Friday Afternoon – IRC Media Center, Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The ceiling fans spun slowly above the crowded press conference room, pushing around warm Italian air laced with nerves and caffeine. The buzz of anticipation wasn't just for Saturday's qualifying — it was for answers. Real ones.
Reporters from international outlets had taken their places early. Flashbulbs popped like micro-explosions every few seconds. The IRC-hosted media panel was set, featuring key team principals and a few selected drivers. Center-stage was Callum Graves' team principal, flanked by those from Vaayu GP, SBS, Rip Jay Racing, and Pilot Power Corporation.
All eyes, however, kept drifting to the far left of the row — where Raghav Satyanarayan of Vaayu GP adjusted his collar under the relentless lights. The recent buzz surrounding Vaayu's rejected sponsor had turned him into the day's main attraction.
The session began cordially. A few softballs thrown at Graves' team, some polite applause for SBA's youth development initiative.
Then it started.
> "Mr. Satyanarayan," came a voice from a Motorsport Europe reporter, "can you elaborate on your team's recent refusal to disclose the full names of potential investors flagged in the IRC's Q2 report?"
Raghav's fingers tapped once on the table. His voice remained calm.
> "Vaayu GP has always complied with IRC standards. We disclosed every party that we considered viable for partnership. We are not obligated to promote offers lacking credibility or traceability."
A stir in the room. A follow-up came sharp and fast:
> "So you're saying there was a sponsor — anonymous — and you walked away from major funding while your competitors are pouring millions into mid-season upgrades?"
Raghav gave a thin smile. He knew this would happen. This kind of things can't be kept hidden for long.
> "We walked away from shadows. And if that means we struggle on track but sleep well at night — we're okay with that."
Flashbulbs again. A pause.
Then another blow — more personal.
> "But how long can Sukhman Singh continue delivering without proper car development? Many see potential in him — are you wasting his prime? And most importantly IRC investigating pannel concluded that last year the accident happened with your driver was due to poor management of tyres... or more specific, due to old tyres."
That one hit a nerve. Raghav sat straighter.
> "Sukhman doesn't need headlines. He needs time. And he'll prove his worth — like he already has. And to address that thing. (He sighs) We are trying to come up with something to ensure our drivers safety. So don't worry too much."
The room buzzed again, but some sensed the pressure mounting. Raghav wiped his brow discreetly. The weight of everything — budgets, rumors, buried truths — seemed to coil around his shoulders like an invisible noose.
---
Backstage – Media Maneuvers & PR Fire-fighting
In the Vaayu GP paddock suite, Rina was already on damage control. Her phone rang non-stop as she fielded interview slots, blocked aggressive headlines, and ran quickfire edits on post-press soundbites.
> "Okay, scrap the 'Vaayu Rejects Lifeline' title. Frame it as a values-first decision. And no mention of Tokyo's garage incident. None."
Maya, meanwhile, was crunching numbers in the finance dashboard. She began sending out urgent memos:
Cancel luxury lounge catering.
Replace international couriers with in-country logistics.
Minimize spares shipping unless absolutely necessary.
The words "Crisis Budget Protocol – Monza" flashed at the top of her screen.
Down the paddock, Siddharth was in his usual grease-streaked shirt, working beside the junior engineers. He'd tapped into a few old college contacts and a former aerodynamics consultant.
> "It's not illegal if it works," he muttered to himself while duct-taping a makeshift undertray mod to a spare floorboard.
> "Just good old-fashioned jugaad."
---
Across the Grid – The PR Theatre of the Elite
At SBA, Charlotte Reid's PR manager filmed her getting out of a hypercar for an Instagram reel.
> "Charlotte, flash the smile — perfect! You've got that icy royalty vibe, love it!"
She didn't smile. She never did for cameras.
At Rip Jaw Racing, Montoya's agent pushed a new fan campaign live, #MontoyaMadness, banking on his Tokyo overtakes going viral.
Power Pilot Corporation held a Q&A livestream featuring Amelia Foster, who gave perfectly rehearsed answers about growth, team spirit, and "learning from every corner."
And yet... all eyes, every algorithm, every trending tag eventually drifted back to Vaayu GP's controversy.
> "Why did they say no?"
> "What's Raghav hiding?"
> "Who was that mysterious sponsor?"
---
Vaayu GP Motorhome – That Night
The glow of Monza's pit lane dimmed as the sun set over the Italian pines. Inside Vaayu's temporary headquarters, Raghav sat alone, lit only by the blue glare of a laptop screen. An email from the IRC sat unread.
> Subject: "Compliance Follow-up: Anonymous Entity — Action Required"
He closed the lid with a sigh.
---
Elsewhere – Unseen Eyes
In a darkened surveillance room, away from circuits and roaring fans, a man sat quietly, fingers steepled, eyes watching.
Around him, a ring of screens played the day's events — press conferences, news tickers, interviews, social feeds. A digital feed showed facial recognition scans across the paddock: Sukhman Singh, Charlotte Reid, Callum Graves, Amelia Foster, Erik Holtz, Khalid Zidan, Ravi Deshmukh — all marked with subtle blinking indicators.
His gaze lingered on Sukhman's modest radio interview.
> "I'm not trying to be anyone's story. I'm just trying to drive better than I did yesterday."
The man smiled faintly. Pressed a button on the intercom.
> "Initiate Phase Two."
A quiet beep responded.
On his central screen, a hidden dossier opened: encrypted data, GPS access points, sponsorship trails, some contacts – one of them messaging about some odds and potential driver profiles.
He whispered to himself:
> "Let's see who crumbles… and who evolves."
Behind him, rows of locked cases hummed softly — each marked with the symbol of a gear inside a serpent.