Chapter 8

15 Years Ago

The Vytal Grand Prix was being held on the same circuit as the 24 Hours of Vytal. Taiyang had won the famous endurance race two years before, but since the circuit had been bad to him. In the previous year's 24 Hours, he had blown a tire in the Amity Kink and gone straight through the armco. Somehow he had walked away uninjured. In the Grand Prix just two weeks later he had qualified on the pole then had his engine explode on the start. In this year's 24 Hours he and Summer had been leading with just a few hours left when their transmission broke and took them out of contention.

Now Taiyang was looking to turn his luck around. The race was only about half over but he was leading. It was a close race with James Ironwood for Schnee Automotive in a close second and Summer right behind in third. The three were in a similarly close race for the championship. James had the advantage in points but a win would bring Taiyang into at least a tie. Summer was just a few points further back.

Taiyang got on the brakes for Amity Corner and took a look in his mirror to make sure James was not attempting a pass. He had been a little far back the last time Taiyang checked but James was an aggressive driver and Taiyang would not have been surprised by a dive-bomb move. What Taiyang saw when he looked in the mirror was a lot more alarming. James was closing in fast, way too fast.

James hit the brakes to slow for Amity Corner and immediately knew he had a problem. Judging by the way the car jerked to the right, he had lost the left front brake. He struggled to keep the car going straight, it would slow more effectively that way and if he hit anything there was more protection for him up front. He closed in on Taiyang's silver machine and tried to edge around it.

Taiyang braced as the white car in his mirror grew larger. Their wheels met, shearing the right wheels off of Taiyang's car and sending James into a wild tumble. James' car rolled over and over before the driver was flung out. He landed in the grass on the outside of the turn, his car coming to a rest nearby. Grinding on its belly in a shower of sparks, Taiyang's car slid past the corner and into the grass beside where James lie. Summer picked her way through the debris and continued the race.

Taiyang was unhurt but he was worried about James. He jumped out of his car and rushed to James' side. James lie flat on his back. He was bloody and his right arm was twisted at a sickening angle, but he was moaning which meant he was alive. "James, are you alright?" Taiyang asked.

"No." James groaned. Consciousness was a good sign. "My chest hurts."

"Yeah, you've probably got some broken ribs buddy." Taiyang said. James attempted to get up but Taiyang forced him back down. "Stay down, you don't want to make it worse." Taiyang advised. He closely examined James' injured arm. It looked like the only thing holding it on was James' racing suit. He was probably going to lose it. Taiyang checked the rest of James' body. His right leg was in bad shape too, fractured so badly that the bone had punched through his pant leg. He might lose that limb as well.

"That bad huh?" James said. "I can see it in your face."

Taiyang was not sure what to say. He decided on honesty. "Yeah, your arm looks pretty bad. Your leg's not great either."

Present Day

As it had 15 years before, the Vytal Grand Prix was being held at the same circuit as the 24 Hours. Most of the drivers had been involved in the endurance race, so they were fairly well acquainted with the track. Being yet another power track the Schnee team were the favorites. Coffee Inc. with their older Schnee engines and Phase Two with their Schnee-like engines were also expected to do well. For Beacon GP, it should have been a struggle just to score points.

"I learned a lot from working with Ren and the Nevermore engine." Blake said. "I think we might be able to close the gap to Schnee Automotive."

"So why don't you look happy?" Yang asked.

"These upgrades are a lot more complicated than what we were dealing with for the 24 Hours." Blake said. "I only had time to prepare one race engine. For time trials you'll have to deal with what we've had, and in the race…"

"One of us is going to have to use the old engine." Yang finished for her. "This is awkward."

"I thought so." Blake said.

"You take it." Weiss sighed. Yang was flabbergasted. The others were taken aback as well.

"You're going to have to say that again, I think I'm hallucinating." Yang said.

"You're higher in points, so it only makes sense that you'd get the upgrade first." Weiss said. She did not seem happy about it. Since the 24 Hours she seemed like an entirely different person, though she still had the occasional outburst.

Yang did not want to jeopardize the team's tenuous grip on harmony. "No, it makes more sense for you to use it." Yang said. "The team will be stronger with two successful drivers. I've got some points. Now it's your turn."

"I hope you're not doing this so I'll owe you a favor." Weiss said.

"Blake, are these upgrades reliable?" Yang asked.

"Not as reliable as the engine we've been using." Blake admitted. "I'm confident but we won't know until we race it."

"See Weiss, risk/reward." Yang said. "I'm up in points so you take the chances. It might make you faster but you might break."

"I'll take that chance." Weiss said. "You'll regret giving up the opportunity."

The practice results were fairly predictable. Winter led every single one from Penny with a mix of Coco, Yatsuhashi, Emerald and Mercury following. Yang and Weiss were the best of the rest but Pyrrha was ominously close. Apparently Ren had learned a few tricks too because their hopelessly obsolete engines suddenly seemed to have a little life. Sun and Neptune were quick and, coming off their class victory in the 24 Hours, confident. If Yang or Weiss slipped Haven Racing Team would be there.

