My Formula 1 System

"...The Bahrain Grand Prix has detonated the first bomb of the season, and it's only Round One! What in the world did we just witness?! Formula One is back, and it's rabid..!"

"...that's no longer a duel, Sam, that was warfare on wheels! Bahrain has never seen this level of drama! The entirety of Formula 1 had even yet to see it until this very moment…!"

"...Ladies and gentlemen, we've just seen two titans rip the atmosphere in half. What Rennick and DiMarco just delivered was madness that even the steward might need a minute to emotionally process! If this is just the first race of the season, I fear for the rest of the season! This is the kind of collision that shakes the grid order, literally and figuratively…!"

"...No one expected this, really, especially not in the first race of this new campaign. Bahrain, you beauty, you beast. You've hosted a moment of sheer mechanical mayhem…!"

Sakhir was marinated in chaos and disbelief, as the after-ripples of the collision between Luca and DiMarco began to spread worldwide. This Grand Prix event was heading straight into the archives and would forever be remembered as the race where Luca and DiMarco's rivalry evolved into mythology to be told to grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A statement veiled as a crash, fueled by ego from both drivers, refusal, and reputation. Both men were equally responsible for colliding with each other in what became the loudest welcome-back Formula 1 had ever seen. But the stewards, with their sharp cognizance and impartial reasoning, knew exactly who to blame.

DiMarco had approached Luca with a full head of speed, aided by a clear grip advantage from staying on the racing line. Even though he had every right to defend his position, he wasn't supposed to do it like that, especially considering that the other driver, Luca, was still navigating the runoff after suffering a prior scrape.

Luca was already occupying the edge of the runoff as they approached the convergence point. He wasn't making any erratic entrance, but simply holding wide to rejoin confidently. As said earlier, DiMarco had a choice: to lean away and offer a sliver of sportsmanship, letting the other driver rejoin safely, or close in on his lane and risk a crash.

He chose the latter. So they deemed him at fault. His official violation was: Pinching into Rennick's re-entry line without leaving sufficient space.

> "Davide DiMarco is awarded a drive-through penalty for causing a collision."

A drive-through penalty is one of the more severe punishments in Formula 1. The penalized driver must enter the pit lane, driving through it at the regulated speed without stopping for tire change, service, or any form of adjustment. The punishment is simply to lose time. It could cost anywhere between 20 to 25 seconds, depending on the circuit.

Although this was the ideal penalty subconsciously agreed upon by the stewards, it was never actually issued to DiMarco, because DiMarco was no longer in the race to be penalized.

XXX— Davide DiMarco.

After the impact, and the gush of blood from Luca's nose, and the ominous shadow that had engulfed him, the RBioL finally dropped back onto the asphalt in mortal agony. Its descent was almost as devastating as the initial collision, with more parts of the car blasting off in all directions upon contact.

Luca—smart, sharp, still with all his Intelligence intact—understood that he wasn't supposed to just sit there lifelessly for more than five seconds. He prayed the Z24 wouldn't give up on him as he flicked his hand onto the gear paddle. A soft hum beneath his feet told him that the heart of the machine still beat.

Blood in his nose, helmet fogged with his own breath, Luca squeezed the wheel, shifted down once to stabilize the RPMs, then fed the throttle with firm command.

The Z24 obeyed him and the world watched, in shocked horror and incredulity, as Luca Rennick limped away from the messy scene… with a damaged, but still active, car.

****

[Lap 40]

It was the 40th Lap now, and the chaos that the collision brought had settled. But it still lingered everywhere because no action before or after had yet, or would even likely, be more impactful than that one.

Davide DiMarco was currently being put in prayers, having been carried out on a stretcher while the red flags fluttered seriously. Luca, on the other hand, had completely survived the incident, but that bloodstain on his visor back then remained a cause for concern to everyone.

During the red flag session, Luca was allowed to make a pitstop, one that wouldn't cost him any time since the race had been paused. There, Trampos got to work: they changed the Z24's damaged parts and also ensured his helmet was swapped and his nose quickly wiped without him ever having to leave the cockpit.

Everyone's eyes in Trampos were filled with worry during the extended pitstop that took up to 10 seconds. The crash was still being cleared, the crowd was still wild, and yet they weren't sure if Luca was actually fine, or if they should withdraw him to prevent further injury.

"...But how did Rennick's Ferrari not stop? Blood in the helmet, a car missing chunks of itself, the stench of mechanics still hanging, yet he kept going…"

"...Just minutes ago, two of the grid's most revered collided harshly. The Red Bull is unrecognizable, and Davide was stretchered off sadly… no confirmation yet, but it's not looking good…"

After DiMarco's injury, many VIPs tied to Bueseno Velocita began leaving the venue, regarding the race as ridiculous and Luca, a stain to the sport. The only recognizable figure connected to Velocita who remained was Mr. Marchetti, his eyes glued to the race with growing interest as lap after lap passed beyond the crash many refused to forget.

Luca Rennick was still in the race, in P10, recalibrating. On the contrary, Davide DiMarco was undergoing immediate treatment, as they had already detected some broken bones.

[End Exchange?]

[This will immediately revert all transferred attributes to their original values.]

⟦ ✔ TERMINATE SWAP ⟧

⟦ ✘ CONTINUE RACE WITH EXCHANGE ⟧

[Warning: Terminating Exchange during active race phase may affect performance balance. Ensure no critical maneuver is in progress.]

Luca chose to terminate the swap. He could still feel the aftershock of the violent impact and needed his Strength and Endurance back. More importantly, the car required its Aerodynamics restored. He planned to have only one final stint after the pitstop, and Tire Wear Management at full (30) could handle that.

Luca remembered the collision vividly, especially the moment he rammed into DiMarco, opposite to what DiMarco had anticipated, believing Luca would be the one to get clipped first. The thud of violence that followed, the brutal shudder down his spine, and that haunting image of the RBioL suspended mid-air…

Not to forget how the car had dropped back down like a slab, with a sickening crunch of re-impact…

Would this leave a mark on Davide DiMarco?

If it did, then Luca may have just removed one of the most dangerous pieces from the championship board, a step closer to the crown in which he had bathed his hands red.