F1 AIE Chapter 11

F1 Anon In Equestria Chapter 11

T-23 hours till the Baltimare Grand Prix

>Come on, Come on.
>Turn hard through the curve.
>Exit and nail the throttle down the hill.
>This lap has to count.
>Scream down the backstretch at insane speed.
>Brake late and HARD into the chicane.
>Decelerating from 185 MPH to 65 MPH in one second
>Only way to slow down faster than this is to hit a tree.
>Stomach searing in agony as it tries to stay in your body.
>Smoothly hit each chicane apex.
>Gradually floor it to the final right hand turn.
>Brake smoothly and ease the car into the last curve.
>Hit the apex
>Push the throttle
>Sweep outwards and clip the kerb entering the front stretch for maximum traction.
>A few up-shifts and...
>Finish line.
>TS: "Congratulations Anon. A 1:29.334 puts you on P1. You made it into Qualifying Two.
>Fuck yeah.

>Qualifying Two. Final qualifying session of the day.
>Back home there were three qualifying sessions to decide the field of 24 competitors.
>There are only two here.
>Mainly because the grid has half the amount of drivers.
>Here, in Qualifying One, All twelve drivers are out fighting to participate in Q2.
>At the end, the 6 slowest are knocked out. Forced to start at those grid positions.
>The 6 fastest however, they are pitted against each other for the elusive position of Pole.
>P1, as Twilight said before.
>You made it, but this is where strategy begins to play its role.
>As per the rules, You are forced to keep on the tires you used in Q2 at the start of the Grand Prix.
>You have to be smart about this.
>You only have one shot.
>One lap.
>One chance to get on Pole.
>You screw up your one good lap and you'll see yourself mid pack.
>A group of pilots behind you fitted with fresh rubber.
>Not a good way to start off.
>You drive up to your pit stall. Crew team backing the machine up into the garage.
>Looking to your right to see Rainbow sitting in her car. She backed in a few moments before you did.
>Looks like she made it into Q2 as well.

>A crew p0ny attaches a computer screen to your car in front of your face.
>This screen gives you vital info on you, your car, and your competition.
>Thus allowing you to see everyone's current position.

>The 6 p0nies knocked out of participating in Qualifying two:

7. Octavia
8. Spitfire
9. Aloe
10. Lotus
11. Blossomforth
12. Flitter

>So the six driver showdown for pole consists of Cloud Chaser, Soarin, Vinyl Scratch, Thunderlane, Rainbow Dash, and yours truly.
>Vinyl is a non issue concerning her penalty.
>However, Soarin is another matter completely.
>Good god is he quick.
>You got P1 in Q1 on account of him slipping up slightly at the chicane.
>He will more than likely not do that again.
>Q2 starts in 5 minutes. You take this opportunity to relax and take a drink of water.
>The car up on jacks, you can feel the pit crew strapping brand new options on for the final session.
>These same tires will follow you onto the Grand Prix.
>Don't fuck em up too bad.

4
>As Q2 starts, the crowd roars.
>EquineRing is a packed house surprisingly.
>Its not even the big race. Yet thousands upon thousands have paid tickets to see you all qualify.
>10 minutes is all the time allowed for this final session. But.
>No one has gone out yet.
>That's part of the strategy.
>You want to make sure there is NO ONE around you to fuck up your lap.
>9:30 and counting.
>In your peripheral, you see Dash's racer lowered to the floor.
>Shes gonna go ahead on out there.
>Godspeed Rainbow.
>Her machine being the first to exit pit lane triggers another cheer from the stands.
>You hear her engine speed off through the curves. Tires warming up for her main lap.
>Then another engine roars to life. Sounds like from the garage beside yours.
>Vinyl is heading out as well.

>(A few minutes ago In Bass Cannon Racing's garage)
>OCT: "Oh buck it all. Almost made it."
>VS: "Hey, you wanna know a little secret to how I got my lap time?"
>OCT: "Lemme guess, your car is powered by wubs or something?"
>VS: "I wish! But no seriously, just make this tiny little adjustment to your front suspension. It'll help with grip."
>OCT: "Are you sure it wont throw my car off balance?"
>VS: "No way. If anything it will make it 'more' balanced. Now hurry up and do that adjustment before they park firm your flank."
>OCT: "That's parc fermé, and alright. Nothing bad better come out of this."
>VS: "Just trust me on this one."
>OCT: "Ok. Like how I trusted you with naming our team?"
>VS: "Whats that supposed to mean?"

>8:23 left in the session.
>You hear Rainbow scream past the front straight at full power. Her payoff lap starting.
>You eye the screen patiently awaiting your teammates lap time.
>A few seconds later, a second machine flys past the paddock.
>You gotta give it to Vinyl, going out there anyway with such a penalty enforced on her.
>Then again if you think about it, any place is better than last place.
>So shes doing the smart thing.

