Crush Overtake Love

The building has 93 floors and stands at 532 meters tall.Among the giant buildings in New York that seem to pierce the ashen sky, this is the second tallest. They say there are over 50,000 windows?“Hey, rookie. The weather’s pretty bad today, huh?”Johann, his face covered with a mask, only showing his eyes, glanced up at the sky. It was so clear that the brightness made him squint. Regardless, the captain kept chattering.“On days like this, you might want to die. I feel like that sometimes too. But don’t look down, no matter what. Even if you’re feeling so good today that you want to live, it’s the same. Never, ever look down. Got it?”The captain was very selective about his team members. He had to replace someone who was supposedly going on a two-week honeymoon, and he was recommended by a friend of a friend, but that guy got food poisoning, and they ended up hiring someone from the internet.The new young rookie appeared wearing a black mask over his face. Being untrustworthy, the captain checked several times and reiterated his warnings.Johann disobeyed the captain’s warnings the moment he stepped onto the ledge with the rope tied around him.“Hey!”Despite the captain’s shock, Johann didn’t stop.Johann enjoyed the thrill. The thrill of risking his life. The thrill without safety measures was what kept Johann alive until now. And by Johann’s standards, it was safe enough now, even if it meant dangling 500 meters above ground, looking down.But what irritated Johann was something else.Why here, at the Wellington Industries headquarters?A characteristic of those who suddenly become rich is that they want to leave something with their name on it. This building was no different.The CEO of Starline Wellington Industries, in accordance with the founder’s wish, bought this building, which was once the tallest in the world, and renamed it. Thus, the building’s current name is Wellington Tower.Wellington.The Wellington Industries that Johann had avoided for so long.“Rookie! Do you find what I’m saying funny?”Not Johann, but the rookie. Johann turned his head towards the sharp voice. The captain with a fierce look was yelling, “I told you not to look down!” He obviously thought Johann was frozen with fear at the height.Johann smiled sheepishly.“I told you not to hire rookies, but that idiot… What, are you laughing now?”“Don’t worry. I wasn’t surprised at all. I was just curious about what it feels like to look down from this high.”“What?”“There’s nothing special when you actually look down. But it’s thrilling and fun.”As Johann picked up his rag to start working, the captain, who was momentarily speechless, stuttered.“…What are you?”“Should I start here?”“Is this guy really crazy?”“Thanks for the compliment.”Actually, it wasn’t the first time Johann had heard such words. Being called crazy is a good term, when the reason for being crazy is clear. In that sense, Johann was unreasonably crazy now.Especially if it was Wellington Tower.Johann, who once entered as an insider, tore up contracts and never came near this place again, now remembered Robert Wellington’s face from their last meeting.Crack.Just thinking about that face made Johann’s hand clench harder on the glass.“I told you to take it easy, take it easy!”The captain immediately rebuked Johann.“Neither too much nor too little! Just make the glass smooth, okay?”“I’m doing that. It’s just not going well because it’s my first time.”“Yes, it’s not as easy as you think, right? Look, you should hold the rag like this and push it like this.”While the captain demonstrated, Johann concentrated on cleaning the window, ignoring his words.The windows were so large that even with his arms fully extended, Johann couldn’t reach all sides. Four people were hanging in a line, cleaning the glass as they descended vertically.Up to 400 meters of the building, gondolas were installed for work, but unfortunately, Johann’s section was above that. He descended from the top floor, relying on ropes and pulleys connected to his harness. It was quite ironic that even with all the advanced science and high-rises built to touch the sky, cleaning the exterior still required human effort.With each gust of wind, the body hanging from the rope swayed. The scorching sun reminded him of the heat from the tarmac when he sat in the cockpit. For Johann, it was just the right level of excitement to enjoy.And what calmed that excitement was Johann’s endless spite.He gritted his teeth thinking about the red spray he left behind in his bag before tying the rope.He should have at least written ‘Go fuck yourself’ on the CEO’s office window. If they sued, he could just claim it was graffiti art.Regretting his petty plan, Johann had another thought.Maybe he should just smash the window into an F shape…“Johann, that’s not going to happen! Come back, please. Untie this! Why the hell would you go clean windows! What’s missing in your life! …You’re not going to kill Wellington, are you? Right? Murder is a crime, Johann! Even if I wanted to, I can’t help you with that. Johann? Joohaaaaaan!”Johann had tied up Nicholas, who was holding onto his ankle, and left.