Formula 1: The GOAT-Chapter 24: Race Weekend | Sunday III | Messy Start

"With Fatih not participating in this final heat qualifier, the expected contenders had their chance to shine. Jackson ultimately wins, followed very closely by Selçuk, easily securing their P2 and P3 grid positions respectively for this evening's Final race!" the first commentator announced with enthusiasm as Jackson and Selçuk crossed the timing line, still battling fiercely.

"They were fighting for P1 from the very first lap of this heat," Zakir took over, providing an overview. "And Selçuk made sure Jackson had no peace of mind throughout the entire race."

"Yes, Selçuk was noticeably more aggressive this time," the main commentator agreed. "He was even bumping Jackson's rear at times, trying to force an error or create an outbraking opportunity. But Jackson, perhaps expecting such pressure, kept his composure admirably and led them to the finish."

"This kind of close-quarters racing is the norm in karting, especially in this age group," Zakir elaborated. "Fatih seems to be the anomaly, consistently able to create a significant gap, seemingly unfazed by pressure from behind. If anything, he uses it as fuel. For the drivers who finished in the bottom thirty of the combined heat points, their journey isn't over. With the final heat qualifier now complete, they'll participate in the Pre-Final race at 14:00, in about two hours. The top ten from that race will earn their spot in the main Final at 16:00."

"And it looks like the official starting grid for the Final is ready!" the main commentator declared as the list appeared on the massive screen. "As expected, Fatih, with a perfect score from his heats – zero points – secures pole position! He's followed by Jackson with one point for P2, and Selçuk with three points in P3. Huzeyfa takes P4 with five points, the same as Emre Kaya in P5. Huzeyfa gets the higher grid slot due to his superior initial qualifying lap time, which is our tie-breaker rule..." He continued reading down the list.

(The list would be will be in this paragraph comment)

......

In the grandstands, Aslan was seen clapping enthusiastically as his son, Selçuk, crossed the line in P2 for the heat. It was a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor when he'd been pushing Selçuk to consider sports other than motorsport, deeming his talent insufficient.

"Can't you act that way when he's actually here?" Fatma, his wife, asked, turning to him after she finished her own applause. "And what real difference does P2 or P3 in a heat make to suddenly change your attitude towards his karting?"

"This time, no significant gap was opened by the leader, and Selçuk exerted pressure until the very end," Aslan explained, his brief smile vanishing as he saw his son jogging towards them, beaming. "It means that in a longer race, like the Final, he'd have a genuine chance to overtake and win if the leader makes a mistake or leaves an opening. In the previous sessions where Fatih was involved, Selçuk was consistently seconds behind. That, I cannot accept when they are in equal machinery."

"If you actually told him that, don't you think it would encourage him to work harder, instead of you constantly trying to make him quit?" Fatma countered, then noticed her husband's expression sour again as his gaze shifted. She followed his line of sight.

"Haaaaa," Fatma scoffed, raising an eyebrow at his predictable behavior but said no more, turning instead to congratulate Selçuk on his strong finish.

........

"What do you think?" Rümeysa asked her mother, Güldane, as they had lunch with Fatih and his coach, Burak. They were discussing Aslan's sponsorship proposal.

"From what he said, there didn't seem to be anything nefarious or underhanded," Güldane mused, "though I'm no expert in these matters. We should certainly hear Burak's opinion before making any decisions." Their bond with Burak had strengthened over the race weekend; he'd spent considerable time with them, explaining technicalities and sharing conversations, allowing them to learn more about each other.

"If there are no hidden conditions, and based purely on what he offered, I think you should consider it," Burak said after a moment's thought. "However, you'll need to discuss it thoroughly with the academy. Many aspects of his offer overlap with Fatih's obligations as a scholarship student. If you, or Aslan, can reach an agreement with the academy, then there's no harm in accepting. It would alleviate a significant financial burden and allow Fatih to continue pursuing his passion without you worrying about funding."

Burak knew the academy's agreement was crucial. If they refused, Rümeysa could theoretically unenroll Fatih and use Aslan's sponsorship at another academy. However, any academy aware of Fatih's performance this weekend would likely offer a full scholarship, perhaps even pay him to race for them. He was confident the current academy would readily agree. He wouldn't suggest leaving yet, though. Not only did he wish to continue coaching Fatih, but withdrawing mid-season would end Fatih's current championship participation, as he was registered under the academy's name. Any reputation he was building would vanish if he exited after just one round.

After lunch, they returned to the grandstands for the Pre-Final race. It was an engaging spectacle, with the backmarkers fighting fiercely for the top ten spots that would grant them entry into the Final. The racing was close, peppered with slides and numerous overtakes, keeping the crowd entertained until the very end.

