#just look at his qualifying compared to both his teammates

[forzafinally]

Charles getting criticized left and right as if he isn't making that Ferrari look so much better than it actually is

[charles-leclerc-official]

Hi, I am curious what you think about Leclerc vs Sainz. I feel like a lot of Charles fans underrate Carlos (imo he's an upper midfield driver, very solid) but also many Carlos fans treat him like the second coming of Christ, it's insufferable.

Do you think he's pretty close to Charles in terms of ability? I mean he isn't terrible, but Charles is better in the metrics, like one lap pace, race pace, tyre management, race starts, W2W/overtaking (did I miss anything else). I think some of it also comes down to the issues in Charles' garage but I don't know to what extent, I don't have the numbers. I would love to see corrected data from anyone if it's possible, but idk.

I feel like the gap should be bigger. But maybe ironically I am one of those people who underrate Carlos. He is a strong driver but I don't see him in the WDC conversations whereas Charles often is.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong but Charles has outperformed and maximized the SF-24 more than Carlos has. Suzuka, Spa, come to mind. I don't recall Carlos doing anything particularly extraordinary with the car this season (again please correct me if I am wrong!!) but he has been very solid.

I do know for sure that in terms of raw talent, Charles is better than Carlos. Higher peaks too.

I mean, I think that the numbers and data really speak for themselves. By any measure Charles is the better driver, but that doesn't mean that Carlos isn't a solid driver who pulls consistent results. Two things can be true and I think that usually gets overlooked. The comparison fallacy a lot of people try to paint when comparing any drivers is that if one driver is better then it means the guy they are comparing him to is bad, when those are not the only options. You can have two good drivers on a team and one be better than the other, it happens a lot.

As far as fans go, I don't really like to attack anyone for hyping their driver. Of course fans are going to say their driver is the best, we all do it, so I don't think that's unique or anything to read too deeply into.

Your assessment it pretty accurate as far as performance goes. Charles pushes things to the next level and demonstrates his skill weekly. I agree, Carlos has been solid, nothing extraordinary, but solid.

I think Carlos' best performance this year as far as driving goes was probably Austria. He stayed close enough to the front even with the SF-24 struggling to be able to podium when Max and Lando went out. Australia was probably his best qualifying lap (possibly tied with Monaco tbh)

Pretty close is subjective. I don't think they are in the same category, I think Charles is the better driver in just about every category and the data does support this. Correcting the data for all their DNFs and car trouble would be an undertaking. I believe someone did that for them through 2023, but we have more data now so.

And the gap between teammates shouldn't be too big. If it is then there is a problem. Either with the talent the team has hired or the car. They are in the same car so the gap isn't going to be massive if they are both driving well, even if one is better. Ideal results are 1-2s or as close as we can get to that.

I think one reason people get lost in the gap to the teammate "debates" is they just take the result stats and the H2H graphics, when digging into the actual track performance and data reveals a more detailed look at a drivers actual performance. Results only tell you so much. And of course there are just a lot of things that are outside a driver's control.

[yarameijer]

Hiiii Yara!!!!

I have changed accounts bc I forgot my password, but I was Flan-Girl304! I have been commenting in ur fics for years now lol, except in the last couple of updates, bc, yk, lost my password.

Anyways, I was rereading Accidental Reverse, as one does, and now I really want to know your opinion on the relationship between Sengoku and Tenma, because I love the idea of Sengoku being so protective and caring of the rest of the team and noticing Tenmas problems/struggles early on.

He really is like a pilar of peace between all the chaos of raimon, isn't he? (Most of the time)

Also, completely unrelated, but I just realized how long it has been since Accidental Reverse started, I was still in school. Now I'm on my last year in pyschology. And now knowing the struggles of university, I absolutely understand ur updating schedule, I haven't updated my own fics in ageeeees. But I'm still hyped for whatever you decide to post in the future!

Anyways, hope you're doing well!!!

WHOAAA I CAN’T BELIEVE IT, it’s been so long!!! Hi!!! How have you been??

I'm good, just super tired! University's been pretty demanding and I ended up pulling an all-nighter last night to almost completely finish my thesis, so I am going to bed very very soon.

‘’rereading, as one does’’ you know it’s almost 300K, right

Aww Sangoku, yes we love him. He’s great. He’s the best, hands down. He’s the voice of reason, the eye of the storm; he fades into the background when compared to other members on the team, both in terms of personality and appearance (...pink hair, anyone?)

I headcanon that Sangoku is the eldest on the team and that makes him feel responsible for his teammates. We know from the anime he’s already a very caring and responsible person, as shown by his interactions with his mother; she works late often, so he is in charge of groceries and cooking and other chores. He was canonically captain before Shindou and never really got rid of some habits from that time.

Which means that, just like Shindou, Sangoku understands Tenma's struggles as captain and tries to support him as much as possible; he did the same thing when Shindou was made captain after him, although of course the specifics are different because Tenma and Shindou are different. Sangoku doesn't really interfere with the leadership part; he's not one of the loudest voices on the team, and he doesn't want to be. He can leave the decision making to Shindou, Kirino, Tenma, Tsurugi, all the more outspoken members, all more qualified and talented than him - that’s what he thinks.

Instead he tries to help in more subtle ways: by caring.

(This doesn’t just apply to Tenma, of course. Sangoku keeps an eye on the whole team - literally and figuratively. He’s the keeper, he’s always in the back, always in position to keep watch over his teammates during a match, and that doesn’t end when the match does.)

He keeps an eye on Tenma whenever he can. Does he look tired? Upset? Ill? If Sangoku notices this, depending on the severity, there's a few different things he might do. If it's not that bad, he'll usually cue in the other first-years and let them drag Tenma along to hang out and unwind for a bit. The quickest way to get Tenma to forget about his worries for a bit is to let him spend time with his yearmates and act his age. They're a chaotic bunch and there's no room for worry or stress there.

If it's worse, Sangoku might interfere more directly. If it's more of an internal problem in the team, Sangoku can and will tell the others to lay off (Shindou means well, but sometimes he gets carried away). The rest of the team listens to him, and this is a rare enough event that the few times he's had to do it, it's been very effective.

If it's an external problem, Sangoku can't honestly do much. In those cases the whole team is stressed and trying to support each other, and as much as he wishes he could, Sangoku can't just go up to their opponents and tell them to knock it off. Instead, he'll ensure (by teaming up with the managers) that there's enough snacks and drinks present for everyone, and try to keep them all calm and rational.

Sometimes, when Tenma is being especially stubborn, Sangoku will outright scold him and tell him to go home, go to bed, take a break. Tenma definitely doesn't like this, but he respects Sangoku too much to deny him.

It's even happened a few times that someone else on the team cued in Sangoku. They know Tenma will listen to him, even when he's being stubborn, and they're not afraid to misuse it.

And always Sangoku is just ready with a listening ear, an offer to help, little check-ins, even when nothing bad is happening and Tenma is just busy or mildly stressed.

Like I said, Sangoku does this with most of the team, but he's more aware of Tenma. This, again, stems from having been captain himself. Early on, when Tenma became captain, Sangoku worried and tried to make sure the kid was doing alright, and that just stuck. Even years later after Tenma has proven himself more than capable, it's an old instinct that Sangoku can't get rid of.

And Tenma doesn’t really… know? Sure, after being captain for so long, he knows the dynamics of his team. How Sangoku is the voice of reason - no, rather, how he’s the calm inside the storm, the one who worries quietly and cares for them all and has taken the responsibility to watch over them through their craziest adventures and laziest days. He knows, by logical reasoning and several late night instances where Sangoku was the one to check up on him and tell him to get some rest, that Sangoku does it for him too and he appreciates that more than he could ever say. He just doesn’t notice that Sangoku is a little more keyed into his well being specifically - probably the only one who does is Shindou, and that’s because Shindou is the exact same way, for the exact same reason (they both agreed to make yet another first-year captain, when they know the burden of it; they refuse to let him drown under the pressure).

So Tenma hasn’t noticed, is not as close with Sangoku as some of their other teammates, and Sangoku honestly doesn’t mind. Truth be told, after so much time he barely notices it himself, it’s just become a habit.

Their relationship is interesting because they don't really hang out outside of the team - sure, if the team will go out together, they'll both join if they can, but they don't usually meet up with just the two of them. They’re both closer with other people on the team. Their relationship originated as simply senpai and kouhai - Sangoku feeling a sense of responsibility towards a younger teammate, Tenma looking up and listening to an older teammate. And yet it’s grown so much from what it was. Tenma knows Sangoku's door is always open and he can always count him. Sangoku respects Tenma as his captain, and cares for him as a friend rather than a kouhai.

Funnily enough, they’ve got a bit of a similar opinion on taking care of the rest of the team. Perhaps Tenma has been unconsciously imitating Sangoku’s behavior in the way he cares for them, and even handles them when they’re acting rash. It actually makes Sangoku his biggest ally in getting the team to behave! As we see in Accidental Reverse, Tenma is fully capable of being the craziest on the team, but in his actual timeline where he's captain, he's usually the semi-responsible one, if you'll believe it (in his defense, if something happens, he's the one who has to deal with the paperwork). And Sangoku is most often the voice of reason on the team, so he will fully support Tenma when they're trying to get the team to NOT do anything stupid for once.

So yeah. In summary, this is a relationship that was at the start nothing more than regular senpai and kouhai, and funnily enough never changed much in their roles - but the sentiment behind it? That has become much more genuine. Sangoku doesn’t look out for Tenma and feel responsible because that’s what is expected of him, but because it’s Tenma. And Tenma doesn’t respect and listen to Sangoku because he’s older, but because Sangoku has time and time proven that there are few people Tenma truly appreciates and admires more.

So! I hope you enjoyed that. Oh, don’t mention how long I’ve been working on AR, I know exactly how you feel. I uploaded the preview for it on my sixteenth birthday. In less than three weeks I’ll be celebrating my twenty-third.

I am still planning to continue though, I just need to deal with stubborn characters who don’t want to be written, tss.

It was really great hearing from you again!

[gayferrari]

do u think present day carlos would be able to dominate in the mclaren rocketship? i rate him higher than lando and i think ppl who say charles doesn’t rate carlos are in denial but idk. in addition to that, do you think carlos has improved as a driver since joining ferrari?

Ok so my tldr is that I truly don't know.

Longer answer: obviously we have no way of knowing how well Carlos would adapt to the Mclaren compared to the current drivers, but I think Lando > Carlos right now. This season so far I'd put Max ≈ Charles > Lando in the top three, and then probably George above Oscar and Carlos <- this is a very subjective ranking that's in terms of performance they've been able to extract from the car, so obviously teammate head to head plays a big part. You could argue that Carlos being Charles's teammate does him no favour, and Lando having a teammate that he handily beats at qualifying makes him look better. I think Carlos at Mclaren would have more points than Oscar does, because Carlos is a more solid qualifier, but I genuinely don't know how he'd compare to Lando. He's better at holding to a pole position, but all I feel confident saying is that if that we'd had a Lando & Carlos lineup, Mclaren would've reached P1 in the wcc a few weeks earlier.

On Charles and Carlos, I think Charles rates Carlos as a driver he wants on his team. but also someone he knows he can beat. Like, in a "I can't slack off, he'd keep me honest" but also someone that, if they both had a championship caliber car, he's confident he'd beat. I don't think this means he doesn't rate him! Just "Charles he thinks he's the better driver" which, good for him #mentality. (OBVIOUSLY 2024 Carlos >> Mclaren Carlos tho)

[leqclerc]

The entire picture around sainz amazes me. Like how you're going to rate him so high, how you're going to compare him against charles when he has one good race every 8 f1 weekends, how you going to call him better than Hamilton, how you going to say he's the best driver on the grid after max and then turn around and ask "is carlos sainz underrated"

Exactly. It's so funny imo for the media to be like "is CS underrated?" and make his ex/current teammate answer that question (which, like, wtf else are they going to say, they're hardly going to start beef in a press conference with him sitting right there lmao.) If anything he's overrated. As you said, he can be completely anonymous for multiple races in a row but one good weekend and he's suddenly better than Charles and basically on par with Max and should get the Red Bull seat. Not to mention Ferrari must be regretting "getting rid of the wrong driver." Okay? 🤨

Even at his lowest I think he gets a lot of grace. Outside the pool of British drivers he's basically the British pundit/journos golden child; the likes of Lawrence Barretto and Damon Hill consistently prop him up and add to this narrative of him being the "worthier" Ferrari driver, the faster one, the one with more prowess and exemplary leadership skills. Also the "consummate professional and dedicated team player." Yeah, until he starts binning planned strategies or impeding his teammate. 😑

The disappointing thing is, this is and will likely continue to be the mainstream narrative as long as these weekends happen. It's something I've noticed among "casuals" as well — unless you are deeply invested in the Ferrari ecosystem and constantly and closely following the developments, the interviews, the drivers' team radios, etc, the perception is basically: Even when Charles qualifies on pole he loses out to Max, sometimes even in the early laps of the race, and then can't manage to regain the lead, ergo he is ineffective; Carlos, meanwhile, "gets the job done" and, well, wins, ergo he is effective, Ferrari's sole hero, etc.

