Intense training was carried out for the next three days. Mr. Grant was keen on training his boys on battling the understeer of the George Park Circuit. He was well familiar with the circuit, considering he's been the Team Principal for a few years, and have managed just a generation of Trampos Racing.
Luca spent a lot of time in chicane and hairpin drills, deftly maneuvering the single-seater he was given through the small track of the training facility. His System kept every record of the task he carried out and informed him of his overall score when any was completed.
Today, Mr. Grant wanted his team to learn and master yet another strategy that was needful for a track like George Park to give them the upper hand at certain circumstances. Luca and Ansel listened closely as he spoke. Haas was with them as well after Mr. Grant said he would be needing more wheels for the training.
The Robust Formation Strategy was what Mr. Grant called it, though Luca felt it likely had alternative names. The main objective of the strategy when put in simple words was for one driver to deliberately slow down and block a rival, allowing the second driver to gain significant time and overtake.
Though it might seem easy to the ears, it needed seamless communication between the drivers and precise timing and prediction, because rivals' movements could be unpredictable at times.
Before the strategy could be executed, Luca and Ansel would quickly assign their roles depending on who is ahead and who is behind. The one ahead would be the Surge driver, meaning he will be the one to take advantage of any gaps created on the track when the strategy is executed.
The one behind would likely be the Blocker Driver, focusing on disrupting and holding off key rivals to create space for his teammate.
For the set-up, the Blocker Driver would likely be adjacently behind the Surger, and simultaneously be before a rival who is threatening to overtake. This would likely keep them in an L-format while zooming down the track.
To begin their training, there were three roles to be taken: the Surger, the Blocker, and the Rival. Luca and Ansel switched between Surger and Blocker regularly, while Haas maintained his role as the rival opponent threatening to claim a position in the race.
They got into their respective cars, strapping themselves tightly after all safety measures were taken. The entire Trampos Racing crew that traveled with them stood at the sidelines, where grandstands would typically be during an actual event. The training facility had no bleachers for spectators.
Analyzing and inspecting the status of his single-seater, Luca's System deftly synced him with the Dallara.
Luca gripped his wheel, waiting for Mr. Grant's command. Their cars were positioned midway through the track to simulate the sudden need to execute the strategy during an official race. Luca played the Blocker Driver, while Ansel took the role of the Surge Driver for the first phase of the training.
Ansel's car was positioned just ahead of Luca's, to replicate the need to accelerate away from pressure. Haas' car sat behind Luca's, with the same distance separating them as between Luca and Ansel.
Mr. Grant ordered them to start their engines and roll slowly down the track, steadily building speed. Somewhere along the way, he would signal the command to initiate the Robust Formation Strategy..
Once they reached speeds of 250 km/h, Mr. Grant gave the order for Haas to begin pressing toward the cars ahead. Luca accelerated, shifting slightly to position himself defensively and block Haas from overtaking on the inside line.
This freed Ansel from the pressure, allowing him to manage his car's status and then surge forward. Luca adjusted his speed, focusing on holding Haas in check. Every time Haas tried to build momentum, Luca cut across just enough to disrupt his line without risking a penalty.
The seconds stretched on as Ansel gained distance, successfully creating a gap between him and the others.
The roles were switched repeatedly, with practices continuing on and on while Mr. Grant and Mr. Moritz took careful notes of their progress, assessing secondary strategies to implement as needed.
Eventually, the sun began to set, casting a softer, mellow light over the circuit. The heat of the day had dissipated, leaving the track bathed in a golden hue. Luca and Ansel were visibly tired as Mr. Grant and Mr. Moritz finally called it a day.
They retired into the facility to refresh, only to be greeted by members of the F2 press, who had been waiting patiently. Cameras flashed incessantly, and microphones were thrust forward as reporters swarmed around, eager to learn about their training, strategies, and expectations for the upcoming race.
Luca was still slightly sweaty, though the cool blast of the room's air conditioning eased the heat from his body as he took a seat behind a white table cluttered with microphones. He sat to the left of Mr. Grant, while Ansel occupied the seat to his right.
Luca had just learned that the press had been waiting all along for the team to finish their training session before being permitted inside, in accordance with FIA regulations.
"Mr. Grant, with only a few days left until the Australian Grand Prix, how confident are you in your team's ability to execute the new strategies you've been practicing?" a reporter asked.
"I'm very confident my team will execute flawlessly in any race we face," Mr. Grant replied smoothly.
"Luca has been making headlines recently with his rapid progression. Do you see him as a potential frontrunner in the championship, and how are you helping him manage the pressure?"
"Our new driver might be young, but I can assure you, he's not feeling the pressure. My boys stay cold even in the heat of their engines," Mr. Grant replied confidently.
"And do you have any concerns that teams from the higher division might come in and try to snatch him away if he proves to be exceptionally good?"
Mr. Grant hesitated briefly, his brows twitching before responding. "I'm not going to answer that. We all know Luca is under a two-year contract with us." He gestured toward the next reporter. "Please, let's move on to the next and final question."
"Certainly, Mr. Grant. With the radical overhaul that the Federation is proposing, do you worry that this new format and expansion might alter the essence of motorsport, as well as your team's strategy and your drivers' experiences on the track? What are your thoughts on the FIA's latest announcements, and when do you anticipate they might implement these changes?"
Mr. Grant leaned in on the table, interlocking his fingers as he placed them on the blanketed surface of the table. His stern gaze swept the room as he readied his response. "I'm just a Team Principal of a feeder series team. The FIA's announcement could involve racing underwater for all I care; this is their sport to manage, and my focus is guiding my team under that framework.
As for when they will implement these measures, I can't say. However, I assure you my drivers can navigate any obstacle that comes their way. Thank you, but that will be all for questions."
A reporter stammered out a follow-up, but Mr. Grant shut it down with a firm shake of his head as he stood. "My drivers will respond to no questions," he stated, leading Luca and Ansel out of the press room.
Luca was just realizing the weight each race carried, even in Formula 2. He would be racing a total of 12 or 13 races this season—assuming Mr. Grant kept letting Haas take the wheel for the Sprint Races. His thoughts drifted as the evening slowly cloaked the training facility in shadows.