Chapter 2

Four Years Earlier

Formula 1 visited the South Vacuo circuit for the first time. It was an immediate hit with the drivers. The weather was warm and sunny, the track was state-of-the-art, and it was genuinely fun to drive. By time trials, however, it was becoming less and less popular. That had nothing to do with the track itself. It had everything to do with Yang. In every session she was more than a second clear of her nearest competitors. Even Weiss, with identical equipment, could not match her pace. Either something about the track just agreed with Yang, or she was getting more out of her Crescent Rose Mk. 4 chassis than her teammate.

Yang went out at the beginning of qualifying and laid down a blistering lap. She gained a full two seconds on her previous best practice time. She pulled into the garage, got out of the car, took off her helmet and balaclava and went behind the garage to get some sun. She knew no one would beat her time and so did everyone else. Weiss managed a distant runner-up, over a second behind, when she too pulled in and decided her session was over. She was surprised to have even gotten that close. The rest of the field was two seconds adrift of her.

The front row may have been a foregone conclusion, but there were other grid spots to fight over. Pyrrha put her car in third but Winter was close behind. The Schnee Automotive cars were not showing their customary speed, seemingly down on power, but Winter made up a lot of ground with sheer skill and daring in the corners. As the clock ticked toward zero Pyrrha and Winter set out for one last run. Pyrrha started her lap first. She rocketed out of turn 8, Lion's Head, blasted down the short straight before the flat out turn 9, The Kink, and roared uphill across the line to begin her lap.

Winter was close behind. She got a good launch out of Lion's Head but something was amiss. The engine did not sound quite right. Winter just needed it to hold on for one lap. It did not. As she approached The Kink a loud metallic bang signaled the engine's demise. Oil poured from the shattered block, spraying onto the track underneath the car. The car's rear wheels in its own oil, Winter's vehicle began to slide. She entered The Kink completely sideways, shot straight off the track and slapped the armco side-on. The car slid down the track a ways, coming to rest in the grass verge just in front of the grandstands.

Winter had been going fast and it was quite the smack, but she was alright. The leaking oil, now mixed with fuel from a ruptured hose, ignited and a small fire began to surround the engine. With a little urgency, Winter undid her belts and climbed from the car. To keep it light for the sake of speed, there was hardly any fuel on board and Winter was not particularly worried about being burned. She hopped over the armco and looked across the track to the pit area. The Schnee Automotive garage was directly opposite. She threw her hands up in frustration. Even in testing the engines had not been reliable.

What she saw next shocked her. A track worker with a fire extinguisher rushed out across the circuit, heading toward her car to put out the small blaze. A pair of cars zipped past, luckily having slowed as they approached the scene of the accident, narrowly missing the man who was unsighted by the pit wall on the inside of The Kink. Somehow the worker arrived safely and began fighting the fire as if nothing had happened. His extinguisher made little impact on the fire.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Winter shouted.

"What?" The track worker replied.

"You just ran across the track!" Winter exclaimed. "You could have been hit! You were almost hit!"

"I was told to respond immediately if there's a fire." The worker explained. He clearly did not grasp just how lucky he was to be alive.

"Next time use your brain." Winter admonished. The man continued fighting the fire, trying to ignore her. As the extinguisher ran out the fire was still just as serious as it had been at the start. "And those fire extinguishers are entirely insufficient." Winter said. The worked did not seem to care. Winter cared. If someone needed a rescue during the race they would burn to death long before the pitiful extinguishers made a dent. She was not about to let that slide. She knew what it was like to be trapped in a burning car and never wanted anyone, not even her worst enemies, to experience that horror. Formula 1 needed to change and Winter was determined to make it happen.

Present Day

The South Vacuo Circuit was a very fast track but had a little bit of everything. Most of it was composed of long straights and high speed corners but a tight, twisting section meant it was not all about speed. It ran over undulating terrain, making for an interesting experience. After a very competitive series of tests, the track would provide a real indication of who was fast and who was not. The previous year Pyrrha, in an aerodynamically superior car, had won from Yang who had traditionally dominated at the circuit. With a brand new car, Yang was eager to return to form.

