Things were far more serious than Luca had initially expected. The delay in his test results had ignited a wave of frustration that quickly escalated into an unprecedented uproar among Trampos fans—essentially, the German motorsport community.
At first, he mellowed Mallow's words as exaggeration, assuming it was just another instance of media sensationalism. After all, we all know sports journalists had a knack for using strong, emotionally charged language to inflate controversies.
But when Luca switched on the TV and tuned into the motorsports channel, reality hit him hard. The news report was clear and vivid that the FIA was under intense scrutiny from the German minority fanbase, accused of mishandling the substance screening test of Trampos' star driver—him.
Luca could barely wrap his head around it. He had gone from facing a simple doping accusation in a feeder series to becoming the center of a national outcry. The sheer magnitude of the situation felt surreal.
The following day, he was unable to access the Trampos headquarters for his usual drills.
The main road leading to the venue was completely blocked—not by traffic, but by an overwhelming sea of protesters. Hundreds, if not a thousand people had flooded the area, some proudly donning Trampos' colors, while others wore casual clothing, blending into the massive crowd.
What struck Luca the most was the nature of the protest. It wasn't violent, nor was it filled with chaotic chanting. Instead, the people stood silently, walking around and chatting amongst themselves.
They weren't just here for Luca and his stalled results alone, they were making a statement against the FIA, accusing them of corruption and bias, not only towards Trampos but towards Germany as a whole—and, by extension, the integrity of Formula 2.
Trampos' security team was completely overwhelmed. There was no way they could control such an enormous crowd. Their only course of action was to ensure the protesters didn't breach the headquarters.
But as for Luca, he wanted no part in the scene. Quickly, he turned to Sara and pleaded with her to reverse the car and get them out of there as the people decided it was time to begin their march to Federation facilities to get better reception.
Similarly, in Bad Rauenberg, the Bergwaldring Circuit had been infiltrated, granting less than a thousand people entrance onto the track and the internal buildings in the circuit. This one in particular drew the most attention, it being displayed on the news was a testimony to that.
On the second day of the protest, the demonstrators announced plans to escalate their efforts, preparing to hold up signs and chant slogans. Luca couldn't shake the growing concern that, given enough time, the situation might turn violent.
However, the second day of protests never even had a chance to unfold. Before it could, the president of the FIA had already taken action, preparing to publicly address the controversy.
Never in his tenure had he imagined having to issue a formal statement—both in official documents and through the media—over a Formula 2 matter. Yet, the intensity of the backlash left him with no other choice.
Mr. Ireneo Avilés, the FIA President, and Mr. Olivier Grosjean, the President of Formula 2, addressed the motorsport community, beginning their statements with a formal breakdown of the ongoing issue. They carefully outlined the nature of the accusation, the driver at the center of it—Luca—and the scrutiny surrounding his pending test results.
Though they made every effort to appear neutral, avoiding outright condemnation, Luca could sense the undertone of their words. Their cautious phrasing and the way they framed the situation suggested that, deep down, they were already leaning toward the assumption that his test would return positive. And yet, those same results were still nowhere to be found.
Then came the apology—if it could even be called that.
Avilés and Grosjean expressed regret over the delay, acknowledging the frustration it had caused.
However, their explanation was more of a justification than a true apology. They claimed that the extended timeframe was due to an "unexpected overload" at the accredited anti-doping laboratories.
According to them, the facility had been handling an unusually high volume of tests from multiple disciplines, causing processing times to stretch beyond normal limits.
Additionally, they claimed that the protest outside the facility had contributed to the delay, citing "a degree of disruption and unrest" caused by the crowd.
Really? Luca thought.
So now, the very people demanding transparency were being blamed for slowing things down?
In an attempt to smooth things over and pacify the outraged German motorsport community, Mr. Avilés announced that Luca would still receive his test results—but not from that facility. Given the supposed complications caused by the protests, the FIA had decided that Luca would need to take a NEW test.
And not just anywhere.
Since Germany had fewer FIA-accredited laboratories compared to other motorsport countries, Avilés declared that Luca would have to travel abroad to retake the test at a different location.
"Any place of their choosing," he added, referring to both Trampos and Luca Rennick, before concluding the speech.
This was absurd. Insane. After nearly three weeks of waiting, after enduring the media storm, the scrutiny, and the backlash, they were now telling him the entire process had been a waste? That, on top of everything, they were shifting part of the blame onto the protesters?
All Mallow could do was chuckle inwardly as Luca ranted like a madman in front of him.
This was typical FIA behavior. Seven years of working under them before becoming Luca's agent had taught Mallow one thing, and that was Luca was actually getting off easy.
Based on how high-profile this case had become, Mallow had half-expected the FIA to delay things even further. He thought they might insist on waiting until the protests outside the subquarters facility died down before finally restarting the process. That would have meant even more weeks wasted.
Trampos was no less frustrated by the situation. The team convened for an emergency meeting that very day to make a decision, knowing time was running out.
The Mega Prix was set for the end of the month, and with November already here, the chill of winter was creeping in.
Luca sat at the center of the discussion, feeling the distant, subdued concern in everyone's tone. Maybe even a hint of grief—not over the scandal itself, but over the fact that he was openly pushing for a future in F1.
Right now, it felt as if the team was making what they believed was the best decision for him and for Trampos as a whole, just as he had made the best decision for just himself weeks ago.
After nearly thirty minutes of back-and-forth, they reached a final decision.
Luca would take a very early flight to Italy to undergo the test there—and he wouldn't be coming back. Instead, he would stay and wait for the team until the Italian Mega Prix.
The decision was met with mixed reactions. Some supported it, others distrusted it. And Luca?
He was among those who distrusted it.
Staying in Italy meant missing all team drills with Haas, which could seriously affect their coordination on race day. It meant training alone, outside the team's familiar environment. It meant being away from everything just as the final stretch of the season was approaching.
However, Mr. Fisher, in particular, was firm about the decision.
"It's better not to stress Luca with constant flights and travel," he said. "The FIA has already done enough damage to his body. He'll go with Mr. Ruben and a few crew members. We'll rent a Dallara for him there so he can still train."
He then looked at Luca. "I also want you traveling quietly. No press. No media frenzy. You take the test as Luca, not Luca Rennick. We'll personally choose the fastest and most secure facility."
Luca leaned back in his seat, exhaling. He had almost forgotten he was Italian.
When was the last time he had been in or set foot in Italy? As a toddler? a child?
Maybe a child. Sophia was still an infant then, that was for sure.
But now, he was going. Two weeks earlier than planned.