Esferos F1 World Championships IC Thread

[United Adaikes]

The day has come!

It's the Esferos F1 World Championships!

But before everything else...

Please do not post in this thread if you are not a participant. Also, no OOC posts, please.

There will be two (2) parts in the Esferos F1 World Championships.

The first part will be the Pre-Season, which will run from May 21 to June 24, 2023. At this time, participants should introduce their drivers, teams, engines, and tires. Drivers should be hired by teams by the time the Season starts, or else they will not be present during the Season.

All 13 teams signing up were granted a license to participate in the F1 World Championships. However, if a team does not have drivers when the F1 Season starts, then their license for the World Championships will be revoked.

It is also important to note that only five (5) engines and five (5) tires that were granted licenses to be official suppliers for teams in the F1 Season.

All 15 circuits signed up will be used for the whole duration of the World Championships, with 13 of them being in the F1 Season calendar.

Teams Info:

Team Name		NAT	R	A	T	Engine	R	A	T	Tire	R	T
##	Driver Name	NAT	R	A	T
AA Petroner F1 Team		ARF	4.20	4.00	3.80
Cambrias		KCM	3.70	3.70	4.60
CopperUA		UAD	4.00	3.00	5.00
Didatsunadalenvdayvwi Motors		ZOR	3.50	4.50	4.00
Eckhard-Walter Racing		RSY	4.00	5.00	3.00
Epsylon Fira Racing Team		URF	5.00	4.00	3.00
Eriunius Racing		TRL	4.00	5.00	3.00
Golden Straits Racing		AKR	4.00	5.00	3.00
Lampadati Blue-Horse Racing		LXA	4.00	4.00	4.00
Las Lavandas		GIO	5.00	3.50	3.50
Racing Team Regalia Genesis		HEJ	4.00	3.00	5.00
Talde Lantza		HZR	5.00	2.00	5.00
The Saint Mark Vola Aurum		SMK	4.00	3.00	5.00

 

Official engine suppliers:

Engine Manufacturer	Name (if different)	NAT	R	A	T
Lampadati Auto	LampadatiGP	LXA	0.20	-0.50	0.30
Eckhard-Walter	U-77	RSY	0.10	-0.50	0.40
Quintana-Urbolina	Velite 1420	GIO	0.20	0.20	-0.40
Viktoria-RKO	Viktoria-RKO F1 M2x0 E Performance	KCM	-0.30	-0.30	0.60
Erunius	Y2J HITC	TRL	-0.30	-0.20	0.50

 

Official tire suppliers:

Tire Manufacturer	Name (if different)	NAT	R	T
Eclipse		HEJ	0.30	-0.30
Fenris	Fenris NWO Stinger	TRL	-0.20	0.20
Giovagoma		GIO	-0.30	0.30
Kontinentaalne AS	Konti DX Zero	KCM	-0.40	0.40
Virelli		LXA	-0.40	0.40

 

F1 Season Calendar

Round	Grand Prix/Event	Circuit	NAT	Date
Pre-Season
Test # 1	Polaris Test Event	Loona Autodroom	KCM	June 10
Test # 2	Aura Test Event	Kirkone Amorante	GIO	June 17
Test # 3	Andolia Test Event	Autodromo Nacional de La Marina	LXA	June 24
Regular Season
1	Larxian Grand Prix	Autódromo Internacional de Larxia	LXA	June 30-July 2
2	Banda Bahuru Grand Prix	Sultan Arif Mahmud Shah International Circuit	ARF	July 28-30
3	Hezur Grand Prix	Gazteluko Eraztuna	HZR	August 25-27
4	Teralyon Grand Prix	Terajeva Super Speedway	TRL	September 22-24
5	Grosser Pres vo Fauthur	Heppenfelde National High Speed Circuit	URF	October 6-8
6	The Austra Grand Prix	The Lux Litore Circuit	SMK	October 20-22
7	The Aukeran Grand Prix	Saint Khela's Circuit	AKR	November 17-19
8	Cambrian Grand Prix	Aventa International	KCM	December 15-17
9	BiBi Gran Prì de Rivalfiume	Circuito Alfieri	RIV	January 12-14
10	Magnopremo de Porto Violeto	Kirkone de la Arara	GIO	January 26-28
11	Die Präis	Kirchfield International Circuit	RSY	February 9-11
12	Adaikesian Grand Prix	Steskia International Circuit	UAD	March 8-10
13	The Hertfordshire-Jammbo Grand Prix	Sleetgrave Cemetery Circuit	HEJ	April 5-7

 

You can always ask your questions in the #esferos-f1 channel in our TWP RP Discord server or in the OOC thread:

 

[United Adaikes]

Introduce your drivers, teams, engines, and tires.

Drivers, show why you need to be signed by these teams.

Engine and tire manufacturers, impress teams with your products to ensure they use them in their race cars.

Teams, sign your drivers and decide which engine and tire to use.

Only signed drivers with teams who have already chosen their engine and tire will be allowed to race in the Pre-Season Tests (non-points races).

Signing drivers and choosing an engine and tire manufacturer should start by May 21, 2022, at 12:00 AM ET.

Roleplaying for the Pre-Season of the Esferos F1 World Championships starts now!

[United Adaikes]

Logan Gibb, the Director of Public Relations of CopperUA, heard a notification ping from his office computer when he reviewed the Marketing Plan made by his team for the CopperUA-backed driver Aaron Deering.

'Congratulations!' the first line read. Gibb beamed upon reading it.

'We are glad to inform you that your submission for application for a license to have a team in the F1 World Championships has been granted! Please see the attached document you need to fill out for the necessary details for your license and send it back to us.' However, not this paragraph erased the smile off his face.

'However, we regret to inform you that the engine you submitted did not qualify for the shortlisted and approved engines to be used for the F1 season. But this does not mean it's the end for your engine. You can submit your application again for the next season.'

'Drat, what a large amount of Florins to waste,' Gibb thought, 'it's not that we can always use these engines in our day-to-day--'

He smiled again, pressed a button on his desk phone, and rhythmically tapped his fingers from his left hand on his table while waiting for someone's response.

"Yes, Mr. Gibb?" a female voice answered from his desk phone.

"Jamie, call Tempest [Hunter] from Engineering. I need to talk to him," Gibb replied.

"Yes, Mr. Gibb," Jamie Giffard, Gibb's Executive Assistant, replied.

"Oh, and call and tell Aaron to meet me here at the office this afternoon," Gibb added and pressed another button to hang up. He doesn't need Giffard to tell her again, "Yes, boss," or anything. But he knew Giffard would do whatever he tells her to do related to their work.

