new tiers in the World Grand Prix Championship? While Tropicorp Racing Aelund have already secured the constructors title, it is still possible for any of the teams down to the 8th position in the Constructors standings to put together a performance in Mattijana that allows them to finish second in the final standings. While it would seem unlikely considering the second half strength shown by both Volkov Racing and Preston Autos who currently occupy the second and third positions, it is still well within the realm of possibility. In fact, Race Eelandii! VTGP currently sit just 20 points out of the second position.

Perhaps more importantly, however, the Eelandii, Turori based team are just four points behind Badai Angin Tim Motorsport of Filindostan who currently occupy the fifth position. Having finished 6th one season prior, the bar had always been set at 5th place for the Race Eelandii! team and with a strong performance in Mattijana it could be within reach. Race Eelandii! VTGP will have the advantage on the grid with R.L. Cruisin starting in 4th position and Lane Carter one spot behind in 5th. They will be chasing Badai Angin Tim driver Alex Dimitrianov who will start second on the grid but Dimitrianov's teammate Rustom Ibuna will be starting from 19th and have an uphill battle to support Dimitrianov as the Filindostani team try to defend their constructors position.

Optimism is soaring for a high-flying finish to the World Grand Prix Championship 18 campaign for Race Eelandii! VTGP with both drivers starting inside the top 5 and a little bit of luck the team can sense the opportunity for their first ever double-podium finish.

Statistically Speaking :: While it has thus far been a strong progression season for the Race Eelandii! Vilita & Turori Grand Prix team, they would still be looking at a number of metrics to assess their performance utilizing Constructors Champion team Tropicorp Racing Aelund as their golden standard for comparison - regardless of whether or not they ultimate achieve their goal of a Top 5 Constructors finish.

Qualifying: Race Eelandii VTGP drivers certainly performed best on qualifying day with R.L. Cruisin and Lane Carter averaging a starting position of approximately 10th and 11th Respectively. The two drivers were rarely far apart on the grid. While R.L. Cruisin outperformed Lane Carter in all but one Qualifying session during the first half of the season, the Rookie driver improved their pace in Qualifying with a strong second half showing that including four straight Top-7 Qualifying efforts to close out the season. That would leave the final score in the Qualifying battle at 6-4 in favor of the more experienced Cruisin, but still a fine showing for the Jaguar debutant. Carter's 3rd place qualifying run in Hapilopper was the highest place that Race Eelandii! VTGP started on the grid all season giving Carter an edge in that category although Cruisin's overall qualifying average was better.

Comparing to the metrics, both Carter and Cruisin out-performed Tropicorp Racing Aelund Championship hopeful iBen Toralmintii in qualifying across the board. In fact, through the first four events of the season Toralmintii's average starting position was 18.75 and things didn't get much better for the Turorian who did manage to boost their season average starting position to 12.1 thanks to a 2nd place start in Aboveland and Liventia. Comparing across the Constructors Champion team, however, it is a much different story. Even with Toralmintii's Qualifying struggles throughout the season, Tropicorp Racing Aelund still outperformed Race Eelandii! VTGP on the grid. The team average starting position for TRAE was 9.75 compared with the starting position average of 10.7 for Race Eelandii! V&T Grand Prix. Considering Toralmintii's poor numbers in Qualifying, looking just at Terho Talvela shows what the gold standard for Qualifying in World Grand Prix Championship Season 18. While a 23rd place start in Eelandii and an 18th place grid at the San Marco Street Course upset the overall average for Talvela, the Abovian driver was otherwise the Class of the Field in Qualifying. With two pole positions and having started on the first two rows of the grid over half of the races in the season, Talvela's average starting position of 7.4 was significantly better than either of the Race Eelandii! Drivers or that of his teammate iBen Toralmintii. Of course the crowning moment of the season for Talvela was the Pole Position at their home track in Aboveland but that was actually their second consecutive pole during a string of dominance that included three consecutive front row starts and five consecutive qualifying performances inside the Top 4.

Raceday Finish: The qualifying dominance of Terho Talvela aside, Race Eelandii! Vilita & Turori Grand Prix Motorworks could be fairly pleased with their competitiveness on qualification day. In fact their second-half average starting position for the team of 8.1 was even slightly better than that of the constructors champion Tropicorp Racing Aelund. It showed that Race Eelandii possessed the raw speed to be a competitive team on the World Grand Prix Championship circuit. Analysis of Race Results, however, showed where they team still had work to go, and just how good the constructors champions were.