>Time left: 7:07
>Here comes Dash to the finish line. A time popping up beside her name on screen.
>Rainbow Dash - 1:29.324
>Very nice. Faster than your time in Q1.
>But here comes Vinyl. Lets see what she has for us.
>Vinyl Scratch - 1:29.370
>Woah. That was a close one.
>As soon as Vinyl goes past, an engine erupts further down pit lane.
>You find out it belongs to Soarin when he rolls past your garage stall in his blue and yellow #6.
>The crowd goes wild. Cloud Chaser heads on out about 10 seconds later.
>You though, are still waiting the session out.
>You want to be absolutely alone out there.
>No one in front to slow you down. No one behind to put pressure on you.

>You have 5:50 left.
>Waiting for Soarin and Cloud Chaser to finish their laps.
>Rainbow has since come back into the garage from her qualifying attempt.
>She is currently holding down P1.
>A wide smile across her face was shown when she got out and removed her helmet.
>May not last long though, Here comes Soarin to complete his lap
>Soarin - 1:29.329
>By the skin of her fucking teeth she keeps P1.
>Dash jumps up and down in celebration.
>The one p0ny we all thought would take the pole has come up ever so short.
>Here comes Cloud Chaser down home straight.
>Cloud Chaser - 1:29.412
>Ooo, not gonna cut it.
>Time left: 4:28
>Shit, time to get out there.
>You signal to your pit crew to fire up the car and get you on your way.
>Rainbow walks over to your machine and motions a hoofbump for good luck.
>Returned.
>The machine rumbles as your engine roars alive, and you are set down from the jacks.
>You waste no time getting the thing going.
-----
>By the time you've done your warm up lap, the tires and engine are at optimal temps.
>When you exit the final turn to start your qualifying lap, something inside you clicks.
>You have entered a heightened state of awareness.
>A trance like state almost
>You have no fear in this mode, nothing phases you.
>Time itself slows down.
>You're true competitive nature shows itself.
>Taking the turns like the G forces aren't even there.
>Sorry Dash, maybe next race.

>Completely focused,
>Unhindered,
>Hitting each mark with absolute precision.
>You complete your lap...
>Anonymous - 1:29.301
>...Successfully taking pole position.
>Again, Fuck yeah.
>The crowd roars at this new development. Bringing you out of your focused state.
>Instantly you back off the throttle in order to save the tires for the race.
>Twilight sees you from the pit lane gantry with your fists in the air.
>TS: "Don't celebrate just yet"
"Why?"
>TS: "Thunderlane hasn't completed his lap yet and the track temp just went down a degree."
>Oh shit, fucking clouds with their shade.
>One degree of temperature down on a racing surface can increase grip actually.
>Yes, the cars are really this sensitive.
>Any change in anything can make a drastic difference in handling, for better or for worse.
>Here he comes past the finish line.
>TS: "Thunderlane got a 1:29.295. You're starting on P2 tomorrow."
>Fuck.
>Oh well, You're still on the front row. So it's not that bad.

>Official Qualifying results for the Baltimare Grand Prix

1. Thunderlane
2. Anonymous
3. Rainbow Dash
4. Soarin
5. Cloud Chaser
6. Octavia
7. Spitfire
8. Aloe
9. Lotus
10. Vinyl Scratch - -5 grid penalty from qualifying position of 5th
11. Blossomforth
12. Flitter

>Returning to the garage you notice Dash at her vehicle, an air of disappointment around her.
>She was just knocked down from Pole to 3rd.
>Not like you helped or anything.
>Getting out of the car, you walk over to her.
>Reassuring her that drivers starting from dead last have won a race before.
>You'll just have to drive your flank off.
>She can do it, no problem.
>There's a smile.
>You walk over to Team Thunders garage a give your congratulations to Thunderlane.
>You also give good luck wishes to Blossomforth.
>No reason not to be a good sport.
>Shortly afterwards, all the cars are moved and parked in the paddock.
>Parc fermé has gone into effect.
>During the time between Q2 and the Grand Prix, the cars are not to be touched.
>A few things you can do is check tire pressures and refuel the car.
>Doing anything else will force a penalty.
>Don't want that.

>Before you now is the day you've been waiting for.
>Race day.
>You've only been in Equestria for five months now.
>But look at what you've started.
>Who knew Celestia herself would get so into this?
>Having three racing circuits constructed for a Formula 1 racing season.
>Supplying cars, crew, tires, fuel, facilities... pretty much everything really.
>Don't ever underestimate the will of a sun goddess.
>They will get shit done.

>Up next, Finally.
>The Baltimare Grand Prix.
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzDsUIVnvnE