The lights flickered out, and the roar of 20 Formula 1 engines erupted across the grid. Henry slammed down on the throttle, his ART car launching off the line like a rocket. In an instant, the race was on, and the chaos of Turn 1 loomed ahead. The pack jostled for position, with Liam Hargrave pulling slightly ahead in his dazzling chrome-and-black Crimson Apex car. Luca tucked neatly behind him in second, Ayumu Tanaka in his sleek Midnight Phoenix machine holding third, and Henry already lining up his move from fourth.
Behind him, Victor Leblanc's crimson Dominion car loomed large in his mirrors, a constant reminder that any mistake could cost him a position.
"Focus, Henry," Laurent's calm voice crackled over the radio. "Clean start, no risks on the first lap. The race won't be won here, but it can be lost."
Henry adjusted his line heading into the first corner, navigating through the storm of tire smoke and shouts from Laurent in his ear about positioning. The car felt stable beneath him, the tires biting into the asphalt as he followed Ayumu through the opening turns. Liam and Luca were already battling up ahead, with Liam throwing defensive moves to keep the lead.
"Smooth inputs. Let the chaos unfold in front of you," Laurent reminded.
The system chimed in almost smugly: First lap complete. 1 point earned. You're on your way. Stay sharp.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Henry muttered, his focus entirely on Ayumu, whose car danced slightly under braking heading into Turn 4. Henry stayed patient, saving his tires and watching for any sign of weakness.
Ayumu was fast, blindingly fast, but his lines were predictable. Henry could feel the gaps in Ayumu's driving, and his system echoed the observation.
Analysis complete. Tanaka is struggling under heavy braking in sector 3. Exploit this.
"Got it," Henry replied through gritted teeth, his fingers tightening on the wheel. He stayed close through the high-speed turns, his ART car glued to Ayumu's rear wing. Ahead, Liam continued to defend aggressively against Luca, slowing the pace for the front runners.
"Maintain the pressure," Laurent said. "You're in a good position. Ayumu's going to crack if you stay this close."
The crowd's roar echoed in the distance, and Henry could feel the energy radiating from the grandstands as the cars blazed by.
Liam's aggressive defending had created a chain reaction. Luca, clearly faster, was stuck behind him, unable to find a way through. Ayumu was struggling to keep up, his Midnight Phoenix sliding slightly on the curbs. Henry sensed an opening and moved closer, positioning himself for a run down the back straight.
Laurent's voice came in sharp: "Patience, Henry. Don't force it."
But patience wasn't Henry's strong suit. Heading into Turn 10, he feigned an inside move, forcing Ayumu to tighten his line. Ayumu hesitated, and Henry backed off slightly before setting up the real attack on the next corner. His ART car rocketed past the apex, getting a better exit as they approached the straight.
"Now!" Henry shouted, dropping the hammer and diving to the inside of Ayumu's car as they entered the braking zone for Turn 11.
The crowd erupted as Henry's car slid ahead cleanly into third place.
"Beautiful move!" Laurent cheered. "You're up to P3. Keep this pace."
Overtake completed. +1 point. Total: 4 points.
Ayumu wasn't giving up, though. His car loomed behind Henry, searching for any weakness to exploit. But Henry kept his lines tight, holding the position as the lap ended.
The pack settled slightly, but the intensity didn't waver. Henry focused on the two cars ahead: Luca and Liam. Liam's defensive driving had forced the pace to slow, and it was allowing Henry to close in on the leaders. Luca, meanwhile, was doing everything he could to find a way past Liam, but the Crimson Apex car seemed to grow wider with every lap.
"You're closing in," Laurent noted. "Liam's tires are heating up. He's going to start struggling soon."
Henry glanced at his steering wheel display, noting the tire data flashing on the screen. Laurent was right, Liam's aggressive defending was costing him, and Luca was lining up a serious attack.
Behind him, Ayumu had fallen back slightly, his pace faltering as his tires began to wear. Victor Leblanc, however, was still lurking in fifth, waiting for an opportunity to pounce.
The system chimed in again: Six laps completed. Total: 7 points. Stay focused, Henry.
The real fight began. Liam's frustration was evident as Luca darted left and right, trying to find any gap to exploit. Henry watched closely, biding his time. He knew that if Luca and Liam tangled, it could be his opportunity to strike.
Laurent's voice came in steady. "Keep the pressure on, but don't get involved yet. Let them fight it out."
As they approached Turn 13, Liam moved aggressively to block Luca's inside line, forcing Luca to brake harder than usual. Henry capitalized, closing the gap even further.
The commentators were alive with energy, their voices crackling through the broadcast:
Commentator 1: "It's a three-way battle at the front now! Liam Hargrave is defending like a lion, but how long can he hold off the ART drivers? Luca Moretti and Henry Calder are both right on his tail!"
Commentator 2: "Don't forget Calder's performance in the sprint race. He's already shown he's willing to take risks, and I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a bold move soon."
The laps flew by in a blur of tire smoke and high-speed corners. Henry maintained his position in third, inching closer to the leaders with each sector. His focus was razor-sharp, every turn and braking zone executed with precision. The system kept tallying his progress.
Ahead, Liam and Luca continued their dance, with Liam stubbornly refusing to yield. The tension was palpable, the grandstands alive with anticipation as the three drivers approached the final turn.
By Lap 10, the gaps were razor-thin. Henry was now less than a second behind Luca, his ART car perfectly poised for a push. The system's voice chimed in, calm but insistent.
10 laps completed. Total: 11 points. You're on track to activate Override soon. Keep pushing.
Laurent came on the radio: "Good work, Henry. Just keep applying the pressure. Liam's going to make a mistake if he keeps this up."
Henry nodded to himself, his grip on the wheel tightening as he entered the final sector. He could feel the race heating up, the energy from the crowd fueling his determination.
The battle was far from over, but for now, Henry was exactly where he needed to be, ready to strike when the moment came.