My Formula 1 System

Chapter 19 Ultimatum 2 Race To Make It

Frustratingly for Luca, he remained in 5th position throughout the 3rd and 4th laps, maintaining a steady speed that kept him just ahead of 6th, but still lagging behind 4th.

[DATA DISPLAYED IN REAL-TIME:

-Car Speed: 180 km/h

-Heart Rate: 140 bpm

-Operational Status: 85% (Good)

-Breathing: Slightly Elevated

-Distance covered: 14200m

-Time: 4 min. 15 sec ]

He adjusted the positioning of his tires, zooming through the course, his eyes fixed on the hovering holographic number 4 sign in the distance, beckoning him as he pushed his car's power. By the 6th lap, an opportunity presented itself, and Luca could feel his single-seater closing in on Number 4's.

Realizing it wasn't the same car he'd been trailing earlier, a smile crept onto his face—this was turning into a true competition.

A subtle bend in the track approached, prompting Luca to tilt his wheel ever so slightly for a smooth glide through the slanted asphalt. His tires, heated from the aggressive pace, gripped the road tightly and handled the curve with precision, allowing him to shrink the gap between him and the car ahead—Number 4, a Honda product running steadily.

Luca locked his focus on the Honda's rear, maintaining a constant speed to match it. Dammit. He knows I'm right behind him. Alright, there's a bend, I can cut in there, he plotted, his hands instinctively guiding the wheel in seamless motions as he scanned for an opening. But Number 4 was skillful—blocking every potential gap, expertly maneuvering to prevent Luca from making any decisive move.

The bend loomed closer, and Luca made his decision. Now or never, he gritted his teeth and pressed down on the throttle. The engine roared in response, a deep growl filling the cockpit. With his heart pounding, he flicked the DRS (Drag Reduction System) switch, aiming to gain extra speed on the straight before the bend.

His thumbs tightened on the wheel, and a surge of G-force slammed into him, pressing his body back into the seat like a sledgehammer as the car shot forward.

[Strength +1]

[You have accelerated to 240 km/h]

Luca's R.S.11 lunged ahead, the aerodynamic force pulling at the frame of the car as it pierced through the air, edging to the left of Number 4. The Honda's rear wing was just inches away from the nose of Luca's car. As the curve intensified, Luca didn't back down, pushing forward with a surge of speed, now matching Number 4.

Luca swore he could hear Number 4 curse, but he had no time to glance in his direction. Number 4 was actually squeezing him down to the outer edge of the bend, where the track threatened to give way to the caution zone. Oh, you dare not, Luca growled inwardly, tightening his grip on the wheel as his tires screamed, terrified of the edge of the caution zone just centimeters away. System?

Don't I have any Skills to escape this situation? He's matching my speed, and I can't cut in.

[Unfortunately, host. Your skills are still F-ranked, basic skills that every Formula 1 racer tends to have. By delving into D-ranked and C-ranked Skills, you might have options to explore.]

[However, you can only utilize those available to you. I suggest using the Overtaking Skill, but the Honda's speed seems to be daunting. Slowing is not an option, host.]

"Well, alright," Luca replied, the grass to his left a blur as he zoomed past, the Honda still pushing him down without contact. Looking straight ahead, Luca found relief in knowing that what had seemed like an endless bend finally straightened up. Numbers 1, 2, and 3 were nowhere to be seen, with 3 zooming down lonely into the horizon.

Unfortunately for Luca and the still-leading Honda in 4th position, they had been squeezing themselves to one side of the track, inadvertently granting a clear path of speed for the lagging participants.

Before they knew it, three single-seaters zipped past them, claiming 4th, 5th, and 6th positions respectively, their speed not relenting as they chased after each other and position 3 on the asphalt.

[8th position]

Luca cursed under his breath, frustration bubbling as the digital interface before him displayed a number reflecting his drop to eighth. The driver in seventh had just become aware of their mistake and began to ease off the track's edge, allowing Luca to reclaim his territory. Bastard, he thought bitterly, steering his car back onto the main line with purpose.