The first practice did not last long for Yang. She only managed to complete a handful of laps before a fuel pump failure ended the session for her. Pyrrha had no such trouble and took the top spot. She was not as blindingly fast as in years past, but it was entirely possible that she was not showing her hand just yet. Weiss was in the neighborhood but she was showing everything she had. Winter was close as well, but one could never tell if she was giving it her all. Yang ended up fourth, determined to make up for lost time in the remaining practice sessions.

And make up for lost time she did. Yang hardly spent a moment of the second practice in the garage area. She only came in for adjustments and went right back out again. No one was particularly surprised when she set the fastest time by a wide margin. Weiss fell back to fourth with Pyrrha and Winter lurking in second and third. In the third and final practice, Yang returned to her normal program and set the fastest lap again. Winter took second this time with Weiss third and Pyrrha a disappointing fourth after she lost out on running time with a gearbox issue. Things were looking up for those seeking to dethrone Pyrrha, but practice did not really matter. In time trials everyone's true speed would be on display.

As the clock wound down to the end of qualifying, Yang was on top of the speed charts. Pyrrha was relatively close, along with Winter, Weiss, and surprisingly Sun. Sun and Neptune had had a dreadful season the year before, their first as owner-drivers. Apparently an offseason redesign of their car and their switch from Merlot to StormFlower engines was paying off. Their blue and yellow machines looked fairly similar to the Beacon cars in shape - if a bit more bulging at the sides - and apparently worked just as well aerodynamically. With only a few minutes remaining in the session, all the cars were back on track to go for one final fast lap. Yang would be the last to run.

Yang took it easy through Lion's Head, sacrificing the corner to get a good exit for the start of her hot lap. She rocketed onto the straight and headed for The Kink. Still flat-out she rounded The Kink and headed uphill and across the line to start her lap. Just after the line the straight crested the rise and Yang rushed downhill toward the first turn, Thorn. She braked as the track bottomed out and headed back uphill again, then slung her car around Thorn. She was back on the gas but only briefly, slowing again for the second corner, Grill. Out of Grill she accelerated, heading downhill toward the following left-hand kink, Yoke. She took Yoke flat-out then edged the car to the left side of the track to line up for the next corner, Sunset. She braked hard, the car squirming, and slid round the corner which leveled off from the downhill section before it. She floored it on exit and sped down the short straight toward the track's tightest section. Yang slowed for the acute left-hander that came next, Clubhouse. As she crossed the apex she hit the gas and the car began to oversteer. She kept her foot down and straightened it out. In seconds she arrived at The Esses, an extremely tight left-right combination. She intentionally caused the car to oversteer slightly, slinging it to the left to get a good exit from the second of the pair of corners. Her tires bit as she accelerated out of the corner but she was on the brakes again almost immediately for Lion's Head. The corner was long and uphill, and Yang had to be patient. She waited and waited, then hit the gas at just the right moment, shooting out of the corner and onto the straightaway that led to The Kink. She was flat-out through The Kink, climbed uphill and crossed the line.

Yang secured the pole position but it was very close. The other contenders had all improved in the waning moments of the session and Yang only edged out Winter by fractions of a second. That it was Winter she edged out was the biggest surprise. Apparently Schnee Automotive's testing pace had not been smoke and mirrors. If qualifying was any indication, they were back to form. Pyrrha was a close third, less than half a second behind Yang, and Weiss was just under half a second back of that. Sun, Ciel, and Coco came next. May Zedong was a surprising ninth and Neptune rounded out the top 10. It was going to be a close race, not just for the win but all the way through the field. Even the brand new Bronze Car Company Team had managed competitive midfield times. A lot could change over the course of a season, but it looked like it would be an exciting one.

