An hour later, Ansel returned to the locker room, looking refreshed and ready for the race. He slung a towel over his shoulder as he dropped onto the bench beside Luca. "Guess who's got 7% of the votes to win today's race?" Ansel asked, raising a brow with a short smirk.
Luca didn't need to think hard to understand the implication. His lips twisted into a frown. "Me? 7% of the people here at George Park bet on me to win?"
"Yep, number 21," Ansel confirmed with a soft smile. "Aren't you happy you've got a portion of the crowd believing you'll cross the finish line first?"
The George Park Circuit holds about 85,000 spectators. Let's say 70,000 of them are eligible to place bets. That means almost 5,000 people think I'll win? What the....Screw whatever Mr. Grant said to the press earlier—I don't kind of pressure. "And what happens if I don't cross the line first?
They lose all their money, right?"
"Not exactly," Ansel replied with a casual shrug. "It depends on how much they placed and whether they made follow-up bets on other drivers. But yeah, in the end, they won't walk away with what they were hoping for. Don't sweat it. Their decision, their problem. I've disappointed bettors plenty of times.
It's just part of the game."
Luca gave a slow nod. "And how many people bet on you to take first place?"
Ansel leaned his head back with a small groan. "Ah, nothing crazy—just 13.5%. Addams is the real favorite this time with 44%. Aaronson's got 17%, which is annoyingly higher than me. Addams' teammate snagged 8%, and then there's your old Grey-Husson buddy, the young face of England they say..."
"Miles Bellingham," Luca muttered bitterly. He loathed that nickname.
"Yes, him. 6% are on his side. That's some strong belief," Ansel said, rising to his feet.
For someone who finished sixth in the last Featured Race and has no F2 history, that really is some strong belief. Luca sighed and stood as well. He and Ansel kept up their chatter as they got dressed in their racing suits, discussing how they would implement both team and personal strategies during the race.
Luca effortlessly slipped into his suit, the snug material hugging his body as he adjusted the collar. The Velcro on his cuffs secured with a sharp rip, and he pulled on his gloves, flexing his fingers to test the tight grip. A quick stretch of his hands made sure they were ready. With smooth precision, he fastened the neck support collar before grabbing his helmet off the bench.
His helmet looked different now—almost identical to Ansel's, thanks to the extra Fijee designs printed on it. While Ansel carried two additional sponsors and their responsibilities stitched onto his suit, Luca had just one. Still, it made him smile, thinking this was only the beginning.
Together, Luca and Ansel walked out of the locker room toward the garage, where the distant roar of the crowd echoed through the walls.
"...good afternoon, folks! It's a beautiful day here in George Park, Melbourne, as we bring you the last race of the month in the F2 Championship. The crowded grid will once again battle it out on the track in the second Featured Race of the twelve scheduled for this season...!"
"...Steve, are my eyes deceiving me, or is the George Park Circuit actually sold out...?"
"...your eyes are as sharp as ever, Steve! And your ears, too. The George Park Circuit is completely packed, and more fans are still trying to make their way inside. If I remember correctly, we didn't see anything last season, except maybe during the final, twelfth Featured Race..."
"...well, what do you expect, Steve? After delivering such a performance back in Germany, both on-site and on TV screens, how could they not crave more? That race was top-tier, and the fans are back to experience that same thrill again..."
"...they better get what they came for, because every turn, swerve, and curve matters on George Park's winding track. The salacious loops here will truly test the drivers' capabilities today. And speaking of tests, let's glance at the Team Standings so far in the Championship: Trampos Racing leads the way with 35 points, followed closely by Bueseno Velocità Jnr. with 31.
Hatcherk Motorsport holds third with 14 points, Nevada is just behind them with 11, and, somewhat surprisingly, Squadra Corse Jnr. rounds out the top five with nine points..."
"....It's great to see Trampos Racing climbing toward the top so early. After their poor 7th-place finish last season, I'm pretty sure the management told Mr. Lucas Grant, 'Sir, this cannot happen again. We have to make major changes.' And so far, it looks like those changes are paying off.
They've retained their sponsors, kept their F2 spot, and, with a couple of young talents on board, they're building real momentum..."
"...I like where you are going with that, Jon. And speaking of young prospects, let's take a look at the Driver Standings in the F2 Championship. Max Addams after an exhilarating race in Bad Rauenburg stands proudly at the top with 25 points. And like you had mentioned, Trampos has their two players in second and third, Ansel Hahn and Luca Rennick, each having 18 and 17 points to their name.
After falling short in the last race, Aaronson could hope to make this one different; forth is his home to reside for now with 12 points. Nevada's Jorge Rivera managed to get 10 points and is placed at fifth. These are the leading five..."
"...well, that could change after 46 laps of George Park..."
"...hehe, as paranoid as ever my co-commentator can be. We have Australia's Grand Prix ahead of us, folks...!"
Luca and Ansel entered the garage, greeted by the Trampos team crew. Immediately, a few staff members approached, attending to their suits. A female crew member noticed that Luca's HANS device wasn't properly secured and gently cautioned him.
"It needs to be tighter," she said with a smile, adjusting the straps connecting the HANS to his helmet. She pulled the shoulder straps taut, ensuring they fit snugly against his racing suit.
Luca nodded in appreciation. "Thanks," he said, giving a quick stretch of his arms and legs to loosen up.
Just then, Mr. Grant arrived, accompanied by Mr. Moritz. The determined look etched across Mr. Grant's face left no room for misinterpretation, the message was nothing less than a podium finish would be acceptable today.