Obviously there's lots of factors that influence a race weekend or result. Hell, things might have looked different if Ferrari hadn't implemented team orders pretty much as soon as Max was out of the picture. We know this. But a lot of people don't, either through plain ignorance, or because they willingly dismiss the context in favour of the face value results, and the face value results say Carlos is the only non-RB race winner in the past year. And unfortunately the only way for this narrative to change is for Charles to, well, win. (I know we're only three races in and by all accounts Ferrari seem better equipped to challenge Red Bull this year than last year, so he may get a few opportunities to do so, but yeah. Carlos has been undoubtedly very lucky to always be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of the rare Red Bull mishap, and Charles needs to make sure he's putting himself in that position too, especially if the car is struggling in dirty air. Figures that the one time he broke his front row streak Max would have reliability issues 😭)

Also imo the hype is magnified by the fact that he's the someone other than Max that people desperately want to see winning. So much so that the "how" doesn't even matter anymore. The race was objectively boring but a lot of people are hyping it up and artificially bumping up the enjoyment meter just because the end result was a non-Max win. So he's got that on his side as well. But for me, I think how the race is won matters as well. Both times he took advantage of Max/Red Bull having a rare off day. Which, fine, this sport is about luck and capitalizing on these opportunities when they present themselves, I get that. But the real breakthrough will come when Ferrari is able to keep up with and beat Red Bull in the race on merit, not because they just got lucky. The closest we got to that so far is Vegas. If they can do that this year then we can start saying that Red Bull's got serious competition. Making thinkpieces out of hypotheticals because Max had a debilitating, race-ending issue with his car is not it.

[oconist]

azda your tags on that 'oconundrum' post are just...*chef's kiss*

the whole 'esteban has been a shitty teammate' narrative is so overblown and every time redditors repeat that or some other dumb shit about esteban it fucking boils my blood.

the amount of times people bring up alonso's dnfs last year to declare that 'esteban was actually shit' even though they're qualifying paces were very close. and the 'deep analysis' and 'calculations' people would do to estimate how many points alonso lost last year were...questionable. like people were actually saying alonso lost out on 60-80 points in the 2022 alpine...girl be for fucking real. not to mention they don't bring this same argument up in regards to esteban's 5 dnfs compared to checo's 2 in 2018 or literally right now with esteban's 8(!!!) dnfs compared to pierre's 3. nope just automatically 'wow esteban's so shit - he's never beaten a teammate in the championship standings!'

and the amount of vitriol and ire over a single incident from 5 years (in which both people involved made mistakes) is so fucking ridiculous. there have been so many documented instances of esteban and max being friendly since brazil 2018 and people still act like max hates him. the fuck? we all saw the rbrs crash in baku 2018 but everyone acknowledges that maxiel's doing just fine. like what the fuck? also there's max's entitlement in brazil 2022. or his use of racist and ableist slurs? any issues with that today - apparently not! but esteban accidentally crashing into max while trying to unlap himself - devil he's the devil. don't even get me started on the whole 'max was totally justified in shoving esteban - he had a arrogant look on his face'...

reddit goes on and on about how 'they're not toxic like other forms of social media like twitter or instagram' which is such fucking bullshit. daniel made a little quip last year about getting esteban for secret santa and literally everyone was all like 'see even daniel hates esteban! and they were teammates. esteban's a shitty teammate with no friends. hur de dur!' cut to daniel's gift to esteban being arguably being the most personalized and highest quality one of them all...

fuck...that was a HUGE ASS rant i'm so sorry. i'm just...so sick and tired of the esteban slander. this is my safe space.

no because you are speaking facts as usual. este's car last year also was damaged/bad but didn't dnf a couple of times, so if we start adding stuff like that, we should also add a hundred variables more to see who truly was better.

este was unlucky to have his longest teammanships with two guys with crazy ass fanbases, the amount of hate is so much to the point where i have seen alonsistas themselves be like 'hey too much' to other alonso fans regarding ocon.

like with pierre, pascal and daniel, zero issues.

i think the ratio of fans : haters or at least people that seen him as persona non grata is so disproporcionate towards the hater side because he's easy to punch down. he´s not vocal when he's not at fault, and when he was (the infamous renault radio) he's seen as a whiny crybaby as usual. people in the neutral side get easily swayed by the amount of hate people have towards him, but at least the situation is improving!! at least this brazilian gp, tons of brazilian fans were being very nice towards him and i've seen more and more people defend him, even spaniards.

feel free to rant any time you want <3

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] Manolo Márquez with Asish Rai and Roshan Singh. Source: AIFF The Indian football team looks to secure its first win of 2024 as they face Vietnam in an international friendly in Nam Định, a quiet town in northern Vietnam with a population of just over 236,000. India was originally set to participate in a Tri-Nation tournament featuring Vietnam and Lebanon. However, due to the ongoing crisis in Lebanon, the tournament was reduced to a friendly match between India and Vietnam. A win would not only boost India’s morale but also have a significant impact on their FIFA ranking points, which could influence their pot allocation for the December draw of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, set to begin in March next year. For Vietnam, this match serves as crucial preparation for the upcoming AFF Championship, a biennial competition to crown the sub-continental champion of Southeast Asia. Manolo Márquez, who is juggling responsibilities with both the national team and FC Goa, has had a challenging start to his tenure as India’s coach. After drawing with Mauritius and losing to Syria in last month’s Intercontinental Cup, the Spaniard will be eager to register his first win with the Blue Tigers. For this match, Márquez has made a few adjustments to the 23-member squad compared to the one that featured in the Intercontinental Cup. Mohun Bagan SG goalkeeper Vishal Kaith has returned to the squad, while FC Goa left-back Akash Sangwan and Chennaiyin FC midfielder Lalrinliana Hnamte have been handed their first call-ups. Hnamte’s Chennaiyin FC teammate Farukh Choudhary also returns after a long hiatus, having last played for India in 2021 against Nepal. Two New Faces in the National Team: Akash Sangwan (Left) & Lalrinliana Hnamte (Right). Source: AIFF  Márquez’s squad selection, however, has drawn criticism from fans for retaining a largely unchanged group of players, rather than offering opportunities to newly emerging stars from the ongoing ISL. The coach defended his decision, citing limited training sessions and the need for continuity, as the current batch is more accustomed to the national team’s system. India last faced Vietnam in 2022, suffering a 3-0 defeat. Of the current squad, 10 players were part of that match, with four starting the game. For Vietnam, 2024 has been forgettable, with only one win in 10 matches. The team, currently in a rebuilding phase, appointed South Korean international Kim Sang-sik as head coach in June. Kim’s 27-member squad, which has an average age below 26, consists entirely of players from the Vietnamese domestic league. Vietnam has been training since October 5 and played a practice match against reigning V.League champions Thép Xanh Nam Định FC on October 9 before traveling to Nam Định for the friendly. India’s friendly match against Vietnam will be LIVE on @FanCode Don’t miss the action as our team battles it out on the field! #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/1CIdPOU4Sw — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 10, 2024   Players to Watch: Tien Linh Nguyen (Centre Forward): With 18 goals in 43 appearances for Vietnam, Tien is a lethal striker known for his heading ability and long-range efforts. His goal-scoring prowess will pose a significant challenge for India’s defence. In the ongoing domestic league, he has already netted 4 goals in 4 games for Becamex Binh Duong FC. Quang Hai Nguyen (Attacking Midfielder): Quang, who has experience playing in France’s second division with Pau FC, has 10 goals in 42 appearances for Vietnam. His slick turns, ability to aid attacks, find pockets of space, and take long-range attempts make him a threat. He also excels in set pieces and dribbling. He has 2 assists in 3 domestic league matches this season. Farukh Choudhary (Forward): Known for his pace and gritty play down the flanks, Farukh has impressed with 2 goals in 3 games for Chennaiyin FC this ISL season. After a long absence from the national team, he’ll be looking to replicate his club form in national colours if given the chance.

Rahul Bheke (Defender): Manolo Márquez has entrusted the captain’s armband to Rahul, a versatile defender. Bheke has been outstanding for Bengaluru FC, registering 4 clean sheets in as many games and even scoring a goal. Leading India’s defence, he’ll play a crucial role in neutralising Vietnam’s attack. Head-to-Head: India and Vietnam have faced off three times in the past, all in friendly matches. In 2004, Vietnam won 2-1 in the LG Cup in Ho Chi Minh City. In 2010, Sunil Chhetri’s hat-trick powered India to a 3-1 victory in Pune. Their most recent encounter was in 2022 when Vietnam triumphed 3-0 in the Hưng Thịnh Friendly Tournament. The post India seeks first victory of the year against Vietnam in international friendly appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] Manolo Márquez with Asish Rai and Roshan Singh. Source: AIFF The Indian football team looks to secure its first win of 2024 as they face Vietnam in an international friendly in Nam Định, a quiet town in northern Vietnam with a population of just over 236,000. India was originally set to participate in a Tri-Nation tournament featuring Vietnam and Lebanon. However, due to the ongoing crisis in Lebanon, the tournament was reduced to a friendly match between India and Vietnam. A win would not only boost India’s morale but also have a significant impact on their FIFA ranking points, which could influence their pot allocation for the December draw of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, set to begin in March next year. For Vietnam, this match serves as crucial preparation for the upcoming AFF Championship, a biennial competition to crown the sub-continental champion of Southeast Asia. Manolo Márquez, who is juggling responsibilities with both the national team and FC Goa, has had a challenging start to his tenure as India’s coach. After drawing with Mauritius and losing to Syria in last month’s Intercontinental Cup, the Spaniard will be eager to register his first win with the Blue Tigers. For this match, Márquez has made a few adjustments to the 23-member squad compared to the one that featured in the Intercontinental Cup. Mohun Bagan SG goalkeeper Vishal Kaith has returned to the squad, while FC Goa left-back Akash Sangwan and Chennaiyin FC midfielder Lalrinliana Hnamte have been handed their first call-ups. Hnamte’s Chennaiyin FC teammate Farukh Choudhary also returns after a long hiatus, having last played for India in 2021 against Nepal. Two New Faces in the National Team: Akash Sangwan (Left) & Lalrinliana Hnamte (Right). Source: AIFF  Márquez’s squad selection, however, has drawn criticism from fans for retaining a largely unchanged group of players, rather than offering opportunities to newly emerging stars from the ongoing ISL. The coach defended his decision, citing limited training sessions and the need for continuity, as the current batch is more accustomed to the national team’s system. India last faced Vietnam in 2022, suffering a 3-0 defeat. Of the current squad, 10 players were part of that match, with four starting the game. For Vietnam, 2024 has been forgettable, with only one win in 10 matches. The team, currently in a rebuilding phase, appointed South Korean international Kim Sang-sik as head coach in June. Kim’s 27-member squad, which has an average age below 26, consists entirely of players from the Vietnamese domestic league. Vietnam has been training since October 5 and played a practice match against reigning V.League champions Thép Xanh Nam Định FC on October 9 before traveling to Nam Định for the friendly. India’s friendly match against Vietnam will be LIVE on @FanCode Don’t miss the action as our team battles it out on the field! #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/1CIdPOU4Sw — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 10, 2024   Players to Watch: Tien Linh Nguyen (Centre Forward): With 18 goals in 43 appearances for Vietnam, Tien is a lethal striker known for his heading ability and long-range efforts. His goal-scoring prowess will pose a significant challenge for India’s defence. In the ongoing domestic league, he has already netted 4 goals in 4 games for Becamex Binh Duong FC. Quang Hai Nguyen (Attacking Midfielder): Quang, who has experience playing in France’s second division with Pau FC, has 10 goals in 42 appearances for Vietnam. His slick turns, ability to aid attacks, find pockets of space, and take long-range attempts make him a threat. He also excels in set pieces and dribbling. He has 2 assists in 3 domestic league matches this season. Farukh Choudhary (Forward): Known for his pace and gritty play down the flanks, Farukh has impressed with 2 goals in 3 games for Chennaiyin FC this ISL season. After a long absence from the national team, he’ll be looking to replicate his club form in national colours if given the chance.

Rahul Bheke (Defender): Manolo Márquez has entrusted the captain’s armband to Rahul, a versatile defender. Bheke has been outstanding for Bengaluru FC, registering 4 clean sheets in as many games and even scoring a goal. Leading India’s defence, he’ll play a crucial role in neutralising Vietnam’s attack. Head-to-Head: India and Vietnam have faced off three times in the past, all in friendly matches. In 2004, Vietnam won 2-1 in the LG Cup in Ho Chi Minh City. In 2010, Sunil Chhetri’s hat-trick powered India to a 3-1 victory in Pune. Their most recent encounter was in 2022 when Vietnam triumphed 3-0 in the Hưng Thịnh Friendly Tournament. The post India seeks first victory of the year against Vietnam in international friendly appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[boxboxblog]

Winners and Losers: 2024 Singapore Quali

So that was a fascinating quali everyone. Completely unexpected results, at least among the top 5. I’ll give three winners and why I believe they did so well and three losers and why I believe they did so poorly.

