Luca stepped out of the blacked-out SUV. His eyes imdiately caught sight of the press clustered to one side of the premises, and he muttered sothing under his breath.
It was a small group of journalists, but he knew they could still cause the sa amount of stress.
Manuela hastily stepped out of the car as well, almost tripping on her heels but quickly regaining her stance. Together, they looked up at the towering state-of-the-art building—the one and only headquarters of the FIA's official ga manufacturers, F1 Monoposto.
F1 Monoposto was the undisputed leader in Formula racing ga developnt. They had started as a small independent studio focused primarily on motorsport simulation—GT racing, in particular.
But over ti, they gained widespread recognition, especially eleven years ago with Grand Prix Evolution, a groundbreaking release that revolutionized dynamic weather physics in racing gas. To this day, it remained the best edition ever released.
Six years ago, F1 Monoposto secured an exclusive licensing deal with the FIA Formula 1 organization, granting them the rights to produce the official F1 video ga series.
Since then, they had dominated the market, eclipsing smaller simulator manufacturers. Logically speaking, they had no competition.
The FIA ensured that F1 Monoposto was available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms, providing a seamless cross-compatible experience for all gars.
Every update brought new changes. There'd be new things like teletry data integration, improvents to the physics system, new circuits, and additional venues, all designed to elevate the experience and keep things fresh.
The most recent developnt, however, was the introduction of machine learning AI. F1 Monoposto had partnered with all the F1 teams, ensuring each AI mimicked the real-world counterparts in their decision-making and strategies.
The goal was to create an imrsive, realistic simulation that could match the unpredictability and complexity of actual races.
They also partnered with all F1 drivers—Luca, no exception. He signed a deal with Monoposto the sa week he beca a Jackson Racing driver.
Along with this, Monoposto also ford partnerships with all F1 drivers, and Luca was no exception. He signed a deal with Monoposto the sa week he joined Jackson Racing, marking the start of a lucrative arrangent.
For Luca, the deal felt effortless. He wasn't even required to do anything beyond lending his na and face for marketing, which worked perfectly for him as it extended his reach beyond his actual racing career.
As part of the agreent, F1 Monoposto conducted a detailed scanning process of every driver. Each individual on the grid was ticulously analyzed to capture their face, physique, driving style, and voice.
This data was used to create hyper-realistic in-ga versions of the drivers, counterparts that were as close to their real-world performances as possible.
So, despite Luca's face and na being plastered on posters, cards, and advertisents around the world, his in-ga counterpart had yet to be integrated into F1 Monoposto.
For this year's Grand Prix Evolution VI, Luca wouldn't appear in the ga—he wasn't ready yet. However, he would be available as a selectable driver or rival for gars to face off against in the upcoming Grand Prix Evolution VII update.
How cool!
A valet approached Luca and his team. Dino didn't even try but the young man trembled under his gaze as he greeted and welcod Luca.
Another lady was arriving, on sharp heels and black office pants. Her brunette hair was carried by the breeze and her steps grew brisk every second.
"Mr. Rennick, welco," she greeted, offering Luca a handshake. "I'm Maisie Gibson, your liaison for today. We appreciate you making ti for this session. I imagine your schedule is quite packed."
"It's not too bad today," Luca replied, taking a good look around the spacious place. He was happy his voice was clear and back to normal, life had never felt better.
Emily gestured toward the entrance far far away. "Let's get you checked in. We've streamlined the process, so it'll be quick."
So, Luca and his team bounced to the building. The press wanted a word, but Maisie wasn't having any of it. She quickly dismissed them and continued on their way.
Soundless sliding automatic doors greeted them as they stepped inside, leading them into a spacious lobby where the Monoposto branding was subtly yet obviously woven into the décor.
The reception desk was manned by a young man in a tailored suit, who imdiately acknowledged them with a wide smile.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Rennick," he said smoothly and began tapping on his tablet on the desk. "You're scheduled for the 2 PM session."
"Correct," Maisie confird. "Could you confirm his clearance?"
The receptionist nodded and his fingers moved purposefully on the screen. Luca remained quiet, his gaze idly dancing around the professional reception area while Manuela, standing beside him, searched for the right mont to interject.