One of the most consistent drivers of the World Grand Prix season, R.L. Cruisin finished in the 10-15 place range on seven different occasions. Unfortunately for the Vilitan driver, just one of those seven was a 10th place finish resulting in points. In fact, heading into the season finale in Mattijana, Cruisin has finished inside the points just three times in 10 events. By comparison, Cruisin's rookie teammate Lane Carter has five finishes inside the points including three consecutive points hauling results in a row heading into the Grand Prix tsa Mattijana. Unlike Cruisin, however, Carter also has four finishes outside the Top 15. While it is certainly to be expected from a Rookie Driver to have ups and downs it shows the difference in the drivers both in average finish and in the points.

Cruisin's consistency has perhaps emphasized Race Eelandii's place as a 5-6 place Constructor and a fixture battling for the last points spots. With an average starting position of 10th, and an average finishing position of 10th, Cruisin is the embodiment of upper-mid-pack consistency. Lane Carter's average race finish of 12.6 encapsulates the turmoil of a rookie season as well as the promising future the driver possesses. While Cruisin's two podium finishes will lead the team regardless of what happens in Mattijana, Lane Carter still has a chance to do something impressive in the finale - secure points in at least half of the Grand Prix events over the course of the season. If the TJUN-ian can accomplish this they will have certainly exceeded expectations for their rookie season and all but-ensure a contract offer would be on the table for World Grand Prix Championship Season 19.

While finishing in the points is certainly better than not doing so, a comparison between the overall 11.5 average race finish for the two Race Eelandii drivers and the 4.5 average finish shared by constructors champion drivers iBen Toralmintii and Terho Talvela highlights the gap that Race Eelandii still has to fill if they are going to join the ranks of Tropicorp Racing Aelund, Nexus Racing, Volkov and Preston Autos. These teams have operated in a different class than Race Eelandii! VTGP have as the Eelandii based outfit look to climb atop the pile of mid-table constructors with a strong finish in Mattijana. While Race Eelandii! have secured just two total podium finishes on the season - both by R.L. Cruisin, Tropicorp Racing Aelund have put a driver on the podium in 7 of 10 races thus far - with the double DNF day at the Crossbay Circuit and the inverted Abovian Grand Prix Sprint counting against them though there was little doubt their cars were fast enough to crack the top 3 on both race days. Another podium finish for the team in Mattijana would ensure one of the TRAE team would also secure the overall World Grand Prix Drivers Championship

Positions over Grid (POG): While it is easy to point at the gap in Finishing position between Race Eelandii! and Tropicorp Racing Aelund to explain the difference in the two seasons, the real target is finding a way to improve even when you are already good. It is something that Tropicorp Racing Aelund and their drivers have done consistently throughout the season and what a team like Race Eelandii! V&T Grand Prix aspire to.

For Abovian driver Terho Talvela - who already had one of the best average Qualifying positions in the field, one of the more impressive stats of the season came in position improvement. Not counting the two races where Talvela failed to finish, the Nimban Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Filindostan cepat, Talvela never lost more than a single position on race day compared with their starting position. There were just two races all season where Talvela finished - but finished in a lower position than they started. Both were races were Talvela qualified on pole position and finished the race in second place. With an average per-race improvement of over 3 positions Talvela was able to turn an average starting position of approximately 7th to an average finish of approximately 4th putting them with the best shot at challenging leader iBen Toralmintii for the World Grand Prix Title. If Talvela's Qualifying to Race improvements were impressive, however, Toralmintii's were just astronomical. The storyline was telegraphed from the very first race of the season where Toralmintii improved 22 positions in a thrilling display of overtaking that fell just one position short as the Turorian advanced from 24th to 2nd in their home event at Grand Prix of Turori. It was not just there, however, as Toralmintii would later win two different Grands Prix after lining up with a double-digit starting position on the grid. Even with a pair of late season races where they would drop 3 spots from their starting position, Toralmintii still managed an average improvement over race of over 6 positions. Should the Turorian manage to hold their place in the Championship Standings despite their shocking 19th place qualifying effort in Mattijana it will be a fitting way to conclude the season as predicted by the statisticians.