[Zoran]

Gatsanula sits at the desk in their family barn looking over some design concepts for the first commercial car they plan on releasing in a year from now. But his focus on deciding on a design has not been the best with the news about their F1 bid weighing on their mind. As they lazily looked over the third design proposal, he was startled by the sudden ringing of his phone. He fumbled the phone as he picked it up, hoping it was news on the bid,

“H-hello?” he stuttered,

“Hey Gat, I’ve got some news fo-” began Deyani,

“Is it about the bid!?”

“Yes, I was getting to that. Unfortunately the Mark One engine and the tires from Roadhog did not make the list, so we are going to have to look at what engine and tires to go for.”

Gatsanula slumped in their chair at the disappointing news despite knowing that his odds were low to begin with.

“Alright, well what have we got to work with?” he sighed,

“Well, looking over the specs of the engines that were available I think that the Erunius Y2J HITC engine would be a good match for us.”

“Will it satisfy my need for speed?”

“...”

“Please don’t take that out of context.”

“Oh you know I will.” said Deyani, “But I think you will find that the engine will be sufficient for your speed needs.”

“Alright, now what about tires?”

“I am going to be honest, most of the tires are the same but I say we should go for either Virelli or Kontinentaalne AS’s Konti DX Zero.”

“Hmm, not very keen on either of those two companies but better to go with the Larxian company than with the one from Kalmach.”

“Ok, we will just have to contact the companies and make the deal. Now, have you made a decision about the domestic car design?”

“...No.” he said hesitantly,

“Do I have to go over there and get you to focus on your job? You know that if we don’t make a successful car that will generate sales that we will go under right?”

“Yes but I just want to get on the track already!” whined Gatsanula,

“You will in time but right now you need to make a decision. If you haven’t made a decision by the time I come over there-”

“Yeah yeah, don’t worry. I will have a  design chosen by six.”

“You better.” Deyani says before hanging up.

Gatsanula sighed as he went back to the designs and wondering how he could incorporate the M1 engine into these designs and making it suited for domestic sports cars.
 

[Larxia]

The CEO and Founder of Lampadati Motors, Mr. Valentin Rossi, was sitting in his office, noticeably tense, as the news on the bids for the Esferos F1 World Championship were to come today. Not getting a call from the governing body of the Championship all the way till about 4 pm in the evening had him doubt about the chances of getting neither the team nor the engine into the Championship. After being miserable the whole day, he finally received a call which he rushed to answer.

Valentin Rossi: Hello?

Esferos F1 Championship: Hello, Mr. Rossi. This is Mr.Sulayem, from the Esferos F1 Championship. I'm calling to inform you that your bid to have Lampadati Blue-Horse Racing in the Esferos F1 Championship has been accepted.

Valentin Rossi: That's great news! Thank you so much.

Esferos F1 Championship: You're welcome. We're also pleased to inform you that your engine design, LampadatiGP has been accepted as one of the official engines for the Esferos F1 Championship.

Valentin Rossi: That's even better news! This is a dream come true for me.

Esferos F1 Championship: We're glad to hear that. We're confident that your team and your engine will be a great addition to the Esferos F1 Championship.

Valentin Rossi: Thank you. We're excited to get started.

 

 

Valentin Rossi hangs up the phone and smiles. He can't believe that his dream of having a team in the Esferos F1 Championship is finally coming true. He knows that it will be a lot of hard work, but he's confident that his team and his engine will be a success.

He asked his secretary, Mila Garcia to connect his good friend, and Head of Sales of Lampadati Auto, Andrew Parker.

Mila Garcia: Hello Mr. Parker, I have Mr. Rossi on the line, let me transfer the call to him.

Valentin Rossi: Parker!! I have some great news. Our bid to have a team in the Esferos F1 Championship has been accepted, and our engine design has been accepted as an official engine for the competition.

Andrew Parker: That's amazing news, Rossi! I'm so excited for you.

Valentin Rossi: Thanks, Parker. I'm excited too. I'm calling to ask you to start working on a brochure for our engine. I want to start courting other teams to go with the LampadatiGP engine as their engine.

Andrew Parker: I'll get right on it, Rossi.

Valentin Rossi: Thanks, Parker. Make sure to get it done by tomorrow EOD. That is when the real fun begins.

[Saint Mark]

Vola Aurum drivers, Celerio Dasher(left) and Ari Dasher(right)

 

Celerio Dasher entered the living room of the apartment he shared with his twin brother, Ari, and plopped down on the brown leather sofa, toweling his wet blond hair. Ari was seated on the matching recliner, leaning over his laptop. Although they were twins, they were anything but identical. 

 

Ari Dasher, age 28, is probably the most technically gifted driver in Aura, and possibly the world.
There doesn’t seem to be a turn or grade that he can’t handle. He was born for the Lux Litore, where he has spent most of his time since he began racing at the age of 18. If he has a flaw, it is in his almost gentlemanly approach to his competitors, making him sometimes lose ground on the straightaway. Given his signature style and black hair and blue eyes, he seems to be a negative image of his twin brother, Celerio.

Although certainly not reckless, the blond-haired, brown-eyed Celerio Dasher, exhibits little of the technical aptitude of his twin brother, preferring instead to aggressively push his way past his competition. Although quite familiar with the Lux Litore, he has spent much more time than his brother racing around the world. If a course has a long, straight section, chances are he’ll create the space needed to finish first.

 

The brothers are the top two drivers for The Saint Mark Vola Aurum. This F1 racing team is the oldest and most prestigious in Saint Mark, having been founded in 1346 by Vola Automotive to showcase their elite sportscars. They were an early force for organizing F1 racing in Saint Mark and have gone on to win many championships. Their first driver was the legendary Claudio Aragretto, father of Valentine Aragretto, the team's current captain and racing guru. 

 

"What's the word, Ari?" questioned Celerio as he tossed the towel on the floor. "Will we be driving Mario's engine?"

Ari, his eyes still fixed on his screen, answered, "Celerio, we don't even know if we'll be chosen to race for Vola yet ... but no, it looks like his engine wasn't selected. There are some good choices, though."

"Dude, don't be ridiculous, of course Vola will pick us. We're the best they've got. It's too bad we won't be racing Mario's engine. That would've been cool. What've they got?" Celerio asked, raising his head from the sofa's arm and looking toward his brother.

"There's a pretty decent variety from which to choose," answered Ari; "a full range of power, reliability, and load. I'm sure Val will want to set up a meeting with Mario to discuss the team's options."

"You mean to discuss our options, brother," grinned Celerio. "You know it'll be us!"

[Larxia]

 

From the Desk of His Majesty, the King of Larxia

To Mr. Valentin Rossi,

I write to you today to express my sincere congratulations on your recent success in being accepted into Formula 1. This is a remarkable achievement, and I am proud to have you as a flagbearer of Larxia.

I know that this was not an easy task. You had to overcome many challenges, including the stiff competition from other teams and the high cost of entering Formula 1. But you never gave up, and you never lost sight of your goal.

Your success is a testament to your hard work, dedication, and perseverance. You have shown that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

I am confident that you will continue to achieve great things in the future. I wish you all the best in your endeavors, and I look forward to seeing you compete in Formula 1.

I am particularly proud of the fact that you are a Larxian, who built this company with his own to hands in Larxia. This is a great achievement for our nation, and it shows that Larxia is a land of opportunity, where anyone can achieve their dreams if they are willing to work hard.

I know that you will use this opportunity to showcase the best of Larxia to the world. I am confident that you will be a great ambassador for our nation, and that you will make us all proud.

I wish you all the best in the future. I know that you will make Larxia proud.

Sincerely,

King James of Larxia

 

 

 

 

 

From the Desk of His Majesty, the King of Larxia

 

To Mr. Antonio Virelli,

I write to you today to express my sincere congratulations on your company's recent success in being announced as the official tire supplier for Formula 1. This is a remarkable achievement, and I am proud to have you as a flagbearer of Larxia.

I know that this was not an easy task. You had to overcome many challenges, including the competition from other tire manufacturers and the high standards that Formula 1 sets for its tires. But you never gave up, and you never lost sight of your goal.

Your success is a testament to your hard work, dedication, and perseverance. You have shown that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

I am confident that you will continue to achieve great things in the future. I wish you all the best in your endeavors, and I look forward to seeing your tires perform in Formula 1.

I am particularly proud of the fact that your company is a Larxian company. This is a great achievement for our nation, and it shows that Larxia is a land of opportunity, where anyone can achieve their dreams if they are willing to work hard.

I know that you will use this opportunity to showcase the best of Larxia to the world. I am confident that your tires will help to make Formula 1 even more exciting and competitive.

I wish you all the best in the future. I know that you will make Larxia proud.

Sincerely,

King James of Larxia

[Giovanniland]

May 19, 1423, 15:00 International Atomic Time — Quintana-Urbolina Headquarters, Giovannia Capital City

Tullio Urbolina, co-founder and CEO of Quintana-Urbolina, was at his office contemplating with glee the notice that his company's engine Velite 1420 was accepted as one of the official suppliers for the Esferos F1 World Championships. 

Suddenly, his phone rang; it was his friend Aetio Quarasta-Dazane, CEO of Giovagoma. The two were long-time friends back from having graduated university together, and sought to collaborate when the international competition was announced.

"Hello Aetio!", Tullio said when he answered the phone.

"Hey there my friend! I have great news, Giovagoma will be one of the tire providers for the inaugural Esferos F1 tournament," Aetio exclaimed.

Tullio replied, "Wonderful! Likewise for my company's engine, the Velite 1420."

"Excellent," Aetio answered. "Giovannilandian talent will be very well represented at this event, ranging from the team Las Lavandas, two very skilled drivers, one test circuit and one actual circuit, and the work of our two companies of course."

"Indeed," Tullio thought. "I'll have to check with Severa Alva-Oriene, head of the Lavandas, and ask her about signing an official contract with both of our companies to provide engines and tires. When it's time, of course, but it seems unlikely that she'd go with some other choice."

Aetio agreed, and proposed: "Besides Las Lavandas, we should also make some advertisements so that our companies get well known throughout the world and other teams choose the Velite 1420 and Giovagoma."

"Good idea, what about extolling some of our good characteristics?", asked Tullio.

"Sounds good," answered Aetio. "Although most of the official tires have similar characteristics, I'd say that the Giovagoma stands at the middle of the pack, providing the right balance between reliability and traction."

He added: "It has a significant traction power, while not sacrificing a lot of reliability in the process, after all we don't want them to run amok at the middle of a race. That's right—the word is balance."

"I like it, and I also have a very skilled designer here in Quintana-Urbolina that could make some nice graphics," commented Tullio.

"Likewise! Now, what are some aspects of the Velite 1420 that you'd judge remarkable, my friend?", asked Aetio.

Tullio replied while looking at some papers, "Surprisingly, it looks like the Velite is the only one out of five engines that has above average actuation. In other words, we're the fastest to activate and that could give drivers who use Velite-powered race cars the edge at the start that they need."

"Wow, that's nice!", exclaimed Aetio.

"And the Velite also has a reasonable amount of reliability, which is always a plus for engines," Tullio added.

"Sounds like an engine I'd choose if I were in charge of any team," Aetio said. "Anyways, we should schedule a collaboration to design some advertisements for each of our companies' products."

"Let's do that!" confirmed Tullio. "I'll gather the Quintana-Urbolina staff that would be most needed for this effort, and I trust you to do the same for Giovagoma. See you soon!"

"Of course, and see you!" finished Aetio as he hanged the phone. The two business partners looked forward to this meeting.

[Sekiya]

[Clarkov]

Racing Team Regalia Genesis, formed by the Clarkson/Hammond/May trio through their recently-birthed upstart company Grand Tour Ltd., were making their final preparations for entry into the Esferos F1 World Championships.

The home of all the creations made by Esferos simultaneously most fun and most horrifying trio.

[Hammond and May arrive at the Grand Tour Technology Centre/𐑜𐑮𐑨𐑯𐑑𐑵 𐑑𐑧𐑒𐑯𐑨𐑤𐑧𐑛𐑺 𐑕𐑧𐑯𐑑𐑽/Грандиюн Абикеупке Текнапедеийе Тенте]

Richard Hammond: Here it is. The crucible for all our great inventions. This is the car we've got, it's the Yousekai RG38, it has been done on our own Eclipse tires by FrostNova, we paid Δ56,000.00 to make it, and now we must add an engine to make it a complete racing car, by... bolting lots of racing car engine bits to it.

A rough image of the vehicle Regalia Genesis will use, the Yousekai RG38. The main colour is black, the [absence of] colour most associated with Hertfordshire & Jammbo, while the secondary colour is meant to imitate glowing ice. It shouldn't work, but it does.

Richard Hammond: The helper for Regalia Genesis, Jeremy, is doing all the trivial jobs, like the brakes, the suspension and the electronics, while we do the big stuff. I have to fit the tires. James meanwhile you have to find an engine. We're not choosing Eckhard-Walter's U-77 engine, got it?

James May: I know.

Jeremy Clarkson: Yep.

[Hammond struggles to fit the tires in properly. May struggles to choose an engine.]

James May: You got a spreadsheet?

[Some time later...]

James May: With that not done, I'm checking on Hammond.

Richard Hammond: Yes! Viktoria-RKO's Viktoria-RKO F1 M2x0 E Performance. That sounds business-like.

James May: Hammond?

Richard Hammond: What?

James May: Do you understand racing?

Richard Hammond: Yeah.

James May: Low-to-mid reliability, low-to-mid actuation, high tare. You wanna rethink it? So let's just say we go with your engine choice, the drivers, you and me get in, the cars have been refuelled.

Richard Hammond: We then set off.

James May: It's lights out and away we go.

Richard Hammond: It will be a bit heavy for us, I grant you, it will jeopardize the car's light weight.

James May: No it won't be a bit heavy, chap, it will be...

Richard Hammond: It's there. It's chosen!

[May imitates sounds of racing cars going past really really fast]

James May: Those are the noises of them. Meanwhile, back in the Regalia Genesis pit, Richard and James. You'd have to get a saw to cut off parts of the car.

Richard Hammond: Well... yeah. Right, I'll consider your choice of engine and it'll be more... boring!

James May: Here, we need to choose Lampadati Auto's LampadatiGP engine. Most engines are rubbish, but this one fits us. Okay, so when you're on the track, unless you crash, you've got the highest reliability and its actuation isn't too high like Quintana-Urbolina's Velite 1420. See, see here?

Richard Hammond: I am seeing it.

James May: It's brilliant! That works.

Richard Hammond: Well... it's not brilliant if I'm honest.

James May: Oh.

Richard Hammond: Yeah, it's... flawed.

Jeremy Clarkson: To make it perform like a racing car, we need a balance. But sadly because of you two fools, we can't get a good one, so I've just sort of ordered my own choice.

[Clarkson reveals his choice of engine from Teralyon]

Jeremy Clarkson: Look at that! Erunius' Y2J HITC. It's a proper racing car engine. Lower tare than your Cambrian engine.

Richard Hammond: The Viktoria-RKO F1 M2x0 E Performance is an engine, the Yousekai RG38 needs this.

James May: No, the car is ready, our thoughts need to turn to the LampadatiGP engine.

Jeremy Clarkson: You know I said "how hard can it be?" when we started this?

Richard Hammond: Yes.

Jeremy Clarkson: If I'm honest, I think it's gonna be really hard.

Richard Hammond: I'm quite glad you said that 'cause it's crossed my mind, we need to choose one. I'm aiming to win, but I'm mainly aiming for people to take us seriously.

James May: Yeah, I just think we're going to look ridiculous.

The bickering continues long into the night, as the trio argue over whether to go Teralyan, Cambrian or Larxian for their engine. Clarkson briefly considered Giovannilandian but the other two shot him down, May took longer on that front. Sekiyan was not considered.

[Saint Mark]

 

The Saint Mark Vola Aurum

 

Charlotte Hudson (Reporter for Motor Monthly) : While Vola Aurum did decide to include both of you on its Esferos F1 team, there was some initial uncertainty, was there not?

Celerio Dasher : Well, Charlotte, they had to keep the pre-race interest up, didn't they? Anyone, such as yourself, with any real knowledge of racing, knew we would be the ones Vola would race all along, right?

Charlotte : My sources tell me that this time, the powers-that-be at Vola Aurum seriously considered a driver outside of Saint Mark, one with a more conservative approach.

Celerio : Now just a minute, as I said, that was only tossed about to gin up some interest.

Ari Dasher : Even if there was a bit more to it than that, both Celerio and I are the final choices of team Vola Aurum. We look forward to racing against some of the best in Esferos and to besting some challenging new courses.

[Giovanniland]

May 21, 1423, 20:00 International Atomic Time — Quintana-Urbolina Headquarters, Giovannia Capital City

"Are we all ready?", Tullio and Aetio asked in unison.

"Correct!" replied Martina Laurentia, Giovagoma Head of Design.

"Indeed, we have made some nice designs," added Gyalwa Tselya-Monte, Design Manager for Quintana-Urbolina.

"Awesome," Aetio remarked, "let's see what we have."

"Ekke," Gyalwa uttered as he called everyone.

     

"Good job everyone!" exclaimed Tullio, satisfied with the designs.

"I am also satisfied," concurred Aetio, "and I'll get our head of marketing Kamilla Tesfaye over at our headquarters in Gioville to share it across the world for other teams to see."  

"Same here! Marko, could you get our advertisement published for the various F1 teams?", he said, calling the Chief Marketing Officer, Marko Nyazene-Arruda.

"Roger that," replied Marko.

Soon after, Aetio would also get the confirmation from Kamilla, and the two CEOs would soon see results from their campaign, starting with the Giovannilandian team in the championship, Las Lavandas.

------------------------------------------------

May 22, 1423, 16:00 International Atomic Time — Las Lavandas Team Base, Amorante City

"Hello everyone!", Las Lavandas' team principal Severa Alva-Oriene said to a crowd. "Today we have several announcements to make in advance for the Esferos F1 World Championships soon to happen!", she exclaimed.

"Firstly, we will announce the first signings in our competing team for the upcoming season, two outstanding members of the Academia de Automovismo Las Lavandas! We're very glad to have them for the official team, and I will welcome them to the stage. Please come here, Sabina Dawa-Gyatso and Lukas Taval-Sabino!"

The crowd cheered as the two drivers arrived. Talking about them, Severa noted in particular Lukas' interest in racing since childhood and invite from the academy still during his teenage years, and Sabina's closeness to her mother and family, and the importance of that and her hard work in achieving success, despite financial struggles during her early life.

"Thank you Severa, we're both excited to be part of Las Lavandas and bring great success to the team in the upcoming World Championships!", said Lukas.

"And I'd like to offer any other drivers the chance of signing up for our team in the pre-season while there's still time! We have a great team spirit and focus in reliability above all else while still having high skill in aspects such as acceleration and turning, so if that sounds like the fit for you, come join Las Lavandas!", added Sabina.

"Indeed," Severa concurred, "and now we will also announce two important partnerships for our team. Please welcome our engine supplier..."

"...Quintana-Urbolina, with their engine Velite 1420!", she exclaimed. "The Velite's focus on actuation and reliability is very important to us, and I thank Tullio Urbolina for the offer."

"Quintana-Urbolina thanks Las Lavandas for being the first World Championships team to which we supply our engine!", said Floriano Girvyan-Altada, the company's representative at the event.

"Of course!" And now, we will also announce Las Lavandas' tire supplier... Giovagoma!", Severa declared. "Giovagoma's message of balance between reliability and traction made the most sense to us among the selection of tire suppliers, so it'll be the right choice for us, and I thank Aetio Quarasta-Dazane for offering this partnership."

"Similarly, Giovagoma is glad to see that Las Lavandas is the first team to which we will supply our product, hopefully the first of many!", commented Antonio Aquila-Lampo, representing Giovagoma in this occasion.

"Over the coming days, Las Lavandas will hope to bring many more enticing announcements, as our team prepares to excel at this worldwide event, and hopefully announce more drivers from other nations as part of our team!", announced Severa.

"Don't forget to watch me and Sabina here at the Kirkone Amorante for the Aura Test Event pre-season, coming June 17!", reminded Lukas.

"...and in Porto Violeto at the great Magnopremo January next year, we'll need you all to cheer for us!", said Sabina. "As well as the other events abroad, of course. Tune in for these through your media of choice, or take this opportunity to visit other countries and watch more events, and support Las Lavandas!", she added.

"See you all soon!", concluded Severa as the event finished and the crowd cheered once more.

[Saint Mark]

 

Valentine, and his two star drivers, Ari and Celerio, sat on one side of the polished maple table, across from Mario Ingenio, Chief Engineer for Vola Aurum.

Ingenio's soft voice and bland countenance might make someone who didn't know better discount him as ordinary. He was anything but. Ingenio had finished his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering by the age of 22, had won the Crown Award for Automotive Engineering the year later, and became Vola Aurum's Chief Engineer the year after that ... the youngest in its history by a decade.

"Gentlemen," he began. "My design was not selected to be among those available for the Esferos races. I understand why it might not have had a broader appeal.  It was designed with your driving talents in mind. The engines that were selected are still excellent, however, and you must now choose which will bring you victory. The Velite 1420 is the one most similar to the one I had designed. It has a lot of power pushing an ultra-light machine. This car will fly like a rocket (Celerio grinned), but most drivers would find it difficult to control. It would be a magic weapon in your hands, though, Ari. You'd be able to tame it."

"On the other hand, this might not be the best choice for you, Celerio. I know it's what you want, but you might be too aggressive for this one. I think the Y2J HITC might be more suited to you. It has plenty of power, but its added weight will help to keep you grounded (Celerio's face fell). Your driving style could really pull the best performance out of this one."

Valentine looked at his drivers. "We can only choose one engine, boys. Which will it be?"

Celerio responded quickly. "Ari will want to choose the Y2J to keep me safe, but no way! The Velite sounds hot! We have to go with that. I'll be fine and we all know what Ari can do with it."

Interrupting Ari's objection, Ingenio added, "That may be our best option, and to keep us on the track (looking directly at Celerio) we can choose a stickier tire. If it's going to be the Velite, I suggest the Giovagoma. It may not have the strongest grip, but it is pretty strong, and definitely more reliable. We can't have the wheels popping like they did at Kirchfield last year."

"It's agreed then," said Valentine while he pushed away from the table, "we'll go all Gio this year."

Summary for UA:

Drivers: Ari Dasher, Celerio Dasher

Engine: Velite 1420

Tire: Giovagoma
 

[Giovanniland]

(This post is a collaboration between @Saint Mark and myself)

Valentine Aragretto, Captain of Vola Aurum, Hans Anorson, President of Vola Automotive, Sigurio Circum, Vice President for Racing of Zephyr Saint Mark, Elise Aragretto, Vice President for Marketing for Vola Aurum, and Sir Edgar Hampton, Chairman of the Saint Mark Racing Commission, were seated on one side of the polished dark wood table. 

On the other were Tullio Urbolina, co-founder and CEO of the engine supplier Quintana-Urbolina, and Aetio Quarasta-Dazane, CEO of the tire supplier Giovagoma, as well as the heads of marketing for the two companies, Marko Nyazene-Arruda and Kamilla Tesfaye respectively. 

“Greetings,” Aetio said, “we’re glad to have arrived here and that Vola Aurum is interested in the Giovagoma tire.”

“Likewise for the Velite 1420 engine”, Tullio commented.  

“Thank you for joining us,” responded Valentine, his smile bright in his tanned face. “We love the stats on your engine and tire. As you know, we would like to race with these in the Esferos F1.”

“The Velite 1420 is actually quite similar to one of our own,” interrupted Hans.

Valentine glanced over and then back. “Yes, that is true. As I was saying, we feel these are fine products. Might I propose that, since we will be using these, we feature your companies’ logos on our car? In addition, we would request that one of your top engineers be part of our pit crew.”

“Promotion for Quintana-Urbolina is always good, and having one of our top engineers on your pit crew sounds reasonable,” Marko agreed.

Tullio added, “We could also give Vola Aurum access to engine data and performance analysis, and our technical experts can ensure that the engine is installed and maintained correctly, so that it’s always reliable and has optimal performance.” 

After he finished, it was Giovagoma’s turn. “I’m quite happy with publicity for the Giovagoma tire, and in return we can certainly mention Vola Aurum in our list of notable customers, alongside other F1 teams such as Las Lavandas,” said Kamilla.

Aetio continued, “I also agree that it would be beneficial to have a top engineer to assist Vola Aurum in matters concerning our tire, race assistance is crucial.” 

Everyone looked satisfied. Sir Edgar replied,” Well, ladies and gentlemen, I think we are all in agreement. I’m sure I can speak for us all when I say that it will be quite a pleasure working with you. Would you all care to join me in my city apartment for dinner this evening? We can go over the details and get to know each other better.”

Both the Quintana-Urbolina and Giovagoma representatives agreed with the idea, and looked forward to the dinner.

[Sekiya]

An interview between a reporter from Sekiyan news outlet Die Post and 27 year old Henreich Walter, CEO of Eckhard-Walter and grandson of Julie Walter, founder of Walterwagen, the senior partner in the 1387 merge that formed Eckhard-Walter.

Reporter: Good morning, Mr. Walter. Thank you for joining us today for this interview with Die Post. As the CEO of Eckhard-Walter, we are excited to learn more about your latest venture in the world of Formula One. Could you tell us about the new U-77 engine your company has developed?

Henreich: Good morning and thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here. At Eckhard-Walter, we've been working tirelessly to develop a ground-breaking engine specifically designed for the Formula One racing car.

Reporter: That sounds intriguing. What sets your engine apart from the competition?

Henreich: Our engine boasts several key differentiators that make it truly exceptional.

Firstly, the U-77 engine is highly efficient, allowing for optimal fuel consumption and reduced time in the pits.

Our engine offers enhanced reliability and durability. We understand the rigorous demands of racing on the engine, and so the U-77 has been rigorously tested to ensure it performs flawlessly under extreme conditions.

Reporter: Impressive! How do you plan to market this engine to Formula One teams and encourage them to sign contracts with Eckhard-Walter?

Henreich: At the end of the day, we understand that a racing team wants a quick, reliable engine. We have been rigorously testing the U-77 in our formula one chassis around Kirchfield and many of Sekiya’s more demanding tracks. Previously to this, the U-77 has performed extremely favourably in simulations that has given us the data we need to market this as a competitive engine going into the tournament.

Reporter: It's clear that Eckhard-Walter has invested considerable effort into this engine. How confident are you in its performance and potential to dominate the Formula One circuit?

Henreich: We have full confidence in our engine's performance and its potential to be a strong challenger in the world of Formula One. Our team of expert engineers, in collaboration with racing veterans, has poured their knowledge, passion, and expertise into this project. We have left no stone unturned to create an engine that embodies the spirit of Eckhart-Walter’s legacy while pushing the boundaries of performance.

We are eager to see our engine power teams to victory, and we firmly believe that with our technology, combined with the skill and determination of Formula One teams, we can establish a new era of dominance in the sport.

Reporter: And now onto tyres – we hear that the Eckhard-Walter racing team has chosen its tyre supplier?

Henreich: I don’t think it was a surprise to anyone when we announced we would be signing a contract with Giovagoma – Eckhard-Walter has been using Giovagoma for years now with our production sports cars, and it’s a product we like and believe in.

Reporter: Thank you, Mr. Walter, for providing us with insights into the remarkable engine developed by Eckhard-Walter. It's evident that your company's commitment to innovation, performance, and sustainability sets your engine apart in the competitive world of Formula One. We are excited to witness the impact of your U-77 engine in the upcoming racing season. We wish you and Eckhard-Walter great luck for the upcoming championship.

Spoiler

engine: U-77

tyre: Giovagma

driver 1: (will be konstantin stein)

driver 2: tba

 

[Saint Mark]

(This post is a collaboration between @Giovanniland and myself)

 

As Sir Edgar greeted his guests and showed them to the dining room of his city apartment, he looked out of place… a large, graying man with a reddish nose in a rumpled dinner jacket marching through a display of understated elegance. The large dining room was all white and tan marble, modern, and discreetly illuminated. The decor allowed the three walls of windows and the lights of Sanctus Leo far below to be the focus.

Indeed, in a way this was not Sir Edgar’s home, but that of his wife, Lady Barcillia. Certainly Sir Edgar was wealthy, but his wealth was earned and new. His construction company had built many of the expressways in this part of Saint Mark. His wife was the one who belonged here. Her position in society had been secured during Imperial times. The sister of the Duke of Austra, glided through the room with grace and confidence. Her beauty and style made her long gold gown look demure.

“Welcome to our city apartment,” she smiled. “I’m delighted that we could offer you a little respite on your business trip.”

“Thank you for having us,” Aetio replied, representing Tullio, Kamilla and Marko too. “We’re glad once more that you invited us for the dinner as well.”

Lady Barcillia touched the hand of each of her guests, smiled and exchanged a few words that demonstrated that she knew something about each of them. Cocktails were passed around and the mood moved from slightly formal to casual and friendly, steered expertly by their hostess. Sir Edgar looked pleased and proud.

After the perfect time period, Lady Barcillia motioned to the table. “Won’t you all please be seated? I believe dinner is ready to be served.”

“I’ve never tasted Saint Markan food in my life before,” Kamilla commented. “Thanks for this opportunity!”

“And I appreciate the friendly atmosphere between all of us,” Tullio and Marko noted.

“It’s a lovely evening and a great opportunity to get to know our new partners better,” said Anorson as he took his place.

“Indeed,” agreed Valentine. “It’s so kind of you to host us.”

Once everyone was seated, the courses were brought, and each was described by their hostess.

“The first is an ancient Markan coastal favorite. It’s called Parum Salsa Piscis, a delicately sweet, salty, and tangy taste of tiny fried fish fillets that are marinated in a special preparation made from vinegar, raisins, pine nuts and onions. It is either served alone as a snack or before the other courses as an antipasto. Enjoy!”

“I like the taste!”, Tullio uttered, “After all, coming from a coastal city, I’ve always appreciated meals with seafood.”

“Giovanniland also has a strong antipasto tradition,” Marko added.

“The first course is another traditional favorite of the sea, Nigrum Lolligo Atramento Risotto, tender cuttlefish in a creamy, earthy risotto colored by its dark ink, with saffron and cuttlefish roe.” She smiled at the look on Anorson’s face. “Don’t be put off by the black color. Trust me. It’s delicious!”

“More seafood, that’s great!”, Tullio exclaimed. “I see that it’s prized here just as in my home country, after all we’re both in the Darkesian Sea.”

“Indeed,” Kamilla agreed.

“I’m so pleased you’re enjoying our choices. Saint Mark and Giovanniland do indeed have a lot in common,” answered Lady Barcillia.

“Now we move from the sea to the air with duck breast in Pevarada sauce with apple, grape, onion, and mustard. This recipe is special to me as it was first developed by one of my ancestors. Frui!”

“Thank you for the excellent dinner so far,” Aetio expressed, the other Giovannilandians nodding in approval. He thinks that this is his favorite from all the dishes tasted by then.

“The final course before our sweets is an homage to my husband’s family in the north. It is lamb with artichoke, cocoa, and hazelnuts. Our cook makes the skin so deliciously crispy, while keeping the lamb tender and moist.”

“Interesting origin, I hope to be able to visit northern Saint Mark one day as well,” Kamilla thought. “I hear it’s also fairly mountainous just like my native northern Andolia.”

“It is!” Sir Edgar smiled, always delighted to talk about the north he missed. “The air is clean and crisp, and sheep cover the green hills below the mountains.”

“We end our little repast with another traditional Markan dish, Fructus Crepito. It is orange and star anise crème brulée with rosemary crème fraîche.”

“These are five great dishes and I’ve very much enjoyed tasting them,” Tullio applauded. “My favorite is the Nigrum Lolligo Atramento Risotto!”

“Of course it’d be,” Marko joked, knowing his boss’ love for seafood. “As for myself, the Parum Salsa Piscis and Fructus Crepito tasted quite well,” he stated.

“As I mentioned before, the duck breast in Pevarada sauce is my favorite, although I also liked the dessert,” Aetio remarked.

And last but not least, Kamilla mentioned her appreciation of the lamb with artichoke, cocoa, and hazelnuts, although in the end all of the guests agreed that the entire dinner was excellent and thanked the hosts.

Their hosts very much appreciated the praise. Everyone was in excellent spirits as they moved to the library for drinks and more conversation.

Several hours later, business details had been arranged and friendships begun. The evening was a success on all accounts.
 

[Flauschi918]

Accepted. What now?...

 

Kentrijk Heifth sighed in relief as he opened his email on a cool but fresh spring morning.
"Congratulations. The Epsilon Fira Racing Team was accepted to take part in the first Esferos Formula 1 World Cup.." the email read.
Almost in an instant upon reading this headline, Heifth called his assistant to let everyone know of this once in a lifetime achievement and to make themselves ready for the coming months.
Certainly, it appeared to be a daunting task, managing things like drivers, engines, tracks, stategies and more, but Heifth just looked over these things and was already reaching for the champagne while celebrating. He and the team made it. In the following days, the whole team brainstormed different strategies for potential race tracks around the world. The race calendar was not yet available after all, nonetheless, there were some tracks that the team never wished to see in the world cup, and tracks they'd love to see. Afterall, all tracks with minimum turns are a win in their book.

Next up were the drivers. One could argue it would be more desirable to first get drivers and engines and tires, than to immediately start with strategy planning. One would be correct with the assumption aswell. That did not matter to the team though, as they already made up their mind and are full of determination. They began looking into suitable drivers for such a big event.

"One thing is clear, " Heifth blurted out, "Only the best of the best."

"But with what budget, sir?" The Assistant, Hanna Marxx chimed in.

"Well, uh.." A rather long pause ensued. Long enough for it to evolve into an unpleasant and pressing silence.

"We need sponsors." Helke Kohl, the marketing manager broke the silence, "We could make several public announcements to get our sponsors, of course this will require some of our already saved funds to be used. I could make good use of it. Besides, the government has already voiced their interest in the world cup before, so I'm sure atleast Kerglom Hafth would sponsor us for that shiny logo and recognition abroad."

"Now that's what I call an idea!" Heifth exlaimed, "But that doesn't solve the driver problem. Maybe you could incorporate some announcements for drivers into there. Or better yet, we'll scout and look for them ourselves. Always better chances if we approach them first. Shows interest."

The room fell silent once again and Kohl nodded.
Everyone was thinking. It was clear they needed money, drivers, everything now. The situation slowly but surely became apparent and what was once happy faces, were now serious and stoic frowns. It seemed like they had no way of accomplishing anything if they didn't get the sponsor money. They knew the government would sponsor, but this wasn't enough at all. The overall costs for developing a suitable car for the world cup would be abysmal and by far a cliff jump more than what they paid for in Fauthurian racing leagues.

It was dark already. 5pm in the afternoon. The building was cold, the radiators needed to be waited since last spring. The team continued to think and brainstorm different subjects and all kinds of details. Alas, they were disappointed again and again in seemingly fruitless attempts on figuring out how exactly to proceed. Perhaps they needed to wait after the sponsorship announcements were out. Ultimately, they needed money. Money was this problem's solution and it needed time.

On a completely different side of things, The New West published an article about the successful entry into the Esferos world cup a couple of days later, that would have many people hyped up for the actual event and cheer on their team when time comes.

This is the article:

 

"Huh. Better than I thought it would be" Heifth said, visibly reliefed upon saying these words. "I guess my connections to TNW finally pay out. Who knew that day would come. Also, very weird that they got the track calendar before us... All we have to hope is that it's true." But unbeknownst to Heifth, the calendar was still hidden inside the congratulations email from the Esferos F1 committee. Sooner or later he'd have found out, alas, now a little earlier.

Hafth has not yet responded though which is deeply worrisome for Heifth because that means that proper funds for development and signing drivers are still of grave importance and so far, no other sponsor is willing to step up or even put forth the required money for the event. Alas, the folks in TNW said that HAfth has taken great interest. This might perk up the ears for other sponsors.

Only time will tell if these issues resolve in a timely manner.

[Sekiya]

Konstantin Stein officially signed for Esferos F1

As expected by fans, the Eckhart-Walter racing team has announced Konstantin Stein as one of their two drivers for the Esferosi F1 event. Konstantin has been sponsored by Eckhart-Walter since he was 15, with his entry into the Eckhart-Walter racing academy. 

Considered one of the best racers in Sekiyan history, Konstantin is famous within the nation for competing in both national and international races. As the star of the Eckhart-Walter racing team, Konstantin has had a significant role in choosing the team's strategy for the upcoming tournament.

It is expected that the second driver for Eckhart-Walter will be announced in the coming days.

Storm Jorge aftermath

In other news, Storm Jorge has finally ended. The hurricane caused the destruction of miles of infrastructure in Dahme and Western-Mitteland, with thousands of buildings destroyed and tens of thousands of citizens evacuated whilst the Republican Army Guard conducts its search and rescue operations.

The Deputy Secretary of Energy was attacked on social media yesterday after claiming that he was "very happy with how the hurricane incident went" and that he "thanks all those involved in the event", causing upset with those who have lost their homes and loved ones.

This has also probed conspiracy groups into believing that his message was meant to be a secret, and was proof that the government could control the weather, and that the department of energy was responsible for creating the storm.

The Deputy Secretary has since clarified that he was trying to imply that he was implying that he was happy with how the search and rescue was going, and that he was not happy about the hurricane.

Spoiler

Drivers for Eckhart-Walter

Konstantin Stein (Sekiya)
Oldo Miuli (Rivalfiume) (their RP post will come soon)

Sorry this isn't a very exciting RP post, I am being hugely busy IRL

[Pixel3K]

A new beginning for Oldo Miuli

It was 8:15 AM. Oldo had woken up at about 6:00 AM, and couldn’t manage to go back to sleep.

“Breathe in… breathe out…”

“This could be the big breakthrough I’ve been waiting for!”

“This year I am finally eligible to race in the Formula 1 World Championship. Thanks to my performances in the F2WC and Gran Saldo Championships, not to mention the test drives for F1WC teams, I’ve finally accumulated enough points to get my new and shiny F1WC license. The folks back at Eckhard-Walter seemed impressed. The test car felt good, as it effortlessly breezed through the circuit. The U77 engine and the Giovagoma tires are a match made in heaven.”

Oldo took a brief pause to reflect further.

“I’m sure I’ve shown my worth, but I’m not the only one interested in the seat. The F1WC is a very competitive sport. I’ll have to wait for the official results from them. If everything goes according to plan, they’ll contact me by the end of the day.”

 

---

 

18:00, later that same day…

*ding-ding! ding-ding!*

After hearing the familiar sound, Oldo rushed to his room.

“A phone call! This could be it!”

He was greeted by a warm and friendly voice: “Good Evening, Mr. Miuli! I am Henreich Walter, CEO and representative of Eckhard-Walter. I’ve contacted you to inform you that you’ve been chosen as one of Eckhard-Walter’s designated drivers for the current Formula 1 World Championship season. Congratulations!”

“Oh, how delightful! You bring me such wonderful news! Thank you for reaching out and for letting me know, Mr. Walter.”

“No problem!” Henreich Walter continued, “We’ll have to discuss some important matters with the rest of the team. These are things that cannot be discussed here on a phone call, though. That’s why I, on behalf of the Eckhard-Walter Team, officially invite you to a meeting at our Headquarters in Sonnenfeld, where we can discuss our plans and strategies properly.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Miuli answered. “I’ll be there.”

 

[Arifiyyah]

AA PETRONER LAUNCHING DAY

"What a lovely morning we have today,with more than thousands Arifians F1 fans at the AA Petroner F1 Team launching day! I am Hafiz Hamidun,the marketing chief for the team. And with me today,we have the manager himself,Mr. Nazirul Mubin will introduced our team today" said the emcee. The crowd is loud, waiting for the big news. Nazirul,a retired military engineer at age 35, finally achieved his dream to become the Motorsport manager. In fact, he's the first ever manager appointed in team's history. 

With a mixed nervous and excited feelings,he stand on the stage,"Good morning everyone! Yes,my name is Nazirul Mubin. I'm the one that responsible on this team's driver,car, finance and even the race entrance. I always being a Motorsport fans since i was little kid. Growing up in military family made me become the engineer for Arifiyyah military. Why do i quit such that honour job? To pursue my dream of becoming the motorsports team's manager. Thank you the director board for putting trust on me. I'll do the best for this team." Said him.

AS a short introduction,AA Petroner F1 Team was established in 2023,after the world sports committee announced the F1 world event. AA Petroner F1 Team is a collaboration between the AA company and our nation's pride gas company,Petroner ltd. So I don't want to wasting much time for this,let me introduce to you guys,our drivers!" Two guys walk onto the stages, wearing a full racing suit and helmet. No one can guess who's behind the helmet.

"Hello everyone, I am Khairulanwar". "Hello,my name is Khairy Jamaluddin". Everyone is clapping welcoming the drivers to the team. Nazirul speaks"please welcome our drivers! As our team is new,we has decided to hire these two top local racers,and since to help them advertise themselves,and the team. We also targeting to gain more local fans,before upgrading the fanbase to international level. We also want to inspire young local to have dream to become the Motorsport athlete. I believe both of them are ready to race and made us proud."

"You guys,go take the cars in" said Nazirul to the drivers. The suddenly run backstage and after that,heard a sound of car's engine. Two good-looking cars were brought to the stage. "This is our 1st version of AA Petroner F1 cars. For this season,we use the Velite 1420 engine type manufactured by Quintana-Urbolina company. We believe this engine is suitable for our team's strategy. And for the tyre,we have tyres from the Eclipse. Of course, it'll take time for the driver to suit themselves with their vehicles. But please put trust on them,and us. We will become the champion of Esferos one day!"

[Clarkov]

Grand Tour, the company founded by the trio for the purposes of entering Regalia Genesis as a constructor, were making the finishing touches in the Sleetgrave Cemetery pit lane before the races officially began. They ended up with the Y2J HITC engine, mainly because Jeremy had brought it in behind Richard & James' backs.

The black & ice-blue Yousekai RG38 will be running on the Eclipse tires by FrostNova and the Y2J HITC engine by Erunius. The Eclipse tires in particular are unique for being the only tires to favour reliability over traction, so they'll last longer than any other available. FrostNova say that Eclipse was created to be handled only by the most skilled drivers. How Hammond & May got them then is anyone's guess.

James May: We're still assuming that the Esferos World Championship will be an amateur event, because it's the first ever one.

[Hammond & May browse the news of the other teams related to the tournament.]

James May: We were badly wrong. In fact our Yousekai RG38 will be up against the world's super-talents. The other drivers are chisel-jawed and battle hardened. They have proper pit lanes, tons of equipment. They've turned up with laptops and luxury meetings with aristocrats.

Richard Hammond: Our pit lane isn't quite as professional as that... nor is our catering... nor is our engine. In fact, very little is.

James May: Blame Jeremy for that.

Richard Hammond: I'm going to.

[Hammond spots a strange white vehicle approaching in the distance.]

James May: Then there's the question of us three.

[Hammond switches on dramatic music, May turns his attention to the approaching vehicle.]

Richard Hammond: At this point... Prince Marcarius arrived.

[The dramatic music changes to grandiloquent music, Clarkson arrives in an overly posh thing with chandeliers attached. Hammond stands flabbergasted at how pompous it is.]

Clarkson decided to use this car as the mode of transport for himself across Esferos during the F1 World Championships. It is possibly the vehicular embodiment of the antithesis of Hertfordshire & Jammbo itself.

[The grandiloquent music fades out.]

Richard Hammond: What...?!

Jeremy Clarkson: This is the most inappropriate car ever made. I give you, the Mladenova De-Grei.

Richard Hammond: It's the most inappropriate thing ever made.

Jeremy Clarkson: No, you say that, it's actually a work of genius because what Mrs. Mladenova did was she took the engine from a 1390s Harsin Baineri, an ordinary 2-door Hertfordian saloon car, and the gearbox and the interior and all the electrics, kept them as they were and then fitted this flamboyant body.

Richard Hammond: Yeah, wha- what Mrs. Mladenova did was she took Dilberian acid and this resulted! Mate, for one thing...

Jeremy Clarkson: Yeah?

Richard Hammond: Wheels.

Jeremy Clarkson: Ah, yes.

Richard Hammond: The ones at the back are hiding, and the ones- you're steering the car in front of you.

Jeremy Clarkson: Yes.

Richard Hammond: Look at it.

Jeremy Clarkson: That is a mechanical change, I admit. These wheels are 3 feet in front of where they should be.

Richard Hammond: Yes.

Jeremy Clarkson: There are other things. Look at the horns. Check 'em out, you want to hear them?

Richard Hammond: Je- do they work?

Jeremy Clarkson Ohoh yes.

Richard Hammond: Oh I don't think I do actually.

Jeremy Clarkson: Ready?

Richard Hammond: They look like something that makes a noise like artillery in Kalmach.

[Clarkson takes a sterner tone having not been listened to the first time.]

Jeremy Clarkson: Ready?

Richard Hammond: Yes.

[Pathetically quiet horn sound.]

Richard Hammond: ...That's it?

[More pathetically quiet horn sounds.]

Richard Hammond: How many of these has she made?

Jeremy Clarkson: Oh, several hundred.

Richard Hammond: Too many.

Jeremy Clarkson: I think she made about 500 of them. This was supposed to look like something out of Saint Mark.

Richard Hammond: And yet it really doesn't.

James May: You bought it when you were drunk.

[Clarkson & Hammond burst into laughter.]

James May: Now let's return to the race preparation.

Jeremy Clarkson: Ooh yes. So, how unprepared are we?

Richard Hammond: Very.

[May shows Clarkson the news they were looking at earlier.]

Jeremy Clarkson: Oh lord. Everybody else has done at least 6 races. Worse still, Richard you've never been round a race track.

Richard Hammond: The sum total of our experience is, you've done...

Jeremy Clarkson: I've done a charity race in a Freimane Deben.

Richard Hammond: And you've done 5 laps.

Jeremy Clarkson: Five laps in this.

[Clarkson taps the Yousekai RG38.]

Richard Hammond: You've done no racing at all. You've done some laps but not in this.

[May nods.]

Richard Hammond: I've done a race in a Vakanye. I've never driven this and I've never ever been round a race tra- we're not in good shape.

The sponsors Clarkson managed to get a hold of. May has questioned if some of them are even real. They are.

Time will tell if this intrepid trio succeed in not making a complete hash of it against the other teams. Hammond and May are still unhappy with Clarkson for choosing the engine without consulting them.