#mark lombardi

[sajiabude]

[eurobenvolio]

[70ssmut4]

[lunetaj]

The Lombardi family moved to Del Sol Valley right next to the Carlsman-Wards and Bailey-Moons.

Antonio, the father of the family, is a very respected and well-known businessman in the country. So they could afford to buy a house in such an affluent neighborhood.

(2016)

[iamred-iamyellow]

⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚ Perfect All American

♥ masterlist | request rules | based on this request

♥ pairing: oscar piastri x fem!american!driver!reader

♥ synopsis: you and oscar decided to make your relationship a secret in hopes to not stir up any “conflict of interest” rumors. however, he just couldn’t help being a proud boyfriend when you won your first race for williams as a rookie. 

♥ smau + written - fc: girls on pinterest - none of the pictures are mine

♥ warnings: swearing !!!

♥ a/n: once again, i’m so sorry this took so long for me to write but i really hope it was worth the wait anon <3

-October 2023-

liked by logansargeant, oscarpiastri, susie_wolff and 879,593 more

williamsracing We're incredibly pleased to announce that @/yourusername has signed a three year contract deal with us starting this following F1 season. She will line up alongside @/logansargeant and will be the first woman to drive a Grand Prix since Lella Lombardi in 1976. We are absolutely honored to have you. Welcome to the Williams family 💙

view comments

yourusername its a perfect all american grid

user6 I understood that reference

user5 🦅🦅🦅

user1 USA USA RAHHH 🇺🇸🗽🏈

user8 WOOO

user2 following in susie's footsteps :')

prema_racing we’re so proud of you

yourusername <3

oscarpiastri I’ll see you in melbourne 😉

user12 it’s the wink for me

user4 im gonna miss prema era y/n

user5 @/user4 ok but the trio is back together !!! y/n, oscar, and logan

user6 @/user5 you’re forgetting about fred

user9 fred vesti always the bridesmaid never the bride

user10 need me some williams gear asap

user14 💙💙💙

logansargeant excited to finally have a fellow american on team torque

yourusername me 🤝 logan

alex_albon 😐

georgerussell63 and here I was thinking you were happy to join me at mercedes

user13 I’m a child of the britcedes-sargebon divorce

✧˖ °. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁‧₊˚ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁˖°✧

-Williams' Rising Star: Y/n L/n-

Williams has announced that American F2 Champion, Y/n L/n will be making her Formula 1 debut next year alongside Logan Sargeant. She has been making waves in the world of motorsports for over a decade now, and it seems that all of her hard work has finally payed off. She's already been placed in the history books for her impeccable talent on track and her inspiring work off it. Not only has she broken plenty of records in feeder series', but she also contributed to the creation of F1 Academy.

From Long Beach a to Monte Carlo

Early in her karting career Y/n was scouted for the Mercedes Junior Drivers Team and she's seemed to have a close relationship with Toto and Susie Wolff ever since. She uprooted her life from California to London as a young teen, taking a huge risk in hopes to accomplish her dreams.

What does this mean for F1?

With rising representation in all areas of f1, we can hope to see young women getting more opportunities to make their mark on the sport. Let's face it, the future of F1 is female.

✧˖ °. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁‧₊˚ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁˖°✧

liked by oscarpiastri, williamsracing, liablock, and 583,502 more

yourusername POINTS?!?!

tagged; @/bah_int_circuit

view comments

williamsracing starting off this year strong!

frederikvestiofficial WOOOO !!!

yourusername WOOOO 🎉

arthur_leclerc way to go y/n

yourusername ty artie my favorite leclerc 😍

charles_leclerc hey ??

user1 @/yourusername what about oscar piastri-leclerc

yourusername I CHANGE MY ANSWER

oscarpiastri I'm so happy for you

yourusername <3

user2 ...

user3 👀

logansargeant lets gooo 💪

yourusername 🦅🦅

✧˖ °. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁‧₊˚ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁˖°✧

liked by mclarenracingf1, landonorris, yourusername, and 983,012 more

oscarpiastri maiden win

comments are limited

yourusername never beating the polite cat allegations with that smile

oscarpiastri :]

yourusername I'm so proud of you btw 🫶

oscarpiastri 🫶

landonorris congrats

oscarpiastri thanks mate

✧˖ °. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁‧₊˚ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁˖°✧

✧˖ °. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁‧₊˚ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁˖°✧

✧˖ °. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁‧₊˚ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁˖°✧

-Dutch Grand Prix-

"Plan A, Y/n. Plan A," your race engineer said to you on the radio.

"What about plan C? I think it will work," you responded.

"Uhm, as of right now we don't want to risk your position, so plan A, Y/n, plan A." they spoke softly.

"I can hold the tires, I swear. We're already at the back of the pack, we have nothing to lose."

"I think that's the first time I've heard a driver try to argue their way out of the main strategy," Crofty laughed on the broadcast.

"Box, Y/n. Box."

You sighed, thinking you've reached your defeat. You pulled into your pit box and noticed the green ring on the tires.

They're putting you on inters.

They're following your strategy.

You clicked the radio button back on, "Thank you," you screamed to your team.

You were briefed with everything a few days ago, but you couldn't help but come up with your own plan after getting the weather report for the weekend.

The rain was about a minute away now and you begged the team to put you on intermediate tires right at this time. You knew it would be difficult to drive on a barley damp track like this, but if it worked you could be looking at a podium.

You only had to drive a single lap before it started pouring and your plan payed off. Almost the entire grid struggled with their dry tires in the new track conditions, giving you time to create a lead as they had to slow down and pit.

Every lap you completed as race leader made you more anxious than the last. You held your breath as you reached the last corner of the last lap, vaguely able to see the chequered flag. Tears filled your eyes as you crossed the finish line in P1, the Williams garage being shown on the big screen sprinting out to congratulate you.

-

Before you had the chance to jump into the arms of your team, Oscar was running up to you. He picked you up and pressed his soft lips to yours right in front of the cameras. You smiled into the kiss, happy tears still streaming down your cheeks.

He pulled you into a tight hug, "I'm so proud of you. I love you so much," he mumbled into your hair.

"I love you too, Osc." you laughed through your crying.

He pulled away, cupping your face in his hands, and kissing your forehead. You smiled as he wiped your cheeks with his thumbs.

"So... instead of us interacting with each other online to keep our relationship private, you decide to make out with me in public?"

Oscar laughed and hugged you again, "Just enjoy the moment.”

✧˖ °. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁‧₊˚ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁˖°✧

liked by kimiraikkonen, sebastianvettel, williamsracing, and 6,394,625 more

F1 Y/n L/n makes history as the first woman to win an F1 Grand Prix and the first win for Williams since 2012. Well done 👏

view comments

yourusername fact is walter white james vowles couldn't have done it without me 🗣️

georgerussell63 so true 🔥

logansargeant LETS FUCKING GOOOO

yourusername RAHHHH

susie_wolff I'm so proud of you 💗

yourusername <3

user7 the way susie was recording her on the podium like a proud mom :')

user8 ROOKIE WIN

user4 🐐🐐

lewishamilton @/yourusername incredible drive today. congrats on the win, it was well deserved

yourusername tysm lew 🫶

jensonbutton thats literally my daughter

youruseranme DAD 🫂

user3 I thought she was supposed to be Toto's daughter...

user6 @/user3 toto, lewis, nico, jenson──they're all related one way or another

user2 family tree is a wreath

mercedesamgf1 all hail queen y/n

user9 y/n to Mercedes 2025 !!!

liked by yourusername, landonorris, logansargeant, and 1,203,284 more

oscarpiastri y/n l/n. my best friend, the love of my life, and a formula 1 grand prix race winner. this is such an incredible achievement and I am so happy for you. I know you are out there inspiring so many young women and I couldn't be prouder. you are the most incredible girlfriend, driver, and person I have ever met. congratulations on the win, you deserve it. I love you ❤️

tagged; @/yourusername

comments are limited

yourusername osccc 🥹 you've been my #1 fanboy since our karting days and I can't thank you enough for all the support you've given me <3 I love you so much

♡ by oscarpiastri

✧˖ °. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁‧₊˚ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁˖°✧

end notes: tysm for reading <3 don’t ask me about the real life mechanics behind the tires bc im obviously not qualified for that 💀 i based that scene off of the strategy i use when i play gran turismo and i see the clouds get grey (it’s never failed me)

[cultfaction]

The Retaliators (featuring Mötley Crue and Papa Roach) is coming to Bluray!