Of course, the Raceday improvement numbers for Toralmintii, Talvela and the Tropicorp Aelund Team define the bar. For Race Eelandii VTGP it was much more of a mixed bag with Lane Carter averaging only a slight gain of just under one-half positions over grid per race - having improved in give events, regressed in four and finished exactly where they started just once - in the Aboveland Feature. It was a similar up-and-down story for R.L. Cruisin though when the Vilitan driver built up their overtaking momentum, the train just kept on going. Unlike Carter who Finished within 3 spots of their starting position in 7 of the 9 race events - Cruisin only finished within 3 spots of their starting position once. On Average, Cruisin was moving forward with a season long positions over grid average of 2.5, perhaps highlighting their experience on track and perhaps a little more aggressiveness from the Veteran driver who - with the backing of the Vilisorma Beverage Company and certainly in the latter stages of their career, may not be as concerned about the trade between a decent finish and a wrecked car if they sense a podium finish in sight. Cruisin's 2.5 POG was still less than that of Terho Talvela but is a solid stat that the Vilitan driver can take with them into the offseason when deciding whether they have another World Grand Prix campaign in them or if it was time to hand over the reigns.

by **Valentine Z** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 12:59 pm

Post 20 – Light the Way!

Walking out of her lounge with her hair down as usual and with a helmet being held in her right hand, Adriana walked towards the car and the crew, both of which has been waiting for her arrival. "The vehicle is ready, Adriana!" the Fireline crew chief would tell her with a smile on his face, perhaps confident that she could pull something nice out of this. Adriana returned the same pleasantries and ensured that she would bring something out of this race. After all, with these tracks becoming more technical, something she is meant and made to do, it would be a breeze. As she recalled the things - both good and bad - that were said to her by the passers-by during her repeated blunders, she was happy that she could at least get a few points finish. She was certainly not going to be a champion for this one, perhaps it might be best reserved for the next races. However, she knew that this is going to be the start of something beautiful. "Don't worry, I will try my best today! Hopefully, it will not be as a disappointment as the rest of the season! I need to improve, I can do this."

Making her way to her qualification position and revving the engines, she gripped the steering wheel tightly, muttered a few words under her helmet, and was ready to go. "Come on, Adriana, you got this!" her Valentian friends cheered for her, along with the Fireline team; Angeline and Angela were watching the race from the seats that they have gotten for themselves on the course. 3... 2... 1... Iść! And they are away! Using her 5th starting point to her advantage, Adriana accelerated and burned through the road, slowing down in accordance with the other cars around her, and making a gentle Turn 1. Turn 2 have not been that bad, though Turn 3 was a bit of a sharp one. Turns 4-6, once again, no problem for someone such as her. Turn 7 was a rather tedious one, not just because of the angle of the turn, but also because of the other vehicles around her. Undaunted, Adriana took her time as much as she could, making sure to take the safe route even if as few vehicles have overtaken her. No matter, she thought to herself; she seriously just need to make sure that she would not suffer an early retirement. Turn 8 was slightly easier, and so was Turn 9. Turn 10 - average. Turn 11, 12, 13, it was not so much because of the sudden turns, but because of the small ones. The small snaking turns were the cause of most retirements, and Adriana knows it. Once again, she assessed the situation, did the on-the-fly calculations, and managed to make her way out of it. The other drivers were slowing down and in turn were letting her pass. They were still determined, just that they were relatively slower than her. At least, most of them. The rest of the turns, along with the speed trap, did not pose a problem for Adriana, though the company of other vehicles have definitely put her on edge. She was careful enough to avoid them, but she was certainly not aggressive enough to take over them. No DNFs so far, the drivers were persistent. Laps down, but not out.

A few more laps passed in this fashion, with Adriana making sure to be careful but also to be as swift as she could be. "Will we need tires?" she asked the crew, to which they would reply with a mostly "No, the tires were not much of a deal here since not a lot of speed was involved," the Fireline crew chief would have told her, followed by a second transmission, "But as a precaution, feel free to get them! The fewer pit stops, the better." Taking this as a hint to get some, Adriana got the change of tires and topped-up fuel, and once again went off. The dry conditions of the road was certainly a welcoming one, since she did not need to account for irregular friction coefficients. She talked to the crew regarding the feedback and conditions of her car, to which the crew noted for reference. "Well err... it handles fine, a little light, but I guess it is just because I am a little strong on the wheel. The buttons are thankfully rigid and responsive, no more buttons sinking in, as I have experienced. Thanks for this wonderful vehicle, I appreciate it!" She gave a thumbs-up and drove out of the pits.

