Luca was really proud when he finally heard for sure that Victor was moving up to pilot the JYX-81. It felt like a big deal, kind of like when you finish a hard level in a game and finally unlock the best gear. It felt like one part of the story was over and a new, cooler one was starting.
Luca understood the board wasn't exactly happy with him, though. They were actually kind of annoyed when he told them he wanted to remain with his current model, the Z24. They like things to be simple, and to them, it didn't make sense why the best driver wouldn't want the newest car. Progression meant uniformity, and Luca's refusal disrupted that neat logic.
But Luca didn't care. He knew the Z24 worked perfectly for him, and he saw no reason to abandon a chassis that had carried him so far.