Winners:

1. Nico Hulkenberg: that’s the highest Hulk has qualified in a long time. Getting that first lap in before Sainz crashed is the big reason why he is one of the winners. It sometimes is a gamble to start your flying lap too early in quali and this gamble paid off for Haas.

2. Lando Norris: after last weeks terrible quali and the controversy surrounding the rear wing, Norris had something to prove with this one. He is a winner based purely on the pure speed he displayed not just in quali but all weekend. They had solid strat for when to do his flying lap and these two combos are what got him pole.

3. Max Verstappen: I think Red Bull were surprised with P2, especially after Perez was knocked out. Verstappen seemed much more in control of the car this weekend, and he only benefited from Sainz and Leclerc being knocked down a peg. Solid pace, strong result for such a weak car. Verstappen seems to have more confidence as well, and we all know mentality matters.

Losers

1. Ferrari : For two drivers expected to fight for the top 3 , this must be one of the most disappointing results ever. Leclerc had the pace all weekend (except FP3) and honestly I believed it would be him on pole. But the ill-timed Sainz crash paired with Ferrari’s weak tire temp management meant that he qualified badly and got knocked down after going off track. And of course, the crash itself putting Sainz in P10 was disappointing in itself, also caused by tire temp management. Bad all around, for both drivers and team.

2. Daniel Riccardo: Getting knocked out in Q1 is not good for any driver, but especially one whose future is so uncertain. Riccardo drove a particularly weak qualifying, especially compared to teammate Yuki Tsunoda who got into Q3. Well it wasn’t exactly clear what went wrong, watching his laps he almost looked hesitant. Which isn’t something a race car driver should be. Perhaps he is struggling more with the car then he let on.

3. Sergio Perez: After such a good performance in Baku (until his crash) I was very surprised by Perez’s performance. Honestly it felt like the beginning of the year again, with him and his teammate being on opposite ends to the list. In general his pace was slow and I don’t think he lapped at strategically sound times. This led to him being knocked out, and not finding a response. All of this only adds on to the rumors that next year Perez will be gone.

Tomorrow should be a classic Singapore GP, especially if rumors of rain are true. I’m expecting to see crashes (don’t hope for them), some wildcard overtakes, and much more. Wouldn’t be surprised if Ferrari takes a big gamble tomorrow. After all, they don’t have a lot to lose.

Till tomorrow,

-B

[evilkitten3]

both of these are really long but i'm seeing them at the same time so i'll respond to both @team7-headquarter and @callcleaver together!

first, i definitely recall the scene you're talking about, and in fact went back and took a look at it at least once during the creation of this au! in part bc it's actually the only time we see manga!hinata have any connection to healing outside of getting injured (and if that's what qualifies you to be a mednin, then kakashi might be about to surpass tsunade lmao).

^couldn't find the previous page, but this scene is the only appearance in the manga afaik (there's another appearance in the last movie, which does qualify as canon even tho it's. bad. but i'm only talking manga rn so it's not really relevant imo), and all we actually know about it is that hinata gave it to naruto and then to kiba and akamaru. we have no clue where it comes from, if she made it herself or if it's just something she has as a member of the hyuuga starter pack. we don't even know how effective it is bc we only see it in use on naruto and, as kakashi mentions here, the kyuubi already has him covered.

in any case, hinata giving it to him isn't meant to show her interest in medicinal stuff, it's part of the whole crush thing. the chuunin exams is the intro point for the rest of the non-sai konoha 11, so most of the characters get little bits of characterization moments scattered in here and there before they get their big fight that tells you more about them. however, since team eight is the only rookie 9 team to not get involved in the sound nin conflict in the forest of death, hinata has a disproportionate amount of scenes compared to her teammates in order to establish her as love interest-chan, and i'd like to argue that those scenes show not only a disinterest in medicine overall, but an active focus on a very combat-orientated role.

it's absolutely true that hinata taking on a healing role could be deeply symbolic for the hyuuga clan's de-shittification, but i personally feel that hinata's role in that should actually be secondary - for starters, from a character concept standpoint, that conflict is almost entirely neji's. hinata's character is most used for a romantic subplot, and she doesn't get to interact with the actual dynamics of her family all that much. i think the two neji fights are actually extremely illustrative of this - hinata is so detached from her own backstory that not only do we hear none of it from her at all (we hear about her father and sister from kurenai during hinata vs neji, and then the kumo thing from neji himself during his fight with naruto), she's not even conscious when neji talks about the kidnapping. we have no idea how much she knows about what happened there. she was three and asleep the whole time; it's entirely possible she knows basically nothing about it whatsoever but we'll never know bc it's just never addressed. that's bc it isn't really hinata's backstory at all - and this is rooted in sexism, in my opinion - it's just something that happened in her past that's part of neji's backstory.

so, what do we know? honestly, not much (again, hinata is a love interest character that just happens to have a minor role in another character's backstory. you could literally replace her with a secret jutsu scroll and it would change basically nothing). we know her father threw her aside and is training her sister as heir, we know hanabi watched neji's fight with her dad and was surprised to see neji using her dad's move.

outside of kurenai's flashback to hanabi in the first fight and a brief glimpse of her much later on in hinata's infinite tsukuyomi dream, that's kinda all we get of hanabi. and the reason i bring her up at all is bc, in spite of her almost universally being associated with hinata, she's actually also part of neji's story - she never once interacts with her sister in the manga on-panel, and even in hinata's dream she's talking to neji.

hinata's connection to the hyuuga clan subplot is almost exclusively how it affects neji - we never see her interact with her own father unless neji is also there (neji and hizashi watching hiashi and hinata spar, hinata bringing neji and hiashi tea while they spar, hiashi joining neji and hinata's already established gnw duo for the juubi fight, etc). the only other person from her clan we see hinata talk to is kou, and he doesn't have much to do with the clan's subplot either.

basically what i'm saying is, putting hinata at the forefront of the hyuuga conflict doesn't vibe with me bc it's fundamentally not her story at all, it's neji's. so to me it's a lot more meaningful if neji is the one who learns to heal and has that become symbolic of him mending the familiar divide. meanwhile, hinata getting better at fighting (and possibly incorporating some stuff from mednin study if she spent any time on that at some point, such as tsunade and kabuto's central nervous system fuckery) would enable her to become a pillar of support for neji - both reversing the branch family defending the main family idea, and also avoiding the every-woman-must-be-a-healer-forever role.

ok enough talking about why hinata was born to do murder, let's move on or we'll be here forever.

on to sakura! i agree with the idea of deconstructing what a prodigy is, but at the same time i'm also trying to mesh this with the established canon world as much as possible. the chuunin exams arc sets up two stark categories - "genius" (sasuke, neji, and gaara) and "failure" (naruto, lee, and hinata). obviously this is due to 12/13yos not being the most nuanced of people, but i personally would have trouble having them grow beyond that framework without first setting that framework up to be dismantled. however, while sakura isn't really drawn into the genius vs loser thing, her character is tied to lee's - first via his crush on her, and then later her growing admiration of him once she learns to look past his weird appearance and see who he truly is (this is presumably why leesaku is so popular and i have no idea why i don't ship it bc i definitely should but it's probably bc i'm a leeten fan at heart lol)

concerning sakura's chakra control, i don't think it was ever said to be "perfect". it was definitely said that of the og team seven trio hers was the best. and yes, good chakra control can indeed lead to becoming a mednin, but i think it should also be noted that the very early team seven balance seemed to be have naruto use mostly taijutsu, sasuke use mostly ninjutsu, and that left the obvious last part of that triangle to be filled in by sakura learning ninjutsu. i think this probably changed in part bc a) you need a healer more available than the ninja president for your protag, b) the sharingan stopped being just copying and gained a genjutsu power-up once itachi popped in, and c) idk man kishimoto might've just completely forgotten.

however, all three of those reasons are irl explanations, not in-universe ones, so i'm framing this in order to bridge the gap from sakura's sudden jump from genjutsu to medical ninjutsu (i have a "small" theory that kurenai was initially going to end up training sakura in genjutsu over the timeskip and no longer being required for that role is why she ended up shoved out of relevance via baby. bc otherwise making her a genjutsu specialist was entirely pointless - she has exactly one fight in the entire manga, none of her students have anything to do with genjutsu whatsoever, and according to the first three databooks while kurenai's genjutsu starts out at a 5, none of her students ever even reach 3 by the time they're chuunin. meanwhile sakura starts at 3, which is higher than any of the genin teams including team gai. so if she wasn't meant to be sakura's genjutsu teacher, i have no idea what kishimoto planned to do with her and apparently neither did he).

anyway, the reason i say this is that in order to establish why sakura decides to go into mednin-ness in-universe, i think tying it to her admiration of lee's ideas of a "genius of hard work" would make the most sense. that and being sick of not being able to do anything when the people she cares about get hurt. concerning her parents, we don't know too much about them bc the only manga appearance of either of them is her mom's voice in like the very early manga iirc, but i think we can assume her relationship with them is. not ideal. so she probably wouldn't be too keen on going into how the social standing of her parents ties into the recognition she gets lmao. it definitely could be brought up, but i would hesitate to use sakura as the means to do that with. it just doesn't really feel like it fits her.

going back to hinata very briefly (in spite of everything, i am going from top to bottom with the reblog content. and i'm sorry about that) - i don't think she actually wants to be in a position of leadership. she's shown no interest in it at any point as far as i can remember. i don't know if she'd enjoy that, i really do think she'd do best as just. a fighter. i think that would really suit her. that's just me, though. the next head of the hyuuga clan should be neji, or possibly another member of the branch family (hard to say since the only two we ever meet are neji and his dead dad)

sliding right along to neji, i actually think that not only would he benefit more from a less combat-centric role, but his whole team would as well. multiple people have talked about how lee was established as a major character before that got dropped entirely, and everyone and their grandma has made jokes about tenten's relevance. with neji in a majority non-combat role, it allows the two of them more chance to shine.

i think a good turning point for this would be during the fight with kidoumaru - a fight that both tenten and lee would've been better suited for (especially tenten, given that she recently had an excellent lesson in how dangerous long-distance fighters can be), so i think having neji wish one or both of them was there with him or instead of him could be a good segue into him realizing that he. doesn't actually enjoy fighting that much. he's certainly good at it, but pretty much all of his best techniques he only learned in the first place to spite the main family. and now that he's talked to his uncle and learned the situation with his father was more complicated than he initially thought.... well, why keep going down that path?

as mentioned in the og post, i think just the act of becoming a mednin would be a clear sign of things in the hyuuga clan beginning to change, especially if he had hiashi's support. as i said, the hyuuga clan subplot was meant to be neji's story, and by the time of the gnw, hiashi is openly declaring his support for neji and hinata spearheading the path to a better future for the clan. given that he's talking to hizashi when he says this, that conversation changing from neji and hinata just generally fighting side-by-side to neji and hinata's actions leading to neji gaining more and more influence within the clan would be a huge improvement in my eyes.

lastly, shikamaru and sakura. i will be honest with you, i don't think they'd get off to a good start. shikamaru has incredibly sexist opinions as a genin and no issues with expressing them, and while i think sakura would initially try to be polite about it, she would eventually snap and blow up at him. neji would likely be uninterested in getting involved in that (i went back and reread the sakura vs ino fight, and the sexist comment he makes that tenten gets annoyed with him for is anime-only), and while i don't mind hinata joining study groups to help out, she definitely wouldn't get involved either.

i designed the mednin quartet (sakura, shikamaru, neji, and kiba) very intentionally - i want a balance of loudmouths (sakura and kiba) vs quieter people (shikamaru and neji), and swapping out kiba for hinata would - aside from all the previously mentioned reasons why i'm against mednin!hinata - absolutely tip that balance way too much.

concerning the bonds of kakashi and the kids, hinata and sakura, shikamaru and ino and sakura, and so forth, i'm personally aiming to stick to canon with that, at least as a starting point. as fun as single mom kakashi jokes are, the reality is that he isn't a parent, nor is he remotely qualified to be one. he's a teacher. shikamaru and ino aren't exactly friends as genin - they're "friends" in the sense that their dads are friends, but they don't get along most of the time. i've talked before about ino's feelings for sakura not being remotely platonic and i stand by that, but even if we leave that aside, shikamaru isn't going to declare sakura his sister just bc she's ino's friend-rival. there's this very popular concept in fanfics where every group of people in a story must become found family, and to be clear, that's absolutely not what i'm going for here.

again, this au is meant to be strongly rooted in canon, and while there is some found family going on in naruto (mainly naruto's relationships with iruka, jiraiya, and hiruzen; his most important bond is with sasuke and while they are - in canon - portrayed as "brothers", it's absolutely not by choice- they're literally destined to have this connection via convoluted reincarnation bs. there are some hints early on that sakura could turn into the team big sis, but that kinda got dropped pretty quickly once shippuden came around and kishimoto started cutting her out of the plot more and more), it's not really a central theme. most of the plot-relevant familial ties are blood-related, and while that's hardly the only way to be a family, ties via blood are baked into the naruto world's dna thanks to bloodline limits, so i don't see a whole lot of point in forcing a found family between the mednin quartet when it doesn't really add anything that their friendship can't cover.