As time passed for another hour, the race ended, and Adriana netted herself a 9th, a slightly-less-than-a-second faster finish compared to Sigur Bjarnason's #14 who finished 10th. "Well, good race! It was amazing!" Adriana exclaimed in the radio chatter, much to the joy and cheers of her team, as well as Angeline and Angela who have been looking carefully at the results. Adriana got herself another 2 points from this finish, ultimately giving her a 5-pointer. Compared to drivers like iBen, who got himself 101 points and is on the top, it was extremely paltry. However, Adriana was simply happy that she was able to make a comeback with these recent tracks. The Technical tracks were something to behold, though she would be wondering if she needs to be reconfigured to be at least slightly aggressive. +0.5 to her Aggression, -0.5 to her Technical, perhaps. Reliability needs to be still kept at 5, she thought. This might perhaps be the only thing that was saving her from a bad DNF and so far, she has not gotten anything of that sort. Down, but not out. Leżał, ale nie zemdlał.

As she read through the headlines and newspaper of Hapilopper through her internet access, she noted something about that tagline. "Aha, clever! A very old reference, hehe," in reference to the headline: Good does what Tropican't. She figured out quickly that it was an obvious reference to to "Genesis does what Nintendon't" of the olden pre-Valentian Era, at least before the whole Earth got blown up sky-high. As for other places and other universes, that was more or less alive. As her mind wandered off for a while, Adriana closed her laptop gently and met with the Fireline team, the usual round of applause and congratulatory expressions for her. She was definitely embracing it, though not complacent. After all, there is still one more race to go - the last one, the ultimate one. Ljubala InterNazionRing. The last race, a technical-heavy track once again. She figured that she could get a degree of victory for this last one, for finishing with a bang is definitely better than whimper. As they touched down at their destination, the three Valentians prepared their lounge, followed by Adriana clocking 804 CPU hours on the simulation. "She was definitely practicing for this!" Angeline remarked, printing out a track on a A2-sized paper for Adriana. They placed it on a table, Adriana checking the turns like in her simulation. She made adjustments in her code along the way, filling in the blanks that was missing in her simulations, and curating the files that she has in her head. "Okay, that will do. Missing information filled!"

Then the practice and qualifications came along. As Adriana has tried on the simulation, the turns were not too bad this time. Except maybe from Turn 3, 8, and 16, there were no sharp-angled turns. The track snakes around on Turns 4 to 8, but again, for Adriana, this was not something of a concern for her. She definitely showed this when she placed 3rd in practice. Qualification, however, was a little different. A rather awful 22nd. "What happened? Oh my dear goodness..." she trailed off. There were no other cars that were hampering her, nor was it the car. So what was it? She did perfectly well in the practice, she fumbled on the qualifications. As it turns out, there was a rogue part of her code and programs that were doing poisoning attacks on her neural networks. The false readings were hampering her driving efficiency to a 93%, from an expected 96%. That 3% was more than enough to cause severe performance degradation, and thus the lost qualifications. "Well, I know the problem, and I have solved it. I am sure I will get this down tomorrow!" Adriana talked to her team regarding this. Everyone more or less knows how much of a stake are in at this point. She was not forced to win, but at the same time, Adriana is not going to go down without putting up a fight. A metaphorical one.

by **Filindostan** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 1:13 pm

Ljubala InterNazionRing
Ljubala, Mattijana
Minutes after the qualifying session

It has been a tumultuous few weeks for Badai Angin.

After announcing the sale of the majority share of Badai Angin Tim Motorsport to Hispinas' Grupo Varadi, it waS officially announced at Liventia, where the team got its first WGPC win last season, that their current team principal, Rudolf Ibuna, will be replaced next season. The identity of the new team principal has not yet been revealed, but they are expecting that it would be a Hispino which will cause their influence to the team to increase. This would also mean that the Filindo workforce in the team will be reduced significantly as they prepare Hispino mechanics to learn the ropes of the processes within a WGPC team. It will be however been revealed that Badai Angin would keep their name and identity next season, with Telebuenas MotoMo'To! being added to the team name, and keeping their Filindostani racing license next season.

