Season Opener: Pushing Limits

[SYSTEM ONLINE...]

[Daily Routine Has Officially Commenced Today.]

[5:30 HYDRATION & MEDITATION: Host will get out of bed and stretch to loosen his muscles. Taking a full glass of water will kickstart your metabolism. Afterwards, you will sit quietly for a few moments. By breathing deeply, you will help release all forms of stress.]

[6:00 WORKOUT & GROOMING: Your daily workout routine includes Burpees, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Core Strengthening Exercises (Planks, Russian Twists), Push-ups, Lunges, and Flexibility Training (Yoga Poses and Deep Stretches). Afterward, you'll take a shower to refresh yourself.]

[7:00 BREAKFAST & NUTRITION: A nutritious meal and more water to stay hydrated.]

[You have five minutes to begin your Daily Routine.]

Luca got out of bed, his body refreshed and coursing with life as the bright morning sun filtered through the clear windows of the room provided for him. He picked up his phone, initially planning to plug in his earpiece, but thought against it. Let's go old-school, Luca. It's always been like that.

He reached for his little MP3 player, its blue-and-white casing faded with slight scratches across the surface. Plugging in the earpiece, he stuffed them into his ears as he got dressed in a tracksuit from the wardrobe—its fabric marked with Trampos Racing's emblem alongside those of their sponsors. Most of the sponsors weren't household names, but Luca recognized a few.

The tracksuit fit him perfectly, hugging his lean frame as he jogged out of his room, which looked more like a base camp straight out of a movie set. Music thumped gently in his ears, setting a steady rhythm as he made his way down the steel stairs to the gym.

First time here, Luca said to himself, glancing around with curiosity.

The gym was well-equipped, with every piece of equipment he could imagine. A corner stocked with free protein shakes promised some refreshment once he wrapped up. Not wasting any time, Luca got to work. He started with burpees, each jump sending energy coursing through his muscles. Then came planks, holding his core steady, followed by Russian twists that engaged his obliques.

His body responded smoothly, falling into a rhythm like an engine warming up on a race day. After finishing the set, Luca ended with a child's pose, breathing deeply as his muscles stretched and relaxed under the rough yet soothing pull of his favorite kind of music.

[Scanning host's Attributes for area of concentration...]

[Strength: 8

Stamina: 11

Endurance: 16

Agility: 7

Intelligence: 10 ]

[Suggestions: Agility & Strength]

[Hosts will be granted the privilege of choice.]

[AGILITY / STRENGTH]

Luca pondered for a moment. He recalled how he had earned some XP points in past races for Strength, but struggled to accumulate any for Agility. Deciding it was time to balance his stats, he opted for Agility. Strength points could be earned randomly, after all.

[You have selected AGILITY]

[Agility is crucial for you, as it impacts reaction time and control, both essential for handling the high-speed demands of an F1 car.]

[Enhanced Agility ensures precise handling, reduces errors when navigating tight corners, and improves your response under pressure.]

[Today's session will focus on Speed Hurdle Drills, T-Drills, and Shuttle Runs.]

[EXERCISE: SPEED HURDLE DRILLS]

[EQUIPMENT: LOW HURDLES]

[Host is required to sprint over the hurdles with quick, controlled steps, focusing on maintaining speed and precision.]

[This will be done for 5 minutes, alternating between single-leg and two-leg hops to enhance foot speed and agility.]

"Alright," Luca muttered, clapping his hands in excitement. He stood before the line of low hurdles, eyes locked on the small barriers. Determination welled inside him as he adjusted his earpiece, ready to synchronize every move to the music's tempo.

[Let us proceed with SPEED HURDLE DRILLS]

Launching into motion, Luca's body responded instinctively. His feet moved swiftly, barely grazing the ground as he hopped over the first hurdle while maintaining balance. Alternating between single-leg and two-leg hops, he picked up a rhythm of footwork.

Luca could feel the burn in his calves and tires, but it didn't bother or hurt him, it was almost numb as he continued effortlessly like playing hopscotch. His breath was steady and his movements precise until the exercise was over.

[Ding!]

[Agility +1]

Luca stopped, placing his hands on his hips as he glanced at the digital interface. "Well, that was easy to get," he muttered under his breath.

[Correction, host. Your agility stat was near its threshold. This exercise merely finalized the progression.]

[Good job, host. Moving on to the next]

[EXERCISE: T-DRILLS]

[EQUIPMENT: CONES]

[Host will sprint to the first cone, then move laterally in a 'T' pattern, focusing on quick turns and direction changes to boost speed and agility.]