ok that took like two hours but finally!!! i did it!!!!! i survived!!!!! anyway, hope this makes sense, and thank you so much for contributing your thoughts to this post!!

ok so like i know the reason is just. sexism but one thing that really irks me about how the post-timeskip naruto manga handled which characters became medic nin bc it makes absolutely no sense to me

sakura's decision to train under tsunade makes sense, and i love that she got a super strength power up, so no notes there, but the other teams.... yeesh

so first off, team ten. we're told that ino decided to follow sakura into mednin land to keep being rivals with her... despite that at no point factoring into their rivalry at all beforehand. ino never showed any interest in that, nor was the yamanaka clan ever mentioned to have anything to do with healing as far as i can remember. it's like going to art school to stay with your bestie when your goal is to become a dentist. why are you there. find other ways to spend time together. it also kinda goes against her family's whole thing as. the guys who do the torture stuff. and it's barely ever relevant anyway

for team ten, i think the team medic should've been shikamaru, and i think this not just bc i think it makes more sense skill-wise (something about the way the nara clan's various shadow jutsu work just screams "you need good chakra control for this" to me), but also bc i think it would make asuma's death a thousand times more painful. bc shikamaru is a slacker. he's not learning medical ninjutsu bc he wants to, he's learning it bc someone on the team has to in order to stick together. they're all chuunin now; one of them has to be a medic. them's the rules. but he doesn't really care that much, even when he is trying to learn, and he's so used to being smart enough to not have to pay attention in lessons anyway that he's not prepared for classes that require his full focus. and then asuma dies and shikamaru is doomed to spend the rest of his fucking life wondering if he could've saved him by paying just a little more attention to those medical ninjutsu lessons (he could not have (but he'll never know for sure))

team eight makes some sense, since giving the girl who struggles with fighting the healing job isn't exactly out of nowhere, but i do feel it was the lazy choice. kiba already had a sister involved in the medical business, even if she deals more with animals, so he could've started learning from her and found that he liked it. plus kiba's goal is to be hokage, and the current hokage is a mednin, so it's not like it wouldn't support his goal. or shino could do it; would add another layer to his character. hinata works fine but. it's just not a very interesting development imo

but what really gets me is team gai. good freaking grief. out of every single team, team gai was the one with the most obvious choice. bc there was only one choice. lee can't do any kind of ninjutsu, and tenten's only real backstory is that her chakra control isn't good enough for her to be a medic nin. so it had to be neji. canon establishes that every team has to have a medic; this is a policy tsunade got passed even before she became hokage, so no way in hell is she going back on it now.

moreover, neji becoming a medical ninja - especially if hiashi encouraged it - would show some development for the hyuuga clan maybe starting to suck a bit less. bc as a medic, neji would be bound by oath to stay alive for as long as possible. imagine a world in which hizashi came back and hiashi was able to tell his brother that not only was their family starting to change, but his son had chosen a path that would prevent him from ever following in his father's footsteps. it would be the first step (of many) to show that the hyuuga clan was freeing itself from its own bullshit.

also it would've made sakura catching the zetsu pretending to be neji a thousand times funnier. like that's her coworker. they've shared shifts at the hospital together. she's seen neji drink vodka straight from a bottle and then crash on her couch after they got out of a twelve-hour surgery on the fucking dumbass chuunin who managed to step on his own boobytrap. she knows him.

[mcgnussen]

why there is such a big difference between mick and kevin - a defence of mick schumacher:

i’ve seen SO MANY tweets and comments about mick, and while i think the tumblr community is mostly supportive of mick, i still want to share my thoughts here. here are some of the challenges mick face that kevin does not. 

1. bad luck

mick has been unlucky. he’s had contact during two race starts which has sent him down to the back. while i think kevin’s experience and talent is what has gotten him to where he is, there have been a few lucky breaks for him, maybe luck coupled with skill, but luck all the same. he was very close to putting his car in the wall during qualifying and during the sprint he was close to crashing with riccardio. 

2. an extended rookie season

due to the car being nowhere last year, with a difficult teammate (who was also a rookie) and a bad working environment, i think we should all consider the first half of the calendar this year to be an extension of his rookie season and not comment on his skill quite yet.

mick makes rookie mistakes, and that is no criticism of his skill or talent, that is just how it is. hamilton, verstappen, leclerc, kevin - everyone on the grid made rookie mistakes in their first f1 season and some of their second. k-mag definitely made mistakes in 2014 during his first season that he would never make now. he has a completely different understanding of his car and how he places it on the track now than he did then, he also knows most of the other drivers and their style of driving from duels with them, experience mick does not have starting from p19 in 2021. making mistakes is how you learn, you need to fail and make the mistake to truly learn the lesson. kevin is on his 7th formula 1 season, those are years worth of experience that mick does not possess yet. 

this is also the first time during his f1 career where mick has been beaten by his teammate, that does shake your confidence a litte, which leads me to my next point. 

3. kevin was severely underrated during his second stint in f1

this is not to mick’s advantage generally, other than the fact it seems k-mag and him are very good at sharing information. i have seen several comments being like “schumacher can’t even beat magnussen, how will he ever beat the good drivers?” in one of the top teams, kevin would be wdc material. and while i will admit to being biased, kevin has had f1 offers since 2015. most of the mclaren board wanted to retain him instead of button for 2015, renault wanted him for another season in 2016, williams wanted him for 2021. the media and fans might not have given him his dues before, but the teams in f1, most of them, certainly have. they know he is fast and that he drives with his heart, they know he is loaded with valuable experiences with different types of f1 cars. all of this makes mick look way worse than he is in comparison. honestly, if he had consistently beaten k-mag with a comfortable lead all season from the very beginning, mick should be in the ferrari next year. 

4. his name 

they are both sons of respected racing drivers, but obviously michael schumacher is a name everyone knows, he is a f1 legend - and that places a lot of pressure on mick. i do think he handles it really well though. during the days where sainz was negotiating with ferrari, i saw many people be like “they should pick mick instead”, and while i sympathise with the sentiment, that is kind of the last thing mick needs right now. he has gone out of his way to prove he deserves to be in f1 without relying on the schumacher name. and to be honest, any talk of mick going to ferrari right now is 100% based on his last name. he is not good enough for a ferrari yet. the best thing for mick right now is to be in a small team and get better with each race and learn the lessons he needs to learn from his mistakes. all of this obviously also means people judge mick harshly, they compare him to his father, an actual living legend, and that is just not fair. 

5. brain versus instinct 

from what i gather, mick is a very intelligent driver who relies a lot on data. this is not to say he has no instinct or that it is wrong, but he attacks a track very logically - and so did his father! kevin is a driver who drives on instinct, not that he does not prepare or use the data, but where he places the car on the track is mostly based on where it feels right, more so than where data tells him to. i think this trait and his years of f1 experience coupled with the new cars is a very good match. mick basically got used to a car, even a shit one, during his rookie season and then is now expected to drive a completely different car with totally different data than before. that is not easy for a logical driver, but luckily it will get better race for race as he understands it more and more.

in conclusion, once mick hones his skill, get more experience, develops his instinct, he will be a solid, intelligent driver.

[ahtsumu]

目送 ; oikawa tooru

「alt. title: five times oikawa didn’t look back and the one time he did」

↳ pairing: oikawa tooru x f!reader

↳ synopsis: you spend a lifetime watching him go, sometimes with your stomach tied in knots, sometimes with tears in your eyes, but always with love.

↳ genre(s): angst, fluff, basically an emotional rollercoaster,��non-linear storyline

↳ warning(s): profanity, depiction of a panic attack, suggestive themes

↳ length: 5.4k words

↳ a/n: hq fam how we doing after 402 ?? LOL anyway this is my birthday gift to oikawa tooru: my sun, moon, and stars, second to none, yadda yadda. the title is taken from a book with the same name, in case you were wondering. please pay attention to the roman numerals ahead of each section!! enjoy!

v.

“This is the last call for Japan Airlines flight 717 to Buenos Aires, now boarding at gate number twelve. This is the last call…”

Goodbyes are hard when you know they’re forever. Or at least a while.

The clamour of Haneda airport dims to a faint buzz as the two of you continue standing with touching shoulders–– facing the jetliner instead of each other–– in futile hopes of delaying the inevitable.

Oikawa knows that you’re holding in your tears by the light tremors running through your body. Permitting himself to steal a look at your side profile, he notices the familiar tensing of your jaw and hard-set look in your red-rimmed eyes.

Tch. You said you wouldn’t cry.

Impulsively, he unzips his backpack and pulls out a familiar turquoise banner. It feels like just yesterday the team handed him the silk fabric with everyone’s farewell gifts wrapped inside.

Out-of-sequence memories of the Spring High qualifiers flash through your mind. The orange-haired Karasuno player’s spike ricochets off Oikawa’s forearms. The numbers on both sides of the scoreboard slowly inch up like they’re taking turns. Oikawa’s white knuckles against the metal basin. Red eyes. Heaving chest. Something soft against your skin. Rule the Court.

And just like the last time, he gently drapes it over your shoulders, brushing his fingers against your neck as he does so. God, how he wants to kiss you.

“But it’s yours,” you protest weakly, making no move to give it back.

“It won’t be for a while.” His voice cracks when he speaks. But it will be mine again when I come back for it.

He wants to kiss you. One last time.

He wants your mouth against his like absolution to a sinner because he knows that what he’s done to you, what he’s doing to you right now, is comparable to desecration. But he remembers the look on your face that night he broke the news to you. How your megawatt grin caved into a wince when the length of his contract with Club Athletico San Juan finally registered in your mind.

You swallow your feelings of betrayal. You knew what you were getting yourself into.

“Five years is an awfully long time to be apart,” you say after a while.

Oikawa bites his lip. He doesn’t have the heart to say that five was just the starting number. If he does well there, he’ll probably stay longer. He’ll probably do well there. “You don’t have to wait for me.”

Seconds drag into minutes. The cavity in his stomach festers as he waits for your response, but he has a feeling that he already knows your answer.

So instead, all he can do when your floodgates finally burst open is cup your face in his calloused palms and wipe away some of your tears before offering you his own watery smile.

Through your blurred vision, you watch as the boy in front of you steels his resolve and disappears from your life through the jet bridge, ignoring his heart as it begs for one last look over his shoulder.

Oikawa nods numbly when the old man sitting beside him asks if he’s leaving home for the first time. Home, he realises, isn’t anywhere with walls, isn’t an address, isn’t even a person. When someone says they want to go home, it’s not a space that they yearn for, but rather, a time.

He watches Japan grow smaller through the window and feels himself yearn for the time he still had your heart in his hands. It felt like he was holding the sun.

i.

You wouldn’t consider July 21st to be a special day. Nothing special happened earlier that morning when you woke up without your usual alarm. Nothing special happened when your friends texted you four simple words–– come to Azukihana beach!–– during breakfast. But (and this will come to you much, much later) something special happened when said friends left you to guard their things as they dashed to the supermarket for more snacks.

For now, it’s just July 21st, and you’re lying with your back against a towel on the first day of summer break, soaking in the sun, peacefully flipping through a book.

“DON’T FUCKING DO IT, YOU COLOSSAL PIECE OF SHIT!” The familiar voice tears through the beach. Was that Iwaizumi? You set the book down and sit up to check.

And suddenly, the yellow and blue volleyball that had been leisurely rolling your way halts perfectly before your toes. Behind it jogs a shirtless brunet you’ve definitely seen around school.

Oikawa Tooru stops right behind the runaway volleyball and peers at you through half-lidded eyes. “Sorry about that,” he says, flashing you a charming smile.

After casually picking up the ball with one hand, he flexes his abdominal muscles as he straightens back up. Chestnut irises attempt to discreetly sweep over your features but you catch his gaze in the act, quirking an unamused brow. You also catch the intrigued twitch of his lips that follow.

You’re not stupid. Despite having never met him, you know a lot about the Grand King (as many call him). He’s the constant subject of Iwaizumi’s ire and you’ve heard a lifetime’s complaints about him at joint-family luncheons.

But here’s what’s important: you know that he tears himself apart to be the player his team needs him to be, that he sometimes makes Iwaizumi wish he’d passed the Shiratorizawa entrance exam, and that he fiddles with hearts like origami and sets fire to those beautiful fragile trinkets right after.

And in the interest of self-defence (but against what the devil on your shoulder begs), you choose to not place your most prized possession on the table.

A simple “no worries” passes through your lips. You return to your book. A page turns.

Oikawa Tooru is dismissed.

Though your gaze is trained on the page, you can feel his presence at your feet for a few seconds longer. You wonder what his next move is. Much to your surprise, instead of trying to strike up another conversation, he simply lets out an airy hum and strolls back to the sand court where he came from without a second glance.

Iwaizumi wonders why Oikawa is smiling so victoriously after watching the whole ordeal, but your tan family friend has, unlike the calculating Grand King, failed to notice one important detail:

your book is upside down.

And, as if in a trance, your eyes have followed Oikawa all the way back to his sandy kingdom.

Once the sun has set, Iwaizumi checks his phone and notices a text he’d missed in the afternoon. It’s from Y/N. Unease digs itself in his chest when he realises it can’t possibly be for anything except…

hey what was that about?

