The world could be witnessing Jackson Racing's downfall.
Just a few months ago, they were sitting at the summit of the Constructor's leaderboard with flawless machines, flawless strategy, and a driver duo that had terrified the grid into submission. But now, it was all caving in drastically.
Luca Rennick, the jewel in their crown, had been pulled from the track after the inferno in Spain. His presence, which the team hadn't cherished while they had it, was now sorely missed, as the wounds he left behind had begun to sting and pepper. Jackson Racing's sterile manner couldn't endure it anymore, and their anarchy was general knowledge now.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was functioned successfully, and Rodnick wasn't part of the grid either, because he was still on trial and was prohibited from being behind any wheel.
Many in Jackson Racing's managent suspected that Rodnick would be found guilty, because they too had seen so recent changes in the behaviour of the Arican, and that could only an wrongdoing. But they could only hope for negative results and support Rodnick through the process, because they would not benefit anything if the Apex Predator wasn't innocent.
Their fears were justified, their conditions solidified, and the entire world stunned to the core.
The FIA had found Rodnick guilty of doping violations. Traces of corticosteroids used to speed up his wrist recovery were confird. Worse, further screenings revealed usage of oxandrolone, a synthetic anabolic agent linked to lean muscle gain and endurance enhancent.
It turned out Rodnick had later added a full-blown performance-enhancing drug into his dosage. He didn't just plan to heal, he planned to bounce back, dominate, and reclaim what was his.
The scandal ripped through the entire motorsport community like a cracking iceberg, spreading outward and reaching the ears of every single being who watched or even knew soone who watched Formula 1.
@FIAofficial
📢 Official Statent
Following a detailed review and independent testing process conducted in full alignnt with the FIA Anti-Doping Code, it has been confird that driver Marcellus Rodnick returned a positive result for two banned substances: corticosteroids and oxandrolone.
The findings pertain to samples collected shortly after Grand Prix #14 of the ongoing season.
A disciplinary hearing has concluded, and the full report—alongside corresponding sanctions—will be released in the coming days via official FIA platforms.
#FIA #AntiDoping #RodnickInvestigation #IntegrityInMotorsport
The announcent left the world in shock and bamboozlent, and also on the edge of their seats as they awaited the punishnts that would follow.
In the anti, it was only natural for everyone to start making sothing out of it. Reporters and journalists jumped into heated debates, questioning whether all of the big six drivers should now undergo desperate testing, just to be absolutely sure it wasn't the supercars alone giving them that extra boost on track.
A theory began circulating that Rodnick could actually have been the cause of Ansel's death, considering how erratic his driving was during that race, leading to their collision and Ansel's spin.
Rodnick was being called out en masse to address the situation, but he remained completely silent and unseen throughout, even when the punishnt from his guilty verdict was released to the public three days after he had already received it in private alongside his agent.
"...Following the conclusion of the disciplinary process regarding the anti-doping violation by driver Marcellus Rodnick, the FIA confirms the following sanctions:
— A 2-year ban from all FIA-sanctioned competitions, effective imdiately.
— Disqualification of results and forfeiture of points earned from the Austrian Grand Prix onward.
These asures reflect a zero-tolerance policy toward performance-enhancing drugs and reaffirm the FIA's commitnt to upholding the integrity of global motorsport..."
Luca took a quick, almost unintentional deep breath when he received the news of his own teammate being banned from Formula racing for two years.
Not only that, but all points Rodnick had earned from the very start of his doping journey which the dical report claid began shortly before the Austrian Grand Prix, would be nulled for both team and driver.
It was a brutal punishnt, but this was actually the standard. The FIA didn't go easy on him, neither were they particularly harsh. It just seed they picked up the rulebook word for word and slapped it on Rodnick. Luca thought it wasn't too bad, all things considered.
However, he really considered Jackson's albatross in this matter.
Rodnick's punishnt didn't only an they would lose him for two full years, but it also ant that all the points he accumulated while under the influence—no matter how small—would be revoked, and not just for him, but for the team as well.
This would seriously slim down their chances under the survival mode they had adopted, and drastically cut their claim for the Constructors' Championship title they had to retain, especially now that Squadra Corse and Antonio Luigi were on a roll.
Luigi had just clinched his second straight win as Baku fell to his dominance with the FiammaVeloce Pro. No doubt, he was going to be crowned the F1 Champion for this season. Even Luigi could feel it: his smile so wide and broad, confidence unchallenged.
The more points he and Marko collected, the greater Squadra's total looked, especially when compared to the insignificant achievents of Di Renzo and Hardy.
Maximum points were impossible for Jackson Racing now, and the only reason they were still clinging to the top was because of the once-great point difference they had built. Now, survival was the key to stall Squadra's rise and only hope Luigi and Marko falter.
PROVISIONAL CONSTRUCTORS' CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (ALL 10)
Position | Team | Points
------------------------------------------
1. | Jackson Racing | 333
2. | Squadra Corse | 327
3. | Bueseno Velocità | 272
4. | Haddock Racing | 198
5. | Outback Perf. | 150
6. | Iberia Grand Prix | 120
7. | Nordvind Racing | 100
8. | Velox Hispania | 8
9. | Trampos Racing | 5
10. | Alpine Swiss F1 | 2
Distress calls from Jackson Racing were coming Luca's way, but he only answered a few. All the calls were tied to the plea for him to sign the new 5-year deal that promised a $4M yearly salary, but Mallow made it clear that his client was currently unresponsive.
This frustrated Jackson Racing, because they couldn't afford to wait like it was a normal negotiation. Ti was of the essence. They weren't trying to sign Luca for the first ti, they were trying to renew him. And his contract expiration was looming, right at the end of the year.
If he kept being "unresponsive" until then, he wouldn't be a Silver Stallion anymore.
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