“Haah…”Today’s pay would come from Wellington Industries. If he used that money for his car, he might feel a bit better.Everyone except Johann was skilled, so the work pace was fast. Wherever the hands of the four moved, the dust disappeared, leaving only smooth, sparkling windows. Even without the thrill, it was quite rewarding work, but Johann almost broke several windows because Robert Wellington kept appearing in his mind beyond the glass.Nonetheless, as the work continued, cleaning windows became quite familiar. Familiarity often leads to boredom, much like driving a high-speed racing car around the same oval track lap after lap.“Can I listen to music while I work?”“…Do whatever.”With the captain’s bored permission, Johann plugged an earbud into one ear. As soon as he did, a voice rather than music came through.— Ah, we’ve got some hot new gossip. Our Rose has made another scene today.At the mention of Rose, Johann’s ears perked up.The sound coming from Johann’s phone was from the gossip talk show, <Celebrity Behind the Curtain>. Johann had never been interested in such talk shows, but this was the place that had most loudly broadcast about Johann and Rose.The panel’s chatter flowed incessantly into Johann’s ears like a radio.— Julie, let’s get this straight. It’s not ‘again today.’ Rose is a man who spews profanity whenever he opens his mouth. Naming him ‘Rose’ was so fitting. A person who only spits out thorny words when they speak, and they call him Rose.— They say it was his mother who named him that.—…The panel member, momentarily at a loss for words, continued to retort.— Anyway. Rose has no concept of manners or political correctness in his head. It’s all been bleached out.— Smith, you’re quite sharp today. Is the lawsuit still not settled?— Yes, Julie. I’m the loser… But I have my say. It was all for the viewers’ right to know. Including you, Julie.— Okay, let’s not let the program get in jeopardy, so we’ll say that. Anyway, ‘Rose’ had another big fight today. Of course, on social media.— The opponent was the ‘gentleman,’ I presume?— Exactly. If it’s not that pompous gentleman who has his name on a tower and posts car photos on his social media profile, Rose wouldn’t bother.— Julie, are you subtly siding with Rose?— Me? Yes, I am. Because it’s true that Rose is prettier, more charming, younger, and richer than that gentleman. Above all, Rose values the environment. He’s a bit different from people nowadays.— Why leave out his foul mouth?— Of course, that’s one of Rose’s charm points too.— Julie, are you serious? Do you remember what Rose said?The panel member couldn’t continue and burst out laughing.—Of course. He said Wellington walks around with his initials on his forehead. An M turned upside down is a W, after all.— Yes, whether Wellington walks around with a nest on his head or a wig, that’s not important. But we know this kind of talk is an insult. Julie, let’s confirm again. Do you really find even this aspect of Rose charming?— Oh, absolutely. I swear I’m sincere. Who wouldn’t feel good looking at a rose?— So he’s just for show? As long as you don’t touch the thorns, it’s safe.— Right, that’s exactly it.“What a bunch of jokers…”Johann couldn’t agree. To Johann, Wellington was the world’s biggest scoundrel, and while Rose was slightly annoying, he was still a decent person.No, Johann was starting to like Rose even more than yesterday, just for the fact that he didn’t get along with Wellington. Johann was even ready to praise Rose for having good judgment. If anyone punched Wellington in the face, Johann would be ready to clap and cheer from behind.Every time he heard an insult about Robert Wellington, Johann hummed while cleaning the windows, and when they said bad things about Rose, he cursed the panel, feeling indignant. You could tell who the panel was insulting just by how fast Johann was wiping.Anyway, the windows Johann was responsible for were gradually getting cleaner vertically.“Hey, rookie.”At the sound of someone calling him, Johann took out his earbud and turned to the captain.“Good. You’re getting somewhat useful now.”The captain praised Johann’s skill with a haughty nod.“Yeah. Not these kinds of windows, but I’ve done a lot of cleaning.”“What kind did you clean?”“Hmm… If I had to say, sports cars.”Specifically, open-wheel cars.“Must have worked at a car wash before. No wonder you seemed different from the start for a rookie.”“Thanks for the compliment.”Johann didn’t bother to correct the captain’s misunderstanding. If he became unemployed, he might consider working here…“Let’s do a bit more and then go up for lunch.”“I was about to get dizzy anyway. What’s for lunch?”“Considering we can’t even go to the bathroom, it’s got to be something simple. Usually, it’s McDonald’s for us.”Johann flinched.“A Big Mac?”“Why. Not your thing? You can have something else if you want. Provided you have something to eat.”“It’s not that I don’t like it, but I don’t think a hamburger is for me. Fortunately, I have something in my bag.”Johann replied, thinking of the sealed containers with boiled and shredded chicken breast, cucumber sticks, and oatmeal.“You’re well-prepared. Let’s finish this quickly and head up.”