CHAPTER 579: S3 ITALIAN GRAND PRIX. 2

It appeared that Marko’s scrape had done more harm to his rival, Luca, than just cracking a visor.

Both airborne debris and track-running debris were never good. Downforce was essential in Monza, so anything that could compromise it was danger.

Just one lap after the cracked visor was diagnosed, Trampos’ radio also confirmed that Luca’s diffuser had a problem.

The diffuser was located between the rear wheels and directly under the rear wing. Its primary job was downforce, as it contributed 25–40% of it.

A piece of Marko’s debris had wedged itself there in the fins, and Luca’s car had begun losing rear stability the longer it remained there.

Team and driver alone were aware of the situation as Luca did his best to mask any hint of instability in his driving.

No rival should sense the imbalance of his Ferrari.

He was more prone to sliding now, and to faster overheating of tires than they already were.

Even fuel consumption was increased. To keep the Z24 steady through the corners, extra throttle had to be applied—thus, burning more fuel.

It was a dangerous situation for Trampos and Luca, but it was thankfully short-lived.

Luca was already scheduled for an early stop to replace his cracked visor, which meant the team could refine everything that was compromised.

Even his rival, Marko, had to get a fresh left sidepod.

[Retrieving pitstop info...]

[Service Time: 2.05 seconds]

[Front Tires: Soft → Soft]

[Rear Tires: Soft → Soft]

[System’s prediction: 17 sec—20 sec]

[Host’s pitlane Entry and Exit: 19 sec]

It was a very fast stop considering what was serviced. The efficiency of Trampos’ crew was in contradiction to their financial strain.

The diffuser was instantly cleared and refitted the moment the rear jack lifted the Z24, while Luca’s visor was swapped in less than a blink.

Within seconds of arrival, he was already shooting out of the pitlane, dust trailing behind.

Luca knew that Silent Restore hadn’t reached the satisfactory level, because it was meant to handle mechanical irregularities like this to prevent the need for manual pit interventions.

But he wondered—perhaps Silent Restore only repaired true damage, not clogs or obstructions by debris.

Would that also be the case when maxed?

P7— Luca Rennick ←

P8— Hank Rice

P9— Marko Ignatova ←

Nobody waited for Luca, and nobody waited for Marko.

The moment they rejoined in their respective laps, they were thrown straight into the nonstop rhythm of the pack, where there was no breathing space.

The midfield was alive and tense, each driver defending his line as if the championship depended on it.

Trampos had wanted to run a quick diagnostic on Luca’s fuel system during his pit service, but keeping him stationary even for another second would have contradicted their tactical path in this Italian GP.

Even Luca sounded as if he wouldn’t entertain the idea at all, so the topic wasn’t brought up. He needed to climb back up the order fast before the leading pack built too much of a gap.

"...Antonio! Luis! An unexpected duel is unfolding through these corners, a Red Bull preying on the blacks...!"

"...Yes, Luigi has definitely lost some rubber over these last few laps; you can see it in the way he’s tightening those exits, more diligent with the throttle now..."

"...And Dreyer, still yet to lose much wear, sees this as a perfect chance, doesn’t he? He’s closing in, and you can sense the hunger in a driver who hasn’t gotten such an opportunity all season..."

Unlike Luca, the other S-level engine drivers didn’t have any attributes for their tires to help balance out the effects of Autodromo’s unforgiving asphalt.

Monza’s track wore out tires too quickly, and HiCE-powered machines, being faster and more aggressive with traction, were the first to show significant degradation.

Luca’s diffuser problem was the only thing that hastened his own tire wear beyond the normal.

As expected, by the twenty-second lap, they began scurrying one after another into the pits, Luigi first.

But not before Luis Dreyer did the stunning!

"...There he goes! Luis Dreyer, smooth as a sail, slicing from Antonio’s flank and diving into the inside for P1...!"

"...The champion, Luigi, just didn’t have the grip at the apex. He couldn’t hold it, but the Red Bull could! Luis Dreyer leads the Italian Grand Prix, and Outback Performance have a chance to shine far away from home...!"

"...It was good timing, racing, and calculation, Dreyer showing the patience and nerve of a true racer here at Monza! And of course, Squadra Corse has to call Antonio in for necessary swaps; he’ll be hoping that lead isn’t too far from his grasp as he rejoins in P5..."

When this chain of events unfolded in the early twenty laps, little did anyone know that Luis Dreyer would still be holding on to P1 even after making his own pit stop.

The chronology of the Italian Grand Prix had shuffled the powerhouses into a tight midfield pack; Luigi in P5, Moireach in P6, Luca in P7, Marko in P8, and Damgaard himself running P4.

As usual, these self-serving drivers were like crabs in a bucket, all fighting to climb out but dragging the others down, risking contact, scrapes, and collisions rather than letting anyone else gain the upper hand!

Luca took this as a challenge for himself.

Running just a second behind Moireach and two seconds ahead of Marko, it was far from an ideal spot, as every driver ahead and behind moved flawlessly through the serpent turns, lap after lap, showcasing skill and precision.

To climb his way out of this web trap, Luca knew he had to refine his rhythm and sharpen his instincts.

He didn’t want to be trapped in the midfield by the time of his second stop, as he wanted control, leverage, and distance.

Gripping his steering wheel firmly, the young man narrowed his focus like never before, working to edge his speed over the others who matched him, balancing aggression with finesse.

And then, somewhere in that intense concentration, Luca unlocked something he never knew was possible.

[Comprehending...]

[Overtaking Skill, Reflexes, Track Awareness, Spatial Awareness, Slipstream Mastery, Gripper, Yaw Flex]

[Comprehension complete]

[Congratulations, you have acquired a Resonance:

—Racer’s Flow]