This can’t be good. Thumbs rapidly typing a response, he races to quash any interest you may have budding in Oikawa. You… you’re good. Nice. Smart enough for UTokyo. A bit naive, but he’s been around your overbearing parents long enough to see it’s not entirely your fault. And even though you run in different circles at school, he feels obligated to protect you from monsters that hide beneath pretty surfaces. He’s known you since the two of you were in diapers.

just trash being what it is

Iwaizumi watches the three grey dots on your side appear, disappear, reappear, and disappear again. And that’s when he realises that he cannot help you. The villain in this arc of your story has already sunken his teeth in your tender, unsullied flesh.

trash?

He sighs.

oikawa

It isn’t a surprise to Iwaizumi when summer break ends and Oikawa’s chestnut eyes start hunting for someone in the cafeteria during lunch. He doesn’t raise a brow when he hears that the second-year captain has been sneaking into Class 7, sometimes with flowers in his hands, and strolling out with a dazed look on his face. He slaps his teammates out of shock when Oikawa mentions his troubles with pursuing some girl–– but not before slapping himself first. Because the Oikawa he knows is not a chaser.

“Her name’s Y/N,” the brunet says, suddenly realising that he has never introduced any of his temporary interests to the team. But it’s been well over two months and he’s starting to think he’s been friend-zoned. Or worse. “I think she hates me.” He laughs melodically, then cocks his head in contemplation. “Is it weird that I kinda like that?”

Iwaizumi hides a satisfied smile behind a sip of water. Oikawa’s revelation has cleared the unease your name brought to his chest. Just a little. Perhaps he’d misread you. You have a bite of your own.

iii.

It’s routine for Oikawa to slink into Class 7 with a dazzling grin during morning break, but he’ll sometimes show up with flowers instead just to remind you that his affections, along with his modus operandi–– haven’t changed since he first started visiting you in September.

The girls in your homeroom have grown used to seeing the six-foot-tall volleyball captain hovering around your desk like a butterfly. Most treat him as part of the scenery nowadays. To them, Oikawa Tooru is no longer the mysterious, out-of-reach deity the rest of the school still paints him to be.

So when he strolls into class on a chilly January afternoon with your name a tune on his lips, they leave him be. Recently, the ladies of Seijoh have focused their attentions on some fellow on the swim team, anyway. Oikawa doesn’t feel as upset as he thinks he should about his shrinking fan club, but when his gaze finds yours already steady, expectant, utterly adoring on him, he understands why.

“For the lady,” he says like he does every time. A cluster of yellow flowers wrapped in brown kraft paper plop onto your desk. He pulls a chair up to your side, purposely ignoring, again, how two certain grooves in the wooden floor keep growing deeper with his visits.

You remember the first time he started bringing you flowers.

A posy of pink flowers sits awkwardly on your desk, untouched.

“I tell you I’d rather take your serve to my face than attend the bunkasai with you and your response is to give me weeds?” you reply with your chin in the palm of your hands, amusement blossoming over your features.

“Stop being a tease, Y/N-chan, they’re flowers,” he huffs, crossing his arms on your desk. “And I know you want to take them. The florist even said I have immaculate taste.”

“Really? Then what do these mean?”

Oikawa falters.

“Hmm?”

“Pink camellias,” he finally says, carefully enunciating the flower's name, “means that you’re a fucking tease. And that you should come to the bunkasai with me.” You snort and tell him to quit volleyball and join comedy club, feeling a strange warmth in your chest when he laughs.

The two of you fall into the same rhythm as always, talking a little bit about this and that, throwing in witty remarks where they belong, never passing up the chance to make fun of each other’s little idiosyncrasies. He’s enraptured by the way you string words together to describe the story behind your class’s bunkasai performance and all the gears in your brain whirr when he explains the strategy he’s using against the team Seijoh’s playing later that day.

When the bell rings, he reluctantly drags his chair back to the desk he stole it from. Just before he slinks back out the door, though, you tell him with a stern gaze that the Ushiwaka from Shiratorizawa he just spent the break shit-talking doesn’t hold a candle to Seijoh’s Grand King.

It’s like you had just stepped under a new light. Oikawa pauses in front of the doorway, trying to decipher what it is that’s different about you. And suddenly, the roses in his cheeks are in full bloom. Delighted and puzzled at his own realisation, he turns around without a second glance your way and strides back to Class 5. Oh, man, he muses as he passes through the emptying corridor. Oh, man. Iwa-chan is going to love this.

Your phone buzzes later that evening.

seijoh v. shiratorizawa 1-2, the text reads, quickly followed by, GAH.

Your lips twitch, though it doesn’t reach your eyes. Tapping your fingers against your phone screen for a response that’ll cheer him up, you suddenly remember a phrase Oikawa said earlier that day. It drew a laugh from you when it came out his contorted face.  He was obviously still hung up over with the words of the opposing team’s ace. Hopefully, it makes him feel something else coming from you.

you should’ve come to shiratorizawa, you send, grinning.

His response is immediate.

l m f A O

what flowers would you like at your funeral?

And then you’re reminded of his petalled gift on your desk, now comfortably sitting in a glass vase at your bedside. Pink camellias, he said? Curious, you open your laptop and type in the name for its meaning.

Longing, you remember, watching your boyfriend chatter about something–– probably aliens–– animatedly. The yellow flowers on your desk, you realise, are ones you’ve never seen before.

“Oikawa, what’s the name of these?” you suddenly ask. He stops in the middle of his sentence (he was definitely talking about aliens, by the way), and grins smugly.

“Jonquils,” he says with a mischievous glint in his eyes, “spelt J-O-N-Q-U-I-L-S, means that your boyfriend’s going to colonise Mars one day. And if you’re lucky, you can be the first queen of Mars. How ‘bout that?”

It doesn’t mean what he says it does, by the way.

ii.

Splashes of pink and orange have already settled into the blue sky above when you step onto the rooftop of Seijoh’s humanities building. Despite the breeze that has swept through the air, the flame of curiosity in your stomach burns just enough for you to turn a cheek to the cold.

Come to the rooftop at 6 PM.

It’s 5:59. Impatient, you study the note in your hand again. Maybe you’ll be able to glean something from the laconic letter this time.

Much to your irritation, no one had seen the author of this note. They had expertly placed the unsigned card on your desk with a single rose and Hershey’s chocolate kiss on top during lunch. Elegantly scrawled, their seven words have had your brain running circles all day around their identity. Could it be…? No–– he seemed completely normal earlier today. Still, you can’t shake your suspicions. They borderline hope.

Who else…

You inhale the cool air deeply and lean back against the rooftop railing, eyes burning a hole into the metal entrance. The door swings open with a high-pitched groan. Your breath catches in your throat.

… if not him?

Time briefly stops when Oikawa Tooru steps through the entrance, still in his volleyball uniform, sweaty from practice, cheeks the same colour as the setting sun. There’s an unusually tentative look on his face, though it’s immediately wiped off and replaced with the realisation that this is real when he sees you slightly slack-jawed, blinking once, twice, three times before letting out a breath.

“You look surprised. Expecting someone else to confess today?” he asks, crossing his arms in front of his uniformed chest. Despite how his features are contorted by his poorly hidden jealousy, you can’t help but feel a flood of blood rush through your veins, lighting every inch of your skin on fire.

Because whether he knows it or not, Oikawa, the Grand King of the Court, prettiest boy in all of Miyagi, has skipped the table and placed his heart straight into your hands.

“Of course not,” you retort. “I just didn’t think you’d… well, do something like this.” And I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Iwaizumi’s words still find their way into your mind sometimes. I didn’t want origami made from my heartstrings.

Oikawa’s demeanour changes and his eyes dart away from your face. Shoving his hands into his windbreaker’s pockets, he admits, “I’ve honestly never done something like this before.” A faint blush spreads across his cheeks.

“Really? You’ve never stepped foot in the fourteenth shrine of Sendai?” you tease, referring to how Seijoh students have claimed this very rooftop as one of the God of Love’s many temples. You both know he holds the school record for the number of visits to this rooftop. At this rate, he could be one of its caretakers.

“That’s not what I meant,” he replies with a scowl, though the awkward tension between you two dissipates. And it feels like the two of you are back at your desk in Class 7, snickering uncontrollably while throwing playful jabs at each other. Sensing the change in atmosphere, Oikawa finally steps forward to join you by the railing.

Humming softly, he rests his elbows on the metal bar, props his head up with his hands, and sets his gaze on the lowering sun.

It’d be unfair to say that you didn’t at least try to enjoy the moment of peace with the boy beside you. But there’s a burning question on your mind that you can’t put off asking any longer.

“Why me?” you finally blurt out. “You could have any girl in this school. What made you choose me?”

The brunet whips his head around, disbelief written all over his face. “You think I chose to chase after the most annoying girl in all of Miyagi?” He laughs. “Ridiculous. I’d never willingly put myself through that unnecessary angst.”

You scoff and cross your arms.

“I think that when you like someone, it’s harder to explain why,” he quickly adds. “‘Cause it’s not supposed to make sense. I bet that the inability to explain your feelings is a prerequisite for true feelings, actually. It’s logical to say that you’d date Person A because they’re smart, or Person B because they’re hot, or Person C because they’re rich. But I’m pretty sure that that’s not… that’s not falling for someone. When you fall for someone… you just do. No logic required. You weren’t an option I ultimately settled on, Y/N. One day I just woke up and thought, if not you, then no one else.”

A beat passes. A flurry of words floods through your brain, only to evaporate when the devil on your shoulder decides that words aren’t quite adequate for what you want Oikawa to hear.

So instead, your feet take you one step closer into his space. Impulsively, your fingers find their way to his nape and your eyes flutter shut and suddenly–– suddenly, your parted lips brush against Oikawa’s. Instantly, he deepens the kiss, soft lips surging against yours like a pulse under pressure. You barely register his arms snaking around your waist, tighter and tighter until the space between your bodies is completely closed off.

Breathless, you finally detach your lips from his. Oikawa, who still has you encircled in his arms, pouts at the loss of contact, though he sulky façade only lasts a second before it gives way to a grin that stretches from ear to ear. He looks magnificent. Cheeks red, lips flushed, chest heaving, eyes wide with excitement. You want to kiss him again.

“One more.” It’s as if he read your mind. “To celebrate that last one.”

When Oikawa finally detaches himself from your lips, it’s to respond to the buzzing in his pocket. Noticing your raised brows, he explains that it’s an alarm for practice. The Spring High Prelims are just around the corner and he doesn’t plan on graduating without never having taken his team to Nationals.

“That’s my cue,” he states with a warm–– read: not apologetic–– smile. He doesn’t grab your hand or look imploringly into your eyes in hopes that you understand, never mind that you just shared your first kiss, never mind that you just became his girlfriend.

If Oikawa’s looking for any sign of your objection, he won’t find any. Instead, you step out of his space with an acquiescent nod. You knew what you were getting yourself into.

“Play well,” you say softly.

But before he heads for the creaky rooftop door, he presses one last kiss to your lips. And then he turns around, whistling as he goes, leaving you beaming behind his back with the light of a thousand suns.

iv.

When Matsukawa hands you the turquoise “Rule the Court” banner after the team lunch with a shit-eating grin on his face, the only resistance you offer is a resigned sigh.

“I’ve been dating Oikawa since we were second years,” you say flatly.

“Sorry, Y/N-san, but it’s the team’s hazing ritual,” he replies, not appearing sorry at all. “And you’re the only one who hasn’t done it.” He jerks his head at the blonde girl standing a little farther from the group with Hanamaki. “Emiko-san did it at the last game.”

“Plus, it’s the Spring High qualifier semifinals!” Kindaichi adds. “It’s an even bigger deal for you to do it now, especially since you had to miss our games on the first two days for school.” The team murmurs in agreement.

You shudder at the thought of your impending distress. Sit in the front row of the cheer squad and raise the banner with a scream every time your boyfriend serves? Fleeing from the Sendai City Gymnasium back home in an expensive taxi suddenly becomes very appealing.

Seeing the expectant and hopeful looks on the rest of the team’s faces, however, you begrudgingly place the banner in your backpack, signalling your acceptance of the horrible, cringe-worthy tradition.

“Where is Oikawa-san?” Kindaichi asks, rotating his turnip-shaped head around rapidly. “He was just at the team lunch. Iwaizumi-san’s missing too…”

Kunimi shrugs, pulling out his copy of the team schedule. He starts herding the team towards one of the courts. “Our game against Karasuno starts about an hour, so we should start warm-ups in around fifteen minutes.”

Worry creeps up your spine. For the past few days, all Oikawa has talked about is this match against his bratty kouhai’s team. And in the past two weeks leading up to today, you haven’t been able to even catch a glimpse of his face outside of break or lunch. To suddenly go missing before warm-ups doesn’t seem like Oikawa. You’re about to ask the team if he’s ever done this before, but your phone starts ringing a familiar tune and the question is set aside.

“Iwai––”

“Third-floor bathroom by the orange pillar. Come alone. Don’t tell anyone. Emergency.” Through his harsh and abrupt tone, you pick up traces of fear.