“I’ll do my best.”After finishing his conversation with the captain, Johann plugged the earbud back into his ear.— So, do you know what Wellington did? He put up a banner!— To boast about being number one?— Exactly. He even added ‘To Dear Rose’ with the name on it, in case Rose might miss it. There’s even a heart at the back! Who would’ve thought such an eyesore would appear in New York?— Yeah, that’s thoughtless on Wellington’s part. Whether he’ll still be number one after the next Grand Prix, we’ll have to see, right?— That’s what I’m saying. And by then, the scores might change, too.Johann gazed at the white fabric fluttering far below him. They had attached an enormous banner to the building’s wall. It seemed to be a ranking chart celebrating Scuderia Wellington Speedforce’s mid-season Constructor’s Championship lead.Thierry Leroux, the driver for Scuderia Wellington Speedforce.Thinking about his old colleague who still contacts him occasionally made Johann feel bitter. Perhaps, if things had been different, Johann might have been proudly looking at that banner and siding with Wellington while listening to the talk show.But all this is hypothetical. Just like in sports, where ‘what if’ scenarios don’t exist as results. The same was true for Johann.“Rookie, let’s head up now.”“Okay.”Johann pulled out his earbuds and quickly finished the remaining area. His arms ached as if they might fall off from all the scrubbing, his scalp felt like it was burning from the heat, and his whole body was drenched in sweat.After being hoisted back to the roof while hanging from the rope, Johann wiped his sweat with the towel the captain handed him, gave away the Big Mac set the captain offered to others, and then retrieved his healthy meal from his bag in a sealed container to sit in a corner.His phone rang loudly.“Hello.”— Is this Mr. Johann Hayward?“Yes, it is.”— Hello, Mr. Hayward. I’m Andrew Stephenson, the personal assistant to Chairman Wellington. Do you have a moment to talk?Johann couldn’t believe his ears.“Who did you say you are?”— Let me introduce myself again. I am Stephenson, the personal assistant to Robert Wellington, who is the CEO of Starline Wellington Industries and Scuderia Wellington Speedforce. We’ve met before.Johann quickly recalled this man’s stern appearance. There was no reason for him to speak kindly to anyone from Wellington’s circle just because he’d seen their face before.“What business do you have with me?”— The chairman wishes to see you, Mr. Hayward, as soon as possible.“So, what’s the matter?”— Regarding your seat, the chairman has something to propose. It would be best if you heard the details directly from him.Johann, unable to help but doubt what he was hearing, confirmed again in a calm voice.“You’re talking about an F1 team seat, right?”— Yes, that’s correct.In Johann’s mind, his evaluation of Robert Wellington was being revised in real-time.Robert Wellington is the owner of two F1 teams, Scuderia Wellington Speedforce and Alfa Romeo Starline Racing. As Johann’s former boss, he holds the authority over up to four seats, no, two this year since two are under long-term contracts.Johann first made a name for himself in the Formula world when he started in Scuderia Wellington’s junior program. Dislike is dislike, but credit where credit is due, Wellington was the first to recognize Johann’s brilliant talent.And unfortunately, Johann was soon to be unemployed. Phoenix Racing’s driver lineup for next year wasn’t finalized yet, and despite Johann’s excellent performance, there was still no talk of a contract renewal. This meant his job situation for next year was uncertain.If Wellington was bald in the past, now he’s the chairman!Among the virtues one should have as a modern human, one is to ingratiate oneself with future employers whenever possible…— Mr. Hayward, are you listening?“Of course, Mr. Stephenson.”Unlike before, Johann spoke with kindness and cheerfulness.“Sounds good. I’ll accept the proposal. Since we shouldn’t keep a busy man waiting, please arrange a meeting as soon as possible.”This year, there are twenty-four seats in F1. There are countless people obsessed with motorsport, but only twenty-four can drive those cars. Excluding those already scheduled for employment next year on long-term contracts, the number of available seats shrinks even more.Johann’s dream is to be one of those twenty-four.If Wellington hadn’t kept Johann as a reserve driver for so long, Johann might have been an F1 driver by now.— The sooner, the better for us too.“Oh, then it’s possible right now. Because…”Johann looked around the building he was standing on.“I’m currently on the roof of Wellington Tower.”— You’re on the… roof, you say?The assistant’s voice went up in pitch, indicating his surprise.“Yes.”— The roof… isn’t open to the public, though.“Yes, I know that. But I’m on the roof.”The blatant confusion in the assistant’s voice made Johann feel a sense of victory, almost involuntarily.— I’ll try to arrange a meeting as soon as possible, but it won’t be today, Mr. Hayward.