To Luca's surprise, after the training session that day, Mr. Grant offered to give him a ride back home. Actually it'd be a ride in Mr. Colt's car.
Luca had never actually seen Mr. Grant arrive anywhere, not even at headquarters, in a car of his own. He was always with someone, sitting in the passenger seat. Most recently, he had been hitching rides with Ms. Vallotton.
When Mr. Grant extended the offer, Luca hesitated for a moment before accepting. He knew this meant his Team Principal would see where he lived, and chances were, he'd have to offer a brief invitation inside.
Colt spun his car keys around his index finger and led them toward his vehicle in the lot while Luca quickly called Sara, letting her know he'd be taking another ride.
Colt's car was an elegant Mercedes commercial sedan, sleek and polished, with the signature four-eye design—two at the front, two at the back—and the brand's iconic emblem sitting proudly between its headlights.
As expected, Mr. Grant claimed the passenger seat. Luca placed his duffel bag in the backseat, but just as he was about to get in, Colt stopped him with a casual request.
"Put it in the trunk instead."
Luca paused for a second, unsure why, but he obeyed without question. He turned back, ready to enter the car again—only to notice two familiar figures approaching.
Mr. Moritz and McCauley.
"They're coming too?" Luca asked, putting it together in an instant.
"Yup," Colt replied with an easy grin before settling into the driver's seat.
Moritz and McCauley reached them quickly, with McCauley gripping Luca's shoulders like he was kneading dough.
"Let's see this million-dollar house of yours, shall we?" Moritz sneered.
"I don't need this many people escorting me home, you know that?" Luca muttered.
McCauley shoved him into the backseat. "You're sitting in the middle."
Luca let out a sigh and made sure to spread his legs wide before Moritz and McCauley could claim more space for themselves.
The doors shut with a soft click, and Colt wasted no time starting the engine.
Luca blinked. The sound was almost nonexistent, almost like a spider. It purred so quietly, he could barely hear it. He had never encountered a smoother, more refined hum in his life. Even in their commercial models, Mercedes never failed to place themselves on a pedestal of prestige.
Luca asked Colt for the name of the model and he said it was Mercedes Veltrix S9.
Luca nodded, impressed. "Can any of you fine-tune an engine without messing with its silence?" He directed the question to Colt and Moritz, the two engineers in the car.
Colt chuckled as he kept his focus on the road, while Moritz smirked and nudged Luca with his elbow.
"We deal with single-seaters, chump. This is Formula racing, not street racing. And even street racing engines aren't this quiet," Moritz scoffed.
Colt added, "The sound would definitely change. I don't know… I don't mess with commercial cars. I don't think you'll find anyone who can handle both worlds equally well."
Luca shrugged. "I do."
His mind immediately went to Isabella. He wondered if she could repair the Veltrix S9 without altering that near-silent hum.
Moritz shook his head. "Whoever that is should be working GT racing, not Formula racing."
Formula racing focuses on maximum performance, with loud, high-pitched engines built for speed. The noise is part of the package.
GT racing, however, uses cars closer to production models, balancing power with a quieter, more refined engine sound. While still fast, GT engines are designed to be less noisy compared to the raw sound of Formula cars.
Luca relaxed and began playing the candy game on his phone after giving Colt the detailed route to his home. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire
Without delay, they began discussing about the pending screening test that was currently being carried out on Luca, and how only a few checks were left and then, the wait for the results.
Mr. Grant led the conversation, making it clear that he didn't like it one bit how things were going and how the FIA was handling it.
Trampos' own medical report on Luca's doping test had come out negative, assuring every one, including the management that the FIA would find nothing.
The FIA finding a substance wasn't even their problem, because they all knew they wouldn't. Their problem was how long it'd take the FIA to come to that final decision that everyone already anticipated.
Less than a month now, Luca was still free to drill, but the team and him most importantly needed a free mind if they wanted to step into Italy with a winning mindset.
After a few minutes of driving through the quiet neighborhood of Dahlem, Luca straightened up in his seat and began giving Colt precise, street-by-street directions to his house.
Colt, eyeing the upscale area with some doubt, followed Luca's directions, steering the Mercedes along the winding streets, all while Luca pointed from the backseat.
Finally, they arrived, and Moritz and McCauley sat in stunned silence, their jaws slightly dropped at the sight of the grand property. Colt chuckled and shut off the engine. "Big house, big goals, big victory," he said, glancing at the impressive estate before turning to the others. "Alright, let's get out."
Luca got out of the car and walked toward the trunk to grab his duffel bag. He fumbled with his keys as he approached the gate, ready to unlock it.
Meanwhile, Colt, Moritz, and McCauley stepped back, walking into the middle of the quiet street to get a better look at the house above the large gate. Mr. Grant, however, stayed close to Luca as he unlocked the gate.
"I hope you didn't stretch yourself too thin financially for this," he asked, his voice quiet but carrying a note of concern.
Luca laughed, hearing the click of the lock turning. "Don't worry, sir. I manage my finances well," he said, pushing the gate open to the side and motioning for everyone to come in, including the three still standing in the street.