Horror-thriller feature The Retaliators, from Better Noise Films, co-producers of The Dirt, has announced the North American Blu-ray release of their brutal horror-thriller. The acclaimed revenge odyssey inspired by a true story of one woman’s battle for survival, will be available at all major retailers on February 21, 2023. The Retaliators is now available for preorder at Best…

[carsthatnevermadeitetc]

Abarth Scorpione, 1968, by Lombardi. The last car developed by Abarth while it was still an independent company was also one of the last cars made by Carrozzeria Francis Lombardi. Its rear-mounted 982 cc Abarth 1000 OT-engine gave the car a marked rear weight bias, made even worse by the 1300cc version. After Abarth was taken over by Fiat in 1971, the Scorpione was quickly cancelled.

[astonmartingf]

BEST OF INTERVIEWS: KATARINA LOMBARDI (WILLIAMS MERCEDES)

LICENSE TO DRIVE ; f1 driver!oc x platonic! f1 grid

. . . best interview moments with katarina during her time in williams mercedes (2016)

"How are you feeling? The star of the Australian Grand Prix. Points on debut, with P5, what an impressive start!"

Katarina smiles feeling giddy, "I wasn't really expecting anything, we were just told to score points, I started at P16 and when my race engineers told me I was in P10 it was already a lot of places, I overtook a lot, and then my engineer kept saying P9, P7, and I was trying to keep the pace, keep the tyres from degrading. And defending the position, in the end I'm glad we picked up a few more points with P5 and P8."

"Are you hoping for the same results in the following races?"

Katarina smiles thinking to herself, "Hopefully, as long as we score points we'll have a chance. The grid is very competitive this year, so any chance to pick up points in a consistent manner is always valuable to the team."

. . . 🏁🍒🏎️

"Katarina, how do you feel your rookie season is going? Are you ready to beat the records?"

"Thank you, I'm feeling fine, ready to race, it's a lot of fun, definitely." Her optimistic statement causes Sebastian to laugh next to her.

"Only she would find this fun, don't worry in your second year, you'll feel it coming to you." Max added, leaving Katarina shocked.

"Why would you say that Maxpen? It was one season,  now you're acting like we aren't the same age. Is this the F1 effect?"

"Is it different from what you're used to?" Seb whispers from her right side.

"I mean, in comparison to Endurance Racing, it is a bit shorter, the stints. So maybe that's why I'm having fun. It's all new to me, and different from what I'm used to."

The other drivers in the conference nod their heads in understanding. "What do you think is easier? Formula One or Endurance Racing?"

This time Katarina paused and thought for a moment, "Wait... I don't think I'm qualified to compare both, I drove in a different class from the hypercars. I think part of the reason I'm enjoying it is because of the speed, I don't think it's the same as the Pro Class."

"Have you seen Mark? You race for the same team right?" Sebastian asks the younger female driver.

"I remember, it was amazing to witness that, seeing him win. I was so happy for the team." Katarina reminisces of her time in the WEC racing in the same team alongside Mark Webber.

"You're acting like you didn't win in your own class. You had an outstanding debut in WEC, I don't think she needs another outstanding debut in Formula One." Max teases Katarina from the other side of the panel.

"You should've joined me in Endurance Racing then." Katarina shrugs Max off, leaving the press and drivers laughing.

. . . 🏁🍒🏎️

"Katarina, congratulations on your first podium. After six races, you reached P3— how are you feeling?"

"I mean P3... I'm happy. I couldn't stop smiling, I think if we do things properly then things will get better." Katarina looks around smiling next to Lewis and Seb.

"It was close there— the race for the third."

Katarina nods her head in agreement, "Lewis and Seb were so fast, I don't think I could get P2, but I had to defend with Max, he was behind me and I kept checking my mirror to see him."

"I saw in the cooldown room, they were properly racing, Kat and Max— those were some good defenses." Seb adds, nodding his head towards Katarina.

"It feels like Formula 2 again, definitely happy I got the podium."

. . . 🏁🍒🏎️

"How does it feel to be racing in Formula One, here at Monza?" It was Katarina's first time racing back in her hometown since her F2 days.

"Frankly it still feels like home to me, this is my first time racing back and this is the region I grew up in. I'm excited to see how things go and hopefully we can score points and maybe get a podium, we'll see. Thank you." Katarina waves bye to the report before moving on to the next.

"Are you feeling the pressure here in Monza? Despite racing for the Finnish flag, this is your home race, how did that come to be?"

"I'm feeling excited, there's a lot of talk about me saying this is my home race. I still think it's only right for me to call this my home race, I do have a permanent address here, I grew up here— there's a lot of misconception about why I race for the Finnish flag despite my last name being Italian. I'm proud to be racing for the Finnish flag because of my mother who also was a racing driver, especially since I take my father's last name. At the end of the day I'm making my family proud whether I race for Finland or Italy so it doesn't matter too much what they think I should race for."

. . . 🏁🍒🏎️

"We heard that you're a big fan of Kimi Raikkonen, is that true Katarina?"

Katarina looks back and forth with the cameras in disbelief, "Where did you get that?"

One of the staff shows a video of Katarina as a child crying, wearing a Ferrari shirt with Kimi's name. Katarina laughs seeing herself, wondering where the staff found these.

"Who? Did my parents send this video? Oh nooo, I was so young. This is 2007 right?" Katarina smiles as she watches herself jumping down with tears falling down her eyes.

"I always watched Kimi when I was young, he was just like me, my mother knew him so when I was young I was just supporting who they liked. But when he moved to Ferrari I felt seen.  When he won, I cried and yes, that is true— if the mood was right I would cry again, but I won't do that here so I'll just shut up."

The staff laughs behind the camera, as Katarina reveals a snippet of her life. "It's cute though... I think Kimi will love hearing about this story. Does Kimi know about this?"

Katarina squirms in her seat, nose twitching in embarrassment— "I think my parents told Kimi immediately after it happened. I don't remember but they constantly teased me about it."

. . . 🏁🍒🏎️

"Despite not being able to finish the race, you managed P7 in the WDC. How are you feeling?"

The fireworks in Yas Marina Circuit were still ongoing, despite the race ending a few minutes ago. Most drivers are doing interviews or in their team garages celebrating. Katarina however, still stuck on interviews.

"The DNF is sad, but the team told me to stop if I can't keep going on, the conditions are absolutely hard, and for my first time here that was an expected outcome. For the P7... I didn't expect that. We were waiting for the race to finish to know where we stand, and after finding out we're completely happy. It's a good result, there are many competitive cars and finishing P7 and P8 is good."

"There are rumors of you moving teams next year, are you allowed to say anything? Or is the team keeping it up for wraps?"

Katarina smiles mischievously, giggling to herself, "I don't know... Maybe you'll find out during the break what happens then. Where am I driving? We'll find out, I mean I know... you don't know so."

"You're going to tease us then?" The interviewer presses, hoping for more answers but Katarina laughs in reply.

"It'll be out sooner than later, you'll know during the break."

"Okay, keeping a tight lip on the move. We'll look forward to where you'll be driving next year. Enjoy your break!"

Katarina smiles waving at the camera, "Bye, thank you so much! See you next season."

[agendabymooner]

his family and her lover ! george r. x ofc (alessandro sister!fashion designer!ofc)

summary: the people who criticized her seemed to have forgotten that she was a mother first and george russell’s older girlfriend second. OR the british mercedes driver already embraced his role as her children’s father the moment he met them and while everyone’s talking about it, nora alessandro’s more than okay with that.

content warning: use of explicit language, mentions of past emotionally abusive marriage (nothing graphic) misogyny, fluff, stepdad!george = dad!george, single mom!ofc, h8rs gonna h8, five year age gap, just a series of posts from dad!george, intro to nora alessandro (ofc)

note: if we can easily bag a driver could you just imagine being able to bag arthur leclerc? he’s only four years my senior. anyways, i hope you like this george russell post because i’ve been holding off on it for hecking weeks.

masterlist

THE FAST LANE DAILY

NORA ALESSANDRO: A FASHION WEEK DEBUT EMPOWERING WOMEN AND DEFYING STEREOTYPES

in the world of fashion, there are stories that go beyond the glitz and glamour of the runway. one such story is that of kara eleanora alessandro, affectionately known as nora. at the age of 32, nora recently hosted her first fashion week show, marking a significant milestone in her journey as a fashion designer. this article delves into nora's inspiring story of resilience, empowerment, and her commitment to promoting feminism and individuality through her clothing brand, karanora.

from boutiques to fashion week

nora's path to fashion week was not an easy one. for a decade, she tirelessly ran two boutiques in milan and tuscany, dreaming of becoming a successful fashion designer. along the way, she faced personal challenges, including a divorce and a custody battle for her two children. nora's unwavering determination, coupled with the support of her family, helped her overcome these obstacles.

a new beginning in london

when the opportunity finally arose, nora seized it and moved to london with her children. it was in this vibrant city that she established her business headquarters for karanora, a clothing brand that would soon capture the attention of fashion enthusiasts. despite being based in the uk, nora's italian roots remained an integral part of her brand's identity.

breaking stereotypes with suits

nora's first clothing collection showcased suits and three-piece ensembles designed for everyone, with a particular emphasis on empowering women. this collection held a personal significance for nora, as she had been discouraged from wearing suits by her ex-husband, who deemed them too masculine for her. through her designs, nora aimed to challenge societal norms and promote the freedom of self-expression.

a powerful fashion show

nora's debut fashion show was an emotional and empowering event. in her speech, she shared the inspiration behind her collection, expressing her desire for her children to grow up with the freedom to express themselves through their clothing choices. her words resonated with the audience, highlighting the importance of feminism and individuality.

support from the f1 community

nora's connection to the f1 community added an extra layer of significance to her fashion show. notable figures, including her brother-in-law, f1 driver daniel ricciardo, were in attendance. some f1 drivers even wore customized and tailored clothing from karanora. among the guests was f1 mercedes driver george russell, who had been dating nora for two years. george proudly wore a suit personally crafted by nora, showcasing his support for her brand and her vision.

navigating controversy

unfortunately, nora's newfound success was met with criticism from her ex-husband, martin lombardi, a low-level celebrity in italy. lombardi expressed disapproval of nora's choices, including her decision to move the children to the uk and her relationship with george russell. however, george remained unfazed by the comments, emphasizing that nora had been the sole parent to their children before he entered their lives. he spoke of his admiration for nora's hard work and dedication to her brand and family.

nora alessandro's journey from running boutiques in italy to hosting her first fashion week show in london is a testament to her resilience and determination. through her brand, karanora, nora promotes feminism, individuality, and the freedom to express oneself through fashion. her debut fashion show was a powerful statement, inspiring women and challenging societal stereotypes. with the support of her loved ones and the f1 community, nora continues to make her mark in the fashion industry, empowering others to embrace their true selves.

tagged nora_alessandro

liked by danielricciardo, landonorris, oscarpiastri

user1 cr*dle robber 🤢

user2 she’s giving gold digger ngl

user3 a girlfriend with two kids? yeah she’s def tryna get that bag

user4 best nora content ever ❤️🥰

user5 miiiiilf 😩

landonorris i’m surprised she lasted longer with you 😕 liked by georgerussell63

georgerussell63 a simple congratulations would’ve sufficed but thank you lando!

danielricciardo ok maybe occasionally you’re my favourite brit. happy anniversary to you two! liked by georgerussell63

georgerussell63 something nice? loricciardo your husband must have a fever

danielricciardo i take it back 😒 there’s a reason why lando is beau’s godfather

colabebe soooo sweet!!! 😍😍 happy anniversary georgie porgie and nora!!! liked by georgerussell63

nora_alessandro grazie, mia cara! non consiglierei di chiamarlo così perché lo odia e izzie ha l'abitudine di copiare le parole di sua zia 🤣❤️ i wouldn’t recommend calling him that because he hates it and izzie has a bad habit of copying her aunt’s words. liked by georgerussell63

georgerussell63 yes i beg of you not to call me that in person. it took izzie a while to call me daddy SO PLEASE don’t call me that

landonorris ok georgie porgie 🤣

georgerussell63 you’re not invited in our house anymore landonorris

loricciardo happy anniversary george and nora!!! ❤️❤️ liked by georgerussell63

georgerussell63 thank you lo! hope to see you and beau soon! ❤️

nora_alessandro happy anniversary to you, mio caro 🥰 thank you so much for the love you’re giving me and the love you have for the kids ❤️❤️ gabby and izzie loves you soooo much!!! liked by georgerussell63

georgerussell63 happy anniversary my love ❤️ i’m so glad to have you and our kids

georgerussell63 posted a story!

tagged nora_alessandro

liked by danielricciardo, landonorris, mateoales

user1 PRINCE GEORGE?!

user2 when prince george finally became a thing 😩

user3 girl it’s been a thing… remember the royal family?

user4 this post literally screams “izzie is daddy’s favourite” and i love it ❤️

user5 george loves these kids sm like nobody’s boyfriend would spend shitloads of money just so their gf’s daughter could have the party she wants

user6 as of this point he might as well just adopt them in papers 😭😭 i love this family sm

danielricciardo sick party lad ✊ liked by georgerussell63

georgerussell63 it probably didn’t help that we had too much gelato that ruined our diets but thank you mate! my partner in crime did really good with designing the party itself

landonorris how you’ve managed to pull this off in two weeks is mind blowing 🤯 liked by georgerussell63

alex_albon lando, lad, he literally makes powerpoint presentations. if he can make a 20 slide presentation in one night he can get in call with those event planning people about the pumpkin carriage rental 😌 liked by georgerussell63

georgerussell63 glad to know one of you has a faith in me, at least 😕

loricciardo if this is how you plan izzie’s party i can’t imagine how you’ll plan gabby’s 🥰👀 liked by georgerussell63

georgerussell63 gabby wants rockets and space 😁😁 i’ve been trying to get a quote from the same people who organized izzie’s birthday party. it’s an exciting time for me

loricciardo planning out your kids’ parties? i can tell you’re having fun with the organizing 🤣

georgerussell63 nobody can plan their parties better than their daddy 😎

nora_alessandro she really loved her party tesoro 💙💙 liked by georgerussell63

georgerussell63 i’m glad she does 😍 she’s my little princess after all 💙

user6 dilf george really makes me want to get on my knees and tie my hair up ngl 😩🤤

user7 that’s just your daddy issues talking lol

BONUS !!!

PS nora and george’s kids:

gabriele theodore ‘gabby’ alessandro

maris henrietta ‘izzie’ alessandro

[chibrary]

ARTICLE: AS A ROOKIE IN THE SHIFTER CLASS (AT 15 YEARS OF AGE) HE WON THE WINTER CUP… WITH A FEVER! (2022)

source: mattia livraghi, tkart series: karting, 2013

Among the classes of international karting there is one that represents the arrival point in the career of a professional kart driver: KZ. First it was called Formula C, then KZ1, but the name matters little, the essence is that we are talking about the top class, in which super experts race, even at 20-30 years of age. People who have practically nothing more to learn and who by profession demolish the new recruits, the rookies, until these, based on many overtakings and after a lot of competitions, cut their teeth and enter by right, in turn, in this small circle of drivers who are referred to as "the senators". But every now and then, to tell the truth, very rarely, particular rookies appear on the karting scene capable of overturning this practice. As in 2013, when in the opening round of the season, the Winter Cup at the South Garda Karting in Lonato, a teenager from Monte carlo showed up who, despite being physically KO, decided that certain habits ... were not his cup of tea.

It is 17 February 2013 and it is cold, as it should be on a winter Sunday when you are near Brescia, precisely at South Garda Karting in Lonato, for the Winter Cup. KZ was not scheduled for that weekend, so all the top drivers of the premier class poured into KZ2, which had something like 70 entrants. Among these, names that have marked or would go on to mark the history of karting: Davide Forè, Marco Ardigò, Paolo De Conto, Arnaud Kozlinski, Bas Lammers, Anthony Abbasse, Ben Hanley, Patrik Hajek, Roberto Toninelli, Fabian Federer, Yannick de Brabander, Flavio Camponeschi and Rick Dreezen, just to name a few in no particular order. However, there was also a boy from Monte Carlo born in 1997. His name is Charles Leclerc and he had already made himself known globally for his excellent results (above all by winning the 2011 CIK-FIA World Cup in KF3, the junior class of single speed karts at that time) in the other classes in which he competed. After a 2012 in KF2 (the year in which the now famous long-distance bickering with Max Verstappen occured, which we talk about in the article "Editorial - Leclerc vs Verstappen: the true story of the first clash in the days of karting"), his manager and Charles's team manager decided that the time had come for him to gain experience with "the seniors", in KZ and KZ2.

Charles did not hold back. To the contrary: "He was very motivated and eager to start his journey in shifter karts - Marco Lombardi told us, his mechanic in ART Grand Prix, the brand and the team for which Leclerc was racing at the time, also because he always wanted a more performing vehicle. He was thrilled to have the sensation of feeling closer to racing cars”. Leclerc had his first race ever in a shifter kart two weeks before the Winter Cup, in Muro Leccese, on the occasion of the first round of the WSK Master Series, where he finished in sixth position. His team manager Armando Filini, a historical face in karting, as well as one of the best chassis builders in the sector, was not that surprised by the disarming naturalness with which the young driver form Monte Carlo took his first steps in the new class: "I have known him since he was little, because Jules (Bianchi, editor's note) was his mechanic in France in the MINI class and brought him to me in Maranello Kart for his debut in the Junior class. Charles was very smart: he quickly adapted to everything. At any race he participated in, with any type of tyre, there was no need to spend a lot of time studying the track or anything else: he was already racing strongly at 90%, so it was much easier to get good results with him."But it's the difficulties that make certain stories worth telling.

Charles Leclerc heads to the track together with his mechanic Marco Lombardi.

Leclerc talks to Lombardi and Piergiorgio Ballarini, another mechanic who was working with him at the time, while he is leaning on his kart (ART GP - TM Racing), just outside the ART Grand Prix team tent.

Do you think that the Winter Cup, in the rookie class, could represent a fairly intense and arduous challenge? You would be wrong. In fact, another factor complicates things for Leclerc, the absolute co-protagonist of this story: a fever. That's right, Charles Leclerc showed up at the Winter Cup with a 39°C fever. "From the first days it was clear that he was not in great shape and from Friday he was not at all well", admits Lombardi. “He had flu and was physically weak. At the end of the day, after having raced, he was completely down and out”. A physical condition for which most mere mortals would stay in bed to rest, the most daring, perhaps, on the sofa watching TV. Instead, the fifteen-year-old from Monte Carlo was on the bends of a kart track taming a vehicle with a weight/power ratio comparable to that of the best road supercars. But on one condition: "I told him, Lombardi remembers, 'Look, if you have a high fever, at least skip the last free practice session', but he replied with an endless series of 'No'. He wanted to get on the kart and race to the last, regardless of everything". In the end, a short trip to the pharmacy, accompanied by the engineer of the ART Grand Prix, to buy some medicines was a must. But the real therapy for Charles seems to be another, as Lombardi explains: "When driving adrenaline kicked in, it was so intense that it gave the impression that his fever had passed". This allowed the young driver form Monte Carlo to work at it and improve during free practices: “His driving was quite clean. The problem arose when the track was a bit more slippery, like in the early rounds and he, despite this, wanted to see the time, even if the track was 'slow'. He complained if they gave him two tenths, not considering that there were more experienced drivers who knew how to adapt better to those conditions".

Leclerc laughs with Lombardi before entering the track.

Leclerc celebrates, together with Lombardi, the success he achieved, with a fever, at the 2013 Winter Cup.

It goes without saying that when Charles sets the 11th best time in the qualifiers, with his TM Racing powered ART GP, he was anything but satisfied: "He had suffered at the beginning because the track was was not rubberizing quickly and he loved grip", explains Marco. "He was a driver who tended to always keep his foot down, so in the first races in KZ he found himself in difficulty in slippery track conditions: he forced too much and wore the tyres a lot". But Charles does not lose heart: “he was demoralized, continues Lombardi, but he motivated himself as soon as he got back on the kart the following morning. When he was unable to do something, he was even more motivated and in any case it was enough to explain things to him once: he immediately took everything literally and put it into practice". In fact, Charles performed very well in the various heats, winning a second place as the best result and climbing up to eighth place in the general rankings. Thanks to his driving style, more and more effective with an increasingly rubberized track, and to excellent teamwork, Leclerc continued to progress and, as the weekend continued, managed to take fifth position in the pre-final. Marco Lombardi recalls that he “always earned at least one or two positions at the start. It helped to have the driver in front as a reference point, which always pushed him to say: 'I have to go and get him, I have to overtake him". While the performances on the track improved, the same cannot be said of Leclerc’s physical conditions, still with flu and feverish.

In fact, on the day of the final, looking at his face, which was pale and suffering during the parade of the drivers, anything could be predicted except what would actually happen. Charles still managed to stay calm on the starting grid: "I always told him, Marco says, 'You already have a heavy foot, but in the race you have to use your head, especially when overtaking: study your opponent, identify the right moment to pass and be firm. Don't pretend, because if they take advantage of the driver behind and, with him, the group following him, five of them will take you". In short, a fifteen-year-old in a cage of lions: Leclerc dashed from the third row, while the first was occupied by his teammate Ben Hanley and the Birel De Conto standard bearer. “We had more of a chance with Hanley, admits Armando Filini. “With Charles we still didn't have the certainty of the final, we didn't know how he could behave over the duration”. Only a phenomenon can surprise even a long-time karting figure such as Filini, who had already seen it all… But he could not have imagined what he was to witness that day. Ready, go and already the first surprise: the driver from Monte Carlo darted off and, overtaking the entire row in front of him, moved into third position. The spectators were almost stunned seeing that cat-like leap and Armando reveals that it was not only Charles' skill that allows him to do certain things, but also his attitude: "When he had his teammate in front of him, he had to go and get him, even at the cost of trampling over others".

Ever since the traffic lights went out, the race was of an incredible sporting intensity. However, after an excellent start, Leclerc seemed to be in trouble: in fact, he was overtaken first by Ardigò and then by Forè. However, the driver form Monte Carlo maintained an impressive coolness and was not intimidated, even when he happened to miss a gear and risk being "devoured" by those behind him. "It was difficult to give him advice", Armando specifies. "He was very instinctive, so we also let him do his thing a little bit. Especially because he was a youngster and you couldn't think that he already had the mentality of a 30-year-old professional". Charles still asserted himself in the midst of more experienced and titled drivers, so much so that he took back third position towards the middle of the race, thanks to two masterpiece manoeuvers: the first against Forè, the second against Ardigò (two multiple world champions). Leclerc thus found himself in the wake of his teammate, who in turn was staying very close to the leader De Conto, but a few laps from the end Forè tried another attack on the driver from Monte Carlo and went far forwards, hitting Charles. Ardigò took the opportunity to overtake and the young driver of the ART Grand Prix team returned to fourth position, also losing some ground against his rivals in the lead. When the chequered flag was just around the corner, in a situation like this and in a class like KZ, most people would naturally throw in the towel and accept that the gap with the podium was now unbridgeable, especially if they then suffer a "blow" like this as a fifteen year old, in his second experience in the highest class of karting, with a 39°C fever.

The helmet that Leclerc used at the 2013 KZ world championship and with which he became vice world champion. Charles gave it to Lombardi, autographing it and referring to the nickname that Marco gave him: “Sgrintela”, which means “lizard”. The driver for Monte Carlo made a small mistake and wrote "Sgrintera".

Instead, Leclerc still managed to amaze. A few metres to make sure there was no damage and the driver from Monte Carlo went back to pushing himself, without being discouraged: "I had five or six drivers like Leclerc, including Bianchi, Barnicoat, Harvey and Hanley, but in my opinion Charles was the one who was hungrier, he wanted to achieve results as soon as possible”, Armando reveals. "The others had a little patience: they knew they had to learn and were aware that sometimes someone else could simply be faster and therefore there was little to do. On the contrary, he refused this possibility. Even when he knew that drivers from other teams were more incisive on a certain circuit, he had to find something to stay ahead. With this goal, therefore, he tormented everyone: me for the chassis, Franco Drudi of TM Racing for the engines and the telemetry operator. He was obsessed”. And Leclerc proved this determination precisely in the last rounds of that Winter Cup. In fact, the driver from Monte Carlo firstly got back into third position, taking advantage of a spin by Ardigò, caused by a rear-end collision by De Conto. Then, following a contact between De Conto and Hanley for the leadership of the race, he managed to overtake his teammate thanks to an extremely shrewd manoeuver: after receiving a body blow, Hanley was forced to widen and Charles dived right into that space: “It was a crucial moment of the race, he managed to take advantage of it (taking second place behind De Conto, editor's note) without coming into contact with anyone.

However, he then began to have some fears," admits Marco. The driver born in 1997 was one step away from completing an unthinkable feat and it was natural that even he would be a bit insecure: "He kept looking back, watching who was chasing him and I kept signalling him to look forwards" . But in the end Leclerc kept up the pressure and crossed the finish line in second position. The young driver from Monte Carlo let loose his joy, while the spectators started rubbing their eyes to understand if what they had seen was true: "I knew he could do well right from the start, but I honestly wasn't expecting a podium and it surprised me" Lombardi confides. “He didn't expect it either, considering the fever problem too. But he never gave up, he gave 100% to the last. He had gained confidence in seeing himself improve constantly over the course of the weekend and in the final he drove with a knife between his teeth”. A great effort that deserved a great prize. If, in fact, Charles was already enthusiastic about the silver medal and having kept his expert teammate behind him, the icing on the cake came when, after the award ceremony, he learned that De Conto had been given a penalty of five seconds for his manoeuver on Ardigò.

Leclerc thus inherited the victory and was over the moon: "he was really happy and didn't even seem sick anymore" remembers Marco. "It was his first really important race in shifter karts and there were all the drivers participating in the world championship. That Sunday evening, he had so much adrenaline in his body that he wanted to stay and eat with us, but at a certain point his father told him that it was time to go home". As a winner.

[cincinnatusvirtue]

Countries that are no more: Republic of Venice (697AD-1797AD)

The first in a series I hope to feature on providing high level overviews of countries that existed and were influential to history or obscure and lost to most memory in time. The first up is the Republic of Venice.

Name: Serenisma Republega de Venesia (Venetian). In English this translates to the state's official name The Most Serene Republic of Venice. Also referred to as the Venetian Republic, Republic of Venice or just Venice.

Language: The official languages were the Romance languages of Latin, Venetian & later Italian. The regional dialect of Vulgar Latin in Northeastern Italy known as Veneto was the original language of Venice. This evolved in Venetian which was attested to as a distinct language as early as the 13th century AD. Venetian became the official language and lingua franca of the everyday Venetians and across parts of the Mediterranean although Latin would still be used in official documents and religious functions. Overtime, modern Italian was spoken in Venice though the Venetian language remains technically a separate language in Italy's Veneto region and the surrounding areas to this day.

Minority languages across the republic's territory included various Romance languages such as Lombard, Friulian, Ladin, Dalmatian and non-romance languages such as Albanian, Greek & Serbo-Croatian.

Territory: The republic was centered on the city of Venice founded in the Venetian lagoon on the north end of the Adriatic Sea to the northeast coast of the Italian peninsula. It also included the surrounding regions of mainland northeast Italy in the regions of Veneto and Friuli and parts of Lombardy. This became known as the terraferma or the mainland holdings of the republic. It also possessed overseas holdings in modern day Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece & Cyprus.

Symbols & Mottos: The main symbol of Venice was its flag which had the famed Winged Lion of St. Mark. This represented the republic's patron saint, St. Mark. Mark the Evangelist after whom the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament in the Bible is named. Mark's body and holy relics were taken by Venice and said to be housed in the Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark's Basilica) in Venice itself. Variations of this flag differed during times of peace & war. During peace the winged lion is seen holding an open book and during war flags depicted the lion with its paw upon a bible and an upright sword held in another paw.

The republic's motto in Latin was "Pax tibi Marce, evangelista meus" or in English "Peace be to you Mark, my evangelist."

Religion: Roman Catholicism was the official religion of the state but Venice did have minorities of Eastern Orthodox & Protestant (usually foreign) Christian denominations at times in its territory and it also had small populations of Jews and Muslims to be found in Greek and Albanian territories during the wars with the Ottoman Empire.

Currency: Venetian ducat and later the Venetian lira.

Population: Though population varied overtime for the republic due to a variety of factors such as war & changing territory and disease & its subsequent effects. There was rough population recorded of 2.3 million people across all of its holdings in the mid sixteenth century (circa 1550-1560). The vast majority of its population was found in the terraferma of northern Italy and the city of Venice itself with its concentrated population on the islands within the Venetian Lagoon. The Greek island of Crete and the island of (Greek speaking) Cyprus were the most populous overseas possessions of the republic's territory. The rest of the population was found its various holdings in the Balkans mostly along the Adriatic coastline.

Government: The republic followed a complex mixed model of government. Essentially it could be characterized as a mixed parliamentary constitutional republic with a mercantile oligarchy ruling over it in practice. It had no formal written constitution, and this led to a degree of evolution without exactly defined roles often in reaction to happenings in its history. The resulting government became more complex overtime as institutions became increasingly fragmented in their size, scope and duties, some almost obsolete but still retained and others not fully defined. Yet, the republic managed to function quite well for most of its history. It incorporated elements of oligarchy, monarchy & limited democracy.

It's head of state and government was known as the Doge which is akin to the term of Duke. Though this similarity of name ends there. The Doge was neither similar to a duke in the modern sense nor was it meant as a hereditary position. The doge was rather a lifetime appointment much like the Pope for the Roman Catholic Church. Furthermore, doges were elected by the ruling elite of Venice, namely its wealthy oligarchy merchant class. The doge didn't have well defined & precise powers throughout the republic's 1,100-year history. It varied from great autocracy in the early parts of the republic to increasing regulation and restriction by the late 13th century onward. Though the doge always maintained a symbolic and ceremonial role throughout the republic's history. Some doges were forcibly removed from power and post-1268 until a new doge could be elected, the republic's rule transferred to the most senior ducal counsellor with the style of "vicedoge". After a doge's death following a commission was formed to study the doge's life and review it for moral and ethical transgressions and placed judgment upon him posthumously. If the commission found the deceased doge to have transgressed, his estate could be found liable and subject to fines. The doge was given plenty of ceremonial roles such as heading the symbolic marriage of Venice to the sea by casting a marriage ring into the sea from the doge's barge (similar to a royal yacht). Additionally, the doge was treated in foreign relations akin to a prince. It's titles and styles include "My Lord the Doge", "Most Serene Prince" and "His Serenity". The doge resided in the ducal palace (Palazzo Ducale) or Doge's Palace on the lagoonfront in Venice next St. Mark's Basilica and St. Mark's Square.

While the doge remained the symbolic and nominal head of the government, the oligarchy remained supreme overall. The supreme political organ was the 480-member Great Council. This assembly elected many of the office holders within the republic (including the doge) and the various senior councils tasked with administration, passing laws and judicial oversight. The Great Council's membership post 1297 was restricted to an inheritance by members of the patrician elite of the city of Venice's most noble families recorded in the famed Golden Book. This was divided between the old houses of the republic's earliest days and newer mercantile families if their fortunes should attain them property ownership and wealth. These families usually ranged between 20-30 total. They were socially forbidden from marrying outside their class & usually intermarried for political and economic reasons. Their economic concerns were chief to the whole of the republic and most centered on Eurasian & African trade throughout the Mediterranean Sea's basin. Members of these families served in the military and eventually rose to prominent positions of administration throughout the republic.

The Great Council overtime circumscribed the doge's power by creating councils devoted to oversight of the doge or executive and administrative functions (similar to modern executive cabinets or departments) whereas the doge became more and more a ceremonial role. The also created a senate which handled daily legislation. They also created a Council of Ten set to have authority over all government action. Other bodies were formed from this Great Council and others overtime. This resulted in intricate and overlapping yet separate bodies which found themselves subject to limitations with various checks on virtually each other's power. Essentially running as committees or sub-committees with checks on another committee's powers. These bodies weren't always completely defined in their scope and overtime their complexity led to battles to limit other's power (with limited success) along with gradual obsolescence and sometimes slow grinding administration.

Military: The military of Venice consisted of a relatively small army and a powerful navy. The famed Venetian Arsenal in Venice proper was essentially a complex of armories and shipyards to build and arm Venice's navy. The arsenal in Venice has the capacity to mass produce ships and weapons in the Middle Ages, centuries before the Industrial Revolution allowed for modern mass production in economic and military applications. Venice's military was designed towards protecting it possessions both in Italy and its overseas territories. The primary concern was to secure Venice's trade routes to the rest of Europe as well as Asia & Africa. It faced opponents' overtime ranging from the Franks, the Byzantine Empire, Bulgarians to other Italian city-states, France, Austria, the Ottoman Empire and Barbary Corsairs along with European pirates in the Adriatic and Mediterranean. It played key roles as a naval transport in other powers including throughout the Crusades. It also played a key role in the infamous Fourth Crusade which culminated in the Sack of Constantinople in 1204 AD, an event which fractured the Byzantine Empire into a half-century of civil war between successor states before a weakened revival in the mid 13th century. The Byzantine Empire would linger until the 15th century when the Ottoman Empire finally conquered its last remaining portions. Many attribute this loss to in part to its weakness still resulting from that 1204 sack lead by Venice. The Venetian military would exist until the republic's end when The French Republic's Army of Italy under Napoleon Bonaparte conquered the republic, a conquest in which the Venetians surrendered without a proper fight.

Economy: Venice's economy was based largely in trade. Namely control over the salt trade. Venice was to control salt (preservative of food) production and trade throughout the Mediterranean. It also traded in commodities associated with the salt trade routes to Eurasia and Africa. These commodities could include other foodstuffs (grains, meats & cheeses), textiles & glassware among other items.

Lifespan: 697AD-1797AD. Though the exact founding of Venice itself hasn't been determined. It is traditionally said to have taken place in the year 421 AD. At a time when Roman citizens in northeast Italy were escaping waves of Germanic & Hunnic barbarian invasions that contributed to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. The going theory is that these Romans evaded barbarian attacks by building their homes in the Venetian Lagoon by hammering wood stakes to form a foundation which sunk into the muddy shallows and petrified. Upon which they built their homes and created a cityscape marked by streets and canals interlaced. Venice remained a community of fishermen and merchants and was nominally under the control of the surviving Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire). It avoided barbarians overrunning the land but also was removed enough from Constantinople that it was relatively autonomous and became strategically important as a port. Other islands in the lagoon also banded together with Venice in a loose confederation of sorts by the 6th and 7th centuries which increased economic productivity and security for the city. The first doge was said to have been elected in 697 AD under the name Paolo Lucio Anafesto, though there is dispute about his historicity. Anafesto supposedly ruled until 717 AD. This is traditionally regarded as the foundation of the Republic of Venice.

Venice's third doge was Orso Ipato who reigned from 726-737 and he is the first undisputed historically recorded doge whose existence was confirmed. Orso also known as Ursus was known to strengthen the city's navy and army to protect it from the Lombard Germanic invaders who had overrun and ruled Italy by that time. Though nominally part of the Byzantine Empire, by 803, the Byzantine Emperors are said to have recognized Venice's de-facto independence. Though this view is disputed somewhat, it nevertheless remained virtually independent until its collapse in 1797.

Venice also partook in the slave trade of non-Christian European populations from Eastern Europe and transferred them to North Africa, selling them to the Arab and Berber (Moors) of the Islamic world.

As the 9th century progressed, the Venetian navy secured the Adriatic and various trade routes by defeating Slavic and Muslim pirates in the region. The Venetians also went onto battle the Normans who settled in southern Italy and Sicily in the 11th century.

Venice provided naval transports for Crusaders from Western Europe starting with the successful First Crusade.

The High Middle Ages (1000AD-1350AD) saw the wealth and expansion Venice increase dramatically. However, over this period Venice gradually came into mixed relations with its former ruler the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire endured corruption, civil war and foreign invasion which saw it alternate between periods of waning power and restored power. Venice provided the Byzantines with an increased naval force when needed and many trading commodities. In exchange for this, Venice was granted trading rights within Byzantine territory and a place within the "Latin Quarter" for Western Europeans in Constantinople. The Byzantine populace though calling themselves "Romans" having taken on the political & cultural institutions of the Roman Empire which lived on in the East long after the Western half's collapse, were in fact mostly Greek by ethnicity, language and culture. Their religion was the Eastern Orthodox or Greek Orthodox branch of Christianity which was often at odds with Roman Catholics of Western Europe. Resentment at the religious and cultural differences along with the economic displacement the Venetians and other Italian merchants from Genoa & Pisa had caused in Constantinople's maritime & financial sectors contributed to the 1182 "Massacre of the Latins" in which the Byzantine Greek majority of the city rioted and slaughtered much of the 60,000 mostly Italian Catholics living within the city. Thousands were also sold into slavery to the Anatolian Seljuk Turks.

This event lingered in Venice's memory as its trade in the city was reduced for awhile. Though trade resumed between the Byzantines and the West again shortly thereafter, the event soured the perception of the Greeks to Western Europeans. This along with a subsequent power struggle for the throne of the Eastern Roman Emperor fell into Venice & Western Crusader's hands in 1202. Looking to originally ferry Western Crusaders to the Levant against the Islamic Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt & Syria. Events transpired that devolved into Venice conspiring under its doge Enrico Dandalo along with other Western leaders and a Byzantine claimant to the throne that resulted in the first successful sacking of Constantinople in 1204. The city was ransacked, some Greek citizens murdered by the Crusaders & classical works of art destroyed or looted (most famously the four bronze horses of St. Marks in Venice) and politically, the Byzantine Empire would be temporarily fractured between competing Greek dynasties while the Crusaders along with Venice created the short-lived Latin Empire, which controlled Constantinople and its environs while Venice also acquired Greek territories which it was to hold for centuries. Venice also came into conflict with the Second Bulgarian Empire at this time as its support of the Latin Empire of Constantinople encroached on the Bulgarian's land. Eventually by the mid 13th century the Latin Empire (never fully stable) collapsed, and the Byzantine Empire was restored until the mid-15th century but forever weakened as a result of the 1204 sacking of its capital.

Venice reached trade deals with the Mongol Empire in 1221. As the century wore on, it also engaged its rival in Western Italy Genoa in some warfare.

The 14th century is generally regarded as Venice at its peak as it faced down Genoa in a number of battles and came to be the most dominant trading power in the Mediterranean, though it was impacted by the Black Death plague. Nevertheless, into the 15th and even 16th centuries, it partook in a number of wars which saw it gain territory on the Italian mainland, establishing its terraferma domain.

By the 16th late 15th and into the 16th century new threats had emerged such as the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman capture of Constantinople in 1453 is seen as the end of the Middle Ages as the last political vestiges of the Roman Empire vanished from the world stage. However, a number of Byzantine Greeks escaped on Italian ships during the conquest of the city and others escaped Greece in subsequent years. These refugees brought with them artistic and cultural heritages that reemphasized the classical forms of Ancient Greece and Rome and lead to the Italian Rennaisance in art & other forms of culture. Ideas which emphasized humanism and spread to elsewhere in Europe overtime.

While there was a cultural flourishing in Venice and elsewhere due to the Rennaisance. There was also the first signs of economic and political decline as well from the 16th century onwards. The Ottoman dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean meant the traditional trade routes to the East were cut off by an often-hostile Muslim power. Additionally, other maritime powers in the West namely Spain & Portugal had recently begun exploring the continents of South & North America and in time France, England & the Netherlands would join in them. This decline in Eastern trade and the newfound trade routes dominated by other European states in the Americas and Asia (by way of rounding Africa) would render trade with Venice gradually obsolete. Venice would still maintain what trade it could in the Mediterranean, but it also focused on production and placed increasing importance on its Italian mainland possessions rather than just its declining position overseas in Greek territories, including the loss of Cyprus to the Ottomans in 1571. Though the Venetian navy with other Christian powers won the notable naval victory against the Ottomans in 1570 at Lepanto.

It was also involved in the Italian Wars between various rival city states and the power struggle between the Papacy, France and the Hapsburg realms of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain.

Other factors that impacted the declining trade in the 17th century included an inability to keep up in the textile trade elsewhere in Europe, closure of the spice trade to all but the Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French and English and the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) which impacted Venice's trade partners.

Ongoing wars including a 21-year siege of Crete by the Ottomans saw further losses. Although Venice partook in the Holy League headed by the Holy Roman Empire (under Hapsburg Austria) which saw some minor temporary gains from the Ottomans in southern Greece before losing them again in the early 18th century.

War and loss of overseas territories along with a stagnant economy was slightly offset by a somewhat strong position in northern Italy. Nevertheless, its maritime fleet was reduced to a mere shadow of its former glory and it found itself sandwiched still between Austria and France. Over the rest of the 18th century, economic stagnation and social stratification remained prevalent while Venice remained in a quiet peace. However, the French Revolution reignited war in Italy and while Venice remained neutral, it would soon get caught up in events.

The Austrians and the Piedmontese (Italian) allies were beaten by the French Republic's Army of Italy headed by an up-and-coming general named Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte and the French army crossed the borders of northern Italy into Venetian neutral territory to pursue the Austrians. Eventually half of Venice's territory was occupied by France and the remainder of the mainland was occupied by Austria. By secret treaty the French and Austrians were to divide the territory between themselves (Venice was consulted in the matter). Bonaparte gave orders to Venetian doge Ludovico Manin to surrender the city to French occupation to which he abdicated his power. The republic's Major Council met one last time to officially declare an end to republic on May 12th, 1797, after 1,100 years. Venice was placed under a provisional government and ironically the French looted Venice stripping it of artworks to grace the Louvre Museum in Paris along with the Arc d'Triomphe, taking the famed four bronze horses of St. Mark's to adorn the triumphal arch in Paris, the very same horses Venice had confiscated from Constantinople in 1204. It was a symbolic end to the republic, the irony of which did not escape commentators at the time. Following Napoleonic France's final defeat in 1815 the horses were returned to Venice and St. Mark's where they remain today. Venice itself was given over to the Austrian Empire.

The Republic of Venice has a historical legacy in terms of its economic accomplishments through control of trade and its innovative mass production of ships, armaments & trade commodities. It also holds a political legacy worthy of study given it was a unique and enduring polity for 1,100 years. One that maintained a complex and at times chaotic form of government that still managed to function and endure for centuries.

[basilone]

#11 mirror - with the Mota character(s) and OC(s) of your choice with the critical question: "Are there any god-chosen in this Mota universe?"

This is the loveliest question, thank you for sending it! 💙 I had a proper little think about this for a while, and I think this POV perhaps works best of all... Colonel Harding, dealing with his roster of god-chosen and a new arrival. For those of you new to this AU, I think that this piece serves well as a lowkey introduction to the idea. You can find a little more info on this particular AU in the pinned post on my blog or in its relevant tag right here.

mirror

COLONEL NEIL B. HARDING

100TH BOMB GROUP

BURN AFTER READING

His thumb lands heavy on the last word. The order stands out stark in red ink, as if to remind him he needs to commit this paper to the flames at his earliest convenience. So classified that its mere existence in writing should always be a temporary thing, committed to memory and nothing else.

Neil inhales sharply. Some of this list is not a surprise. There’s Cleven, near the top, neatly penciled in as Air-chosen. The two lady pilots – Julie Langdon and Christina Heartfield – both carry Home next to their names. There is Truth-chosen Perrault, whose eyes had carried nothing but a steel trap when he’d met her, and John Brady’s careful Balance right below that. And certainly, there are also the known questionmarks between them. Egan’s name carries it, alongside a note that questions Trickster? as if Neil’s supposed to have the answer to that speculation. Rivers’s questionmark is a concern, no matter how often Cleven’s assurance Lot’s all right, sir is said out loud, and he’s not even going to ask about James Douglass anymore.

Then, there are the new additions. The surprises. The things his predecessor had warned about in a neat little note that carried a few blood spatters at its edges. They keep sending god-chosen our way. Some of them barely remember to take their suppressants, while others are so new to it that they form a liability to the crews. I fear their power is too absolute. Their influence too great.

“Rosenthal, was it?” Neil’s fingers itch for a smoke. Or a drink. He has neither. “Name like that,” he says instead, glancing down at the personnel roster to ensure there has not been a mistake, “I would have assumed Water-chosen.”

The man’s mouth quirks up just a little. “Many do, sir. Certainly surprised my family when I chose another.”

“I was told the god does the choosing.” Sunday school. Shepherd’s preachers. All those damn pamphlets about being chosen by a god that’d been distributed at West Point. “Are you trying to tell me now that you’ve all had a choice in turn, Rosenthal?”

“The god chooses first,” says Rosenthal, voice so void of his god’s influence that Neil almost thinks the roster a fluke, “and we accept the choice, or we do not. Most of us say yes at some point.” His eyes crinkle a little. Soften as he nods at the roster. “That will get longer. More detailed. Anyone taken as POW will be numbed by stronger suppressants. My crew is already building its tolerance, sir.”

Neil’s hand tracks the additions beneath Rosenthal’s name. Lewis, Wisdom-chosen. DeBlasio, Air-chosen. Bailey and Boccuzzi, Fate-chosen. Milburn, Fire-chosen… “Tell your bombardier to speak to Lombardi.” He can feel a headache blossom behind his eyes. “She is Fire-chosen too. Serves as bombardier to Benny DeMarco right now. Only thing he complains about is finding scorch marks on his plane post-mission.”

That earns him a good-natured chuckle. “The scorch marks sure sound familiar.” Rosenthal’s fingers drum out a gentle rhythm on the arms of his chair. “I’ll be sure to let Cliff know about Lombardi. Chances are he will find her before I do. Like often recognizes like, sir.”

Opening. Aim. “There is another chosen like you on this base, Rosenthal.”

“The red-haired mechanic down by the hardstands this morning,” comes the immediate response. Score. “Carries favor so loudly that even her two suppressants cannot contain it in full. Enchanting woman, I am sure”– and Rosenthal’s eyes spark with such good humor that Neil almost smiles back –“most especially when she cursed out loud upon seeing me and then managed to apologize to Pappy for her language in the same breath.”

Neil leans back in his seat. Lights the roster on fire with the tip of his cigar. “You two do not seem alike to me, Rosenthal.”

“I imagine not, sir. Sergeant Mayfair and I believe it is like those funhouse mirrors. It is still the same god, but finding different expression in different people. Needing us for different things.”

“So Mayfair is the flirt”– Neil doesn’t feel bad about saying it, not after that smile she threw him while having forgotten her suppressant a week ago –“and the beacon that warms the heart. Friendly face, always a kind word, helps bring our planes home.” He drops the burning roster into the wastepaper bucket Red gave him. Commits the details to memory best he can. “That, I can understand. That’s love to a man. Keeps them going when the game gets tough. But you? Rosenthal, what on earth is a Love-chosen pilot going to do in a war as hard as this one?”

Robert Rosenthal meets his eyes unflinchingly. “Whatever I can, Colonel Harding.” A slight smile. A minuscule nod. The air behind him seems to flicker, glow, enshrine his brow in fiercest gold the longer Neil stares at him. “For however long I can.”

His voice carries an echo of battle drums.

[whoreforcaufield]

who I write for + masterlist

NHL

Adam Fantilli

Dawson Mercer

Mackie Samoskevich

Luke Hughes

Easton Cowan

Simon Edvinsson

Jack Hughes

William Nylander

Nick Blankenburg

Moritz Seider

Amadeus Lombardi

Jamie Drysdale

Cole Caufield

Kirby Dach

Colton Dach

Leo Carlsson

Mason Mctavish

Matt Boldy

Connor Bedard

Chase Stillman

College

Boston College

Gabe Perreault

Ryan Leonard

bj blurb (18+)

Will Smith

Jacob Fowler

Drew Fortescue

Cutter Gauthier

Will vote

University Of Wisconsin

Christian Fitzgerald

Zach Schulz

University of Michigan

Tyler Duke

Nick Moldenhauer

Seamus Casey

Gavin Brindley

Mark Estapa

Rutger Mcgroarty

Luca Fantilli

TJ Hughes

Tanner Rowe

University Of Minnesota

Oliver Moore

Other

Justin Herbert

JJ Mccarthy

Colston Loveland

Joe Burrow

Zach Wilson

Nolan Moyle

[nightbunnysong]

What I studied today!

13.08.2024

Beech Forests: Overview

Beech Forests

Beech forests, or Fagetum sylvaticae, are temperate forest formations found from the basal to the montane zones. These forests are often managed for timber and can extend from the hilly to the upper montane zones, sometimes reaching the tree line.

Structure

Tree Layer: Dominated by phanerophytes, particularly beech (Fagus sylvatica).

Shrub Layer: Also composed of phanerophytes like rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and cornel (Cornus mas).

Herb Layer: Includes hemicryptophytes and geophytes, such as cyclamen (Cyclamen spp.) and violets (Viola spp.).

Moss Layer: Features mosses like Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi.

Ecological Disturbances

Forestry: Intensive logging and management can alter forest structure and biodiversity.

Infrastructure: Roads and trails can fragment habitats and introduce invasive species.

Alien Species: Non-native plants and animals can disrupt ecological balance.

Beech Forest Types in Italy

High-Montane Beech Forests: Found at elevations above 1,500 meters.

Montane Beech Forests: Located between 1,000 and 1,500 meters.

Sub-Montane Beech Forests: Situated between 600 and 1,000 meters.

Climax Subnatural Vegetations: Naturally developed beech forests without direct human intervention.

Syntaxonomy

Class: Quercus robur - Fagetum sylvaticae Includes mesophilic and thermophilic forest vegetation in temperate macrobioclimates, extending to Mediterranean zones.

Suballiance: Ostryo carpinifoliae - Fagenion

Description: Submontane beech forests dominated by Fagus sylvatica and Ostrya carpinifolia, found in calcareous and primitive soils.

Distribution: Southeastern Europe and Prealpine regions of Italy (Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia).

Ecological Characteristics:

Tree Layer: Diverse with deciduous trees.

Shrub Layer: Less developed, marking the limit for lianose plants.

Herb Layer: Rich with hemicryptophytes and geophytes, supporting species of thermophilic woods.

Geoelements: Includes Central European, Euroasiatic, circumboreal, Mediterranean montane, and Illyrian components.

Climate: Prealpine with abundant rainfall from spring to autumn.

Bioclimate: Mesotemperate, ranging from subhumid to hyperhumid.

Substrates: Calcareous morainic soils and fyscioid soils with subacidic or neutral pH, fertile and well-structured, with mull calcic and forest humus.

[thatonewriter77]

Forbidden Flame

AN: Hello this is the first chapter of the book I'm writing, it is not proof read. And if you find any errors please let me know enjoy!!

Chapter one: Rose Valentini

I hate the life I was born into. I hate the violence, the blood, the death, and the pain I had to deal with in my life. I hate that I'm alive. Sometimes, getting out of bed is hard. Sometimes you get stuck in a life you don't wanna leave. Sometimes, all you wanna do is die. Someti-My thoughts get cut off by my brother walking in, telling me I need to get down for another meeting. I hated meetings it's just our family going through ways to kill the Lombardis and the russos. My father is a man of firm convictions, and he deeply believes in revenge. Thirty years ago, Mark Russo set my grandfather's house on fire after a dispute with my fathers sister, lilliana The fire took the life of my great uncle Tony, and ever since that day, my father has had a fierce quarrel with the Russos. To him, it's about protecting the family name and defending our honor. But at what cost? I never dared to question him, for I was too scared to voice my disagreement. I looked up at my brother, Dante. As much as I wanted to fight against him, I didn't instead quietly asking "Did something happen?" Dante sighed and looked at me. "I... it's complicated. Just come on. " I can tell by the sound of his voice that this was serious. I looked at him in worry as I slowly started to panic. What could've happened? Is Father okay? Did someone get hurt? Did the russos attack again? Or maybe the Lombardis? Maybe it was a different group altogether?. My thoughts rushed as I felt my heart race in my chest. I got up quickly, getting lightheaded from the change. I followed him to the living room where my father, aunt, and a few of our important men were already waiting. They sat around the table. My father is in a suit, his usual outfit. He had black hair, some of it turning Grey. My aunt had long beautiful brown hair and wear a dress that hugged her curves perfectly. The men were suits, as well as my brother. The people looked upset, and anxiety rushed through me. I went to the table and sat next to my brother quietly, waiting for someone to tell me what had happened. I looked at my dad with worry when he finally spoke, "the russos attacked." I stayed quiet, but inside anxiety was killing me. "We lost over half our men and most of our land," his husky voice stated. "We have no allies, barely any men, no property." I looked down at my feet. We have nobody. We are set up for death. My mind racked for answers. "What about the Lombardis?" I spoke up. Everyone stared at me in surprise. "They hate the russos, too! We can team up, and" I was cut off by my father,"Rose Valentini, how could you even suggest that! Go to your room, " he yelled."I'm 19! You can't just -" I heard a loud clap before feeling the pain of him smacking me, but once I did, it was sharp."Room, now, " he warned, and I nodded, leaving the room. Knowing I fucked up. I walked back upstairs. My eyes watered at the pain of the smack, leaving my face red. I sat on my bed. My room was nice and plain, similar to a hotel room with a few more pictures and a book shelf. I grabbed a cigarette and lit it. Smoking became a habit of mine at 14 it helped numb the pain of my mom dying. I've tried to quit a few times knowing it wasn't good for me, and I was a week clean. But with all the stress of our men dying, I needed to smoke. I held the cigarette up to my lips, breathing it in. God this is gonna be a long day.

[original-character-championship]

Bracket D First Half!!

Polls w these blorbos will be going up on Saturday 1st at 5pm GMT!!

193. Dexter Monroe (@cabooseisneat)

194. Usagi (@kkdragonson)                                             

195. Bunie (@ehiiehn)

196. Esteban (@spiderin-space)

197. Luther Arian Knox (@octoshott)

198. Xenia "Bonecrusher" (@mossboss030)

199. Dr. Diana Diamond (@numberposting)

200. SANGRIA (@kumied)

201. Apple (@cyndalyssa)

202. Anik Pillai (@prozac)

203. Weld (@wallspikes)

204. Weaver (@electrozilla)

205. Jakob 'Jake' Durren (@iateyourburrito)

206. Basil Devaux (@rottenthing)

207. Laurel (@sp00ky-doodles)

208. Cherry Thaxton (@sanfielle)

209. Tara "Flux" Nobel (@browncoatparadox)

210. Claire Foster (@radiohead2)

211. Pier Lombardi (@raybotonline)

212. Gil - Gilberta Maravilla Reyes Carillo (@lektricfergus)

213. Tarozu Khaqar  (@farmernotafarmer)

214. William Marwood (@curdled-blood)

215. Xaoc Vasiliev (@emh-wiki)

216. Jersey (@rainerhammond)

217. Ville (@uktoer)

218. Egg Benedict (@fungus-marks)

219. Elias Love (@purgatoryhips)

220. Green Guy (@silver-tounges-and-golden-lies)

221. Leonora Ostrowska - "Lee"  (@arrowandathame)

222. Estelle Reyes (@bashirs)

223. Myrvin McGrove (@inspiredrawaw)

224. Adrian (@roman-writes-sometimes)