Before the race there was one important piece of business to take care of. The Emerald Forest. As new head of the GPDA Pyrrha felt pressure to address the organization's highest profile issue as soon as possible. She Yang and Weiss put together a statement for the press and released it just before the race. The timing was intentional. There would be no time for questions, and their threat would sit in the open for hours.

In a contract signed by the Grand Prix Drivers' Association and the Emerald Forest Circuit Board of Directors in August of last year, it was agreed that certain safety upgrades would take place. These included, but are not limited to, a repaving of the track, an increase in the extent of crash barriers surrounding the circuit, and reconfiguring of certain sections to prevent cars getting airborne. In return, the GPDA agreed not to boycott the race. These changes have not been enacted, nor have any steps been taken in preparation of their enactment. Unless adequate progress is made by 1 June, the GPDA will officially boycott the Emerald Forest Grand Prix and seek a replacement circuit. An inspection on that date by the GPDA directors will determine if sufficient steps have been taken to ensure driver safety.

Pyrrha Nikos

Weiss Schnee

Yang Xiao-Long

By the time the statement reached the press the cars were rolling onto the grid. There was a wait between when the cars arrived on the grid and the start of the parade lap, and drivers customarily got out of their cars to relax a bit. This time no one did. GPDA membership was not required to drive in F1, and three of the drivers were not members, but all supported boycotting the Emerald Forest. They were not going to create an opportunity speak to the media. Silence would hopefully unnerve the powers that be. None of the drivers would ever admit it, but they still feared the track and secretly hoped the changes would not be made. There was no realistic modification short of building a brand new circuit that would make the place truly acceptable. If the folks in charge at Emerald Forest broke the contract, the drivers could point to that, not fear, as the reason to not race there any longer.

After what seemed an interminable wait - sitting in their cars in the midday sun was not pleasant for the drivers - they rolled off for the parade lap. After rounding the circuit they lined up on the grid for the start. The starter raised his flag and the drivers revved their engines in anticipation. They flag dropped and they were off. Most of them. Coco stalled. Just behind her Arslan veered left to avoid the stationary car. Fox, behind Arslan, did the same. Mercury was unsighted by the cars in front of him but spotted Coco just in time, darting right. Fox went left, Mercury went right, and behind them Nolan Porfirio split the difference, slamming into the rear of Coco's machine. The impact pushed Coco's car to the right, turning it in front of Adam who had nowhere to go. The pair of cars interlocked and plowed into the pit wall. Nolan's car was kicked left and off the circuit, coming to rest against the armco in front of the grandstands. It was a miracle that none of the other cars were caught up.

The drivers in the crash scrambled out of their cars. It was the worst time to have an accident. On the start the cars carried all the fuel they would have for the entire race. They were more-or-less rolling bombs. Except for a crumpled nose and sheared right-front suspension, Nolan's car was intact, so there was little risk of fire. Coco's car, on the other hand, had been hit broadside, taking a shot directly to the fuel tanks. Coco was uninjured and quickly out of her car. After pounding on the steering wheel in a rage Adam jumped out as well. There was fuel leaking on the circuit, running downhill from Coco's car, under Adam's and beyond. It was probably the best place the accident could possibly have happened. Almost as soon as the drivers were clear of the cars, a half dozen track workers with fire extinguishers were on hand, dousing the wrecks. They had been stationed on pit road for the possibility of a pit fire, and thanks to Winter, had robust fire extinguishers designed to fight petroleum fires. When the leaders came around to start their second lap a cloud rose from the right side of the track. It was not smoke but a result of the heavy use of fire extinguishers. The fuel had been diluted sufficiently to prevent a fire, and with the cars off the racing surface the race was able to continue.

Yang led that first lap with Pyrrha second. Winter had gotten a poor start from the dirty side of the track and Pyrrha beat her into turn one on the first lap. With Weiss on Winter's tail the four ran line astern uphill, across the line, then back down again to begin their second lap. As they entered the braking zone for Thorn Pyrrha peeked to the right and Yang blocked. The pair were then forced to take a less-than-ideal line into the turn and had to slow more than usual. Winter shot up the left, pulling even with Pyrrha. Winter failed to complete the pass and found herself off the preferred line. She tried to pull in line behind Pyrrha but Weiss was already there, having taken her normal line into the corner. The sisters ran side-by-side into Grill but Weiss had the inside line. Winter yielded on corner entry and filed in behind her sister.

The front four remained in line for the next several laps. Things were a bit more interesting behind them. Sun ran fifth, where he had started, but Ciel had fallen behind May and Neptune. The group was well back of the leaders and having their own battle. With Ciel falling back and Coco stalling and holding up Neptune, Sun had initially had a decent gap. As soon as May passed Ciel she started reeling him in, lap after lap. Neptune soon passed Ciel as well and began to run faster times than his teammate. By lap 17 Sun was still fifth but May was right on his gearbox, clearly being held up. Neptune was just behind her. Sun was forced to start taking defensive lines, and that slowed all three. Ciel caught back up and the fight was really on.

On lap 22, May made her move. She waited until the last possible moment before shooting out to the right on entry to Thorn. Sun was taken by surprise and the pair ran into the corner side-by-side. Sun managed to just hold on beside May, and she was forced to take a tight and slower line on exit. They ran into Grill, still beside one another. May began to pull ahead, her rear wheel in line with Sun's front as they exited the corner. It was May's position. She drifted left on exit, using the entire track. Sun was still there, unwilling to concede the position. They touched wheels ever-so-slightly. May's car wiggled but she held on. The jolt knocked Sun into the grass. At that part of the track the grass on the left sloped steeply away and once he was off it was over. Sun slid through the grass, desperately struggling to get the car to turn back toward the track, but topography brought him inexorably toward the armco. With a quick bang-bang he stuck the barrier, left-rear then left-front, crushing his suspension and ending his race. May drove on but her bobble cost her a spot as Neptune swept past as they ran down to Sunset.

On lap 25 there was jostling at the front. Winter hung back through Lion's Head and got a good run on exit. She swept through The Kink right on Weiss' gearbox, the cars almost touching. As they climbed the hill Winter moved right and Weiss matched her. Winter shot back to the left and got beside Weiss. As they ran down the other side of the hill Winter edged ahead. On the inside line Weiss was forced to slow more for the corner, and Winter swept around to take the third spot.

The sisterly battle had opened a small gap to Yang and Pyrrha ahead. Pyrrha had previously limited her overtaking attempts for fear that a failed move would cost her one or two spots. Now was her chance. Clubhouse was not a traditional passing spot, but Pyrrha went for it. She dove left, much to Yang's surprise, and shot ahead as the pair entered the corner. Pyrrha had misjudged however, and slid wide on exit, allowing Yang to crossover and retake the lead. It also brought Winter and Weiss right back to her. Another brave move like that was, at least for the time being, no longer an option.

May was not done. She was all over the back of Neptune's car as Ciel steadily fell back from the pair. Neptune was subtler than Sun. Instead of throwing a full block every time May made a move, he would feint enough to get her to back off. That allowed him to go faster than Sun had. If May was going to get by she would have to ignore Neptune's defenses and just go for it. On lap 53 she saw her opportunity. Neptune got a less-than-stellar launch out of Lion's Head. May followed him through The Kink and made the slightest of moves to the right. Neptune made a similarly slight move to dissuade her, but May had recognized his pattern. She swung her car all the way to the right-hand edge of the track, kicking up dirt and debris as she drove on a part of the pavement that was not normally touched. Neptune belatedly realized what May was doing and threw on a full block. The timing was perfect, for May. The pit road ended and a whole new lane of asphalt opened up with its exit road. She just kept going right until she was right on the line. Neptune was unwilling to block so far and pulled back over to the left, hoping to get a better line into Thorn. He did, but it was not enough. May completed her pass and immediately began to pull away.