With a surge of determination, Luca pressed down on the throttle, the engine roaring in response as he adjusted his controls. A fleeting glance at his car's status confirmed everything was still green. With a deft flick of his wrist, he surged ahead, effortlessly overtaking the Honda and claiming the seventh position.

[7th Position]

[Overtaking Skill +1]

[Endurance +1]

[Reflexes +1]

[SYNC BAR: [][][][]37.5%]

Luca focused intently as the next few laps unfolded in a blur. The 6th position he had been striving to achieve finally came easy to him when the car ahead of his R.S.11 became the first to make a pit stop. As the Honda veered off the track, he seized the opportunity, accelerating past with a surge of adrenaline, reclaiming territory he had worked so hard to regain.

The engine roared in response, and for a brief moment, he felt a sense of relief as he moved up the leaderboard.

[6th Position]

[10th Lap Completed host!]

[Stamina +1]

[DATA DISPLAYED IN REAL TIME:

-Car Speed: 200 km/h

-Heart Rate: 120 bpm

-Operational Status: 65% (Fair)

-Breathing: Slightly Elevated

-Distance covered: 34 050m

-Time: 15 min. ]

Luca felt his engine purr harder beneath him, and he began to contemplate pitting either on this lap or the next. "System? What do you say? Should I wait for the management to tell me?" Luca asked, focused on his race as he defended his position while still pushing forward.

[Although waiting for the telemetry team to order you is standard, I recommend pitting now while the track is still in its prime heat window. This stage allows better tire management before degradation accelerates in the later laps.]

Luca took in a deep breath, gently maneuvering through a bend as he approached the pit stop with straightaway speed. His grip tightened on the wheel as he flicked the pit limiter button, slowing down his car to meet the pit lane speed regulations. The roar of the engine softened, replaced by the controlled hum as he smoothly guided his car into the pit lane within quick seconds.

The team that was already lined up, chatting, instantly sprang into action. Luca swore that he saw the girl he spoke to the other day, Isabella, part of the crew. Though they were not as fast as a professional pit crew, their actions were carried out in a flash. Once he felt his car's tires drop back with a thud, the signal of go, Luca rocketed out of the pit lane, diverting onto the track.

A short-lived joy enveloped his heart when he believed he hadn't been overtaken during the pit stop, but the Honda and another car zoomed past him once he regained footing. Luca cursed, building up speed once more as he felt his new tires grip the asphalt confidently this time. He promised himself he wouldn't take another pitstop, just as he finished his 13th lap in 9th position.

Lap after lap, Luca pressed harder. The familiar roar of the engine seemed almost a whisper against the chaos in his mind, racing as fast as the tires beneath him. The asphalt blurred as he cut through the turns, his body instinctively leaning into every motion of the car. 8th position, 7th position... yet, the distance between him and the leaders felt insurmountable.

[Overtaking Skill +2]

[SYNC BAR: [][][][] 50%]

[Stamina +2]

[Regulate your speed, host. You are still far from the final laps, this is the seventeenth.]

Luca understood what his System meant, but he was determined not to take any chances. Having completed 17 laps, there were still 17 more of Grey-Husson's, but he wasn't certain how many the leaders had completed on their own. "Please tell me I won't fill up this Sync Bar for some mediocre act," Luca muttered under his breath, his body tilting as he felt a deadly strain coursing through him.

The blinking Sync Bar in his System interface at the top right had two of its bars filled with green color, and Luca noticed that the more he used skills, the more the percentage increased, ultimately filling the bar at some point.

[Host, let's say it is one of the many features of the Formula 1 System that grants you an upper hand.]

[I am glad to announce you are in 6th Position. Great job!]

