#not new gossip because i don't really have time to keep up with my comms rn sorry ://

[chussyracing]

What has been happening in the world of motorsports lately?

The new Ferrari car will be called SF-25

McLaren fired up their new car

MCL, Ferrari and Williams did tyre testing/TPC (some did both some only one etc)

Ferrari partnered with Vantage Markets

Australian GP will be sponsored by Louis Vuitton who will also make “Trophy Trunks” like you can see in Monaco

Moët & Chandon will replace Ferrari Trento on the podiums (and sponsor Belgian GP)

Aston will launch their car on 23rd Feb after dropping the Valkyria Hypercar yesterday before midnight

Guanyu Zhou became Ferrari’s reserve driver alongside Antonio Giovinazzi

Esteban is now... an actor besides a driver as well (it’s hilarious, look it up if you haven’t seen it yet)

Lando learned Charles’ new ad word by word (because he has feet kink and Charles is only wearing socks)

Franco played padel with Pierre and people go angry about it

Charles changed his logo… and people also got angry about it

Ferrari showed their new team polos and (surprise) people got angry about it

Formula E’s first EVO sessions pairing got announced (Beckham + Mitch Evans AHH)

Also Formula E recorded big upshift in viewership

FIA changed their mind about allowing a certain flexibility to the front wings and the new TD will activate in June

Gene Haas doesn’t need to invest money into the F1 project for the first time in its history

Liam Lawson’s race engineer will be Richard Wood (Checo already had him when his current engineer went on paternity leave so it is not really “news”)

Marc Marquez left Red Bull sponsorship due to Ducati’s deal with Monster

Arvid Lindblad is doing pretty amazing at Formula Regional Oceania but as much was expected

Maya Weugh and Aurelia Nobels got confirmed for another season in F1 Academy for Ferrari (driving for MP Motorsport and ART/Puma)

Nikola Tombazis spoke more about permanent race stewards and Zak Brown said that McLaren have no problem paying if it means the stewards will be hired professionals for all races (but there are no clear deadlines or details yet)

Toto was joking (?) about Val’s mullet being ugly and him not doing any nude calendars while in Merc (kinda nasty if you ask me, especially about someone who is an advocate for mental health like Val)

GPDA’s Alex Wurz said that drivers were once again not consulted about the new sporting rules about misconduct and had to learn from media

Pato O’Ward will be McLaren’s reserve driver for 2025 (with the possibility to call up Val had Pato not be available if needed)

Max’s race engineer GP was promoted to Head of Racing position (but should remain a race engineer too)

Red Bull will have a private testing day on 25th February

Also our comms said that the F1 75 Live will be interesting because they will be livestreaming it on our broadcast and from the instructions they got so far, each team will have exactly 7 minutes to present themselves, rest of the show will be different talk/music/entertainment

There have been multiple track changes made on the track ahead of season opener in Australia

there are multiple women in the rookie practice ahead of Jeddah in FE this upcoming week including Jamie Chadwick and Tatiana Calderon (but you will also know others like Kush Maini and Theo Pourchaire)

4 hours of Dubai (Asian Le Mans Series) starts tomorrow with Iron Damen on the grid

[runner5ive]

Five and Sam

Right. Y’all spoke and I heard you. This is heavily inspired by @littlelionmay​‘s posts about how she pictures her Five/Sam (which are adorable and you should def check them out: 1,2,3) 

I’ve also referenced certain scenes I’ve drawn so I’ve included links to them if anyone cares :’)

Background/head canon-y stuff on Sam and Five below the cut:

I've attempted to avoid spoilers but there may be a few references to certain missions throughout.

Five is a Hardened Grouchy Baby when they first meet Sam and they're not exactly expecting to stay in Abel for long so they don't really attempt to get to know him or anyone else for that matter.

Sam's the only one who can speak BSL in Abel (until he reaches everyone else) so that sort of forces them to become a little closer. Even if it's begrudgingly.

Five's always glad Sam can barely see their face on runs because they're always grinning at his stupid comments.

After a few missions, Five realised they're starting to warm to Sam, which doesn't sit right with them at all because they've always moved around and never had much of a chance for friends in the past.

(When they first meet the other runners, Five has a moment of thinking Simon was hella attractive until he opened his mouth and spoke and they were like 'lmao never mind'. Jody was never on the cards because she is a precious bean who needs protecting at all costs.)

The morning of zr season 1 mission 6 (no spoilers) Five finds themself sat with him at lunch, even laughing with him, and it unsettled them how friendly they're both becoming. They throw their defences back up suddenly and decide that it's enough, they'll avoid Sam unless they're on a mission together.

SPOILERS FOR ZR S1M7: because who can avoid writing about A Voice in the Dark? Sam is forced to report that Five is missing in action to Mullins. When he comes on the comms, the exact moment Five decides they're going to live and make it home is when he calls them their friend for the first time. As they stagger through the gates they race straight to him.

(Some spoilers for same episode ??) The next day, when they're released from quarantine, they sit and stare at the missing in action report for the longest time knowing that fixing it would mean they could be pulled back to Mullins at any point. Sam gently suggests that they don't amend it, and Five considers it for a long while. They shut off the computer without sending the report and signs 'Abel is my home' for the first time.

After S1M7, Sam organises for them to get their own bunk. He decorates it so it's all nice and homely for them.

Sam and Five only get closer after this. They're still a little Awkward around him and the other runners, not exactly used to being so friendly with others, but with a bit of encouragement their goofy goblin side starts to show.

Honestly Sam was such a bad influence on them much to Janine's dismay (she actually thought for a while thats she had a stoic, serious soldier working for her).

Five probably has a moment when Sam and Maxine sends them for board games when they think 'oh my god I love my dorks' and they mean it completely platonically but it's like fucking whiplash for them because they're Their dorks!

Five fondness for Sam keeps growing. He's talking to them one day about a game of Demons and Darkness and Five is just smittened by how dorky he is. They realise how nice it is just being there with him is the warmest and most comfortable they've felt... well, ever.

So they just stand up, grab his hoody, and yank him into a kiss.

There’s no romantic declaration of love. Hell, they don't even think they're in love with him at that point. But they make their affections shown.

It’s very much a moment of ‘This boy. I want him.’

Sam for the first time is speechless as he watches them walk away, smirk on their face.

They both sort of silently come to a decision not to mention that kiss to anyone or even each other.

But it's the start of something.

If Five gets back from a mission where Sam somehow saves their life, you can bet that they'll head straight to the comms shack after their decontamination shower to seize him into a kiss again.

Sam has no idea what's going on but he is not complaining. Heck, probably the best part of the missions.

Jody and Maxine catch them in the act one time and grab a photo for Simon.

When Jody asks how long they'd been in a relationship, Sam says something like "Five and I aren't in a relationship??? What kiss???" and somehow the photo has disappeared (and Five is just stood by as Jody searches wildly for it like 😏). Jody is FURIOUS about this.

This is why it's never mentioned in missions because they are 100% not in a relationship nope not at all they just really enjoy being around each other and put each other before anything else and get to kiss occasionally

It is Hot Gossip for one hot minute but neither of them are particularly into public displays of affection so after a while it's sort of forgotten by most of Abel. Especially without Jody's evidence.

Though the people they work with tease them for it becuase it’s clearn there’s SOMETHING but they also warn new people not to even consider pursuing one of them.

Maxine is the one who decides that this whole thing is Not Healthy and threatens to lock them in a room together until they discuss their feelings for each other.

Sam is the one who convinces her otherwise. He tells her that don't talk about it and have never needed to talk about it, but they are very much aware of how they feel for each other. 

Plus, keeping it as a 'non-relationship' takes the pressure off because they're both superstitious as heck and believe that making it 'official' will equal certain death for one or both of them because apocalypses have a tendency to tear away any happiness as soon as it appears so it's their way of sort of protecting each other.

Maxine is Sceptical but she guessed it makes sense. And if they're happy then who is she to complain.

Happy is definitely the right word. Both of them are the happiest they’ve been in ages. And the fact it’s a non-relationship means theres no awkward transition period. They’re the exact same, goofballs who get excited over D and D or dorky finds only with a few extra benefits. 

There's still slip ups though: "That's MY Runner Five!"

They don't do 'good luck kisses' at all because that feels very ominous. Like a goodbye.

Instead they do 'well done kisses' which they share after most missions because that means Five HAS to survive and get back home.

Basically their whole situation is based around superstitious nonsense but it makes sense to them even if no one else understands.

Five insists that Sam puts Abel before them every time. He begrudgingly agrees, but insists that when everyone else is safe, then he'll do what he can to save them too.

You can bet your ass that if bad guys threaten one of them then the other is ready to throw fists.

Some missions have to be kept secret from Five/Sam because as soon as they realise that the other is in danger then they rage.

“UM EXCUSE ME WHY IS MY OPERATOR OUTSIDE OF ABEL AND WHO THE HELL AUTHORISED IT I JUST WANT TO TALK"