“Really? That’s disappointing. When would it be possible then?”Johann, in his work clothes covered with sweat, dust, and some unknown white powder, smiled. No one would recognize him as Johann Hayward looking like this.Suddenly, Johann wondered:Did Rose know that Johann was once part of Scuderia Wellington Speedforce? The relationship between Rose and Wellington seemed terrible just from what he’d heard. If Rose knew, would Johann have received an overwhelming amount of goodwill and offers from him?This was also unknown.So, it made even more sense for Johann to meet Wellington first. At least the criteria for judging Johann Hayward as a driver would be different from judging him as a person. Wellington was looking for Johann Hayward, the driver, not Johann, the person.🏁There are things in the world that money can’t buy, but generally, more money can solve most issues. Everything Rose did inefficiently fell into this category.Like founding an F1 team.Rose could pay money, and Motrix Primo could provide the technology. Ten years ago, Motrix Primo had to pull out of F1 due to shareholder demands, but Rose’s proposal turned their company upside down.“I’ll provide the money. So, I need your cooperation in technology and data. We’ll have to rely on another team for engines for now, but the goal is to eventually become a works team.”“That…”“What? Is there a problem?”“Actually, we hadn’t mentioned it before, but…”“But?”“We were also considering re-entering F1, Rose…”No one would have guessed that the reason the company was turned upside down was simply because they were ‘too happy’ about it.“What? Why am I only hearing about this now?”“Well, we had to pull out of F1 because of you, Rose…”Motrix Primo moved at an astonishing speed to surprise even Rose. In fact, there was already a task force (T/F) department within the company that had been preparing for this project. The T/F members were immediately summoned to the conference room, and they asked in a pose that seemed almost like they were begging at Rose’s feet:“Rose, how much money can we use?”“Just to clarify, Rose, do you know how much the budget cap is for one season of F1, including team operation and development costs? Of course, that alone isn’t enough to run a team. According to the exceptions set by the FIA…”“We’ve already finished the basic design drawings.”“We need a wind tunnel, a wind tunnel!”“Is the headquarters going to be in Amsterdam? Maybe setting up in Silverstone would be better for recruiting staff?”In other words, everything they said meant the same thing:“Rose, can we really do what we want? Are you truly going to fund everything?”Rose raised his hand, looking down at them.“Okay, one by one, speak slowly so I can understand.”The T/F team members, who had been shouting as if they would kneel, lined up in front of Rose, their eyes filled with dollar, euro, and pound signs.Really, Rose couldn’t understand. Moving from internal combustion engines to electric cars is clearly the trend and demand of the times. Motrix Primo, with its flagship brand Signity, was undoubtedly leading in the electric vehicle industry.Yet, within Motrix Primo, there still lived mad enthusiasts for motorsport. Of course, from an outsider’s perspective, it might seem strange that Rose, an environmentalist, was founding an F1 team.Anyway, everything moved forward at breakneck speed.“Brian, contact the FIA to say that a consortium between me and Motrix Primo is preparing to establish an F1 team.”“Excuse me? But boss, weren’t we leaning towards acquiring a team?”Two-Dole Investments had already assembled a team of experts in various fields to acquire Bulgarov Motors.“I’ve decided to be the outright owner of an F1 team. Whether it’s through founding or acquisition, the fastest route. I don’t mind acquiring a team, but the FIA doesn’t know that, right? Every organization resists change and stagnates. If they don’t just try to squeeze more money out of me, that would be great. I refuse any unnecessary interference while we acquire that failing team, whether it’s Bulgarov or Bulgaria or whatever.”“Ah, I understand what you mean. I’ll do as you say, boss.”Fortunately, everything was falling into place. Formula One Group, owned by Liberty Media in the US, aimed to popularize F1 by expanding the number of participating teams.Despite this, the FIA was strangely wary of American capital. The Andretti-Cadillac Formula One Team, for instance, took years to negotiate with the FIA for new team entry.So, acquisition would be faster than founding a new team. Since Rose, the one providing the money, is American, and Motrix Primo, with its deep-rooted history in Europe, made for a perfect excuse.As Brian contacted the FIA to express Rose’s and Motrix Primo’s intent to establish a new team, the FIA was thrown into chaos. They wanted more teams but didn’t want teams to fail.To Formula One Management (FOM), they offered an irresistible sum of money; to the FIA, they left room for other proposals. Brian shuttled between the two organizations, coordinating.“Boss, the FIA is lukewarm.”“Why?”“They’re not keen on increasing the number of American teams. The FIA tends to think of F1’s foundation as being in Europe, especially Britain.”“They like the money but not the foundation, these crazy bastards.”