"And Mustafa has a slide as he gets on the power too early! But it doesn't matter! His slide inadvertently blocks his nearest challenger, and in the drag race to the finish line, he comes out on top! Mustafa wins the Pre-Final, securing himself P31 on the grid for the Final race!" the main commentator's excited voice boomed through the speakers.

"And now, we are only an hour away from the main event!" Zakir announced. "And look at those skies! It seems the weather isn't clearing as expected. Heavy clouds are approaching the track rapidly. I think we're in for heavy rain either before or during the race!" As he spoke, attendees looked upwards, noticing the darkening sky as ominous clouds began to obscure the sun.

"This is going to make the Final incredibly interesting!" the main commentator declared, a clear note of glee in his voice. "It might be the first time this weekend they'll be racing in active rainfall, not just on a track still wet from earlier. The constantly changing water levels will mean the grip on track will be in constant flux, rewarding drivers with superior technical ability and punishing those who lack it. With forty karts on track simultaneously, it's going to be a nerve-wracking experience for the drivers and their parents, but a thrilling spectacle for us neutral viewers!"

It seemed a bet on the weather would have paid off. With only twenty minutes remaining before the race start, the dark clouds unleashed a torrential downpour, as if attempting to flood the circuit.

"Let's go! Time for final preparations!" Burak appeared, holding a large umbrella, having just completed his final checks on Fatih's kart.

"Good luck, sweetie, and be careful," Rümeysa said, placing Fatih's juice bottle on the table.

"Go and crush them for me!" Güldane urged, offering him a fist bump.

.....

"The rain is expected to continue into the race, so put this on," Burak instructed, handing Fatih a clear, waterproof overall to wear on top of his racing suit. It would prevent the suit from absorbing water and becoming uncomfortably heavy.

Once Fatih was kitted out, they began wheeling the kart towards the grid. Only ten minutes remained. Being P1, they were among the first allowed onto the track, followed closely by Selçuk and Jackson with their respective coaches. Selçuk, starting directly behind Fatih in P3, had an intense look of determination; if one could see beneath his visor, it would be clear he intended to win and prove his superiority to his father.

Grid attendants with umbrellas greeted them as they reached their starting slots. They had six minutes to make final adjustments before all non-drivers had to clear the track. With only the race remaining, his final obstacle to a potential grand slam weekend, Fatih sat in his kart, a thrill of anticipation coursing through him.

Time flew by. Soon, only two minutes remained. Coaches and assistants retreated, engines were running. A grid official received a green flag and began waving it, signaling the start of the formation lap. Karts began to roll past her.

"We're on the final corners of the formation lap!" the main commentator's voice crackled. "We can see Fatih weaving aggressively, trying to get as much temperature into those tires as possible. More temperature means more grip, crucial on this soaking track. With thirty-nine karts behind him, he'll be clearing the water for those immediately following, but that's one of the burdens of pole position in the wet."

"From this angle, it looks like he's sitting in a veritable puddle of water compared to Jackson's side of the grid!" Zakir observed as the camera focused on Fatih's P1 slot.

"It's often the better position in dry conditions, but in the wet, it can be the worst place to be on the front row," the main commentator explained. "He'll need perfect throttle input to avoid wheelspin and losing precious ground at the start."

"And the final driver is taking his position... one of our grid officials is waving the green flag... the starting lights begin to illuminate!" Zakir built the tension, handing over to the main commentator for the race start.

"LIGHTS OUT AND AWAY WE GO! Fatih, needing that sensitive throttle input to avoid wheelspin, gets a slightly slower start compared to Jackson, who has what looks like a perfect launch! They drag race towards the first corner! Fatih still maintains the lead as he moves right to cover Jackson, trying to negate his rival's better start... they're meters from the braking point... Fatih outbrakes him! AND OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! SELÇUK DIVES DOWN THE INSIDE, ATTEMPTING TO EXPLOIT FATIH'S DEFENSIVE MOVE ON JACKSON! THERE IS CONTACT BETWEEN SELÇUK AND FATIH! FATIH IS SENT SPINNING INTO THE WALL! SELÇUK SNATCHES THE LEAD OF THE RACE, FOLLOWED BY JACKSON, HUZEYFA, EMRE, AYŞE, BORA! FATIH'S POSITION TUMBLES TO LAST! HE HAS TO WAIT UNTIL THE ENTIRE FIELD PASSES BEFORE HE CAN SAFELY REJOIN THE TRACK! OH MY GOD! THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING ANYONE IMAGINED! THE PRE-RACE FAVORITE IS NOW DEAD LAST!" The main commentator was practically shouting, words tumbling out like a machine gun, the sheer excitement and shock of the first-corner incident evident in every syllable.