F1 AIE Chapter 10

F1 Anon In Equestria Chapter 10

T-1 week till the Baltimare Grand Prix

>Pre-season testing ended 1 month ago
>By the time it had ended, no two teams cars looked the same.
>Twilight was right, everyone had ended up making modifications to the front wing.
>Some even modified other parts of the car, its a wonder how they stayed within the car specification rules.
>Because of this, lap times between the 12 drivers have become increasingly competitive.
>During the final testing session, you were no longer the fastest around the track.
>It got to the point where everyone was within 1/2 of a second from each other.
>For instance, these were the times from the final testing session:

>1. Soarin - 1:29.453
>2. Octavia - 1:29.461
>3. Rainbow Dash - 1:29.497
>4. Spitfire - 1:29.512
>5. Anonymous - 1:29.537
>6. Vinyl Scratch - 1:29.560
>7. Flitter - 1:29.579
>8. Lotus - 1:29.583
>9. Thunderlane - 1:29.638
>10. Cloud Chaser - 1:29.660
>11. Blossomforth - 1:29.701
>12. Aloe - 1:29.705

>Yeah, you're all that fucking close.
>The race is pretty much going to come down to qualifying and pit strategy.
>Unfortunately for Vinyl, her penalty is still in effect.
>Because of her aggressive blocking maneuver that costed your team a front wing 3 months ago, no matter where she qualifies, she will be forced back 5 grid positions.
>Shes been a whole lot more friendly around the track ever since that day.

>With all the testing here, Baltimare has started to become Formula 1 central.
>Throughout the last month, p0nies have been claiming their favorite teams and drivers left and right.
>Banners showing off favorite teams have been displayed proudly at the front of some of the shops downtown.
>There are ALOT of Wonderbolts Racing fans.
>You can see that they're becoming the Equestrian equivalent of Ferrari. Most well known with the most passionate fans.
>This started when the last couple of testing sessions were open to the public to view for free.
>You remember walking out onto the paddock and seeing the usually empty stands filled to the brim with spectators.
>Every driver was on top of their game that day, pumped to show off their skills.
>Apparently the last testing session was also televised across the globe.
>You figured so when word reached you that the town of Cloudsdale was behind your team 100%.
>Obviously because of the sponsor your team has, most of your fans reside there.
>You two do have a few fans here in Baltimare though. You cant walk the streets without somep0ny asking for both you and Dash's autographs.
>Fan mail has started to come in as well. Some pics from mares addressed to you that were a little... um...
>Lets just say that socks must be their form of lingerie.
>God what would your old teammate back home think if he saw these pictures?
>"DUDE GO FOR IT!"
>Yeah, that's about right. But this is his fetish, not yours.

>Pre-season testing had a few scary moments.
>One incident is the reason why Cloudsdale Weather has 6 cars instead of 7 now.
>Rainbow was in a battle with the #7 of Cloud Chaser for a few laps practicing for the Grand Prix
>Dash got around her on the outside but started to turn into the curve before she was clear.
>Wheels touched and the rear end of Dash's #2 catapulted off of the ground, the car sent flipping multiple times.
>Very similar to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoPnwgiW-vY
>The sound of suspension rods snapping and rocks banging against the bodywork was all Dash could hear during her wild ride.
>You came up to the turn a few moments after the wreck occurred to see Dash's machine resting upside down in the gravel pit, wheels dangling from their former positions. Instantly your heart sunk.
>Worried would be an understatement for how you felt.
>You quickly pulled over, got out, and sprinted to Rainbow's mangled vehicle.
>Only to see her crawl out under her own power unhurt when you got there.
>Thank fuck she was alright. You don't want to see ANYONE hurt in this, let alone Dash.
>She was a little shaken up though, nothing too bad.
>Instead of waiting on a shuttle to get back to the paddock, she pulled a Senna and hitched a ride on the back of your car.
>Track marshals didn't like that but they'll get over it.
>By the end of the day one of your spare cars was transported to the track painted up in the Cloudsdale Weather livery and ready to go. So Dash didn't go long with out driving.

