Mr. Grand and Ms. Vallotton were present with the rest of the board and management. Their size was bigger than before, making Luca wonder how the structure of Trampos' leadership really looked like.
Welcoming Luca was the first thing the board did. After a month and two weeks from the incident in Riyadh, their star driver was standing unfazed and ready for action, confirmed by the Federation itself.
Welcoming him was a gesture of good and caring gratitude, where Mr. Fisher even went far to congratulate him on moving out of the headquarters and acquiring a decent home at such a young age. Luca appreciated their words, though he remembered something and he felt a short wave of guilt.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix had been his first Featured Race since extending his contract with Trampos—only for him and Ansel to throw it all away. It felt like just weeks had slipped by, and here he was, collecting wages without securing a single point for the team in the last two Grands Prix. Damn.
Luca was determined to change that and make the next two Grands Prix count in Trampos' favor.
Although they had a hunch that Luca was well-informed, the board still felt it necessary to provide a recap of what had transpired in the season standings during his short absence.
The team's lead had shrunk drastically, and strong finishes from Max Addams and Dani Walding in France could push Trampos down to second place—something they were determined to prevent.
The second crucial piece of information, though previously discussed in the video meeting, was deemed important enough to repeat. It carried significant weight for Trampos' performance in the remainder of the season and could also influence Luca's driving, both mentally and physiologically.
Ansel's suspension remained firmly in place and had not been overturned, despite thousands of Trampos fans submitting appeals. Luca had even heard rumors that a small protest had formed outside the gates, but security had quickly dispersed them. Mr. Fisher and the board had made their stance clear that Ansel's actions were too egregious, and they despised the recklessness enough to justify a season-long suspension as the appropriate punishment.
This decision was meant to send a message that originally, motorsport was about the team, not just the driver. Ignoring team orders from the very organization that could bench you at any moment was nothing short of self-destructive.
The next discussions that followed revolved around what the board and everyone expected from Luca upon his return.
They expected full driving—no slacking, no hesitation, no traces of a driver fresh from recovery. Unlike many athletes who gradually ease back into competition after an injury, Luca was expected to return at 100% performance immediately. With the season reaching its critical stages, there was no room for anything less.
Especially now, when he wouldn't be pairing with Ansel in the next two Featured Races.
Luca would be alongside Haas, who had been training rigorously to assume the role of Player B, at least for now.
Luca had anticipated this, but hearing it aloud still left a heavy feeling in his chest.
Ansel was his teammate and friend. In fact, Ansel was the ONLY driver Luca had ever paired with on a competitive stage. Their synergy had been built over time, forged throughout the season and their shared struggles on the track. To have that abruptly taken away felt... unnatural.
He knew he had to adapt. He had to make it work with Haas. But no matter how much effort he put in, he couldn't shake the reality because their driving chemistry would never match what he had with Ansel.
Luca listened as the board resumed.
This was going to be a focused end to the season and they needed Luca to be at the best.
Knowing Haas might not be able to get high points per race, Trampos believed it was up to Luca to maintain their fragile lead until the last second of the final round, which would lead to their win.
Mr. Fisher even added that doing this might also take Luca to the top of the Drivers' standings, a win-win for both team and driver, bringing about happiness and possibly loyalty to the team.
"I understand what's at stake, and I won't let our lead slip. I believe I'm at 100% and I'll make a hundred percent performance. Ansel's not here, and yeah, that's... really hard to ignore, but Erik and I can make it work," Luca said assuringly and began taking handshakes from everyone.
After the meeting, Mr. Grant and Ms. Vallotton led Luca out, walking down the hallway with him positioned between them.
"It's very good to have you back, Luca," Mr. Grant said.
"A relief, in fact. I don't think we would've stood a chance at gold if you had missed France," Ms. Vallotton added as they came to a stop.
Luca nodded, exhaling. "I'm glad to be back," he said, rubbing his palms together. "So, what do I need to catch up on? Any changes I haven't been told about?"
"No, not at all. We're going back to the new structure after a temporary adjustment for Victor and Erik."
Mr. Grant placed a firm hand on Luca's left shoulder. "And I think it's time we officially conclude your Platinum Program and look into prescribing something new."
"Really?" Luca asked, raising a brow.
"Yes," Mr. Grant confirmed, folding his arms. "After development and growth, the next step is progress. So, we'll be starting something new as soon as possible."
With that, they resumed walking.
[Congratulations, host]
[Racecraft programme successfully completed!]
[System is reviewing takeaways learnt by host....]
[...Review completed]
—Host has improved his general knowledge and has acquired a better understanding of the competition and his rivals.
—Host has improved his awareness in predicting opponents' moves to react proactively.
—Host has improved his general knowledge and has acquired a better understanding of formula machines and their engines.
—Host had improved his understanding of strategies and working efficiently with team engineers.
—Overall, host has improved his driving.]
[Host has been rewarded with: