My Formula 1 System-Chapter 491: Pre-S3 Qatar Grand Prix

Luca had to pause the thoughts gathering in his head and return to his reality as an F1 driver. He had only a few fragments so far, and he was sure there were more both larger and smaller to come before he could even begin to think about the ultimate puzzle he was meant to assemble.

For now, Formula One called, and the Qatar Grand Prix was close. Active preparations in Lusail were already progressing toward their conclusion, so the race was just as good as ready to be taken head-on. Luca would continue forming what he believed he had started to uncover, but later.

As he had promised himself to stay just a day, he gave his thanks and bid the Jakobsen family farewell after they took him around their broad countryside farm. The family huddled together with kind faces as Luca’s Volvo pulled away, and the two Jakobsen twins playfully chased after it, down and down the road.

That evening, Luca’s driver took him straight to the airstrip where his private plane awaited. In the dusk, the airport lights glowed in the shape of circles, the breeze was cool, and the Hawthorne’s engine hummed in harmony with the essence of twilight.

By 7:20 PM, Luca was already taxiing into the sky, heading back to Germany. A race was coming. A storm was coming. He had to be fully prepared.

Upon returning to Germany, Luca regrouped with the Rising Suns, Trampos Racing, at their base. A refined atmosphere had graced the team, and Luca’s return to training further sharpened the clarity that everyone had gained post-Austria.

Like a primary school morning assembly, the team put out a short statement in the presence of everyone, acknowledging their strong performances in the opening two rounds and expressing optimism for the rest of the calendar. For a rookie team, they had unarguably stirred the pot to an extent no one could have expected even with Rennick on their roster.

Victor was buoyed by the attention he was specially given. The team gratefully acknowledged his P13 finish in Spielberg, which had placed him above drivers like Kornaski, Lockwood, and Vasquez. It wasn’t a points finish, but it was evidence of improvement, growth, and capability. And when Luca gave him a solid pat on the shoulder that morning during review, Victor smiled with confidence.

Before they could count their days, the rest of the week flew by in the usual motion of Formula 1—drills, simulator hours, technical rundowns, tire data assessments, and replays of sector analysis. Each evening, before official closure, Mr. Ruben, Colt, and the others would study data diagrams both car and track, and formulate the best pit stop strategies and other directives to be reviewed and rehearsed the following day.

Time always seemed to slip faster between races, and by the weekend, their bags were packed, equipment loaded again, and their next destination lay across another stretch of sand. Luca realized the Qatar Grand Prix was going to be another Arabian round, but he feared this one might be more venturesome than the last.

The Qatar Grand Prix was missed last year because of Ansel’s death tribute. Racing couldn’t take place just after something as heavy. The community was still mourning, so smiles and champagne were not welcomed. Qatar was respectfully withdrawn from without fuss or demand for replacement.

But now that the F1 world had moved on, many fans had begun to wonder if two Qatar Grands Prix would be held this year to compensate. However, the calendar said no. It was only going to be this one, as the third race of the season.

And because of this single chance, the Qatari government poured everything they had into this year’s event. They prioritized tripling the fan experience, knowing full well that the influx and engagement of tourists would undoubtedly boost the nation’s economy.

Most crucially, the country had pushed hard for a night race, a petition the FIA eventually agreed to. And thus, the drivers would now have to battle with darkness and speed. The desert air, the lights; it would feel and look like Saudi Arabia or even the UAE MP, since the Arabian countries were greatly obsessed with stupendous aesthetics and city architecture.

A spectacle embraced Luca and his personal team when they arrived in Doha. Qatar really spared no cost in hospitality; everything looked like a luxury tech exhibit. At some point, Luca thought it was too ostentatious. This was still the 21st century!

Glass halls, AI-automated check-ins, ceilings made of mirrors, interior holograms, and unfathomable levels of security—everything glittering and over-engineered, making Luca wonder how the race on Sunday would look on TV, because broadcasting stations were always very good at switching between action and the hosting country’s beauty.

Funny enough, the Lusail International Circuit, the Qatar Grand Prix as a whole, was a race Luca had never participated in. Even the country itself had always been bummed by this reality, and so they were happy when Luca’s name was listed on the Driver List for the 3rd round of the season.

In F2, he had broken ribs and couldn’t participate. Last season, he had a taste of Hell Fire and wasn’t able to participate. Even if he recovered much more quickly, Ansel’s death had prompted the skip of the Qatar Grand Prix.

This year, however, Luca wanted to see if he could begin his dominance of the country.

The twenty teams that made up the grid gradually settled into their designated facilities in Doha or in cities around Doha. With final rehearsals and strategic rundowns set into motion, engineers and drivers alike dived back into routine with a sharpness that mirrored the stakes.

Luca exercised like everything depended on exercise. And now, he was a bit frustrated because workouts didn’t strain him anymore. He was too strong now, so strong that the equipment felt more like toys used to regulate him rather than to actually improve him.