Great job? How about a fantastic job. Do you know how difficult it was to pass that guy? Luca tightened his grip on the steering wheel, trailing behind the driver in 5th position as the next bend approached. He believed it was the perfect moment to cut—not in, but out. Brake late, cut loose—that was the plan.

The moment came, and the 5th position driver cut in just as Luca expected, believing that must be the only way to cover ground.

Luca had barely blinked, launching his car into the wide gap, tires screeching as the car held firm through the corner. He felt the jolt of acceleration, the engine humming like a beast as the wind whipped violently around him. With his R.S.11 now displayed to the trailing car in 7th position, Luca's mind had already moved forward—toward the next single-seater.

[Position 5 loomed ahead by 2.2 seconds]

Whoever the driver ahead was, he was skilled—sharp, precise in his movements. But Luca had something else: a hunger, a hunger for lots of things, especially some agreements he had made recently. As he neared the apex of the track, Luca made his move, releasing the tension in his shoulders as he pushed the throttle down.

His fingers twitched on the wheel, every muscle in his body taut, ready for the inevitable bend of the next corner.

Ahh, I freaking knew it. It was the Honda again. Luca recognized the blue frame instantly, memories of their last encounter flooding back. "He knows I'm coming again," Luca muttered under his breath, focusing entirely on the car ahead. The gap between them shrank rapidly, and with the next sharp corner approaching, he knew he had to decide: cut in sharply or go wide, just as he had done before.

Remembering their previous run-in, doubts crept into his mind about cutting in sharply. But this particular bend favored it, leaving him no choice but to drift—his first-ever drift.

The bend approached with terrifying speed, and Luca could feel the raw power of the machine beneath him, its weight pressing down on the asphalt. He flicked his wrists and pulled the wheel sharply to the right, sending his car into a controlled drift.

The tires screamed in protest as they hugged the far edge of the track, nearly kissing the barricade of the stands as he pushed the car beyond its limits.

Seeing Luca's attempt, the Honda driver grew frustrated and dove into Luca's path, trying to block him. But the precarious nature of a drift granted Luca the ability to swerve unpredictably, creating openings that could confuse both the defending driver and those behind. The R.S.11's rear fishtailed, sliding dangerously close to the red and white edge markers.

Luca could almost hear the rubber biting into the road, fighting against the inertia.

His heart raced, the smell of burning rubber filling his nostrils as the G-forces pressed against him. The speedometer in his System interface spiked rapidly, and he tilted the wheel, determined to hold the drift until he could fully embrace the curve. Now, the nose of his car had successfully breached into the Honda driver's personal space.

Luca's tires stopped screeching, the unpleasant sound fading as his drifting came to an end. Hitting the throttle was next, and he sped diagonally before the Honda, momentarily disorienting the driver with his sudden maneuver.

He emerged from the corner and took in the straightaway, building up speed once more. Luca couldn't believe it.

[5th Position]

[Overtaking Skill +1]

[Reflexes +1]

[Track Awareness +1]

[SYNC BAR: [][][][] 87.5%]

[You are moving at 260 km/h]

[Would you like to view Data, host? I advice you do so]

Luca could feel his body strained, every muscle tensed and aching, as though he had been running nonstop for twelve days. It baffled him that something as seemingly simple as sitting in the driver's seat could be so taxing on the body. Racing at these speeds, with high G-forces pressing him into the seat during turns, was like enduring a full-body workout while being strapped to a rocket.

His heart pounded in his chest, and sweat trickled down his face as the physical toll of the race began to weigh on him.

He quickly understood why his System suggested he take a look at his real-time data. Luca wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up for the rest of the race, and with the final laps of the short race just approaching, he felt an urgency to evaluate his status.

[DATA DISPLAYED IN REAL-TIME:

-Car Speed: 250 km/h

-Heart Rate: 140 bpm

-Operational Status: 70% (Fair)

-Breathing: Hiked

-Distance covered: 71100m

-Time: 28 min. 10 sec ]