[5th Position closing in]
Hank Rice had kept the pace steady at 80 km/h, forcing the others to maintain the formation and ensuring he could make a quick getaway when the green flag dropped.
As soon as he crossed the Start/Finish line, Rice slammed the throttle down and unleashed a surge of ERS. The green light from race control blinked, and the second round of the season resumed.
Luca knew he had to bridle his impulse to exceed the 80 km/h speed time set by Rice. If he did, it would be an immediate penalty.
Rodnick crossed the line about half a second later, joining Rice as they accelerated through the rest of the straight and towards the other end of the broad circuit.
[Analyzing Ferrari (JRX-92B) and host's distance from 3rd Position]
[You are 0.5 seconds away, host.]
Luca kept his eyes glued to the real-time delta data display, waiting for when Luigi would cross the line.
As soon as Luigi passed, Luca tracked the time, noting the seconds—both micro and milli—that he had gained. It was critical data, an edge to gauge the gap he had over the rivals behind, especially those so close to him now.
His mind was moving fast, and the system raced with him.
[You are 1.02 seconds behind 3rd Position.]
[Time loss upon launch: +0.12s]
[ERS Deployment: Moderate]
[SYNC BAR: [][][][] 50%]
"System, come again?"
[SYNC BAR: [][][][] 50%]
How strange it was to receive a Grid Launch notification while he was in the middle of a race. Luca knew the system didn't have a bug like late notifications, so he quickly understood that his race resumption had triggered the EXP.
"So... you mean to say I just gained points for launching off the grid mid-race?"
[Affirmative. Grid Launch EXP is awarded upon significant race restarts under green flag conditions.]
"Hmm," Luca thought. He wished he had known this earlier. If he had put in the effort for all the previous race restarts, his Grid Launch EXP would be much higher than its current (12).
Now that he knew, he hoped to at least exploit it for quicker Sync Buffs.
[Turn type: Tight right-hander (continuation of Turn 1)] [Angle: 90°] [Braking Point: N/A (carrying speed from Turn 1)] [Recommended Entry Speed: 150 km/h] [Optimal Apex: Inside curb]
[5th Position closing in]
Much to Luca's advantage, he had a 0.7s time gain over DiMarco at the restart. So, now, the system provided an accurate in-race delta.
[Analyzing 5th Position's distance from host and Ferrari (JRX-92B)...]
[5th Position is 4 sec away, host.]
[System's prediction: that value might remain constant.]
[System's suggestion: Overtake 3rd Position to increase time gap]
Suggestion or the actual solution?
Luca dug deep into his arsenal and managed a Corner Chopping against DiMarco, who didn't expect it. This subtly increased the time gap by an extra 0.5s.
But Luca knew DiMarco would trim those seconds like they never existed once the first straight opened. So, with a little breathing space, Luca focused ahead, his gaze settling on Luigi.
The solution was to take the podium spot from Luigi smoothly without causing havoc. Luca already feared one driver on the track had an ulterior motive against him concerning what transpired in Monaco.
To ensure a safe race for himself, he preferred if the count remained 1 and not 2. Facilely taking P3 from Luigi would be the best way.
[Analyzing Ferrari (JRX-92B) and host's distance from 3rd Position]
[You are 0.8 seconds away, host.]
[Straightaway ahead!]
"...The first straight after a restart is always absolute fire! No DRS... yet, just raw power, ERS deployment, and pure guts as these drivers claw for every bit of advantage...!"
"...Luca Rennick holding firm in P4, but Davide DiMarco is already on the hunt! We saw that cheeky move from Rennick through the complex, but can he keep the gap before they reach top speed...?"
Luca was going to use DRS, no one would stop him. He doubted Luigi would get Rodnick, since Rodnick was focused on getting Rice.
Similarly, Luca was out to get Luigi, and DiMarco, a second and a quarter behind Luca, wasn't in an ideal delta to use DRS effectively.
A big bonus for Luca as he engaged!
The crowd roared as two Ferrari rear wings opened in tandem! Just as Luca predicted, he and Rodnick both utilized DRS.
"...BOTH FERRARIS DEPLOY AT ONCE! RODNICK AND RENNICK—A SYNCHRONIZED ATTACK DOWN THE STRAIGHT...!!"
Luigi's senses sparked at Luca's daring guts. He hadn't spent many races with the fellow Italian yet, but he could already feel the sting of the challenge Luca posed.
Luigi took a deep breath, gripping the wheel tighter, his fingers quickly finding the right buttons as he prepared to surge.
Perhaps Luca hadn't learned his lesson last time. Now, he was going to remind him exactly who and what he was dealing with.
"Merda..." Luigi cursed, his frustration spilling out in Italian. He quickly released the buttons that would activate his planned modes and snapped his foot off the throttle.
Luigi just realized if he executed that power burst now, he would launch himself straight into the rear of Rice and Rodnick, causing a massive crash and a huge penalty.
With no defense-attack left, he defaulted to standard defense. Blocking the inside line to deny Luca was the best option.
"That should keep him back—"
Too late. His hesitation, caught between the destructive power of his FiammaVeloce and his need for caution, gave Luca the opening he needed.
A black and blue blur—colors hostile to Luigi even before Luca entered F1—slipped through, and Luca moved into his racing space like water through cracks.
"...OH, LUCA RENNICK SNEAKS THROUGH! That was a masterstroke of precision...!"
*... Antonio Luigi tried to cover the inside, but he was just too late. Ferrari overtakes Mercedes, Jackson Racing, a position ahead, and Squadra Corse are losing to their rivals....!"
"...Luca Rennick in P3, Antonio Luigi in P4 ..!"
Luca could hardly believe it. He had expected a fight—a real battle to squeeze past Luigi—but instead, the door cracked open just enough, and he slipped through like it was meant to happen.
"I DID IT! I OVERTOOK THAT DICK!"