Location: Monza, Italy
Track: Autodromo di Lombardia (Serpeggiare)
The head doctor at San Cataldo Hospital had just assured them that the FIA had received Luca's test results. He also mentioned that their expression was nothing short of bewilderment and surprise, as they had not expected it.
As Luca and Mr. Ammermann had anticipated, Trampos did celebrate on a low night. Happiness and relief overwhelmed them, prompting a soft celebration where every single Trampos personnel gathered in the lounge to chat, drink, and cheer.
The following day, a happy Trampos set out to embark on the 30-minute journey to Monza—to the circuit of entropy, as the English folks called it—to Autodromo di Lombardia for their Track Walk.
Two buses were boarded, and a cold morning with a sunless sky guided their way from one city to the other. It was a beautiful, quiet ride, one Luca found himself enjoying as he observed the sudden shift in landscape.
The crowded streets and roads of Milan, along with its altitudinous skyscrapers, were now out of sight. All Luca could see was the suburban transition between both cities, featuring small industrial zones and some residential neighborhoods with plenty of satisfying green spaces.
Suddenly, the scenery shifted dramatically again, marking their entrance into Monza. And from this route, Parco di Monza was one of the first venues any traveler would encounter.
It was a park—actually, one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe and the biggest in Italy. Of course, it was supposed to be big because it housed the circuit itself.
Deep down in the park, at its far end, Autodromo di Lombardia waited calmly.
There were already a few people at the park so early in the morning, engaging in the usual park activities. Even though Formula 1 content had already saturated the entire park, some children still needed merry-go-rounds, swings, and slides to enjoy their morning.
Trampos' buses took the roads leading to the circuit. They underwent the first checkpoint, which was likely set up to keep any civilians far away from the circuit while the teams conducted their Track Walk in peace.
After driving on roads marked by FIA banners, they eventually arrived at the main location in the park. The main entrance to the circuit was well-signposted, with large gates and one final checkpoint, which they cleared with ease.
Finally, Luca disembarked from the bus. This time around, they actually drove into the circuit's range with their buses.
Unlike the previous round, Trampos had the entire circuit to themselves and no other team was scheduled for a Track Walk at this time. One might assume that, given this was the final round, the schedule would be much tighter, with every team eager to walk the track before race day.
Yet, the opposite was true. The Track Walk schedule was surprisingly open.
No Formula 1 teams would be conducting Track Walks this week. This entire week was reserved exclusively for Formula 2, while the weekend also belonged solely to F2.
The 12th round of the season always stood apart from the others. Unlike the usual format, it was branded as a Mega Prix rather than a Grand Prix, and there would be no Sprint Race preceding the main event. Another key difference was the scheduling:
Rather than hosting both the F2 Italian Mega Prix on Saturday and the F1 Italian Mega Prix on Sunday like a standard race weekend, this round had a unique structure. Formula 2 would race on Saturday, November 28th, but Formula 1's Italian Mega Prix would be pushed to the following Sunday, December 6th—not November 29th as one might expect.
This was a deliberate move by the Federation, designed to give the final round a distinct, memorable atmosphere. Extending the race calendar in this way also stretched the celebrations in Italy—or any country hosting the final round—bringing an economic boost by keeping motorsport fans engaged for a longer period.
By Saturday, November 28th, the entire Formula season for all divisions would officially conclude. Transfers, contract negotiations, renewals, and driver movements could begin immediately after the checkered flag waved for the F2 champion.
However, the true final curtain on this year's racing calendar would not fall until Sunday, December 6th, when Formula 1 completed its Mega Prix race. Only then would the FIA workers, officials, and teams finally be able to rest after an intense, grueling year.
Luca was relieved he had brought thick gloves because the air here was absolutely freezing. If the temperature kept dropping, it wouldn't be surprising if it started snowing soon.
Stepping onto Turn 3, known as Curva Grande, the circuit's sheer scale became even more impressive. This sweeping, high-speed curve was long, tight, and steep. It was one of the rare turns in motorsport designed to link two chicanes seamlessly. Can you imagine that?! The idea of navigating such a demanding section at full throttle was thrilling.