They are also expecting to keep a Filindo representation in the grid with Rustom Ibuna or Rod Gozum taking the wheel of one of the cars, but it was the announcement of the team before the practice session that shocked the home crowd at Mattijana - Alex Dimitrianov would not be retained by the team for next season. With the announcement, Rudolf ensured that the Mattijanan driver would be recognized and appreciated by the team by running a special livery at the race with the words 'THANK YOU ALEX' in the sidepods and in the rear wing of the BAP002, along with the usual Badai Angin Blue and Red replaced by Alex's usual helmet colors. They also provided Alex with a special helmet design in which the yellow color were replaced by a more golden shade to commemorate his last race for Badai Angin. Both cars will run the livery tomorrow.

Despite the announcement, it seemed that Alex did not mind the announcement, as he set the fastest time in practice, and followed it up with an excellent qualifying session, only three thousandths of a second slower than pole position driver Sara Luna in the Volkov car. Knowing that another bad result would enable his teammate to have a chance to overtake him in the standings, the home driver ensured that he will keep the points lead over his younger teammate. Despite Rudolf informing him that team orders will not be in play this race, he has been told that he can make donuts post-race.

For Rusty, it has not been a good session for him, placing 24th of 28 drivers in free practice and starting 21st place for tomorrow's race. If he wanted to help Badai Angin retake third in the constructors' standings, he can only hope for the safety car to enable him to catch up to the cars in front of him. Today's qualifying session might have secured his fate in the drivers' standings, with probably the first time that he would not be ahead of his teammate in the standings, but currently he is ahead of both Gregori and Sigur in the standings, and at least that would be a minor victory for him. He has not thought if he would be driving for Badai Angin next season, as he still has not received an offer from the new majority owners, which are now thinking twice if they will retain him for next season given the struggles he has had this season with getting good.

Another shocking announcement was made as Kristian Szusza announced that Solymok would not be supplying tyres for WGPC next season, and they are contemplating whether they will continue supplying tyres in the next WGP2 edition. News reports have emerged that there are multiple parties wanting to acquire the brand, one of which is a Sangtian registered company, Paniamogan Tyres, and another an mystery Hispinian company connected with the Grupo Varadi.

For the Ibunas, they just wanted the season to be over with already, and plan their next moves as needed.

by **Vilita and Turori** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 2:27 pm

by **Nico Hulkenberg** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 2:29 pm

One Last Hurrah

Following the relatively abysmal Grand Prix of Liventia - in which he finished 17th - Dario was hoping to have a decent final race of the season and get some more points for the team. Here in Mattijana, all he'd have to do was qualify in a good position for the race if he wanted to snag a point or two on race day.

Q1

Nothing much happened in Q1 that was truly out of the ordinary, at least not until the end of the session. Dario was sitting just outside the top 10, and would need to put in a half-decent lap to reach Q2. Thankfully, he did put in a half-decent lap, and ended up P5 at the end of Q1 with a lap time of 1:39.519.

"Well done, son, that's P5!"

"Woo! Fuck yes, haha! Almost equalling my best quali there, whoop!"

"You've still got Q2 to go, remember."

"Aye, aye. Let me celebrate this for a moment, though."

Q2

While not as impressive as P5, Dario had still managed to obtain his second highest qualifying position ever. It was impressive that he could get his car into the top 10, never mind P7!

Now, the question you've all been waiting for: How well can Dario's final race of the season go? Check the weather forecast to find out, because if it's raining - he is absolutely scunnered.

by **Liventia** » Sat Dec 19, 2020 2:30 pm

For the last time this season…

CUTOFF

for the Grand Prix tsa Mattijana at Ljubala InterNazionRing

World Grand Prix Championship 18 [RP/results]

WGPC 18 - Mattijana Final Round Preview

One Last Meeting With A Fitting Song

The return of the Bitter Feelings, 1

WGPC18 - Statistically Speaking - Eelandii VTGP vs. TRAE

V&T Racer World Grand Prix Championships 18 - Final Edition

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