Car action would follow, and after countless drills in their facility, Luca realized he might have some disadvantage here when it came to his system. In desert countries like this, it was usually cold in the evenings or at night. Because of that, he might not be able to make good use of Heat-Energy Recycling, a feature so crucial for consistent speed and power.

Luca waved that off as fine. As long as only advantages were cut off, and he wasn’t nerfed from the core or stripped of something very essential, he was still the Mazerunner.

Though scattered across different zones in the country, each team could feel the pressure thick in the air. Tension lingered in the way everyone moved, talked, smiled, laughed at team jokes, and even in how reporters reported.

Meanwhile, the FIA had already stepped in to address the pitlane clash between Matteo Bianchi and Buoso Di Renzo back in Austria. After brief investigations and interviews, the ruling body announced there would be no fines or sanctions. They termed it a "non-violent escalation of competitive emotion." Even though heated words were exchanged, Di Renzo and Matteo had made sure not to cross into physical contact.

Fans were eager to see just how heavy the weight of tension would be when the drivers met again on the same pitlane before the commencement of the Qualifiers. And just as they expected, the air was laced with more oppressive anticipation as Thursday afternoon approached and the teams arrived at Lusail International Circuit.

Lusail International Circuit wasn’t a street circuit, but a standard, permanently built racetrack. Like almost every other circuit on the calendar, it was situated on the northern outskirts of Doha, Qatar. And with its cutting-edge technology and design, it was said that the circuit was initially constructed at a cost of over $60 million, with even more funds poured in for upgrades that followed.

Floodlight stands now lined every turn and straight, because the race on Sunday would mark the first-ever night race the country had hosted both for F1 and for any other motorsport event that had taken place there. A 152,000-capacity was massive for a track like this without much historical reputation, and from the signboards that dotted the grounds, it was clear that plans were already in motion for further expansion.

However, for the qualifiers, the FIA preferred to keep the grandstands empty, except for VIPs and essential personnel. And in contrast to the anticipated electric atmosphere of Sunday’s main event, the qualifying session was scheduled for late afternoon just as the sun had begun to glow with that weary, deep-orange color.

Luca and Trampos arrived at the circuit alongside the other teams, the environment buzzing with formality and official procedures. He led the exit from their bus as they were guided through checks and long tunnels until their designated garages were ready for occupation.

Around them, the likes of Squadra Corse filed in with their black, ominous colors. They carried more professionalism than Trampos and had way more staff that looked like they weren’t even needed. Nordvind, still carrying licking wounds from Austria, had a subdued atmosphere, but their Team Principal shared a moment with Mr. Grant as a matter of sportsmanship.

Any enclosed space in the buildings that made up the Lusail International Circuit, apart from the physical track itself, echoed with voices and sounds of professionalism and formality before the day’s planned event would take place.

Setups and focus followed before the scent of burning rubber. Luca graced himself with calm music while the rest of Trampos worked valiantly to make sure telemetry wouldn’t be ruined, and both Ferraris to be driven were in perfect condition.

A surprising news eventually reached the German team as Race Control gathered official data from each team, prior to the commencement of this qualifying session.

In F1, just as regulations required that the same tire compounds used during the final qualifying session—Q2 and Q3—be the exact set used to begin the race, it was the same when it came to chassis configuration.

Once a driver participates in Qualifying with a particular car and chassis configuration, that exact car, including its full chassis setup, must be used for the main race. This regulation ensures continuity, fairness, and pushes teams to commit fully to the car they’ve tuned for peak performance during the Qualifiers.

So, teams like Haddock Racing and Squadra Corse, with active super drivers, foresaw the danger that lay ahead on Sunday—a night race.

Since the FIA’s rule required that the exact same chassis and compound setup used in qualifying must be carried into the race, a bad call on Thursday could compromise the entire Grand Prix. The Qatar night race came with a particular set of challenges. Even though floodlights would illuminate the circuit, visibility would still reduce in certain corners where glare, shadows, and depth perception could confuse even the best drivers.

High-Intensity Combustion Engines were very dangerous and volatile as we know. If the super drivers tear through corners at such speed and make the slightest of mistakes at the cost of "poor sight"... that’d be a horrible crash.

Haddock Racing especially didn’t want their precious points tally affected by a DNF, and Squadra Corse cared more about how expensive their Mercedes products were.

Reliability was king when the stakes were this high, so their super drivers, Ailbeart Moireach and Antonio Luigi, would not be driving the .25 and W12 on Sunday in order to prevent a crashing disaster.

When other teams heard of the decision, a silent jubilation passed through their garages in the form of Qatar’s breeze.

The two fastest cars were being shelved! For the first time since July last year, there would be no HiCE on the track, there would be no super car! The competitive level had been reverted to its original standing, and since other teams had upped their game, it was more of a plain field.

This made Luca smirk because he realized he was now the fastest driver for this Qatar Grand Prix. With Night Mastery and Yaw Flex completed, what Haddock and Squadra feared for their drivers wouldn’t affect him at all!

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