My Formula 1 System-Chapter 483: Pre-S3 Austrian Grand Prix. 2

DiMarco’s injury had left a wide void in the garage of the Italian team, Bueseno Velocità. And these kinds of voids were not supposed to remain empty for long. Fortunately, F1 teams often plan ahead for grim situations like this, and so, the team could capably remedy this.

With six months estimated for recovery, the team had no choice but to activate their reserve program. The decision wasn’t taken lightly, as the Captain Italy was not only their front-runner but also a vital part of the team’s rhythm both in and out of the car.

As Formula 1 moved ruthlessly fast, Velocità knew they had to keep up with the pace. This reserve driver would now have to form an on-track alliance with Jimmy Damgaard and carry the banner of Bueseno Velocità through the heart of the season. Surely, no one could ever replace Davide DiMarco, not even Jimmy Damgaard, but that didn’t matter right now because points had to be earned. Velocità had 10 points alone as a result of Damgaard’s sole finish, so this new driver bore a lot of weight to carry.

This stand-in reserve driver was Matteo Bianchi, unsurprisingly, Italian too. Matteo was 22 years of age and had been promoted as a reserve driver straight up after just a year in Formula 2, with the rest of his career spent in Formula 3 and karting, where he showed great potential.

There was nothing really threatening about Matteo in Luca’s eyes. Despite the headlines and his sharp debut profile, Matteo lacked that aura and the worrisome presence that only true contenders exuded. Many said he was fast, but that was just the same "fast" like every other young driver when they stepped into an F1 seat for the first time.

┌──────────────────────┐

│ F1 MONOPOSTO DRIVER CARD │

├─────────────────────┤

│ MATTEO

│ BIANCHI 🇮🇹

│ Bueseno Velocità Red Bull

├─────────────────────┤

│ Experience: 62

│ Racecraft: 71

│ Awareness: 75

│ Pace: 80

├─────────────────────┤

│ Total Rating: 66 │

└──────────────────────┘

Whether the chemistry between the Velocità drivers would spark or stutter remained to be seen, but from Austria onwards, Velocità’s new battle rhythm would depend entirely on how well Damgaard and the replacement could adapt to each other’s tempo.

Many believed Bueseno Velocità fucked up really bad, and truthfully, they actually did. The decision not to promote Max Addams during the pre-season was one that had sparked quiet controversy at the time, but now, under the clear glare of DiMarco’s injury, it looked downright foolish.

Max had done more than enough in Formula 2—winning countless podiums and the championship itself multiple times. He had a reputation to be proud of without even stepping into F1. But Velocità had opted for conservatism, leaving him in the wings for another year, a choice that led to him walking straight into the open arms of Outback Performance instead. Now, that very same team had a sharp young weapon in their arsenal, the same weapon that should’ve been a useful Velocità asset right now.

Matteo showed promise, but the team needed stability. And that man had been Max Addams. Analysts picked up this debate once more, and eventually, young Matteo Bianchi found himself covering the news.

Max Addams, on the other hand, couldn’t help but feel a sense of ironic satisfaction that Bueseno Velocità now desperately needed him. He was just happy they’d realized they made the wrong call, and that somewhere in their meetings, his name was being mentioned with a tinge of regret.

At the same time, Max instinctively found himself curious to see what Matteo Bianchi would bring to the grid. If the young Italian turned out to be genuinely good, consistent, and quick under pressure, then perhaps Velocità’s decision wouldn’t seem so foolish after all.

In a way, Max knew that Matteo’s performance would either validate Velocità’s gamble or expose their short-sightedness completely. Simply put: if Matteo did well, then the team wouldn’t feel any regret for losing him.

Qualifiers came, and Matteo Bianchi had to prove himself to the world. The spotlight was literally on him, and Luca felt very glad to see it shift. He’d also seen some comparisons between him and Matteo, but he didn’t take that as real matter.

But at the end of qualifiers, he saw enough reason to take it as real matter.

Matteo stunned the world by qualifying in P4 in his first ever Formula One weekend! He outqualified seasoned drivers, even his own teammate, and proved that maybe he wasn’t even a placeholder after all!

"...MATTEO BIANCHI—IN HIS FIRST FORMULA ONE QUALIFYING—HAS GONE FOURTH! P4 FOR VELOCITÀ...!"

"...This is what dreams are made of! What a debut! What a response...!"

Even though Matteo had the RBioL, Luca was still surprised he managed to qualify in the top five where he himself only made the threshold at P5!

At P7 was Max Addams, and he removed his helmet with fatigue before glancing Matteo’s way, watching him celebrate what already felt like a victory. No one could even believe it not even Velocità themselves. For a rookie to step in just days after being announced, and put that RBioL into P4 on one of the fastest and shortest tracks on the calendar, was outrageous.

No one had even noticed him flying during qualifiers. It was as if his name didn’t even appear as a competitor in the eyes of other drivers, who got locked in speed contests with each other. Luca had to be honest: he was among those drivers. And truthfully, the small rivalry he had with Damgaard during the laps had cost him some milliseconds, and it were these milliseconds Matteo apparently used to make P4 ahead of him.

P1— Antonio Luigi

P2— Ailbeart Moireach

P3— Marko Ignatova

P4— Matteo Bianchi

P5— Luca Rennick

P6— Jimmy Damgaard

P7— Max Addams

P8— Luis Dreyer

P9— Buoso Di Renzo

P10— Elias Nyström

P11— Albert Derstappen

P12— Hank Rice

P13— Mikhail Petrov

P14— Yokouchi Yūichirō

P15— Denko Rutherford

P16— Józef Konarski

P17— James Lockwood

P18— Alejandro Vasquez

P19— Victor Surmann

P20— Desmond Lloyd

***

Race Day: Feb 28, RBR Circuit , Spielberg, Austria.

"....Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to Formula One! We’re live at the iconic Red Bull Ring, nestled in the hills of Spielberg, Austria, where the engines are roaring and the tension is razor-sharp....!"

"...The sun is out, the skies are clear, and the grandstands are packed with thousands of fans ready to witness what could be one of the most unpredictable races of the season. After what we saw in Bahrain, the world’s watching with bated breath, especially after that stunner of a qualifying on Thursday...!"

"....Matteo Bianchi’s P4 debut still has people talking, Luca Rennick just behind him in P5, and Antonio Luigi on pole—it’s shaping up to be another rollercoaster Sunday in the world of Formula One...!"

"...Grab your drinks! This one’s going to be electric...!"

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