My Formula 1 System

British Grand Prix

Location: London, England

Date: June 22

Time: 2 PM

Track: Stadhaven

Track Length: 6 km

Total Laps: 55

Track Type: Permanent road course

Lap Record: Marcellus Rodnick 1:13.456

Luca couldn't quite express how glad he was that the calendar had finally come home to the UK. The ninth round of the season was going to remain in Europe, and in the land of the three lions, no less.

At last, he could look forward to a few weeks without traveling. No flights and no timezone switches but just racing on home soil. Plenty of other teams had already enjoyed the privilege of competing in front of their own crowd with the grandstands flooded with flags and chants supporting their cars. Now, it was time for Jackson Racing—and Haddock too, of course—to flex that home advantage and intimidate the other teams and drivers.

Stadhaven was, by nature, a circuit that brought fire, the kind of place where the energy in the air could practically drive the car for you. With its intensity and passion, this year's British Grand Prix was already shaping up to be another classic.

Last year's didn't disappoint either. Luca remembered it clearly how he secured a confident win with a dominant lead, backed by a Sync Buff that practically turned his car into a rocket. It even helped him crash Aaronson in the later laps, and if memory served right, that was the race where their animosity really began.

But rivalry only worked if both sides were on the same tier. And as far as Luca was concerned, Aaronson just wasn't on his level, not like Max Addams back then. That one was the one Luca had time for.

Now in F1, Luca had his eyes set firmly on the British GP trophy. Winning it back-to-back—in F2 last year and now in F1—would do more than just earn him bragging rights. It would stamp his name into the England Motorsport history books with a solid mark. And more than that, to win it in front of the home crowd also meant everything.

Whether those who knew him simply as Luca or those who knew the F1 driver, Luca Rennick, all the people would be thrilled to watch one of their own lift that trophy on British soil.

Since Rodnick was STILL injured, Luca reckoned that 100% of the team's support would now go to him, and that alone slightly increased his chances of victory. Of course, Rodnick is still an opponent, but not necessarily a rival.

Jackson Racing doctors had confirmed that the distal radius fracture would need at least another week or two before full mobility could return. There were still signs of inflammation, and the doctors emphasized that even light strain could cause setbacks. So, in essence, Rodnick was definitely going to miss another race.

At this point, Luca genuinely felt bad for his teammate. The whole crew did too. Rodnick was the defending champion, and this was no way to hold onto a crown.

Looking at the standings now, just after missing a single race, Rodnick had dropped from 3rd place to 6th, completely out of the top five and now dragging points alongside Luis Dreyer, who didn't even finish in Hungary. If Dreyer hadn't crashed and had managed a decent finish, Rodnick would've probably found himself down in 7th already.

So, the question was: what position would he sink to after the ninth round? This clearly wasn't shaping up to be a solid season for Rodnick. He would need a miraculous comeback to silence the growing doubt. And with the calendar slowly approaching its midpoint, there was still a shot to regain control, but only if he got back behind the wheel soon.

With the extended, but at least now confirmed timeline of Rodnick's injury, the crew figured he'd be even more gutted than before. So, a few of them decided to organize a visit to his home, just to check in and lift his spirits a bit.

Eddy brought it up to Luca and Di Renzo, mentioning the little trip and asking if they wanted to come along. Luca was genuinely surprised by the idea and nodded eagerly without thinking twice. Di Renzo, however, said he'd prefer to visit Rodnick another day, alone, in a more personal setting.

So, one day after their training drills, those who had agreed to the visit piled into one of the team buses. This bus was not like the large ones used for equipment or pit crew movement, but a smaller, commercial-style road bus that seated about fifteen. It was actually the team's dedicated transport for medical staff, so it had a clean, clinical paint job that made it look like a mobile clinic.

The appearance alone cracked everyone up, including Luca. They shared a round of jokes and banter about it as they got comfortable, even predicting without a doubt that Rodnick himself would burst out laughing the moment he saw that hospital-looking bus roll into his compound.

However, Rodnick didn't even crack a smile. He hadn't seen the bus when it arrived because he never stepped outside or peered through any of the windows. And even after they told him about it, expecting a chuckle or at least a smirk, his face stayed blank and completely neutral.

His home was in Richmond, a serene and upscale part of London. The kind of area where the roads were quiet, the air fresher, and the houses looked like they were plucked out of a classic English period drama. Rodnick's place especially had that royalty charm with flawlessly trimmed hedges, tall trees with rich green canopies, and flowerbeds in full, vibrant bloom.

It said something about Rodnick. He must've been someone who valued peace and calm to live in a setting like this. A place that looked more like a countryside retreat than a racer's home.

The mansion itself was grand, and it was clearly a proper family home. Rodnick didn't live alone; he stayed with his entire family. The sight of it made Luca a bit guilty for leaving his mother alone in Clapham.

Rodnick's twin sister and his teenage brother were the ones who welcomed them into the house. Lunch had already been prepared and was served across the long, king-sized dining table, one of those heavy, carved pieces that looked like it belonged in a palace.

It felt as if they were about to reenact the Last Supper, and just fitting, Rodnick took his seat at the head of the table like Jesus, while the rest of them filed in along the sides like his disciples.

For the first few minutes, everything went smoothly. They chatted casually, as teammates do, discussing everything that had happened so far especially the latest gossips. The atmosphere was light, almost as if they were just another group of friends sharing a meal together.

Rodnick, sitting there with his left arm propped up in a cast, remained largely quiet, observing the scene unfold. His gaze drifted from one person to the next, taking in the lively conversation. His eyes lingered on Luca for a moment, who was laughing loudly, his voice echoing in the room like an overjoyed baboon at times.

Rodnick's stare stayed longer than it should have, an intensity in his look that wasn't entirely obvious to the others, but something Luca might've felt if he'd caught it.