Chapter 314
Luca and DiMarco’s DNF didn’t stop the Chinese Grand Prix, no matter the severity of the crash. A tiny wisp of flame was even spotted at the point of impact between both cars, but it was put out quickly.
XXX— Luca Rennick
XXX— Davide DiMarco
The physical encounter between both drivers was a brief one, as marshals pulled them away from each other before things could get more heated than they already were.
Many believed DiMarco had uttered something stunning, because Luca’s face was pale and perplexed as he was guided away from the wreckage.
Eventually, some of Jackson Racing’s crew approached and gratefully accepted their driver from the caring hands of the marshals.
DiMarco remained standing, admiring his handiwork before turning on his heel to walk across the track. While he did, he lifted his hands and clapped to the crowd. The crowd cheered and roared loudly at his gesture.
What impression was he trying to make? That he had put on a performance worth applauding? That despite the wreckage, despite the DNF, he still believed himself to be the star of the show?
The only spectators that clapped back were Velocità’s; the others roared in response, exclaiming that this wasn’t an honorable send-off for him and that he should stop clapping like a footballer subbed off after a match-winning display.
When the circuit was cleared of all eliminated drivers, the marshals then focused on cleaning up their mess. It could take about fifteen minutes, considering how the wreckage had scattered debris across the tarmac.
With carbon fiber shards littering the racing line and fluid stains marking the site of impact, the cleanup operation needed to be thorough before the race could resume.
During this clean-up, an announcement was made concerning the incident. It turned out race control had conducted a scrutinized review of the entire thing and had a strong verdict to deliver.
“…After a thorough review of the incident between Davide DiMarco and Luca Rennick, race control has determined that DiMarco was responsible for causing a collision. As a result, a 10-place grid penalty will be applied at the next Grand Prix…”
There was a mixed reaction from everyone as the announcement was repeated in Mandarin. There were boos, cheers, murmurs, and protests, while most roared in satisfaction.
“WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!”
“…Well, there you have it—a 10-place grid penalty for Davide DiMarco at the United States Grand Prix. I have to say, that’s a pretty strong call from the stewards….”
“…Strong? I’d argue it’s completely fair! DiMarco’s move was reckless. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he still went for it. Even his behavior after the incident—a penalty was inevitable…”
“…Right. Race control doesn’t just look at the crash itself. They consider sportsmanship, too. Rennick’s DNF must hurt the young man, considering this is his second F1 race. Zero points for him here in Shanghai…”
“…DAVIDE HIMSELF, a Red Bull driver, sits at the bottom of the standings with zero points! And into Las Vegas, wherever he qualifies, he’ll be relegated ten positions. And how many points do you think he’ll finish the race with…?!”
DiMarco, who was just entering his garage when the announcement was broadcast, simply smirked.
——–
As earlier said, the mishap didn’t prematurely conclude a Grand Prix that hadn’t been hosted for six years.
After the red flags were lowered, racing continued—still breathtaking and thrilling. And fifty-two minutes later, 34 laps after, Rodnick crossed the finish line first when the sun had already descended.
Antonio Luigi finished second, and the driver who began at pole, Hank Rice, completed the podium spots.
“…P4, Jimmy Damgaard…!”
“…P5, Denko Rutherford…!”
“…P6, Marko Ignatova….!”
“WOOOOOOOOOOOHH!”
Once again, Jackson Racing, currently the only Ferrari-powered team on the grid, was crowned victorious in another race.
Although Rodnick finished in first place, it still didn’t seem like a win to them. Luigi and Ignatova had tallied up 26 points (18 + 8), which was a point more than Rodnick’s 25.
Basically speaking, this was a win for Squadra Corse.
Another unhappy team was Haddock Racing. In fact, they had arrived at the Chinese Grand Prix joyless, knowing that maximum points weren’t their fate this afternoon.
Ailbeart Moireach was starting at P20, and Denko, who hadn’t driven since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last year, wasn’t totally reliable.
At the end of it all, their drivers’ performances were remarkable because Ailbeart had finished in P10, and Denko in P5. But 11 points weren’t enough.
Assuming Ailbeart hadn’t been disqualified in the qualifiers, their strategists predicted they would have been the team to merit the most out of the upheaval that occurred on track today.
——
Final Race Standings – Chinese Grand Prix
🏁 Top 10 Finishers:
P1 – Marcellus Rodnick 🇺🇸 (Jackson Racing) 🏆 +25pts
P2 – Antonio Luigi 🇮🇹 (Squadra Corse) +18pts (+1 FL)
P3 – Hank Rice 🇬🇧 (Iberia Grand Prix) +15pts
P4 – Jimmy Damgaard 🇩🇰 (Bueseno Velocità) +12pts
P5 – Denko Rutherford 🇧🇬 (Haddock Racing) +10pts
P6 – Marko Ignatova 🇷🇸 (Squadra Corse) +8pts
P7 – Mikhail Petrov 🇷🇺 (Iberia Grand Prix) +6pts
P8 – Javier Montez 🇪🇸 (Outback Performance) +4pts
P9 – Desmond Lloyd 🇬🇧 (Velox Hispania) +2pts
P10 – Ailbeart Moireach 🇬🇧 (Haddock Racing) +1pt
▾Remaining Finishers:
P11 – Józef Konarski 🇵🇱 (Alpine Swiss F1)
P12 – Alejandro Vasquez 🇪🇸 (Velox Hispania)
P13 – Yokouchi Yūichirō 🇯🇵 (Alpine Swiss F1)
P14 – James Lockwood 🇬🇧 (Nordvind Racing)
P15 – Erik Haas 🇩🇪 (Trampos Racing)
⨉ DNF (Did Not Finish):
P16 – Ansel Hahn 🇩🇪 (Trampos Racing) – Crash
P17 – Davide DiMarco 🇮🇹 (Bueseno Velocità) – Crash
P18 – Luca Rennick 🇮🇹 (Jackson Racing) – Crash
P19 – Elias Nyström 🇸🇪 (Nordvind Racing) – Crash
P20 – Luis Dreyer 🇪🇸 (Outback Performance) – Tire Suspension
—–
It was as if Luca and DiMarco’s exit had given way for other drivers to gain valuable points that couldn’t have been attained otherwise.
Rodnick, standing on the P1 podium, reveled in glory as the crowd’s thunderous cheers vibrated through the towering stands of the Shanghai International Circuit.
Jackson Racing’s flag waved proudly in the breeze as he stood tall over his closest rivals, Luigi and Rice. A smile was on his face, knowing he was the conqueror of Shanghai—the driver who won the Grand Prix on its debut return after six years of absence from the F1 calendar.
Without hesitation, he popped open the cork of the champagne bottle that had been handed to him.
Meanwhile, Luca, who had since recovered from the slight concussion he suffered in the crash, was applauding Rodnick’s win along with the rest of the Jackson Racing crew.
Even though Luca was clapping, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated. He was furious, not because his opponents were on the podium, but because he had lost all points in this race and was walking out with nothing.
Now, he would be dethroned from the top of the standings to somewhere in the middle or just above.
Luca’s system suddenly obstructed his view.
[SYSTEM ONLINE…]
[Host was unable to complete Sunday’s Daily Quest]
Luca’s eyes widened as he realized it all.
[Punishment for Failing Sunday’s Daily Quest:
-Sore throat]
[Issuing…]
[Status: Issued]
[Duration: 72 hours]