And this was just one piece of the intricate, almost spaghetti-like layout of Autodromo di Lombardia. The Italian circuit had earned its nickname, Serpeggiare, meaning to snake or to wind, for good reason.
Stretching 7 kilometers, Serpeggiare was a queen track that punished understeer and challenged even the best drivers with its demand for precise downforce management and impeccable traction control.
Beyond the asphalt wasn't much of nature but of trees of the park and all its features. It was this very reason that the circuit was located in the huge park that's why it had less seat capacity than Circuito del Barca-Raval, Mandalora—just by a few thousands though.
With the team, Luca moved through the record-breaking 21 turns of the circuit, marveling at its complexity. Only four straightaways offered the drivers a brief respite before plunging into yet another demanding corner.
At some point, Luca quietly drifted away from the group. The spot he was heading to wasn't close, so he picked up his pace, jogging for about two minutes until he arrived.
Standing before the main grandstand, Luca took a deep breath. This section, known as Tribuna Centrale, dominated the home straight, and it was here that the podium ceremony would take place on Saturday. The winner wouldn't just claim victory in the race but would also be crowned Formula 2 world champion.
Though the podium was yet to be set up, Luca could already picture himself standing atop it, the championship trophy raised high, the roar of the crowd echoing around him.
His gaze shifted as he mentally traced a straight line from the future podium's position, across the track, and toward the grandstand directly facing it.
That's where Mom and Sophia would sit, he thought. It was a multi-tiered grandstand with shades and an obstructed, perfect view of the grid formation, pit stops, podium celebrations, and the chequered flag moment.
Surely, that would be fit for them. Luca had bought tickets very early because he knew it'd be sold out in a week, and it was, five days even. He hoped they could come to Italy as soon as possible.
The rest of the spectators would watch from viewing centres in the park itself, anywhere in Italy or anywhere else in the world.
75 Laps would be no easy task for Luca. And with this new configuration of Sync Buff, he might have a few difficulties adjusting. But at least he'd perform! Negative test results equaled positive fair play!
After nearly two hours of exploring the circuit, the team decided to call it a day. They boarded their buses, retracing their tire marks back to Milan.
Upon arriving at their designated facility, they were met with an unexpected surprise.
For the first time, Luca heard mention of Trampos' actual owners. Until now, he had assumed that Mr. Fisher—the man who called the shots—was either the owner or at least held a significant stake in the team. But now, he was learning otherwise.
As it turned out, Trampos Racing was primarily owned by the German government, holding about 70% majority stake. The remaining 30% was divided among various groups, but unlike some of the top F1 teams Luca knew, no single individual actually owned a piece of Trampos.
He was just the president, the head of operations, but with no personal ownership stake in the team.
Von Keller Gruppe was the group that arrived today. As the largest stakeholder within that 30% minority ownership, they had come with the clear intent of motivating the Trampos team ahead of their crucial finale.
They were a prestigious German financial and investment conglomerate that specialized in banking, real estate, luxury goods and media. Perhaps, some of Trampos' privileges in these fields came from them.
Von Keller Gruppe weren't the only ones present. A few representatives from Fijee, Catapult, and other sponsors—Dradel, Vortex, and HighLine—had also gathered to make their last-minute promises, should Trampos secure the championship on Saturday and crown themselves champions of Formula 2.
True to their deep pockets, Von Keller Gruppe pledged a substantial team-wide bonus, despite being owners rather than sponsors.
Fijee, already having performance-based bonuses in their contracts with Trampos, offered individual rewards rather than a collective payout to the entire team. The same went for Catapult and the others, each adding their own incentives.
A round of applause rippled through the Trampos camp, with the younger crew members cheering and clapping the loudest. The thought of extra financial rewards fueled their excitement, attracted nothing but happiness, and a silent determination settled within them. They swore to win on Saturday—though, in the end, that responsibility rested solely on their drivers, Luca and Haas.
As the representatives departed, Luca headed up to his room. He peeled off his thick gloves and jacket before collapsing flat onto his bed.
He remained there for a while, dormant, conscious yet not aware of his surroundings. His system rang just when the drowsiness of sleep began to creep in.
[Daily Quest has been issued!]