Luca wouldn't have noticed if not for his heightened Spatial Awareness. This forced him to shoot a glance at his side mirrors.
A short wave of reminiscence surged through Luca as Max's car's reflection rolled by, leaving the track. But this time, instead of a slide out, it was tumbling!
Luca decided to concentrate for the next few seconds. He had the momentum and the speed required to overtake Aaronson through Turn 7. If he could just commit before Aaronson could register him as a threat....
Aaronson was unable to defend P1 as Luca claimed it, ceasing the top of the leaderboard at the apex of the turn, sending a wave of water splashing on Aaronson's orange Dallara.
[Sync Buff has elapsed!]
The crowd couldn't decide which to roar about—Luca's astonishing climb to the top of the leaderboard or Max's tumbling, leading to his car stranded in the middle of the fine grass.
Well, Trampos crew celebrated for both of them!
Luca had made it to P1 and Max had just tumbled out of the track! They all jubilated and jumped on their feet, Trampos' garage so loud it penetrated through the rain to the hearing of everyone and Max, who had come to a stop.
**YES! WE DID IT! YOU DID IT LUCA!!** Mr. Ruben screamed into the radio, a bodacious contrast to the now silence in the grandstands.
"...OH MY WORD! Max Addams is OFF! He's OFF THE TRACK! AND IT'S A TUMBLE! MAX IS TUMBLING THROUGH THE GRASS! WHAT ON EARTH JUST HAPPENED?! Max is out of control, and this is a disaster for the championship standings!"
The broadcast feed split into a frantic montage: Luca's rearview mirror catching the horrifying spectacle of Max's car leaving the wet racing line, flipping through the soaked grass like a helpless toy, while on the other side of the screen, Luca surged forward with unparalleled determination.
"...Let's take this back—look at the sequence! Max Addams tried to hold his line at the Drop, but the conditions were merciless. He braked late—too early—and the grip was just GONE!"
The crowd finally found their voice, especially Trampos fans. "WOOOOHH!"
"...Rennick didn't even flinch as Max's Dallara practically rolled past him in the mirrors!"
The cameras cut back to Luca, his car slicing through the rain-soaked track like a scalpel and that was when everyone fully comprehended that Luca had the lead.
"... RENNICK CLAIMED P1 FROM AARONSON! LUCA RENNICK LEADS THIS FRENCH GRAND PRIX WITH HIS RIVAL OUT AND DOWN ON THE GRASS!"
The moment was a spectacle. Water splashed in dramatic waves from Luca's tires as he powered through the next chicanes, leaving Aaronson trailing in his wake.
**YOU ARE THE MAN, LUCA! YOU. ARE. THE. MAN!**
Luca could hear the jubilant chaos erupting through his radio.
Behind Mr. Ruben, the ecstatic voices of the entire team spilled into the comms, echoing through Luca's cockpit. They were all shouting, jumping, laughing and someone was banging the pit wall.
Trampos was celebrating in the rain-soaked air as Bueseno Velocità Jnr garage was haunted with silence.
Although Luca relished the abrupt change that just occurred in this race, he was yet to understand how it happened.
The only reasonable cause might have been a soft imperceptible contact or from Max's driving.
Nervous about an incoming penalty, Luca asked his ecstatic engineers.
**Not at all. You didn't touch em! You are 100% innocent!**
**P1, LUCA! P1! YOU DID IT!** Luca heard a voice yell in the background.
"...LOOK AT THE TRAMPOS TEAM, JON! THEY CAN'T BELIEVE IT!. They're SCREAMING, they're JUMPING, and why not? LUCA RENNICK IS NOW LEADING THE FRENCH GRAND PRIX!"
Meanwhile, the cameras briefly returned to Max Addams' stranded car, now eerily still in the damp grass.
By the time Luca reached Turn 12, close to ending the 52nd Lap, the safety car was announced immediately and marshals hurried onto the track, running across the grass with umbrellas to get to Max.
