Friday – Free Practice 2, Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona
The sun peeked through high-altitude clouds, casting soft golden shadows over the tarmac. Friday afternoons in Barcelona were deceptive — calm on the surface, yet tense under every tire, every gear shift. Free Practice 2 wasn't just data collection anymore. It was battlefield rehearsal.
In the Vaayu GP garage, the mood was surgical. Focused.
Sukhman sat in the cockpit of his newly tuned car. The configuration was the result of three days of nonstop analytics — rebalanced rear suspension, a new differential setup for improved corner exit, and slightly altered aerodynamics to better handle Sector 3's technical demands.
"Telemetry rolling?" he asked through the radio.
Rajan's voice came through. "Live and clean. You've got 26 minutes left in FP2. Let's get you a couple laps to test load distribution."
Harinder, leaning beside Rina, whispered, "It seems like he is more relaxed today."
Rina nodded without looking away from the screen. "He wants to work today. That's a good sign."
---
On Track
> "And we're back for FP2 here at the Circuit de Catalunya!"
Jack Simmons' voice crackled over global streams.
"Looks like Sukhman Singh is heading out with a medium compound. The Indian driver's performance in Monza was… let's say, a bit underwhelming, yeah?"
"He's got a point to prove," Whitney Moore added evenly. "But Vaayu GP's updates could play into his hands. If he nails Turn 9 on low fuel, we might see a change in pace."
The Vaayu car roared onto the back straight, its engine note crisp and stable. Sukhman wrestled with the new weight balance. It felt lighter in transition, but snappier — unpredictable mid-corner.
On his fourth push lap, Sukhman flicked through Turn 5, clipped the apex at 6, and carried more speed into Turn 7 than usual.
PB – Sector 1
PB – Sector 2
> "That's a personal best on sector one and two!" Jack nearly jumped. "Look at the splits! This car's humming today."
> "Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Whitney warned. "It's FP2. Rubber's fresh, engine maps might be dialed up, and he's running light. But yes... promising signs."
By the end of the session, Sukhman clocked a P5 on the FP2 chart. Not headline-making, but for Vaayu GP, it was a leap.
---
Inside the Garage Post FP2
The car was wheeled back into the bay. Sukhman stepped out, pulling his gloves off slowly. Sweat glistened under his chinstrap.
"So tell me chief how it was?" he said to Rajan.
He pulled up the overlays. "You're losing traction under braking into Turn 10. Otherwise? Solid. Especially exit speeds."
"Can we alter brake bias rearwards by 2%? I think it'll balance the load," he said.
Rajan nodded. "Already logged."
Harinder handed him a bottle of water. "You looked good out there. Like... 2019 Silverstone good."
Sukhman smirked. "Hmm... you can say that."
Rina approached, holding a tablet. "Get some rest. We'll go over the driver cam footage tonight. For now — good job."
For the first time in weeks, the word didn't sound hollow.
---
Elsewhere: SBA Telemetry Room
Rows of monitors blinked softly. Engineers came and went, checking notes and sipping energy drinks. But in the corner, one screen displayed only one driver: Charlotte Reid.
Her laps from FP2 were solid — bordering on too precise.
One SBA data technician tilted his head.
"Hmm," he murmured.
"What is it?" another asked.
"I'm getting... inconsistent throttle traces through Turn 12. It's almost like she's feathering for control, but the engine response is too clean. No oscillation."
"Torque vectoring?"
"She's not supposed to have active TV on this setup."
He leaned in.
No errors. No glitches. The data looked perfect.
Too perfect.
---
Somewhere Deep Underground – The Surveillance Room
The same dark chamber hummed again. Screens flicked between footage: Charlotte's in-cockpit camera, engine heat maps, tire data, pulse readings. Then one feed zoomed in on a telemetry packet stream — Charlotte's.
> "Phase Three operating flawlessly," a voice reported through comms. "The SBA ECU patch has integrated itself. They haven't noticed."
The figure in the chair nodded.
"Reid's performance needs to stay 'natural'. Slow her down a little bit that's all... for now. Any anomalies and we will switch targets. Do not let this phase become visible."
> "Understood."
The figure turned toward a secondary monitor, where Holtz's FP2 data was scrolling. No tampering there — yet.
"Not him," the man muttered. "Not until Spain is over."
He looked at a handwritten list taped to the side of the desk.
Phase One – Influence
Phase Two – Resources
Phase Three – Integration
Phase Four – Disruption
Phase Five – Collapse & Control
A quiet smile.
"Soon."
---
Media Room – Evening Highlights
> AutoLine Weekly: "Sukhman Singh shows sparks again – FP2 pace could spell comeback?"
Motorsport Horizon: "Reid glides in Barcelona – New confidence or hidden gears?"
Racing Undercurrents: "Deshmukh testing upgrades off-record?"
SpeedTrack Media: "FP2 Leaderboard: Tan fastest, Foster close, Singh surprises."
---
That Night – Vaayu GP Lounge
The team regrouped for debrief. Pasta boxes in hand. Laptops open. Everyone looked... lighter.
Not victorious.
But united.
Sukhman replayed his onboard lap on mute, watching every flick of the wrist, every correction.
Then his phone buzzed.
Charlotte Reid [21:37]
You looked more alive today.
Sukhman [21:40]
So did you. Guess we both needed Barcelona.
Charlotte [21:42]
Don't waste it. You might not get another circuit that forgives this much.
He stared at her message.
Forgiveness.
He locked the screen, leaned back, and let the sounds of the garage wash over him.
A storm was brewing — quiet, creeping, and invisible.
But for now, they had Friday.