Day 4.
On day four, Victor felt different waking up to it.
After half a week of rigorous self-imposed training: long cardio blocks, repeated simulator stints, and endless reaction drills, his body had begun to ache, but on the good side, his mind had started to develop.
Victor had learnt to stop doubting himself from the inspirational books he read. Now, sowhere in his heart, confidence, no matter how fragile, was forming.
This slight ntal upgrade naturally drew everyone's attention. But the problem was that, since everyone knew he stayed back every evening, long after others had left, they didn't admire the growth.
Silent, unexplained improvent could have given him better approval, but at least, growth was still growth. Victor didn't care.
Mr. Grant and Ms. Vallotton spoke about him in the morning while Victor played table tennis with a junior crew mber. Mr. Grant watched for a mont before asking, "Where do you think Victor stands in the board's eyes?"
Ms. Vallotton didn't soften her answer. "Exactly where you think he does."
Tightening his jaw, Mr. Grant grumbled, clearly displeased.
After a mont, he asked, "You said they're really considering Denko?"
"Yes," Vallotton replied. "I heard it from the three-legged man yesterday. It would be a major return if successful, and of course, the two drivers can't truly be compared."
"Damn."
Ms. Vallotton turned to face him, her expression neutral, like one of those high-ranking female soldiers. "The best we can do," she said calmly, "is steer things in his favor. Victor needs connections, ones that could secure him a continued motorsport career beyond Trampos."
"Indeed," Mr. Grant said. "That's thoughtful."
As Ms. Vallotton walked away, Mr. Grant's gaze lingered on her. This wasn't the first ti he'd noticed the sway of her hips in her stride, but today, his thoughts turned inward.
Vallotton was efficient, sharp, and dependable—all traits the board admired. She was the perfect deputy for him, and that, precisely, was the problem.
The new board, in particular, praised her openly, and more often than not, they trusted her counsel over his. Mr. Grant could feel the shift. It's slow. It's subtle, and it's the most powerful and permanent form of replacent imaginable, seen throughout history.
If a single decision were passed, he and Vallotton would exchange roles.
Maybe they already had—just not on paper.
~~~~~~~~
South African Grand Prix
Location: Midrand, South Africa
Date: July 27
Ti: 3 PM
Track: Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit (KGP)
Track Length: 4.5 km
Total Laps: 65
Track Type: Permanent road course
Lap Record: Luca Rennick (1:25.134)
A year ago, the South African Grand Prix debuted for the first ti in Formula 1 history.
It was the sport's long-awaited return to Africa, secured after a fierce bid where other African countries like Egypt, Tunisia, and Ethiopia had all fought for the hosting rights.
And a year ago, Luca Rennick won it. The first winner on African soil, history stamped cleanly with his na.
Luca replayed the past in his mind as he read an article on F1 evolution. The book focused on the HiCE developnt. Since the race had showcased the super engines at their most raw, it made the South African GP a technical landmark as much as a symbolic one.
Sotis Luca wondered how he managed to win the South African GP last year with all the odds stacked against him from the super drivers. If he could do it then, he could win again this year; now the odds were even more balanced than before.
On top of that, his broken adjustnt of Sync Buff would give him total control of the track. Luca wouldn't hesitate to abuse it in-race.
Furthermore, the future looked bright as well, thanks to Ferrari's tech upgrade in August.
Luca was satisfied with the Scuderia Z24. He preferred its engine characteristics over any other Ferrari model. They gave him the most confidence on track, and the car responded to his inputs predictably.
Still, he remained open to potential upgrades and adjustnts if they could push performance further. At the sa ti, if nothing appealed to him, he would stick with the Z24—though he hoped that refusing a model change wouldn't stir tension.
Ferrari had invested heavily in developnt, and declining a mid-season modification could be received poorly if taken the wrong way.
At midseason, tempers ran high, and conflicts sparked far too easily.
Taking Bueseno Velocita as an example.
The fourteenth race of the season was here, and the team had split into two rival camps. One backed Jimmy Damgaard as the main driver, while the others supported the old hierarchy of Davide DiMarco being on top.
The division had grown so sharp that everyday operations for Velocita were increasingly difficult to conduct smoothly. The team lacked cooperation now, and focus on performance was at risk. The board now had to juggle for order, managing internal collapse to maintain so semblance of order before their championship run suffered irreparably.
After the decision they made earlier this week, what did they expect?
Matteo Bianchi would be sidelined for the South African Grand Prix, while Davide DiMarco returns to active duty.
DiMarco's exact designation wasn't officially stated, but since he was going to pilot the normal RBioL, that clearly ant he was the Driver B in this setup. Now, that's enough to spark imdiate dissatisfaction among DiMarco's loyal supporters, and this is the dynamic the Italian team found themselves in.
So yes, Davide DiMarco was set to race in South Africa. Davide DiMarco would make his first Formula 1 appearance since February, but… not in his car? Below Jimmy Damgaard?
Jimmy couldn't have been happier with the arrangent. He was ready for Kyalami. DiMarco, frustrated, had even considered turning down the race, unwilling to compete if it wasn't the top seat, but his manager advised him otherwise.
So, after months of recovery, it all boiled down to this for Captain Italy.
Questions had to be asked.
Is his rivalry still with Luca? Is his mission still to end Rennick's career?
Or has his goal shifted completely to annihilate his teammate, Jimmy Damgaard?
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