#inertiaverse

[silverslipstream]

updated grid of my F1 OCs!

From left to right, descending row-by-row: Esteban di Fernandez (BRA) and Natalie Bertrand (FRA) Darian Espinoza (ESP) and Marco Bianchi (ITA) Marcus Harding (GBR) and Nikolaus Hautala (FIN) Yōjirō Nagamatsu (JPN) and Sergei Shepov (RUS) Imogen Kane (GBR) and Bernardo Molina Velazquez (VEN) Cassidy Kimball (CAN) and Emilia Monteiro (POR) Devon Holtzman (NED) and Freya Larsen (DEN) Callista Fontecchio (ITA) and Dominik Leitner (AUT) Jordan Thackwell (NZL) and Mireille Guérin (FRA) Holly Martin (AUS) and Levi Callaghan (USA) Kurt Roth (DEU) and Aaron Giles-Westley (GBR) Ervin Kesküla (EST) and Víctor Ocampo (MEX)

Factfiles and bios on each individual driver will be coming soon! Please feel free to send asks about these guys and provide me with a socially acceptable way to scream about them on here because god knows I've been talking the ears off the F1 writers' groupchat!!

[silverslipstream]

OC intro: Esteban di Fernandez

Esteban di Fernandez (BRA)

Born: October 18, 1998, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (age 25) Debuted: Australian Grand Prix, 2017 Race number: #6 (currently using #1, as reigning champion) 2024 team: Electron Motorsport (AUS) F1 World Drivers’ Champion 2022, 2023 Favourite track(s): Hungaroring, Imola

2014 Italian Formula 4 champion 2015 GP3 Series champion 2016 GP2 Series champion

The reigning world champion, Esteban di Fernandez, is without a doubt angling his way up the ladder of all-time Formula 1 greats. He won titles back-to-back all the way up the junior formula ladder, including back-to-back rookie titles in both GP3 and GP2. He became the youngest debutant in Formula 1 history at just 18 years old when he joined Scuderia Espini in 2017: Under the wing of Electron teammate and 2018 world champion Yōjirō Nagamatsu, di Fernandez became the youngest Grand Prix winner in history after winning the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix. After Nagamatsu’s serious, life-threatening crash in the following year’s Brazilian Grand Prix, di Fernandez spearheaded the team and went on to win both his and Electron’s first world titles in 2022, at the age of 24.

Ice-cool under pressure with a penchant for ruthless comeback races, di Fernandez is arguably the most complete driver on the current grid. The Brazilian is known to play his cards close to his chest: despite his sociable reputation, he has little patience for PR and paparazzi, and little is known about his personal life.

[silverslipstream]

OC intro: Natalie Bertrand

Natalie Bertrand (FRA) Born: June 9, 1995, Rouen, France (age 28) Debuted: Singaporean Grand Prix, 2017 Race number: #39 2024 team: Electron Motorsport (AUS) Favourite track(s): Spielberg, Sakhir

2013 Formula Esprit Eurocup champion 2015 European Formula 3 champion

To partner one of the greatest drivers in Formula One is no mean feat—but Natalie Bertrand has shown herself more than capable of it. Following a patchy junior career characterized by brilliant underdog performances and a chronic lack of funding, Natalie found herself promoted to Octane’s main driver seat mid-season after Kurt Roth’s shock transfer to Esprit. Her performances were good enough to get her a full-time contract in 2018, where she established a quick reputation as one of F1’s up-and-coming young drivers. When Electron Motorsport came knocking in 2022 for a second driver to partner Esteban di Fernandez, Natalie jumped at the call.

Bertrand is often portrayed as the antithesis to di Fernandez in terms of racing philosophy, with excellent tire-saving skills and metronomic consistency that make her a vital rear-gunner in Electron’s bid for the Constructors’ world title. Withdrawn and shy, Bertrand nevertheless sticks close to former Octane teammate Callista Fontecchio, with the pair often being seen together.

[silverslipstream]

YOOOO Ok for the ask game!! Let me get a #41, a #16, and a #20 Dealers choice on which OC's you answer for, go as crazy as you want!!

Thank you for the ask Gryph! I've already done #20, so let's see what the grid has to say about #41 and #16:

16. What's their favourite comfort food?

Devon, as the grid's resident Dutchman, is a huge fan of kibbeling - a Dutch street food that consists of battered and deep-fried fish pieces, served with tartare-based dipping sauce.

Natalie is a bit of a health foods enthusiast, and has the weirdest addiction to celery. She says it's the texture and crunch of it that works for her; she can often be seen in the Electron garage, scrutinising telemetry while crunching on a piece.

Sergei, despite his hugely wealthy background, is a man of very simple tastes - his go-to comfort food is any kind of chocolate, although teammate Jiro is having success with getting him to try crispy seaweed.

41. Have they ever broken a bone?

Emilia suffered a pretty heavy crash during the 2015 6 Hours of Spa, when a crash involving a slower GTE class car sent her almost head-on into the track barriers at Blanchimont. She broke her wrist and one of her ribs, and missed Le Mans that year.

Jordan practically made a hobby out of breaking bones in his younger years. His worst accident wasn't even related to racing - when he was twelve, he was dared to land a ridiculous jump on his BMX, failed to do so and broke his leg really nastily. He very nearly lost his karting career due to the severity of the injury.

Levi has never broken a bone! He was an exceptionally careful driver in his junior career (his father would say TOO careful) and grew up exceptionally sheltered, so never had the opportunity to break anything otherwise.

[silverslipstream]

HII DEARR!! 4, 20, 27 for ur blorbos!! whoever u wanna talk about hehe

Thanks for the ask Kellin! I'll write three different drivers' responses for each question:

4. Their favourite season?

Callista is definitely a summer-weather person - she lives in her native Italy, and loves catching the Mediterranean summer sun when she can.

Kurt doesn't really have a preference (at least, he'd never tell you) but he has a soft spot for springtime flowers, so I suppose that counts.

Imogen is a big fan of the autumn. If she wasn't an F1 driver, she'd probably spend all day at Starbucks downing pumpkin spice and playing in leaf piles.

20. Something they do that seems childish to others?

Bez is pretty heavily into videogaming. Everyone assumed they meant sim-racing (which is kinda taken seriously by drivers), but no, they just love playing Call of Duty and Halo on Twitch until a stupid hour of the morning.

Jiro makes a lot of origami creations, a habit that borders on obsession. Most people find it weird and a little confusing, but it was a method he used in physical therapy after his crash to regain control in his hands and fingers.

Darian takes great delight in annoying and winding up Esteban, usually by making ridiculous comments in interviews or pranking him during race weekends. Nobody knows why.

27. Do they get angry/lose their temper quickly?

Mireille is pretty hot-headed. Not as bad as some drivers, but suffice it to say that Jordan's probably the voice of reason in the Espini garage. She has very little patience for those who can't keep up.

Esteban makes a big show of remaining ice-cold and unflappable under pressure, but maybe the time is right for someone to test his limits...

Aaron has a famously bad temper and is generally considered a nightmare to work with if you're not constantly on his good side.