“What––”

“It’s Oikawa.” The call is cut before you can ask any more questions. Heart suddenly racing, you tell the team that your mother just called with questions about your new smart blender and excuse yourself to “explain what the manufacturers mean by salsify”. No one sees you bolt towards the nearest set of staircases with Oikawa the only thought on your mind.

There are very few things in this world that scare you. Stray hairs in the bathroom, the dark, essays longer than three pages… but the terror that short-circuits your brain when you find your boyfriend in the bathroom–– knuckles white around the sink, chest heaving violently, frenzied pupils surrounded by broken blood vessels–– trumps any fear you’ve faced before.

Iwaizumi stands helplessly beside him.

“Is he having a panic attack?” you question, still unable to move your feet. You’ve never seen Oikawa like this before. He’s the Grand King who hums while he walks, who spams your phone’s camera roll with peace-signs and funny faces, who winks and flirts and teases without regard. But watching the long-deified setter crumble like a measly human before you, you realise that Oikawa is also the guy who tore his meniscus from overexertion, who trades sleep to study his opponents play, who works his body to the bone just to stay a hairline above a certain Karasuno setter.

“A scout for the Schweiden Adlers said that Kageyama will soon surpass Oikawa in skill.” Iwaizumi explains how they had overheard the conversation lowly in your ear. “I got us into this bathroom just before he completely lost it. 5-4-3-2-1 isn’t working. And he won’t listen to a word I say.” What’s 5-4-3-2-1? Well, if it isn’t working then don’t focus on that right now.

Your eyes dart to Oikawa’s quivering body again. “I don’t know how to pull someone out of a panic attack.”

“The goal is to ground him. So use physical touch, make him feel something with texture, and get him to talk,” he responds instantly. Mechanically. Like he’s all-too-familiar with this set of instructions. A heaviness grows in the pit of your stomach when you realise what that means for Oikawa. And yet, from that very dread sprouts strength.

Slowly, you tread over to Oikawa and place a hand on his arm. His muscles tense under your touch but when you murmur over and over that it’s “Y/N, your girlfriend, the most annoying girl in Miyagi”, his fingers loosen ever-so-slightly from the metal basin. He lets you lead him to the bench by the door. He lets you drape the Seijoh banner over his shoulders like it’s armour and wrap your arms around his waist. He lets you press your cheek to his sweat-drenched back.

Get him to talk.

“Remember that quote you showed me from that interview of yours? What was it again?” you question softly.

No response.

“If you’re going to hit it, hit it until it breaks,” you say into his ear.

Through the mirror, you see his eyes widen with recognition. In the brief moment of lucidity that washes over Oikawa’s glistening face, you repeat the original question again, followed by his own quote.

Again and again.

And Oikawa finally says back.

“If you’re going to hit it, hit it until it breaks.” Focus re-enters his gaze. He blinks as if just waking from a spell.

“That’s right,” you say as firmly as possible. “So don’t you dare break first, Tooru.”

An unreadable blend of emotions scrawls itself over his features. While Oikawa washes his face with cold water, you remember rumination and resolve but can’t decipher the rest, giving up anyway when Iwaizumi pushes open the bathroom door. When the light washes over Oikawa, his face shows no signs of the episode he just had. It’s just like how the sky moves on after a storm, how the sun beams to say, “I’m here now. The rain has gone.”

But sometimes it still rains in spite of the sun.

A sunshower. It sounds so beautiful. But it’s wonderfully sad.

The three of you wordlessly make your way to the court where the rest of Seijoh is likely getting ready to warm up. What are you supposed to say after that? What can you say?

Once the smell of air salonpas and sweat finally greets your nose, Oikawa slips the Seijoh banner off his back and hands it over to you. Guessing that’s your cue to leave, you tell him to play well like you always do before starting to head for the upper deck. Softly, Oikawa asks you to wait.

“Stay for warm-ups,” he adds. “Please.”

From your spot behind the Seijoh divider, you carefully watch for any signs of another breakdown. To your relief, he goes the entire half-hour without a single crack in his disposition, exchanging laidback grins with the team, bantering with Iwaizumi. At one point he even has the audacity to taunt the Karasuno setter Tobio-chan, as Oikawa often says with a sneer.

Sunshowers, Y/N. Sunshowers.

Just before the referees call for the teams to line up at their ends of the court, Oikawa jogs over to you, eyes folding into thin crescents when he smiles.

He pulls the Seijoh banner out from your hands and gingerly cloaks it around your shoulders. Oikawa presses a quick kiss to your lips and murmurs, “Thank you.” Something in face tells you that it’s supposed to mean more than gratitude. Before you can read more into it, he turns back around and jogs to the line where his team awaits. Oikawa grins ferally.

Knowing that your luminous eyes are fixed to his back like his own set of wings, the monster crows on the other side suddenly look more like humans.

vi.

Oikawa isn’t surprised that his text is still unopened. At twenty-seven years old, he’s had his fair share of dead-ends when it comes to love. But he hadn’t expected radio silence from you of all people.

After closing all the tabs of Team Japan’s latest matches, he powers off his laptop and checks his phone again to reread what he wrote to your old number one last time. Still nothing. It’s highly probable you’ve changed phone numbers at least once in the last nine years, but the disappointment’s still there after he powers his phone off for the night. Tomorrow’s a big day and he’s not the same victim of self-destruction he had been in high school.

Or so he thinks, realising that texting the last person he loved the night before the 2021 Olympics volleyball finals might have been slightly irresponsible on his part. A thought arises in his head, though he quickly quashes it. Asking Iwaizumi to pass the message along would be a little overboard, wouldn’t it? Oikawa chuckles, imagining he response he’d get from his best friend (and Team Japan’s team trainer, that traitor).

“Go the fuck to sleep or I’ll put you to sleep, you dumbass simp,” he hears in Iwaizumi’s gruff voice.

He convinces himself that you’ll be there like you’ve always been. After all, he’s spent a lifetime with your pair of watchful eyes on his back. Satisfied, he drifts into a dreamless sleep.

The volume in the Ariake Arena is astronomical. Blood pounds against his ears as he sets the ball in the air, a monstrous grin carving into his face when his teammate José spikes the set straight down the net, drawing a wave of oohs and aahs from spectators on both sides.

Iwaizumi rolls his eyes at the flashy Team Argentina setter and finishes taping up Ushijima’s arm.

Oikawa turns haughtily towards the opposite team, gaze zeroing in on Team Japan’s raven-haired setter and the shrimpy ginger beside him. It’s been a while since he last saw them this close in person–– the chance encounter with Hinata in Brazil happened well over three years ago and he hadn’t had the time earlier in the tournament to say hello. Of course they’re the final boss in this arc, he muses, though the thought is void of vexation. Instead, begrudging pride blossoms in his chest. Truthfully, he had expected nothing less from his kouhai.

And he expects nothing less than finally tasting the ambrosia of victory against that monster–– no, an entire generation of monsters–– today. Monsters who happen to be the kids he grew up beside.

He wonders what you’d say at the sight of Japan’s greatest players all gathered on one court. On instinct, his eyes dive into the bleachers, searching for your face. Knowing he’s not likely to find you like this, he tsks, deciding to look for Iwaizumi instead. Maybe he knows where you are.

The referees signal for both teams to line up at their ends of the court. As he steps onto the white boundary line, he notices Iwaizumi’s gaze transfixed on someone in the upper deck on Team Argentina’s side. The neutral expression on his face morphs into shock, then recognition. And then he glances at Oikawa.

The latter’s brows furrow before everything clicks in place.

Who else…

All your memories together hit him at full force–– your face shimmering with tears in front of gate twelve in Haneda Airport, the feeling of your shallow breaths against his neck, the savvy lilt to your voice as you speak.

… if not her?

For the first time in his life, Oikawa Tooru looks behind his shoulder.

And there you are, leaning against the railing with the old Seijoh flag draped over your shoulders, a tender, splendid smile on your lips.

“Play well,” you mouth.

And Oikawa feels the sun rise back into his hands.

[myimaginarywonderland]

So, for anyone wondering which driver you should support and shouldn't, I am going to try to make an as unbiased post as possible so you could look yourself more into the drivers but maybe get a first glance.

Let's first start with Andretti .

They have Jake Dennis. He was a rookie last year and nearly won the title then. He is a relaxed driver and a bit of a dumbass who likes to document his slight mishaps on socials (some of these scream himbo in a way).

His teammate is Oliver Askew. He has done quiet well for a rookie so far and seems cheerful and easy going, also like someone you can joke around with. (Haven't seen enough if him to judge him but he gives of good vibes.)

Then there is Dragon.

Most of you know Antonio so you probably have an opinion on him already.

Sergio Sette Camera is his teammate, a great qualifier and mostly just happy to be there. He was so grateful last season to be given the opportunity and it was very sweet how even when the results where what they were, he was having fu. If you like them, don't expect the team to do very well. Bit of golden retriever vibes.

Probably the best team in terms of drivers is DS Teechetah, the famous gold and black car.

On one side of the garage we have Antonio Felix da Costa, the season 6 champion and probably the most energetic in the paddock. He is the jokster and chatter, easily the most liked. Last year, he won a grand prix and on German TV while talking to the interviewer who joked about cooling down in the pool,he proceed to do just that by jumping of a 3 or 5 metre board into said pool.

Then there's JEV. He is the only double champion and probably the one who changed the most. When he first arrived at FE, he was angry at everyone after his horrible Red Bull experience but you could still see his talent, qualifying on pole and in the front many times with a more average car. But it just never came together, potentially or likely because his mind wasn't fully in it. And then, it slowly changed. He got the results that his pace showed and when he and André became teammates, something just feel into place.

Now, he is easily one of the top drivers. He is very different in the way that he can be happy once and frustrated the next time. There is quiet many of us comparing him to a cat which honestly fits quiet well. His story is probably the most interesting in the paddock. He went from beaten down to the star.

We also have Envision, the green car.

Now here you will find Robin Frinjs. The best way to describe him would be a meme machine. He unintentionally is one of the funniest. You will find him napping in the most unusual places. What sticks out about him and Antonio Felix da Costa as well was that they are great friends and both went from being teammates at the back, the being top title candidates which they will gladly tell you about (they both cherish their shared journey.)

You will also find Nick Cassidy. He seems a bit more quiet at first maybe but he is also easy going, someone you would probably get along with quiet well as a casual friend.

Let's talk about Jaguar, the minty car.

Immediately you will find Sam Bird. Now, if there was one driver who you would assume has one a championship and then be suprised that he hasn't, this would be him. I don't know how to describe it. He is one of the greatest, the only driver to have won races/a race every season and yet it still never fully came together for him. You will often see people hoping for a Sampionchip which just means they want him to finally get it.

And then there's Mitch. He is a determined driver, very funny and relaxed and probably a bit of the life of the party? However he goes full focus on race weekends and his results (if Jaguar decides to have a car that can offer them) speak for themselves. He also is one of the young members of the FE group chat that is often mentioned on German TV by Daniel Abt, a former driver who now is commentator and also finally enough sort of related to Mitch (an inside joke on German TV often seen by Daniel saying cous, short for cousin as in dating Daniel's cousin.) Also countless weird pictures of Mitch from younger days.

Of course we can't ignore Venturi.

Let me start of with Edoardo Mortara because he is finally after the incredible last season getting the attention he deserves. He has been in the sport since the start of season for and immediately in his second race got a podium but then it just sort of didn't seem to be going great? I should add that Venturi has always before last season been a team that just didn't deliver as expected so it makes sense that would apply in his case as well since you can't do more than outperform a car (which he for sure did.) But last season he showed how that P2 happened and most importantly where that P2 came from.

And of course, you have Lucas DiGrassi. He has until this season been the star of Audi. Winning with them since season one. In fact, the candidate for a title, only rivaled by Buemi. Now, there's a lot of us who don't like him. That has nothing to do with his driving (although you can question a very particular championship deciding maneuver) but with his political beliefs in supporting the Brazilian president. To just dismissive him however does not work. There is not a single driver who has done more for the sport. He has supported it and helped build it since the beginning. He is an active member in helping stop climate change, studying while in the off season and inventing his own ways to contribute to the course. Whether you want to support him is up to you but you can't dismiss what he has done.

And because I already mentioned him, let's move to Nissan and start with Sebastian Buémi.

The way to describe him is probably imagine a stereotypical emotional French person but they are actually swiss. What you will find about him, besides his results that tell you his greatness, is many radios of him complaining, clips of him arguing with others such as the famous Bern meltdown. He has always been passionate about his races which reflects in the way he acts after something goes wrong. While it does make for entertainment, it also sometimes dismisses his success. He has nearly won the championship in two season and one of those, he missed multiple races. He also has one championship and the last race of it is enough proof of how be got it. He is also, contradictory to his huge paddock ego you might say, an actual sweet person. During his time as Oliver Rowland's teammate, they got along great and Oli Rowland has said multiple times that he would not have settled in as easily without Buemis help. (Actually a chihuahua a bit in that he barks and bites but is kind.)

His teammate this year is Maximilian Günther. What can I say expect this is literally the kind of guy your parents would be happy for you to date? He is a bit more reserved, very polite, friendly, sweet (he collected money for a charity once) and a great young promising driver. Easily a favourite to root for and someone you can't go wrong with. The golden retriever/sunshine boy.

Now, let's talk about Mahindra!

First of all one Alexander Sims. Geography dad (I don't think he is a dad but he looks and acts like one while simultaneously being your geography teacher with glasses.) Nice guy all around, maybe not always the greatest results but great to support. British in the sense that he likes calm and quiet, gardening and tea and apparently walking around naked if we are to trust both Max and Antonio.

His teammate this year is Oliver Rowland. New dad (actually this time, his daughter was born last year and he brought her to the track once) and a driver with a promising statistic. Has been getting a bit too much like André but we will ignore that.

And speaking of the devil, let's dive into Porschee.

Of course we have to start with André Lotterer because how couldn't we? As soon as you go to FE Tumblr during the race you will see the word lottered. This is quiet simply explained. André can drive like a maniac sometimes and obviously go completely against the rules. While he is incredibly talented, his FE career has started roughly and he has always had hit or miss races, nothing in between. And it has quiet become a common occurrence, a tradition of him, that every race he will be involved in some collision or crash and 80% of the time it will be him to blame. He is also the BFF of JEV. Love him or hate him, he provided entertainment. (Also of track he is very much easy going. He adore photography and making coffee art+ going to old festivals. He has a dog named Max and loves to travel with JEV and his fiance/wife.)

Pascal Wehrlein is also someone a lot of you will be familiar with if you are coming from F1. Great driver, former grid kid of Seb, incredible hair, you know him.

Let's talk about the team which has the actual devil in it.

Nio my poor disappointment.

Now, I want to start of by saying that once, a lifetime ago, Nio was actually winning races under a different name. Now they are the Williams of FE.

And they obviously have none other pairing then the polar opposites that are Oliver Turvey and Dan Ticktum, the later won't even be mentioned because he's not worth it and I hope he leaves this sport as soon as possible.

Now Oliver Turvey however deserves all the mention. I don't know who this man made a deal with but he has been faithful to Nio for years eventhough they can't give him a car to show what he is capable of (though sometimes you will catch glimpse of his talent and wonder what he could do in a better car.) He is also the only driver with a university degree and one of the most polite drivers you will ever find.

And obviously in the last place we have Mercedes EQ, the team which all of you will know.

Stoffle Vandoorne has had his fair share of F1 races and shown his talent in FE. You will find people split which is unusual since most drivers are universally liked or accepted. However, something you should know about the Mercedes FE team is that there's basically only black or white when it comes to the fans opinion. Many factors contribute to this from Mercedes lack of interest in the series resulting in them leaving after this season to their dismissive drivers who have both had their share of digging at FE, especially Stoffel and describing it in a lack of better words as less than F1, inferior if you will and not recognizing it as it's own, independent racing series.

If you ignore that or decide that's not what they meant since there phrasing was a bit weird in once instance but for many of us suggesting that idea(I am actually starting to think at least Nyck is abandoning these beliefs), you can easily support Stoffel.

Nyck will also be known so I'll make myself quick. Great driver with a lot of talent, not only funny/checky but also someone who seems genuinely nice.

[yoonpobs]

manners maketh women | jjk

pairing: jeon jungkook x oc

genre: kingsman!AU (loosely inspired lol), enemies to enemies basically (some sexual tension)

warnings: mentions of blood, enemies, dismantling the patriarchy

words: 2, 637

summary: kingsman or alternatively you trying to dismantle the patriarchy by pissing off your partner

“You’re a fucking psychopath!” Valentine spits at you with bloodied gums while he lays on the floor with all the will to live beaten out of him.

You’re much better off. Of course you were. You wouldn’t let someone as vile or unimportant as Valentine ruin your pantsuit because while you thought the establishment was exorbitant, it was still costly and made you look like a bad bitch.

“Says the one who planted chips into people’s head only to blow them up.” You roll your eyes, tossing your blazer over your shoulder as Merlin sighs at the scene behind you when you cock your head towards the pitiful soon-to-be prisoner.

“I thought we said no damage.”

You shrug.

“This is no damage. Couldn’t help that my hand slipped.” You return.

Merlin is about to retort but your teammate stomps out of the abandoned church with his eyes narrowed to your figure that retreats to the comfort of your car.

You almost forget that you weren’t on this mission alone until the presence of your partner appears by your side and you’ve worked with him long enough to know that he’s shooting daggers on the side of your forehead.

“We agreed to bring him back in one piece.” Jungkook snarls at you.

You see that he’s way worse off compared to you. But it could have alluded to the fact that he warded off the rest of the guards that ambushed the two of you when you first arrived. The priority was finding Valentine and making sure that he was captured and under your scrutiny, so you agreed to head off first while Jungkook did the dirty work.

“His limbs are still attached to his body, I don’t see how I didn’t uphold to the end of our agreement?” You stop in your tracks, causing Jungkook to skid in his steps as his chest makes contact with your back.

When you turn around, he’s absolutely furious but that only spurs on the wide grin that appears on your face.

“Valentine looks like he’s been through six wars and a botched plastic surgery attempt!” He hisses.

You roll your eyes, folding your arms across your chest as you take in Jungkook’s growing rage. He’s never been the level-headed one between the two of you but you were also the more infuriating one. You were fully aware of that and you were going to use it to your advantage. You didn’t beckon your way through the misogynistic Kingsman system to be bossed around by some stereotypical posh man who didn’t know how to take no for an answer.

“And that’s what he deserved. I did what I had to do, Jeon.” You retort as venomously as he had.

Jungkook literally growls and you know you’ve annoyed him further because he was the typical Kingsman agent that attempted to uphold all the core values and paraded around the base with the manners maketh man phrase that he loved to milk. You, on the other hand, didn’t believe in that shit at all because you were not mannered and neither were you a man. Jungkook walked the ground like he had a stick up his ass half the time and you had no time to deal with his uptightness.

“We are on a mission, Lancelot. I go by Galahad.” He reminds you but you wave him off, turning around to head towards your car.

Jungkook grits his teeth as he sees Merlin drag a detained Valentine—who leaves a trail of blood in his path—to the van where he’d be brought back to the cells. He couldn’t believe that you had the audacity to go against direct orders from your superior like that! But at the same time, you’ve pulled things like this more than once and rubbed Jungkook the wrong way every time you’d brush off any lament that came from him.

He doesn’t think you were incapable of being a Kingsman agent, although it hasn’t always been that way. But he did believe that you should at least uphold the fundamental values that made Kingsman the reputable secret service it was.

“You act like Jeon is the worst of the names I call you.” You snort.

Jungkook wants to remind you that it’s not and he’s aware but he’s highly exhausted after fending off numerous men on his own while you got to catch the largest bait of the day, your pantsuit hardly creasing in the process.

“Would it kill you to follow orders?” Jungkook snaps.

The two of you reach the car and he snatches the keys from your palm before you can step into the driver’s seat. You raise an eyebrow at his gesture and look him up and down before your bored eyes rest upon his still pinched expression.

“If we get pulled over the police are going to think you’re a runaway.”

Jungkook scowls but enters the car anyway. You follow him shortly into the passenger seat as you immediately tug off the band that kept your hair in a ponytail as you ruffle your hair, slipping off the heels off your feet. You found it absurd that the agency demanded you wear heels onto a field mission purely because it was the Kingsman brand. It wasn’t like you couldn’t fight in them but obviously, it made you slightly slower than you’d like.

“You’re going to shut up and not say a single word during the ride back because I’ve had enough of that smart ass mouth of yours.” Jungkook snaps.

“It’s cute that you think I’m going to listen to you, Jeon.” You pat his thigh in consolation and he just curses under his breath.

Jungkook doesn’t have the energy to argue back because, for every remark he makes, he’s sure you have at least ten responses phrased in different ways to respond with.

“If you called me in for a staring contest then I’m afraid we have to reschedule. I’ve got a bottle of wine and some fried chicken waiting for me in my quarters.” You deadpan.

The man who sits in front of you is unnerved and you expect no less from the current Director of Kingsman. It also wasn’t the first time you’ve sat before him with the very same look marring his face. You know what the conversation is going to be about and he knows that you know.

“Agent Lancelot—”

You scoff when you lean forward, narrowing your eyes at your superior before he purses his lips at your gesture.

“How many times did I tell you to ditch the alias? It’s unnecessary especially since we’re in your office which is debatably the most vaulted place in all of the Kingsman quarters. It isn’t like Valentine is going to come crawling through the vents and demand for my birth certificate.”

Namjoon pinches the bridge of his nose because when he hired you after you—impressively—passed the most gruesome and intense interview process with a blink of your eye, he didn’t know what to expect when he took the risk of recruiting the first-ever woman Kingsman.

But now that it’s been years since you’ve made a name for yourself and all other keen women who were looking for the opportunity to train as an agent, he realised that you were not just a skilled agent but a sharp and impenetrable fortress that would never let anyone tell her what to do.

Which was frankly—inconvenient—given the nature of Kingsman work that often relied on partnership and collaboration. But those words weren’t in your dictionary and Namjoon can see the way you look bored before the conversation started as you sit in front of him with a blank expression on your face.

“It’s nice to see you, ______,” Namjoon says dryly, clasping his fists together before leaning forward on his elbows that your faces are closer.

“Are you going to call me out for disobeying orders and bringing back Valentine like butchered meat? If you want an apology then you know you’re not going to get it,” You say blankly before turning in the swivel chair; already halfway off before Namjoon stops you.

“Jungkook has been telling me that you’ve been harder to work with recently.” Namjoon points out.

You scoff.

“Of course he’ll say that. I’m the better agent in the partnership and it bruises his puny masculine ego. Tell him to shove it and deal with it because it’s going to get harder.”

Namjoon shoots you an unimpressed glare before he wills himself to maintain a decent amount of level-headedness as he reasons with you.

“The both of you are talented agents—” Namjoon says slowly and you know he’s only saying that to appease you and not break his neutrality when it came to agents so you roll your eyes at his attempt, “—and because the two of you are always going on the most important missions it’s imperative that you work together.”

“Namjoon.” You blink, “Jeon is the most infuriating individual I have been condemned to meet and I literally have no idea why you won’t just switch me out with—I don’t know—Jin or something. He isn’t as mouthy or pretentious as Jeon.”

Namjoon sighs.

“Firstly, why can’t you ever call him by his first name? And secondly—you know why I can’t do that. Jin is in-charge of international operations and we need you here on domestic land. You and Jungkook are the most qualified agents of the region and it is in my best interest, as well as the nations to have you two work together.”

You wave him off before you push yourself off the chair completely, offering a sloppy salute out to his direction and you see Namjoon’s shoulder deflate at your stubbornness. But before you’re even able to make your way out of the door, you see a face that makes you scowl.

“Talking shit about me behind my back, babe?” Jungkook narrows his eyes at you.

You snort.

“If I wanted to talk shit about you, I’d do it to your face so I can watch your fragile ego shatter in front of my eyes. And—if you don’t want your balls detached from your body and served to you as a door gift then I suggest you never call me babe ever again.”

You’re about to push past him but his hand reaches for your shoulder and stops you with a tight grip as you snap your head to glare at him. You’re about to throw him off you, literally, but Jungkook is also skilled and he sees the telltale signs of your anger for him to defend himself against your attack.

When you pull his arm to lug his body over yours, he manages to lock your grip and bring you into a headlock—chest pressed to your back as he breathes down your hair while you feel the cocky smirk of his spread across his face.

“Let go of me you fucking shithead.” You snarl.

Jungkook snorts and only tightens his grip on you, twisting your chin between his thumb and index finger so you’re glaring directly at his face that is only a mere inches away from yours to give you a taunting grin that you want to slap off his face.

“You’ll never outdo the doer—” He whispers so low that it almost seems like it’s just the two of you, “—baby.”

You take that as a chance to knee him in the stomach and shove him away before you dust your hands on your pants, only to remember that you were still in Namjoon’s office and he likely saw the show that the two of you put on.

“I … I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that,” Namjoon clears his throat before gesturing to the two of you to take a seat as if you weren’t seconds away from walking out that door.

“Look, Namjoon—we—I—don’t need this group therapy session with him, okay? The two of us can work together but that doesn’t mean I’ll listen to what he says. His judgement is clouded by the systemic oppression that Kingsman entrenches to their agents and I won't stand for that.”

Jungkook’s fists tighten at your blatant disrespect to the organisation that employed you, and he remembers every reason why he hates you so much.

“_____,” Namjoon sighs, “I don’t understand why you walked into that interview years ago if you hate everything that Kingsman stands for.”

You clench your fists by your side because of course, he didn’t understand. And of course, Jungkook, Jimin, Jin and even Merlin didn’t understand. They didn’t need the luxury of understanding a system that favoured people like them.

“Then let me spell it out for you both,” You say emphasise each word with a spit.

Jungkook clenches his jaw but remains silent.

“I walked into that interview knowing I was going to ace that shit because I owed that first step to all the women that were used and abused by your Kingsmen. The women that were offered comfort for sex to only be shunned and disposed of by the esteemed agents you call Kingsmen. I am not a Kingsman and I am not Lancelot. I am ______ ______ and I’m a woman who fucking owned every single one of those male agents that day who decided to snicker and laugh at me when they wouldn’t be able to ever walk a mile in my shoes. I’m here because I have a point to prove.”

Namjoon is stunned to silence and you don’t know what triggers your outburst but you suppose its years of repression and having to work alongside a male peer that only sees you as impressive because of your gender and not because of your skills. The comments rubbed you the wrong way and you never looked back since.

“_______ …” Namjoon begins but you glare at him and that’s enough to send him silent.

But you see the way Jungkook’s jaw twitches and you know that sign well enough to know he’s about to say something you won’t like.

“That’s it? All the anger, bitchiness and attitude for you to prove a point?” Jungkook scoffs, “You’re that pathetic?”

“Jungkook—” Namjoon warns.

“You walked into this life and you need to deal with the consequences. I don’t give two shits your intention in Kingsman but you’re here and you’re working for the Kingsman so you better suck all that bitterness up or leave. Don’t you dare disrespect the foundation of what a Kingsman is.” Jungkook hisses.

The expression on your face is thunderous and Jungkook has never seen you like that, ever. Not even when the two of you were arguing head to head and everyone else thought someone was going to end up hurt. No, this is much more … threatening. A look that’s so unfamiliar but familiar enough because it’s the first time he’s seen it directed to him.

“I wonder why you’re so overprotective about the Kingsman name, hm?” You say blankly, “Is it because that your entire identity revolves around it? That you’ve never seen a world with eyes when you weren’t a Kingsman? You’re pathetic, Jeon. You’re nothing without the title but at least I know what I want. You don’t. You’re just hiding behind the suit and weapons to make you feel like a man but you’re just a sorry excuse of a human being that only sees the world through a bigoted lens.”

Jungkook is about to retort but you’re faster, and the action alarms both Namjoon and Jungkook when you—

“I quit.” You smile.

The badge and your key weapon with nothing but a slam to the table.

“______—“ Namjoon stands up but you don’t spare him another glance before you’re out the door.

[ilovejevsjeans]

Why there’s far more to Russell than qualifying specialism

The old adage in Formula 1 that the first person you must beat is your teammate may be cliched, yet it rings true. Drivers constantly compare themselves with the man across the garage, knowing the importance of becoming the in-house alpha.

It makes qualifying head-to-head records a valued statistic for many drivers. As pally-pally as Lando Norris was with Carlos Sainz at McLaren, he took some pleasure in pipping the Spaniard on Saturdays across their two seasons together (11-10 in 2019, 8-8 in 2020). Fernando Alonso’s 21-0 whitewash of Stoffel Vandoorne in 2018 meant so much to the two-time F1 world champion that he was still trotting out the statistic 18 months later.

But even Alonso’s qualifying prowess looks workmanlike compared with that of George Russell. In his 46 appearances with Williams , not once has he been outqualified by a teammate. He equalled Alonso’s 21-0 sweep in 2019, when paired with Robert Kubica – a grand prix winner – and leads Nicholas Latifi 25-0 in their season-and-a-bit together. The only F1 teammate to ever outqualify Russell is Valtteri Bottas, who pipped him to pole in their single race together at Mercedes – and we all know who really walked away as the moral winner that weekend…

It has led to the moniker of ‘Mr Saturday’ being attached to Russell by TV types, who then rattle out those statistics like tickets from a slot machine every time he makes it through to Q2. As impressive as his qualifying record is, to reduce his significance to that of a quali-day footnote belies the true power of Britain’s burgeoning F1 star. Last year in Sakhir he offered a glimpse of what he could one day do for Mercedes, jumping in at the last minute and making full use of the tools at his disposal. But to be true world champion material requires a greater contribution: it’s being a leader, rallying those around you, and being a figurehead in the team’s progression in every area.

They are valuable skills which those around Russell at Williams have seen him hone since making his debut in 2019. “He’s just got better and better, and developed almost with every race,” says Dave Robson, Williams’ head of vehicle performance. “Not so much in terms of the driving, that’s always been very strong. But in terms of his understanding of the whole game that we play and everything that we need to get right and we need his help with, it’s just improved endlessly.

“His role within the team is particular, he takes it in his stride in leading that. He’s an excellent asset in all regards.”

The evolution into a leadership role was something Russell was required to embrace quickly. As the depth of the team’s plight became clear in early 2019, there was a contrast in the response of the two drivers: while Kubica – the more experienced, seemingly senior head – subsided into negativity, the junior Russell accepted the state of affairs and got stuck in trying to make a difference.

“2019 was an incredibly difficult baptism of fire,” recalls Robson. “Once he’d got his head around the situation we were in, he was extremely good at being clear about the order of the problems that needed tackling.”

Dealing with a car as devilish as the FW42 helped Russell hone his development skills and feedback, helping the team make big strides in each of the past two seasons and move off the foot of the pecking order in 2021. He even gleaned some helpful slivers of information during his one-race sojourn with Mercedes, feeding back to Williams that it should change its clutch paddle designs after sampling a different steering wheel.

The technical understanding he has forged is “right up there” with the best drivers Robson – once a race engineer to Jenson Button and Felipe Massa – has worked with: “His technical understanding of what the car has to do, how the tyres have to work, and some of the compromises you have to make, is now as good as anyone, I think, in the pitlane.”

It has made Russell not only an important asset to his team, but also to his teammate. Nicholas Latifi joined Williams as a rookie in 2020, and while paired with a younger driver who had just 21 grands prix to his name, he was quickly able to lean on Russell to help his own performances as he got up to speed in F1.

“It’s been hugely beneficial to have a teammate like George,” Latifi says. “Definitely in those opening races at the beginning of the year and throughout the year, [I was] learning from him what I can in the data, seeing what he is asking for from the car, what he thinks the car needs to go quicker, when I was just trying to find my feet and get up to the limit – for sure relying a bit on that information was very helpful.”

Latifi’s confidence may have grown into his second season, but he still finds it a “great help” to have such a strong reference in Russell – even when on the wrong side of the qualifying scoreline. “Part of it just stems from having George as your teammate,” Robson says of their head-to-head record. “He does have an incredible ability to pull something out when it really matters.”

But it is not just Russell’s on-track capabilities that have made him such a powerful and important figure within Williams. The soft skills he has developed off-track, knowing how to best work with the team around him and keep heads up – even through the trickiest of times – has been hugely important to Williams.

“It’s not just his technical input, but also the way he interacts with everyone and his positivity,” says Robson. “Although he can, quite understandably, get frustrated in the heat of the moment, his positivity and general way he is so constructive is very good and exactly what we needed over the last couple of years. He’s played a big role.”

At just 23 years old, Russell has a growing voice and authority that few of his peers boast. It has earned him the respect of the entire F1 grid, evidenced by his appointment as the GPDA’s newest director at the start of this year following Romain Grosjean’s exit from the series, wishing to represent “the younger half of the grid”. Internally at Williams, he has also used his eagerness to speak up to good effect, wishing to make himself heard from day one.

There’s something about him: when he talks, people listen,” says Robson. “It’s important, provided he’s talking about the right thing. Perhaps right at the beginning, he didn’t always get [that] right, but it didn’t take him long to suss that out and understand.”

Robson’s comment is another sign of Russell’s willingness and ability to learn from his mistakes, a trait that fits perfectly with the culture built by Mercedes in its evolution to a title-winning F1 juggernaut.

It was something that he has already had to put into action this year, having brazenly pointed the finger at Bottas for their crash at Imola and then proposed a theory that had tinfoil hats quivering across the F1 Twittersphere. On the flight home after the race with Mercedes head honchos Toto Wolff and James Allison, Russell said he was given some “tough love”, but he acted quickly: he apologised, retracted his comments, and vowed to learn from the saga.

It’s exactly the kind of growth Mercedes wants to see, and will undoubtedly be part of its considerations when it decides on Russell’s future for 2022. He is a free agent, as is Valtteri Bottas, the man he would surely replace should Wolff decide the time is right to cash in on his investment.

But where would that leave Williams? Robson does not mince his words, admitting it would be a “huge loss” for the team both on- and off-track.

“It’s been fantastic working with him, right from when we first put him through the evaluation,” Robson says. “It was obvious George had something about him, some genuinely outstanding talent to drive the car. And it’s been probably frustrating at times, but a great journey to be on with him.

“Of course he’d be a massive loss. I think we’ve all put in a lot of time and effort to help him where he needed a bit of help, to guide him, and it would be a real shame to lose that without really seeing the benefits of it in our car.”

CEO Jost Capito says he would “of course” hand Russell the multi-year deal he craves from 2022, should it be viable. “I think he would fit very well to Williams for our future as well,” Capito says. “If he believes in our future, there might be a chance to keep him.”

It is a future that Russell has helped forge for Williams. Steps such as the sale of the team and investment from Dorilton Capital has secured the team’s immediate future, but Russell’s role must be recognised.

Robson agrees, saying he “can take a good amount of credit” for the team’s progress since hitting rock bottom at the start of 2019.

Williams may have a strong history for backing and cultivating young talent, giving the likes of Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Nico Hulkenberg, and Valtteri Bottas their starts. But to be the force that helps lift the team out of its hardest moments, acting as the catalyst in its revival, arguably makes Russell the most important of the bunch – even if he doesn’t stick around to enjoy the fruits of his labour. (X)

[meaningofmotorsport]

Miami Grand Prix Review

It was a weekend which delivered on some of the promises, as this was more than just a race, it was an event. It wasn’t just a circuit in a car park either, the facility looked superb, apart from perhaps the fake harbour. The race itself didn’t quite live up to the hype, despite the chaos to end the race, but it was a great first attempt.

Red Bull are becoming an ominous threat for Ferrari, with it looking as though it will be a question of when not if Max takes the championship lead. They were close together on one lap pace for qualifying, with a small mistake costing Verstappen a chance at pole. In the race though, their tyre wear was miles better than the Ferrari, with him crawling over the back of Charles after only a few laps. The late Safety Car put him under pressure, and suggested that on pure pace they weren’t that far ahead, but he got through it, and got another win, to close on Leclerc as we go to Europe. Perez was unlucky to have another reliability issue, which does spark concerns for the future, especially after Max’s FP2 disaster. Without the issue, he probably would have passed Sainz, maybe even before the Safety Car. His dive on Sainz nearly went very wrong.

Once again, Ferrari have been blown away when it comes to the race. There is clearly some issue that is causing them to shred their tyres. Leclerc could do nothing to hold Max back, and did very well to nearly pass him again after the Safety Car. It was a day where he just needed to get points. Sainz was boxed behind his teammate at the start, which allowed Verstappen to pass him around the outside, from there on his pace was again some way off Leclerc, but right now he just needs to score points. His defence of a podium was brilliant too. These upgrades for Spain had better put them back in the fight with Red Bull.

It may not have been the heroics of Friday practice, but this result is surely a relief for Mercedes after the turmoil of Imola, although Russell did finish well there too. They still have a long way to go though, the good news for the team is that they managed to find the window for the car on Friday, they just need to understand how to unlock it every race. Hamilton was not able to make an impression on Bottas for most of the race, and in fact needed a mistake to pass him. His pace was solid though, and a boost after Imola. Russell had a great race, despite falling back early on. The overcut allowed him to jump to 7th when the Safety Car came out, and fly on the new tyres to get another top 5 result. If Mercedes fix their car, he could be a true title threat.

Bottas is a machine right now, just punching out results every weekend. Without the Safety Car, he may well have got 5th, as he looks to be in the form of his life right now. Ocon was another like Hamilton to turn his fortune around since Imola, the Alpine has shown promise all year long, but luck has not been on their side. Albon may well be one of my drivers of the season so far, as he gets another few points for Williams, showing the car has pace for the points.

Stroll was in the middle of the mid-field chaos, but survived it to bag a point, as they try and stay off the bottom of the standings. Alonso was in the points on track, but lost it through a penalty for hitting Gasly. The penalty was deserved, as he was barely alongside when they hit, so it wasn’t his corner. Tsunoda just struggled for pace this weekend compared to his teammate. Ricciardo had a difficult race, not able to improve really from where he started, and a late pitstop further hurt that.

It was looking so good for Schumacher, sitting in the points after the Safety Car, and the Haas looked to have real pace, but with the newer tyres, the cars behind pounced, and he defended too hard on Vettel, ruining both their races. Magnussen was with Mick for most of the race, but retired late on. Vettel was on course for points after starting in 13th, with the Aston Martin continuing to look better than it was, but it wasn’t to be in the end. It was a rather weird crash between Norris and Gasly, who was ailing after the collision with Alonso. In a tight part of the track, Norris followed the curve of the track, but Gasly didn’t, leading to a crash which was a bit scary. McLaren were struggling for points anyway.

Miami can be proud of their first F1 race, it brought in the crowds, and definitely helped to put F1 on the map in America. The track probably does need to be altered for next year, but not much, only really that horrible chicane at the end of the second sector. For me, the definition of this race’s success was not the first year, it is the subsequent years after that, and if they can maintain the hype and growth around the event. That will really show if F1 has broken into the American market!

-M