"Excuse ? But can I get a copy of his full schedule for today?" she asked with a firm tone. "I'd like to keep track of everything."
The receptionist glanced up, eting her eyes before offering a small nod. "Of course, Miss. I'll send it directly to your email, or would you prefer a printed copy as well?"
"Both, please," she replied without hesitation and told him her e-mail.
Maisie admired Manuela's commitnt.
After a while, the receptionist looked up and inford them that they were all set. Manuela received the schedule, nodded and offered her thanks.
Luca nodded his own thanks as Emily led him past the reception desk and into the main corridor.
The floors were polished so much into a sheen like crude oil, reflecting the soft glow of strategically placed LED lighting all around the place. It didn't even look like a gaming company though.
"You'll notice Monoposto's setup is very driver-oriented," Emily explained as they walked. "Every part of this facility is designed to refine the gaming experience, not just for the players but for the accuracy of how F1 is portrayed."
"Each driver has a dedicated profile," Emily continued as they moved through hallways. Manuela was learning how to keep up with pace. "Your AI learns from your actual racing style—how you take corners, when you brake, how aggressive you are on the track. It's all integrated to make your in-ga counterpart as realistic as possible."
Hmmm, I wonder how they'd actually simulate — and Sync Buff! Will I actually beco the highest rated F1 driver in F1 Monoposto?
"So, if I'm an impatient driver in my overtakes, my Ai will do the sa?"
"Exactly," she confird with a smile. "And that's why today's session is important. The voice scans and behavioral calibration will bring your profile to life."
Luca had once thought it was all about randomisation. But it seed the racing gas he used to play were actual codings, programming and strict systemization.
They arrived at a secondary checkpoint where a security officer greeted them before scanning Luca's credentials. The turnstile unlocked with a quiet beep, and they proceeded down a narrower corridor toward a set of doors labeled "Driver Integration Suite."
The ambiance here was quieter, more refined, as though they were stepping into a high-tech laboratory.
On the walls, Luca could see all official F1 drivers' F1 Monoposto Driver Card.
Dozens of them!
Each official F1 driver had one! All sleek, all red, all black-edged and embedded directly into the wall. Luca had to stop moving to see everyone's nas alongside their respective teams.
Wow, Luca thought. This is incredible!
The rosters of all ten teams were here, proudly exhibited like trophies! Jackson Racing, Nordvind Racing, Outback Performance....
Luca decided to check out so of the stats of the drivers he knew. It was a long wall with countless cards, so he couldn't cover all at once, especially when he had sothing to do.
His gaze moved across the nas until it landed on one in particular—Elias Nyström.
Nyström was good at claiming how good he was, so Luca was going to see for himself.
Nyström was zipping up his racing suit in his card photo. It was a dope pose in Luca's opinion, he wasn't going to lie.
┌──────────────────────┐
│ F1 MONOPOSTO DRIVER CARD │
├─────────────────────┤
│ ELIAS 🇸🇪
│ NYSTRÖM
│ Nordvind Racing Audi
├─────────────────────┤
│ Experience: 75
│ Racecraft: 86
│ Awareness: 65
│ Pace: 81
├─────────────────────┤
│ Total Rating: 78 ⇑⇑│
└──────────────────────┘
Luca didn't know what to make of it. He had no idea what the standard was, what was average and what was great. F1 Monoposto was different in their own ratings.
He saw Yūichirō's card next, but Maisie was working with ti as she stopped at a door. "This is where we do the groundwork before your actual scanning. You'll get a rundown of the process, go over any details you'd like changed, and we'll set up a whole month's full integration session."
Luca nodded.
He paused, noting Maisie's eyes were settled on Manuela. "Any problem?"
"Not a problem, but it would be best if your personal assistant doesn't follow. We need authenticity here."
Manuela nodded rapidly. "I understand. I'd go wait in the lounge," she said curtly and left.
Luca was flabbergasted at the quick exchange by the woman. He didn't know what to say as Manuela walked down the hall, retracing her steps.
Satisfied, Emily pressed a button, and the doors slid open. "After you."
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