On qualifying day it looked like rain was in the offing, but as the time approached the clouds lifted, much to the disappointment of most of the field. Things got off to a highly predictable start. At the very start of the session the two Schnee drivers went out and laid down blistering times. They then returned to the garage, got out of their cars and waited. Penny was happy to start second and Winter was confident that they would be unassailable.

And so it proved. In the closing minutes Coco was third followed by Mercury, Emerald and Yatsuhashi. All four were well clear of the rest but well short of the Schnee cars. Pyrrha was next with Yang and Sun hot on her heels. Weiss slotted in next, just ahead of Neptune. Weiss had not been comfortable in the car at the start. After shouting at Ruby and Blake for a while she calmed down and gave them the feedback they needed. Weiss would have the car the way she wanted it for one final run. Pyrrha's qualifying engine was toast, so she would have to sit on her time. With just a few minutes left Yang and Weiss headed out for one last attempt.

Weiss slowed heading into White House, letting Yang get far enough ahead that she would not interfere with Weiss' lap. She accelerated out of the corner and rocketed toward the start/finish line. She flashed across the line to start her lap and slung the car into the first turn. This car had less power and less weight than the Nevermore so she took the corner flat out, crested the rise and drove down the hill toward the second corner. She was hard on the brakes, slid through turn 2 and quickly cut back through the third turn. After a short straightaway she blasted out of the fourth turn and onto the Amity Straight. She caught sight of something silver out of the corner of her eye to the right. It was Yang. Her qualifying engine, already near its maximum mileage, had let go. She was done.

Weiss continued down the Amity Straight, hoping her own engine would hold. The car oversteered through the Amity Kink but she had no trouble holding it. Uphill and back down Weiss slammed on the brakes for Amity Corner. She nailed the apex and accelerated into the next long stretch of flat-out running. She drove into the corner before Vacuo Bend as fast as she dared and the car oversteered severely. Weiss just managed to regain control in time to brake for Vacuo Bend. She swept through the banked corner then down the short straight to Atlas Corner. She spun the tires a little on exit and rocketed off toward White House. Braking hard she navigated the right-left complex and roared out onto the main straight. Moments later she crossed the line to complete her lap. She was disappointed. If she had held the car better in the turn before Vacuo Bend she would have been faster.

She need not have worried. Winter and Penny had indeed held onto the top two spots. They were followed by Coco, Mercury, Emerald and Yatsuhashi. Still no surprises. In seventh was Weiss with Pyrrha eighth, followed by Sun, Yang and Neptune. Weiss was relieved. If Yang had out-qualified her there would have been pressure for Weiss to give up the upgraded engine. As it stood, it only made sense for her to have it. Still, it was an unknown quantity. It would surely be an interesting race.

Race day dawned sunny and warm. By the time the cars lined up on the grid it was sweltering, unseasonably hot. Fans stuck to what shade there was and the teams hid in their garages, but for the drivers there was no escape. Before they even set out on their parade lap they were soaked in sweat. It was going to be a difficult day for the drivers and their machines.

The cars rolled onto the grid for the start as the starter held the green flag high. The drivers revved their engines, chomping at the bit during what seemed an interminable wait. Finally the flag dropped and the cars were off. Winter and Penny leapt away from the field. Weiss got a bad start. The upgraded engine was more powerful than she had anticipated and she spun the tires badly, allowing Pyrrha, Sun and Yang to get past. Starting fifteenth, a career best, Jaune stalled on the grid. By the time he got going the rest of the field was long gone.

Winter led from Penny as the cars rushed out onto the Amity Straight for the first lap. Behind the pair were Mercury, Coco, Emerald and Yatsuhashi. Before reaching the straightaway's halfway mark, Pyrrha had slipped behind Sun and Yang, her engine just not up to the task. Weiss roared by and closed in on Yang. Just before the Amity Kink Yang stepped out to the right and drove up alongside Sun. Weiss was closing quick and was not about to lift. She jumped to Sun's left and the cars tore through the corner three-wide, inches separating their wheels. Yang completed the pass on sun as Weiss blew past. Under braking for Amity Corner, Yang solidified her position in front of Sun while Pyrrha closed in. Pyrrha's chassis was good, even if the engine was still garbage.

Weiss had catching up to do. Her bad start left her several seconds behind the pack of four that was chasing the Schnee cars. However slim the chance, if Weiss was going to win she needed to catch and pass the quartet as soon as possible. She was on a mission, on the limit, and she was about to get a little help. On lap four the lack of reliability in Phase Two's engines reared its head once again. Emerald's engine went up in smoke on the straight between Atlas Corner and White House.

Two laps later Weiss caught the remaining trio. She was only a little faster, but faster nonetheless. On the straights she was still down on power, just, and in the turns she clearly had a superior chassis. She used the draft to hang onto the back of Yatsuhashi's car as they careened down the Amity Straight. Through the Kink and up the hill she stayed tucked behind him. Just as they crested the rise Weiss darted to the right and pulled up alongside under braking. She drove deeper into the corner and got a better exit, cementing her position.