"...The Safety Car is now deployed! Drivers will need to slow down and follow the Safety Car as it enters the track. This is going to neutralize the race temporarily, and we'll see how quickly the marshals can clear the area and assess the situation."
Max managed to climb out of his car on his own, even before the marshals arrived. He groaned as he unfastened the harness, shoving himself up and out of the cockpit.
Rain poured relentlessly, soaking him as he stumbled to his knees on the wet grass, his body language radiating pure defeat.
Frustration consumed him.
His mind replayed the moments leading to his crash, and all he could think about was how Luca's aggressive maneuver forced him into braking down the Drop. If Luca hadn't been contesting the spot so fiercely, maybe this wouldn't have happened.
"...MAX ADDAMS HAS FAILED TO FINISH IN FRANCE!"
"...Oh, the heartbreak! The championship contender is OUT of this race!"
The announcement only stoked Max's anger. He dug his gloved fingers into the damp grass, clawing at the soil beneath as if venting his frustration into the earth itself.
**It's not your fault, Max. We're not out yet. This just delayed our victory** his team engineers said through the radio.
But the words from his team offered little comfort.
"...And at the front, Luca Rennick now leads the pack behind the safety car!"
"...What a dramatic turn of events! This race has flipped on its head!"
The marshals finally reached Max. One knelt beside him under the rain, asking gently, "Are you alright, Max?"
Without answering, Max removed his helmet, his face twisted in frustration and fury. He gripped the base of the helmet tightly and took a step back, his emotions boiling over.
Max slammed the helmet into the ground. Once. Twice. A third time.
"...Oh, he's completely lost it now!"
"...TEN TIMES! MAX ADDAMS SMASHES HIS HELMET TEN TIMES BEFORE STORMING OFF THE TRACK!"
The crowd roared in a mixture of shock and awe as Max finally turned his back on the scene, leaving his car and helmet behind on the soaked grass.
Mr. Lugo bit his lip as he watched his star driver, Max Addams, walking toward the Velocità garage from the far end of the track. Guided by a few marshals under the relentless rain, Max's form was heavy with frustration, even though he was unharmed.
While Max was physically fine, their battle for the top of the championship standings had taken a devastating blow.
Mr. Lugo exchanged a few quiet words with his strategists and the head team engineer beside him, his gaze never leaving Max's trudging figure. The situation was a bitter pill to swallow.
A round of applause erupted from the Bueseno Velocità spectators and even a few rival fans, recognizing Max's brilliant driving throughout the race—until it all came crashing down.
Now, with Luca Rennick sitting comfortably in P1, Trampos was poised to extend their lead in the championship standings.
Luca had been the thorn in everyone's side since the start of the season, and if not for his mid-season injury, Trampos might have already secured an early victory.
Mr. Lugo couldn't even begin to make sense of it all. His frustration mirrored Max's, if not exceeded it.
Was it Ms. Vallotton's addition to Trampos? Had she carried secrets and expertise from Velocità to their now bitter rivals?
Or was it simply that Trampos had their year?
Or was it just #21, Luca Rennick?
Whatever the reason, Mr. Lugo loathed how the season was slipping away from Velocità. With Dani Walding barely hanging on at P8, the team would only salvage five points from the French Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Trampos was set to walk away with a staggering 27 points.
There was no doubt in Lugo's mind now—Luca would finish this race in P1.
Yes, Aaronson simply couldn't challenge Luca with his car's limitations against Luca's mastery of Slipsense and Rainborne now at [3] after Sync Buff expired.
53rd Lap and Trampos cheered Luca on as the safety car peeled away! The championship trophy was well within their reach now, and for Luca, the drivers' championship was still in his sights.
He still had a chance!
Seeing the checkered flag unfurl in the distance was the most satiating sight any driver could see.
Another Grand Prix victory for Luca Rennick. Another triumph in the presence of his mother and the people up above who came to watch him!