"Gaffer said timedps, and timedps it is," said a crew member as he walked down the short ramp from the telemetry room, holding a draft sheet in his hand. The early morning sun cast a sharp re, forcing him to squint as he approached the group of Trampos Racing team members and their drivers—Luca, Ansel, Hahn, and Victor, the young American.


    Another crew member took the sheet, scanned it in a second, and nodded approvingly. "Looks like the usual schedule. But maybe we can spice things up a bit. What do you all think?" he asked.


    Ansel smirked, his hands on his hips, looking as though his racing suit was tailored exclusively for him. "What kind of fun? Letting Beany finally take ap?" he teased, gesturing at Victor.


    The entire crew burst intoughter, the sound carrying down the length of the track. Some yfully jostled Victor, who responded with an exaggerated grumble while being nudged around.


    "Of course, why not? Everyone of us is training today," another crew member pointed out with a sharp pause, his eyes dancing around with amused mischief. "but at least we get to really do our jobs on the track!" He boomed.


    Theughter roared again, mingling with the morning breeze, as masculine and feminine chuckles interwove seamlessly. Even Luca joined in as it was refreshing to have someone to poke fun at. Victor''s zero driving time had be an inside joke, one that never seemed to lose its charm.


    Even Haas allowed a faint smile to surface. He stood ready, helmet in hand. "Alright," he said, his gaze softening as he looked at Victor. "Ease up on him. His time wille. Just keep showing up, like the rest of us."


    Theughter subsided, and they all transitioned into a heavy chatter as the cars were towed to the edge of the track where they stood. Luca indulged into some deep conversations with Ansel and the team crew. Most of their talks basely had no path, it was all jokes and light-hearted banter toward each other.


    When the single-seaters were finally positioned, Luca''s System scanned them methodically, confirming that each car was in peak condition. The sleek frames glistened under the sun, the scent of petrol rich and heady, giving Luca an intoxicating sense of anticipation. The crew members continued their thorough checks on the cockpits, tires, and engines, ensuring the Daras were prepped and ready to roar.


    "Speed is all it is, then. Keep the engines warm, fingers flexible, and the asphalt hot," said another crew member, tapping the polished surface of one of the cars. He cast a look back at the telemetry room where Mr. Moritz and Mr. Grant observed their every move from behind the ss. "Let''s get to it. Time''s ticking. C''mon, Beany, hop in," he sneered.


    "For him, it''s about survival, not speed," another crew member shouted, triggering another round ofughter.


    Victor grumbled, shoving his helmet on with a sharp motion. Luca exchanged nces with Ansel and Haas, who were simrly donning their helmets. He followed suit, the familiar HUD of his System appearing before his eyes, icons shimmering briefly before forming into an organized disy.


    All four Trampos Racing drivers entered their single-seaters smoothly with rehearsed movements. Luca settled in his cockpit, the feeling of being in that tight space felt somewhat normal to him now as his System dubiously synced him with the Dara. He nced at the telemetry disys while settling his grip on the wheel, caressing the buttons.


    [Host is now synced with Dara (F2 04)]


    Luca took a quick look at Ansel''s car ahead, then nced sideways at Haas, with Victor positioned behind him. Their zigzag formation provided ample space for each to elerate unhindered.


    "Alright, let''s go," a crew member announced, pping his hands beside Ansel''s car. The team around them erupted in cheers and light apuse as the drivers powered up their engines.


    Theyunched into the training session, speeding through the track in fluid, synchronized movements. This practice of timedps gave each driver the opportunity to push their limits while staying connected over thems. For Luca, it was surprisingly reassuring to hear all four of them in conversation—a rare moment of solidarity.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Victor, Haas, and Luca eased off the throttle to let Ansel surge ahead in a breathtaking burst of speed. In turn, Luca took advantage of the newfound space to elerate sharply, followed closely by Haas, and then Victor.


    The exercise continued with the drivers alternating leads and practicing strategic maneuvers, eachp punctuated by precision and control, while the telemetry room recorded every data closely.


    "Woohoo!" The Trampos Racing crew erupted into cheers as the single-seaters roared to the edge of the track. Thumbs shot up and hands pped as they attended to the drivers'' needs in their cockpits. Mr. Moritz joined them now, a file tucked under his arm as he joined in the apuse, the bright sun showing no sign of hiding behind the clouds.


    "Great work, boys—fantastic job," Moritz praised, tapping Ansel''s car, which still hummed with energy. "Next, we''ll focus on the fluidity of our pit stops," he announced, casting a nce over the team, his eyes meeting masculine and feminine faces. "I say this every session, not because I doubt you, but because every second in the pit matters. The quicker we pit, the quicker our boys are back on track. We can''t afford any mistakes."


    Crew member 3, anky man with tousled hair, rallied everyone with a p of his hands. "Alright, you heard the boss! Let''s get to our units."


