A Race Lost In A Second

The Trampos Racing garage was as silent as a graveyard when the sickening crunch echoed through the monitors, broadcasting the sound of Ansel Hahn's aerodynamic front wing gouging deep into the side of Luca's car. The collision was visceral as a metallic symphony of destruction as the front wing detached, taking with it part of Luca's suspension and turning his car into a violently tumbling projectile.

For a moment, the garage seemed frozen in time. Then McCauley and a few other engineers sprang into action, bolting out the door the instant the red flags were raised. They moved with desperate urgency, determined to reach Luca even before the marshals. As their footsteps faded, silence reclaimed the garage—heavy, oppressive, quiet silence.

Mr. Grant broke this silence.

Calmly, he removed his headset, tapped the back of Ms. Vallotton's palm in a quiet reassurance, then left the telemetry station.