Leo could feel the Simex framework humming in his mind, 9.1% of "Racing Instinct" ready to be unleashed. He had played the rookie part and he had worn the mask. But Qualifying was coming, and in Qualifying, there were no more stories to be told. There was only the clock ticking.
"Elias!" Leo called out, opening the office door.
The engineer ran over. "Yes?"
"The suspension changes we made? Undo them. Go back to the Silverstone stiff-setup. And tell the crew to prep the fresh set of softs. We're going for one lap. Just one."
Elias looked at Anya, who simply nodded.
"You heard him," Anya said. "Get to work."
Leo sat back down and closed his eyes. The Albert Park circuit rendered in his mind, every bump, every drain cover, and every millimeter of white paint.
---
The heat over Albert Park was no longer just a weather condition; it was an enemy. Inside the cockpit of the Arcadia number 24, Leo felt the temperature rising toward forty-five degrees Celsius.