[This will be done for 5 sets, each lasting 30 seconds with short rests in between to allow your body to recover while maintaining intensity.]

Luca smirked. T-Drills. Just an upgrade from standard cone drills. Before even starting, he knew it would be a walk in the park. He set up the cones as instructed and began to move as quickly as possible. He weaved through the cones, accelerating with each course as he completed the sprint and returned to the starting point.

[Good job, host. Moving on to the next.]

[EXERCISE: SHUTTLE RUNS]

[EQUIPMENT: MARKERS]

[Host is required to sprint between two markers set at a specific distance, touching the ground at each marker before quickly turning and sprinting back.]

[This will be done for 3 sets of 10 runs, focusing on speed, endurance, and quick direction changes.]

Luca stood at the starting point, his eyes fixed on the marker ahead. He took a deep breath and launched forward, his feet pounding against the ground as they carried him to the first marker. Once he approached, he dropped low swiftly and tapped the ground with two fingers before pivoting swiftly, propelling himself back toward the starting point.

He did the same once he reached where he had started from, sprinting between the markers again and again without huffing and puffing. But he did break a sweat. By the final sprint, a low grunt escaped as his index finger grazed the marker. With a small hop, he concluded the exercise.

[Good job, host. All exercises assigned have been completed.]

[You can head over to the next phase of your Daily Routine. Your time in the gym today is over.]

Luca exhaled deeply, grabbing a bottle of water from his bag. He tilted his head back, drinking until only drops were left, then plopped onto a nearby bench. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out his phone and powered it on for the first time that day.

Several messages from Sara awaited him, each providing updates about his bank account and referral details. Luca typed a quick response, thanking her, then swiped to a new text message from Mr. Fisher.

Mr. Fisher: Season Calendar has been out for some time. Don't tell me you haven't viewed it.

Luca raised an eyebrow, mildly caught off guard. He hadn't checked. Without missing a beat, he sent a reply, blending a half-truth, half-lie into his response.

Luca: It's quite tight, sir. I'll do my best to keep up.

Once the message sent, Luca navigated to the calendar update and reviewed it himself. To his relief, the first half of the Grand Prix in March would take place in Germany. That meant no immediate travel for the rest of the month.

Luca sighed in quiet satisfaction, leaning forward slightly as he continued his survey to study the circuit details.

German Grand Prix

Location: Bad Rauenberg, Germany

Date: Mar. 8

Track: Bergwaldring Circuit

Luca wondered if the rumored overhaul of the "New Format" and "Expansion" had been implemented yet or if it would roll out next season. He sincerely hoped it wouldn't interfere with his career—this style of racing was all he knew.

Leaning back against the neat wall, Luca rested his shoulders, lost in thought, until the sound of footsteps approaching caught his attention. Instinctively, he looked up.

Standing before Luca were two young men, likely around 19 or 20. One was tall and lean, with slicked-back blonde hair and sharp features, while the other was stockier, with a solid build, dark hair, and a squared jaw. Both were dressed in gym wear, sweat glistening on their foreheads, clearly fresh from a workout.

"Hello," Luca greeted with a short nod.

"They say you're from Grey-Husson's, so you must be a good prospect, ja?" the stockier one said with a snort. "Don't think this is a pet show, and you could just waltz in and take the track. I've been in the lines for a long time, and I deserve to be on the team."

Oh, I see. He must be Erik Haas Mr. Fisher talked about. And who's the other? Another reserve?

"It's nice to meet my teammates," Luca replied. "I'm only here to show what I've got and earn my way up to F1 as quickly as possible. I've got no intention of taking anyone's spot."

The taller one chuckled, tossing his sweat towel over his shoulder. "Oh, he thinks he's heading to F1?" he sneered. "Dreams are dreams, but in reality, you don't even belong here. I'm the next in line after him," he added, with an accent Luca immediately recognized.

American? Wow, so much diversity.

Where's their main driver? Luca thought, scanning them. Doesn't seem like the kind of guy to hang around with these two? Then again… why would he? Bunch of losers.

Luca stood up from his seat, surprised to find that the American was even taller than he'd expected. Without missing a beat, he gathered his belongings, packed them neatly into his bag, zipped it up, and slung the strap over his shoulder.

"Well, if you belonged in F1, you'd be there already," Luca said coolly, locking eyes with the stockier one for a moment. "Good day."

With that, he turned and walked out of the gym, leaving the two behind as he continued with the rest of his Daily Routine.

The Formula 1 motorsport season officially began the next day.