Author's Note: This story is inspired by history but will contain historical inaccuracies and anachronisms for plot reasons. At the end of each chapter, I'll be pointing out the inspirations and inaccuracies.

Chapter 1

12 Years Ago

With only two races remaining in the Formula 1 championship only two drivers still had a shot at the title. Beacon GP Racing had dominated the season, winning all but one of the races contested so far, with their drivers sweeping the top two spots four times. Summer Rose sat second in points, just one point behind. Taiyang Xiao-Long, her husband, led the championship. A married couple, teammates and best friends, it was as friendly a rivalry as possible in the cutthroat world of Grand Prix racing.

The final race would take place in Atlas, but now the championship was in Vale. The Forever Fall Forest Circuit was the fastest in the world. Roughly boot-shaped with fast, sweeping turns, it cut through a scene of natural beauty, surrounded by the ancient forest. The circuit had varying reputations. Fans loved it because of the fast close racing and often unpredictable winners that emerged. Mechanics loved it because it made their lives easier. Handling counted for almost nothing compared to engine power. As a result, engine builders dreaded it. The drivers dreaded it as well. Speed was dangerous, and over the years many had succumbed to it.

Thirty-three laps into the fifty lap distance saw Summer Rose in the lead. Taiyang Xiao-Long ran a close second, the pair drafting around the circuit. By working together they set a blistering pace the rest of the field could not match. They would fight it out at the end but for now they were content to ride line astern to continue gapping the field.

Thundering down the back straight, Summer checked her mirrors. Taiyang was tucked in just behind her, a big smile on his face. She was smiling too. This was what she lived for, leading a race with the love of her life just behind. The final turn was just ahead, a sharp, unwinding 180° turn that was subtly chambered to the benefit of the cars. Summer pressed down on the brake pedal. It went straight to the floor. She released it and tried again. Nothing. She closed her eyes and prayed as the car barrelled into the turn going far too fast.

Taiyang could immediately tell something was wrong. As soon as he touched the brakes Summer's car shot ahead. He thought at first she had misjudged the corner, but her car never slowed. Her gleaming silver car shot off the track, sent airborne by the slight banking of the corner. It bounced once in the grass before striking the armco barrier beyond. The car disintegrated and burst into flames as it launched into the sky. Summer was thrown from the car, sailed through the air like a rag doll, then landed somewhere out of view beyond the barrier.

Present Day

The crowd roared as the cigar-shaped cars screamed past the grandstands to begin the final lap of the Grand Patch F2 Grand Prix. In her sleek silver car, hometown driver Yang Xiao-Long ran third in only her first F2 race. For Yang the day had not started nearly as well. In time trials she had suffered engine trouble and only managed a 17th place starting position. Though she had successfully repaired the damage for the race and was far more skilled than most of the drivers that deep in the field, the circuit layout made passing difficult and halfway through the race she sat 12th.

Then everything changed. It began to rain, the downpour steadily increasing to monsoon-like intensity. It was just what Yang needed. Her car was ideally suited to the conditions and her skill on a wet track was unmatched by any other driver in the race. Before she knew it she was third with five laps remaining, the two leaders having gapped the rest of the field by a comfortable margin. Despite the lead, the top two were struggling. Teammates Red Henman and Ben Wolffe ran nose to tail out front and were too busy trying to keep their cars on the road to worry about the distant competition. Yang smelled blood. Battling through the blinding spray on a track as slick as ice, she clawed into their lead, closing in by big chunks until with one lap remaining she had caught them.

After a crest the track dove steeply down to the right for the first turn. In second Wolffe got it badly wrong. He slid wide, dropped his tire into the grass and his green car spun back across the track. Yang zipped to his left as he careened into the armco barrier on the inside of the turn. The track ran down through a dip where the cars splashed through a large puddle, then uphill into a tight right hairpin. Yang had lost time slowing to avoid Wolffe but gained some back on entry to the second corner. Heading back downhill the two cars slid through a left-hander, both on the very edge of control. After a short straight another turn wound to the left. Yang got a good exit, closing on Henman as they ran down the track's longest straightaway. Down through a valley and then steeply uphill Yang followed, poking her nose to the right of Henman on entry to the right turn at the end of the straight.

Henman cut his black car across the track and blocked. Yang slammed on the brakes, her car turning almost all the way sideways before she regained control. Henman opened the gap again but promptly threw away his lead as he skidded through a puddle in the middle of the following right-hand turn. Downhill and uphill again, Yang closed in as the cars swept through another right. Yang hung back a little down the short straight to the sharp left turn ahead. Slowing extra on entry to get a better exit, Yang launched off the corner. The last corner was ahead, a right-hander that led to the finish straight. Henman knew Yang was close and hugged the right side of the track, protecting the preferred line. With no other choice Yang drove up alongside him on the left.

The drive into the final turn was a battle of nerves. Yang drove in as deep as she dared, knowing Henman had the preferred line. They rounded the turn side-by side, their tires spinning and their cars throwing up impenetrable spray in their wakes. Yang's tires found a little more traction and she edged just ahead of Henman as the two cars flashed past the checkered flag. Yang pumped her fist in the air as the cars made their way back around. She had never dreamed that her first race in the series would also be her first win. Winning a race so close to home, at a track she had visited since she was a child, was a dream come true.

Yang pulled her car into the winner's circle. She took off her goggles and bright yellow helmet and placed them atop the front of the car. Immediately Ruby Rose, her sister and mechanic, was beside the car. It was just as much a win and dream come true for Ruby. She had designed and built the car. She had even rebuilt and tuned its second-hand engine. Ruby helped Yang undo her belts. Yang stood in the seat, her hands raised in triumph and then hopped out of the car. A man in a suit handed her a trophy from one side while the track's beauty queen stood on the other. Yang held her trophy high as flashbulbs popped then grabbed the beauty queen and planted a kiss on her cheek.

That was the end of the celebration. The gathered crowd scrambled for cover from the still torrential rain, leaving Ruby and Yang alone with a few reporters. "Do you mind packing up while I do these interviews?" Yang asked.

"No problem." Ruby said, still riding the wave of excitement. Yang handed her the trophy and Ruby placed the trophy on the car's seat along with the helmet and goggles. Ruby pushed the car back to the paddock as Yang answered questions and posed for more pictures. She was clearly loving every minute of it. Ruby might have been stuck with the grunt work but she was loving it too. Just being a mechanic in motorsports was a dream she had worked her whole life to achieve. Now she was a winner too.

Ruby packed up her tools and put them in the back of the van. With that squared away she hitched the trailer to it before rolling Yang's car aboard. As she tightened the straps holding it in place, an older man approached, a cane in one hand and a mug of what must have been very watered-down coffee in the other. "Can I help you?" Ruby asked. She finished tying the car down and took the helmet, goggles and trophy out of the seat. She walked to the passenger's door, opened it, and placed the objects inside before closing it again.

"Ruby Rose, you've got a silver car." The man said. "It's quite the car I might add."

"I designed and built it myself." Ruby said with pride. "I call her Crescent Rose, Mk. 2. Really though, it wouldn't matter without my sister to drive it. She's amazing."

"That's an interesting design." The man continued. He pointed to the car's nose. "I've only ever seen one designer use that shape, a dusty old Qrow."

"You know my uncle?" Ruby asked. "He taught me everything I know about building race cars."

"Why the interest in motorsports?" The man asked. "A girl of your age doesn't exactly fit the profile of a typical mechanic."

"Both of my parents were drivers and my uncle was their mechanic." Ruby explained. "I guess I wanted to experience it for myself. It's actually a lot of fun, especially on days like this."

"Do you know who I am?" The man asked.

"Of course I do." Ruby replied. "You're Ozpin. You run Beacon GP Racing."

"Very good." Ozpin said. "I take it you want to be an F1 mechanic then?"

"More than anything." Ruby said.

"You're hired." Ozpin said.

"I...what...are you joking?" Ruby stammered.

"What's going on?" Yang asked, walking over. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm entirely serious." Ozpin assured Ruby.

"Ozpin?!" Yang exclaimed. "I've always wanted to meet you. My parents spoke so highly of you."

"Well Ruby, what do you say?" Ozpin asked, ignoring Yang for the moment.

"I...I'd love to, but I can't just leave Yang behind." Ruby said. "As much as I'd love to work in F1, being my sister's mechanic is all I've ever wanted to do."

"Well then Yang, how would you like to come drive for me in Formula 1?" Ozpin asked. "I'd be happy to have the both of you on my team."

"Me?" Yang gasped. "But I've only ever driven one F2 race! I only started racing at all last year."

"Yeah, and this is only the second car I've ever built." Ruby said. "I'm hopeless when it comes to engines too."

"I've never gotten so much resistance from people I was trying to hire." Ozpin laughed. "Yang, I can already tell you're a special talent behind the wheel. Ruby, this may be only the second car you've built but it's a masterpiece. Don't worry about engines either, I have someone for that already. What I need are a great driver and a skilled mechanic. I can't think of anyone better than the two of you to fill those roles."

"I'll do it." Yang said. She reached out her hand and Ozpin shook it.

"And you?" Ozpin asked, holding his hand toward Ruby.

"I'm in too!" Ruby exclaimed. She was about to shake Ozpin's hand but stopped herself short. "My hand's pretty greasy, I really shouldn't shake…" Ozpin grabbed her hand and shook it. "Well okay then."

"This is wonderful." Ozpin said. "I look forward to working with you both."

"Welcome to the Vale Grand Prix." Ozpin said as Yang arrived at the team's garage. It was a truly unique race, the sport's crown jewel. The track ran through the twisting city streets of Vale's wealthiest, most exclusive district. "Practice starts in a few hours. Your sister has already prepared the cars for you and your teammate."

Ruby emerged from the garage, her overalls smeared with grease and oil. "Yep, Crescent Rose Mk. 3 is ready to go." Ruby said. A pair of shiny silver cars sat in the garage. They were fundamentally the same as the car Ruby had built for Yang in F2, with modifications made to meet the rules and heavier, more-powerful engine of F1.

"So, who is my teammate?" Yang asked. "Last week you still hadn't signed anyone."

"You'll meet her soon." Ozpin replied.

"I'd like to know who worked on the engines for that matter." Ruby said. "They look like Merlot engines but with a ton of custom parts. I'm sure whoever made them could teach me a lot."

"She prefers to work at night, but she should be here soon as well." Ozpin said. "Why don't the two of you take a walk to get acquainted with your competition. Hold on." Ozpin stepped away. "Dr. Oobleck!" He called.

A tall, bespectacled man rushed over so quickly he seemed to teleport. "Oh, hello Ozpin." He said, speaking very quickly. "It's good to see you."

"I'd like you to meet my newest hires." Ozpin said. "This is Yang Xiao-Long, my driver, and her sister Ruby Rose, my top mechanic."

"Xiao-Long and Rose, I haven't heard those names in a while." Oobleck said with a thoughtful look on his face. "Well, it's always great to see new faces in the garage."

"Dr. Oobleck handles the commentary for the race broadcasts." Ozpin said. "Do you think you could show them around? I have some business to attend to."

"Sure thing." Oobleck said. "It'll be my pleasure. Follow me kids." He zipped off down the paddock, leaving Ruby and Yang to hurry after him. "Ah, more rookies." He said as they stepped in front of the first garage. A pair of blue cars sat inside. "Team Juniper."

Out in front, a tall red-haired girl in a racing suit stood with a red helmet tucked under her arm. "That's Pyrrha Nikos!" Yang exclaimed. "She won the F2 championship last year and her national F3 the year before that. She's unstoppable."

"She may be, but the team is in sad shape." Oobleck said. "They're so low on funds that they had to find a second driver to pay them. They got some guy from Vacuo named Jaune Arc. He seems to crash every car he drives. I hope they got the money up front because I doubt he'll last the whole year."

"I'll be sure to stay as far from him as possible." Yang said.

Inside the garage one mechanic worked meticulously on one car's suspension, carefully making measurements and tiny adjustments. The other mechanic banged on the car with a hammer. "I have no idea how those two mechanics ended up together." Oobleck said. "Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie. They're both wizards when it comes to setting up cars but their techniques are entirely opposite. I guess it fits with the whole makeup of the team."

"I wonder if they could give me any tips." Ruby mused.

"They might." Oobleck said. "Ozpin is good friends with the team's owner." Oobleck zipped further on, stopping before a spotless, perfectly organized garage. Two white cars sat inside. "This is Schnee Automotive. If last year is anything to go by, they'll be the team to beat. They've got the best cars and the most powerful engines."

"Who are their drivers?" Yang asked.

"Their top driver is last year's champion Winter Schnee." Oobleck replied. "Her father owns the team but doesn't run the day-to-day operations. Their other driver is another rookie, Penny Polendina. I've never heard of her. It's like she's never driven a racecar anywhere before. Apparently the manager James Ironwood brought her in at the last minute."

"Why would a team that strong have to get a driver at the last minute?" Ruby asked.

"Apparently they had someone in mind who signed elsewhere for some reason." Oobleck shrugged. "I must admit, I find it curious as well." He zipped further on. The next garage looked a bit more normal, a pair of yellow cars inside. "This is Haven Racing Team. Their drivers are rookies too. The whole team is new in fact. Sun Wukong is the guy you'll see walking around with his shirt off and Neptune Vasilias is the tall fellow who never seems to be far away from Sun."

"It seems like there's a lot of rookies." Ruby said.

"There usually are." Oobleck said without further explanation. In a blur he was at the next garage. "Coffee Inc., a rare team of veterans." He said pointing to their brown cars. "Coco Adel and Yatsuhashi Daichi. They were quick last year. They might just have a shot at taking on Schnee."

"Haha, well if it isn't my old friend!" A portly, mustachioed man said as he walked up behind the trio.

"Oh, hello Peter." Oobleck said. He turned to Ruby and Yang. "This is Peter Port. He joins me on commentary."

"And the two of you must be Ozpin's new hires." Port said. "It's great to see young talent." He turned to Oobleck. "If you don't mind, there's a few thing's I'd like to go over before today's broadcast. Could you spare a moment?"

"Of course." Oobleck said. "Just a minute." He peered into Coffee Inc.'s garage and spotted a mechanic he recognized. "Ms. Scarletina, could I borrow you for a moment?" A thin girl with rabbit ears walked out of the garage. "These two are new members of Beacon GP. I was showing them around but I have to go. Could you take over for me?"

"No problem Dr. Oobleck." The girl said. Oobleck zipped away with Port in tow. "I'm Velvet Scarletina. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Yang Xiao-Long, driver." Yang said, shaking Velvet's hand.

"I'm Ruby Rose, mechanic." Ruby said with a wave.

"Uh...I'm not sure exactly what Dr. Oobleck wants me to do." Velvet said. "You already met the teams down that way right?" Yang and Ruby nodded in confirmation. "I don't know the others too well. They mostly keep to themselves. There's Phase Two, Cardinal Motors and WFR. I don't even know who their drivers will be this year. There's Maiden Racing too, but I've never met any of them. The last team is Team Funky. They seem more interested in the parties than the racing though. I wish I could tell you more."

"That's alright." Yang said. "I'm sure we'll get to know them soon enough."

"We should probably get back to our garage anyway." Ruby added. "Thanks though."

"If you ever need anything, just let me know." Velvet offered as Ruby and Yang walked away.

Inspirations

Forever Fall Forest Circuit is based on Monza.

The flashback championship situation is inspired by the 1961 F1 season.

Grand Patch is meant to be Brands Hatch.

The Vale Grand Prix is based on Monaco.

Inaccuracies and Anachronisms

The flashback elements of the story are meant to take place in the mid-to-late 1950's. The present elements are based on 1966. The dates don't work out unless the decades are extended but this was necessary for the timeline to work out.

Women in F1? Not then and not now. The gender imbalance is tremendous and not just among drivers.

An 18 year old F1 driver? It might not seem strange today but it was unheard of back them. Drivers started racing later in life and did not graduate to F1 until they were experienced in lower formula and sports car racing.

A single person designing and building a top-tier F2 or F1 car? A 16 year old at that? Not then and not now.

An F2 team consisting of just a driver and one mechanic? Nope.

A single person designing and building an F1 engine? Forget about it. Even upgrading an existing engine is more work than one person can handle.

Test sessions and in that era non-championship races proceeded the season. By the first race, in real life the Monaco Grand Prix, everyone would be at least somewhat familiar with everyone else.

A field consisting solely of 2 car teams? That's a modern development.

Pyrrha as F2 champion? There was no official F2 championship until 1967.

Pay drivers? Less common than today but not entirely unheard of.

Sources

The one and only time I'll be doing this.

Great books include The Limit and Go Like Hell. One about a slightly later era is Rush to Glory, basically a more detailed version of the movie Rush.

The documentary 1 is fantastic. Other video sources include archival footage found on YouTube.

Wikipedia was used for fact-checking.