    The team cheered in response and chatted all through as they walked across the track to the pit. It was like a cut outne, adjacent to the track, with a whole stock of fresh tires and white hoses were nearly coiled.


    With murmurs of enthusiasm, the team made their way to the pitne—apact stretch adjacent to the track, lined with pristine tires and neatly coiled hoses.


    Moritz brought the radio to his lips. **Okay, we''ll run five pit stops from each of you. Complete ap and enter the pitne one after the other, fast and seamless**


    Ansel revved up, leading the group as the crew took their positions, each member knowing their role by heart.


    The drivers navigated the track, slicing through turns and straights until the pitne came into view. Ansel, at the front, surged ahead, ready for the first pit.


    The crew members hurriedly maneuvered around the pit area, ensuring everything was in ce. Tires were lined up meticulously; fresh rubber glistened under the sun. Fuel hoses were checked and double-checked, while tools were organized for quick ess. Every Motorsport team knew there was no room for error at a pitstop.


    Ansel''s car hurriedly approached the pitne, and the crew readied themselves. Moritz''s voice echoed through the radio. **First car up—Han. Positions ready, everyone.**


    One crew member hurried to the front, ready to lift Ansel''s car as it roared toward the pitne, while others positioned themselves strategically by the tires, tension and focus in their eyes behind their visors. As soon as Ansel''s car halted, the crew sprang into wless, synchronized action.


    Crew member 7 dropped to the ground, wrench in hand, and expertly removed the first tire, flinging it aside as Crew member 2 slid in seamlessly with a fresh one, locking it in ce with swift, precise movements. Across the car, Crew member 10 matched the rhythm perfectly, securing the opposite tire with practiced skill. Meanwhile, Crew member 4 dashed to the front of the car, deftly attaching the fuel hose for a small refuel.


    Whirr! Screw! And click went the fuel nozzle, Crew member 4 yanking it away.


    "Clear!"


    Ansel''s engine roared as he bolted out of the pitne.


    **6.4 seconds**


    There was no time to rest as Luca''s Dara approached with increasing speed. Haas and Victor would follow shortly, and Ansel would repeat the pit cycle seamlessly.


    Luca felt the familiar lift as the crew set to work with mechanical efficiency. The sound of pneumatic tools and nking metal filled the air. A soft thud followed, then the wave of a hand signaled him to go.


    **3.2 seconds! Perfect!**


    Luca hit the throttle and shot out of the pit, catching a brief cheer from the crew before they refocused—Haas was already approaching fast.


    **Alright, let''s keep this momentum going**


    The team continued their pit stop training for another thirty minutes, pushing through the fatigue. As the sun beat down, the crew members executed their roles with increasing skill and coordination. Each time a driver rolled into the pitne, the team operated by shoutingmands and coordinating movements without a hitch.


    **7.6 seconds**


    **3.4 seconds**...


    [Pitstop Prodigy +1]


    "Oh, thank you, System," Luca muttered as hepleted his fifthp, his caring to a halt behind Ansel''s.


    As the session wrapped up, the crew was visibly exhausted, but their spirits remained high. They exchanged congrattory ps on the back, proud of their improvement, knowing that their hard work would pay off when it mattered most on race day.


    It was around 1 pm as they retired to the bleachers next to the training hub to rx and ease their muscles. The cars were being towed away, and the tracknes were being cleaned of any fuel spills.


    "Monte Carlo, April tenth isn''t far from us, so don''t think that way," Mr. Grant spoke as he met up with the team after the final session. "We still have work to do. We still have to hone not only our drivers but ourselves to perfection. This week is packed, and we''ll be here every day if we want to do well in Circuit de l''étoile."


    "Yuppp," Mr. Moritz chimed in with a sigh. "Ster is right smack in the middle of the city." Discover hidden tales at empire


    Luca remembered Circuit de l''étoile vividly. He recalled watching his father race there once, a magnificent track right in the city where buildings nked the edges of the course. A thought urred to him. "Is it a night race?" he asked instinctively.


    "You''re damn right it is," crew member 1 replied, his tone tinged with something like displeasure. "It''s always night races in that Circuit."


    Luca couldn''t understand why the crew member wasn''t thrilled with the race''s time schedule. He loved night races!


    The cool night air rushing past must be otherworldly. The track would be illuminated by vibrant lights and reflections from the buildings, making it all look like a video game. Luca was more than excited to race in such an atmosphere. Imagine winning the championship in Circuit de l''étoile—it''d be as if the heavens themselves had made it so.


    Mr. Grant continued addressing the whole team and finally ended with a few pleasantries.


    Murmurs and chatter erupted as everyone had the chance to joke about some of the mistakes they''d made during the pitstop training. They all headed into the facility''s cafeteria to grab lunch.


    --


    A/N: Preparing mass release.... will take a while.