>The one other scary moment came during the final testing session.
>Thunderlane had a bad habit of hitting the rev limiter first before shifting. Thus ragging out the engine.
>That came to bite him in the ass on the front stretch near the end of the day.
>He was all by himself coming down the front stretch in front of thousands of spectators when his engine finally gave out on him.
>Halfway down the stretch, a loud *BOOM* echoed throughout the track.
>The #9 machine had a rooster tail of smoke and fire behind it as he came to a stop at the the first turn.
>Looked a lot like Jenson Button's engine failure at Melbourne in 2006: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUQXxMfzmZs&t=0m35s
>Car still on fire, he quickly got out of his machine as marshals with fire extinguishers got to work putting out the flames.
>The track had to be placed under a red flag because of all the oil and engine parts littering the front stretch.
>He stopped that rev limiter shit when they replaced his engine a few hours later.
>Most likely got coached by his crew chief after destroying that expensive powerhouse.
>You only have a limited amount of engines throughout the season, good thing it blew in testing and not in the season itself.

>But other than those two incidents and a few tire punctures, everything else has gone smoothly.

>In the month of down time between testing and the race weekend, Rainbow, Twilight, and yourself traveled back to P0nyville to see everyone again.
>Turns out you have a massive following of fans here as well.
>Cloudsdale Weather Racing banners as far as the eye could see.
>Of course you have a following here, this is basically your home town.
>During the mandatory Pinkie Pie welcome home party, you and Dash passed out premium grandstand tickets for the Baltimare Grand Prix to everyone.
>You think you made Scootaloo's year with those tickets.
>That filly was by far the biggest F1 fan you saw there.
>Rainbow being a driver probably helped in that aspect.
>She nearly fainted when you told her that you see a lot of driving potential in her.
>Shes gonna be one tough pegasi to beat if she can pilot one of those cars as well as she can ride that scooter.
>Rarity strangely declined the offer for the tickets though.
>You guessed the sport just isn't her thing. To each their own you suppose.
>But then she told you she already bought Arena seats for herself, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy.
>The Element of Generosity showing off her true colors.

>And now with the Grand Prix a week away, everyone is back in Baltimare getting ready for the event.
>Restaurants and sports bars have huge race day events planned.
>Banners saying "Baltimare - Home of the EquineRing" line the city streets.
>Like what was said before, Formula 1 Fever has hit Baltimare hard.

>At EquineRing Circuit
>It's quiet, peaceful, and sunny. Birds singing their melodic songs off in the distance.
>You are currently inside the Cloudsdale Weather garage as you do your personal tradition of sitting on the right front tire of your machine, just taking it all in.
>You've been doing this since you graduated from karts on to real open wheel racers.
>It helps you relax.
>Seeing as an F1 Grand Prix is in all a very hectic, demanding, and dangerous event. Relaxation is paramount.
>RD: "What are you doing?"
>Oh look, Rainbows here.
"Thinking."
>RD: "Hmm. About what?"
"The race coming up, what else?"
>RD: "Oh I don't know, maybe about the mares who sent you those pics."
"... You saw those eh?"
>She lets out a giggle as she replies:
>RD: "Oh yeah. You should call em up. That red maned one was a real looker."
>Nope.
"No thanks, I haven't warmed up to the thought of having a p0ny as a girlfriend yet."
>RD: "Girlfriend? Whats that?"
>Oh right.
"Oh um, What do you call it? Special Somep0ny?"
>RD: "Oh I gotcha. Cross species relationships aren't uncommon Anon. I mean look at Spike, he has the BIGGEST crush on Rarity right now."

"Eh, I'm still not comfortable with it, maybe in due time."
>Rainbows ears droop slightly, you don't notice as you still look outwards from the garage.
>RD: "Yeah, so why are you sitting on the wheel?"
"Its something that started years ago when I graduated into Formula 3. Before my first race I just plopped myself on the right front and relaxed, thinking about happy things. That race ended up being my first victory in F3. I've been doing this little ritual every race since."
>You look over to Rainbow to see shes now doing the same thing.
"Hehe. It helps doesn't it?"
>RD: "Yeah actually."
>You two sit there quietly listening to your surroundings for what seems like an hour.
>Until your butt starts to hurt.
>F1 tires aren't the most comfortable seat in the world.
>As you and Rainbow get up, Twilight comes into the garage.
>TS: "Hey guys. The others finally came to Baltimare. Come on, were gonna go meet them at a restaurant downtown."
>Oh yes. Food sounds amazing right about now.
>You three leave the quiet garage to head downtown, both sleek machines still sitting there.

>Like sleeping beasts, each are patiently waiting to be unleashed once more in a frantic battle one week away, all for the elusive taste of victory.