Coco and Mercury were in the midst of their own battle. The pair fought tooth and nail all around the track. Weiss repeatedly found the way by blocked as the two ran side-by-side. Growing increasingly frustrated, she sat behind them for two long laps. Then, finally, there was an opening. Coco dove to the right of Mercury as they swept through the first turn. Coco, just as frustrated as Weiss, ran Mercury wide, forcing him to lift lest he be forced off the track. Weiss easily passed him as they entered turn two.

Weiss got up to the back of Coco's car and followed her down the Amity Straight, using the draft again to keep up. She intended to use the same move she had used to pass Yatsuhashi. After cresting the hill before Amity Corner she ducked to the right but Coco matched the move. Weiss moved back left as Coco protected the inside line. Weiss was able to get alongside Coco but was on the outside once they got to the corner and had to slot in behind her. Both drivers were heading for danger, but neither knew it.

Up ahead Penny's engine overheated and broke, spilling oil all over the track in the turn before Vacuo Bend. Coco and Weiss arrived seconds later, already driving on the limit. Coco hit the oil and slid sideways and out into the grass on the outside of the corner. Weiss slid sideways too, her left rear tire edging onto the grass. She kept her cool and regained control as Coco slid into the armco. Alerted by the pair's slide, Mercury slowed and safely navigated the corner behind them with some difficulty. It was only then that the marshals displayed the flags that indicated a hazardous surface.

It had been a hair-raising moment but Weiss made it through and kept second place. Now only her sister remained between her and her first victory. If the pit board was showing accurate intervals, she was closing in, lap after lap. It was a long and exhausting race, but with five laps to go Winter was in view. It was a reverse of the 24 Hours. After Penny's engine failure, Winter was nursing her car around, going just fast enough to stay ahead, bleeding the considerable lead she had built up until it was almost gone.

Winter knew Weiss was coming and picked up her pace. Weiss pushed ever harder. She had long since driven away from Mercury and Yatsuhashi and had only Winter ahead of her to worry about. On the final lap Weiss had arrived. The sisters roared down Amity Straight, Weiss falling back even with the draft pulling her along. Winter's engine was too strong. Under braking and through Amity Corner, Weiss closed back in only for Winter to pull away again. On entry to Atlas Corner, Weiss dove to the right in a desperate bid to make the pass for the win. She moved ahead but out-broke herself and slid wide, allowing Winter to cut back underneath her to retake the lead. From there it was academic. White House was not a viable place to pass someone in a similarly quick car. Weiss followed Winter through and they ran nose-to-tail all the way to the line.

Winter had won again, but she was joined by a newcomer to the podium. Weiss had her first podium finish. Again she would stand beside her sister, but she was back in her shadow. Yatsuhashi had passed Mercury on the last lap for third. Next was Yang who had maintained fifth after a spirited battle with Sun. Pyrrha had tried to keep up, but ultimately Neptune got past her, leaving her outside the points paying positions.

Weiss was excited to stand on the podium and thrilled that she had beaten Yang, even if it had not been a fair fight. Her excitement was tempered though. Her sister had prevailed after all. When Winter was handed a bottle of champagne, she imitated what Yang had done at the 24 Hours and sprayed all those on the podium and the fans below. Weiss had lost this day, but she was getting close.

"Great race Weiss." Yang said when Weiss returned from the podium.

"Thanks." Weiss said. "It's about time I got to show my potential."

"Don't get used to being ahead of me." Yang said. "The next race is at my home track and I'll have the same equipment you will. It's my turn."

"It's going to feel so good when I beat you on your home turf." Weiss said.

"Alright ladies, calm down." Ozpin said, stepping between them. "There's no need for bickering. We should be celebrating. This is the best result this team has had in a long time and it's thanks to all of you."

"If we're being honest, it was mostly Blake." Ruby said. "Without her upgrades we wouldn't have had a shot."

"Nonsense." Ozpin said. "Your chassis kept us in the race and provided an advantage in the corners. Without that Blake's engine upgrades would have been meaningless. And both of our drivers put in outstanding performances. It was a team effort in the truest sense."

Standings after three races:

1st - Winter Schnee - 18

2nd - Pyrrha Nikos - 13

3rd - Penny Polendina - 12

4th - Yatsuhashi Daichi - 7

5th - Weiss Schnee - 6

5th - Coco Adel - 6

7th - Yang Xiao-Long - 5

8th - Mercury Black - 3

9th - Emerald Sustrai - 3

10th - Sun Wukong - 2

Inspirations

- The circuit for the Vytal Grand Prix is based on the Le Mans endurance circuit.

Inaccuracies and Anachronisms

- The 1966 French Grand Prix was held at Reims. The French Grand Prix was never held on the Le Mans endurance circuit. In 1967 it was held at Le Mans on the shorter Bugatti Circuit. I chose to use the endurance circuit because I am very familiar with it and so I did not have to explain another track.

- Major in-season engine development and consequent power increases are rare. In the 60's it was almost unheard of to make major engine upgrades, though it did happen on rare occasions.