At the front it came down to the 79th and final lap. With four cars in so close a proximity, all had been reluctant to make a move except for Weiss who had nothing to lose in fourth. Unfortunately, she was the slowest of the quartet and was little more than a distraction. The cars flashed under the white flag, crested the hill and headed for Thorn. Pyrrha pulled right and Yang blocked. Pyrrha took a page from May's book and went much farther than Yang anticipated, and farther than Yang was willing to go. With her focus on Pyrrha, Yang forgot about Winter. She jumped to the left and the cars approached the corner three-wide. Yang knew she was beat. She backed out of the throttle early, Pyrrha and Winter shooting ahead. Pyrrha took the inside line, but apparently had not noticed Winter. She swung wide on exit, only spotting Winter at the last possible second. Pyrrha jerked the wheel right and got out of the throttle to avoid contact as Winter drove off into the grass to do the same. Yang shot up the middle and retook the lead as Pyrrha got back on the gas just in time to keep Weiss at bay. Winter did some off-roading but rejoined in fourth, making it back before the grass began to slope hopelessly away from the racing circuit.

Yang now had a big lead and would surely win, but the fight for the podium positions was not over. Pyrrha again tried an unconventional move. She followed Weiss through Grill, Sunrise and Clubhouse. Then, as they braked for The Esses, Pyrrha shot left. Pyrrha was going too fast to keep her car on the preferred line so Weiss let her go. As had happened when trying to pass Yang, Pyrrha slid wide, ending up on the right side of the circuit. Weiss crossed over to the left, but this was a different part of the track. The right was now the preferred line as the track suddenly snaked back. Pyrrha was able to cut Weiss off and hold the position. They ran around Lion's Head and onto the straight. Weiss got in Pyrrha's draft and stepped out to the right as they rounded The Kink, but it was too little, too late. Pyrrha took second with Weiss right beside in third. Winter finished a few seconds later in fourth and the hard-charging May took fifth. Neptune came home a distant sixth to take the final point. Ciel, Arslan, Fox and Dew Gayl rounded out the top 10.

Yang was the winner and got to celebrate atop the podium with Pyrrha and Weiss, but May was the talk of the race. She had finished fifth while her teammate had managed only sixteenth in qualifying before crashing out in the melee at the start. Either Nolan was out of his depth and the car was good, or the car was bad and May was excellent. Only time would tell.

The next race was over a month later in Mistral. Gone was the old Mistral Circuit, the first casualty of Winter's safety crusade. The drivers were thankful. Instead of a race on public roads through the countryside, they would be racing at a state-of-the-art, purpose-built circuit. It would be the first time Formula 1 would visit the Sanctum Circuit and the drivers were genuinely looking forward to it.

Points after one race:

1st - Yang Xiao-Long - 9

2nd - Pyrrha Nikos - 6

3rd - Weiss Schnee - 4

4th - Winter Schnee - 3

5th - May Zedong - 2

6th - Neptune Vasilias - 1

Inspirations

- South Vacuo is still Kyalami.

- The Winter incident references the fatal accident of Tom Pryce. Driver Renzo Zorzi had a fuel system issue that caused a fire in his engine. He pulled off to the left of the frontstretch. When a pair of track workers rushed across to help, one carrying a 50 pound fire extinguisher, only one made it, and it was not the one with the extinguisher. Pryce struck the man and the extinguisher struck his head, killing him instantly. The worker was basically cut in half and was only identified by process of elimination.

- The SeaMonkeys F1 car is based on the BRM P160.

Inaccuracies and Anachronisms

- A boycott of the Nurburgring took place in 1970. The German Grand Prix was held at Hockenheim while the track was modified to improve safety.

- A start accident like Coco's would likely lead to a red flag and restart.

- 1971 was the year the Belgian Grand Prix at spa was boycotted, not the previous year. Also, the Spanish Grand Prix was the second race. With no Belgian Grand Prix and only very few locations in the world of RWBY, I decided to make the Spanish Grand Prix the Mistral Grand Prix for the purposes of this story.