“I agree, but that’s the reality. Now I understand why Wellington involved an Italian team when he entered F1, naming it Scuderia.”“Brian, why are you trying to understand Wellington? Are you from Two-Dole or Wellington?”“Sorry, I misspoke. So, what do we do now?”“What do you mean, what do we do? We’ll solve it the way I do best.”With the FIA dragging its feet, Rose didn’t stay idle. He bought a large number of Series B shares related to the management rights of Liberty Media, which owns all F1 rights, and used the influence of major shareholders to connect FOM with an enormous advertising contract.FOM was very, very, very favorable to Rose’s team foundation. With the two bodies holding different positions, the FIA could no longer oppose unconditionally.The only thing they could say was:“Establishing a new team is impossible.”“Why on earth not?”“…In fact, F1 isn’t just about having teams, drivers, and cars. There’s the amassed data over years, technicians to design the cars, mechanics to assemble them, countless PR people…”“Do you think I don’t know that? If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t have started.”“So, we’re offering you an easier option. There’s good news; one of the F1 teams is looking for a new owner.”Brian and Rose’s eyes met. They had finally caught their bait. They had succeeded in making the FIA mention the acquisition of Bulgarov Racing first, which was what they had been waiting for.“I have no interest in a team run as a hobby by a failed businessman.”“But Rose, we hope the history of F1 teams continues. Williams is a testament to that.”“You’re telling me to acquire a team.”“It’s just a proposal. It’s quicker and more satisfactory for both parties.”The moment the negotiations with the FIA concluded, Brian smiled contentedly.“Congratulations, boss.”“Why do these FIA guys dislike American capital so much? If they feel that way, they shouldn’t hold Grands Prix in America in the first place. They say one Grand Prix per country is the rule, but they’re holding three in the US while complaining.”“That’s what I’m saying.”“Contact New York to proceed with the acquisition.”“Understood.”The anticipated name of the team was <Rose-Motrix Racing>.It was the name of the Formula One team that would be reborn by acquiring a failing team. This news would be announced to the media as soon as the acquisition contract was signed.Brian had several meetings with the financial representative of Bulgarov Racing to negotiate the sale price and the scope of the acquisition. Initially, the financial representative was proactive, but lately, he seemed to have other thoughts, becoming increasingly uncooperative in the negotiations. As a result, Brian was not only investigating his background but also thoroughly checking his financial status.“But why specifically Rose Motrix Racing? Don’t tell me, because Wellington put his name on his team, you also…”Rose glared at Brian.“Do you think I’m that kind of attention-seeker like that guy?”“Ah, in that respect, you might surpass Wellington, boss.”“…Calling it Two-Dole Motrix Racing doesn’t sound right.”Rose confessed honestly.“Indeed, that’s true.”“But I can’t put nothing in when my money is involved.”“Yes, it’s better if you become the face of the team. We’ll have to sell high-end merchandise. Selling out won’t be hard.”Brian seemed determined to rake in money using Rose as a pretext, already groaning about the money going out and pulling his hair out.“What about the acquisition agreement?”“We’re in negotiations. The financial representative keeps raising the price.”“There’s no hurry. It seems like they still haven’t come to their senses. We’re not the ones in a rush; they are. Move the creditors around. They’ll come to their senses once their assets are all seized.”“Understood, boss.”From Rose’s perspective, there was no rush. If they were acquiring rather than founding, they could participate in races from the next season without any gap.Then Rose would also take up the position of team CEO for Rose Motrix Racing.That meant Rose would now need to know about F1.Oliver Blanc, who expressed the most opinions about F1 during the meeting, was eventually moved to be Rose’s deputy secretary. The reason for his promotion was surprisingly his database accumulated from his hobby, along with personal ambition.“Your eyes look suspicious. What are you plotting?”“I’m just excited. Following you, boss, I’ll get a chance to watch races from the VIP paddock.”“The boss is going to watch a race? Where, Miami?”Brian scoffed. Oliver Blanc, recalling one of his superior’s many nicknames, drooped his shoulders and answered gloomily.“No way, he never leaves New York…”“Exactly, unless the world collapses, that’s not going to happen, so you might as well give up on that hope now. It’s better not to expect and then get disappointed.”“Yes.”“Before that, would you like to sign this? It’s a confidentiality agreement.”After signing the confidentiality agreement, Oliver Blanc was finally able to see his salary table, checked what special conditions Brian Levin had attached, and signed with a happy shriek.“Oh, he’s walking into hellfire without even knowing it…”Brian made the sign of the cross in his mind for the young lamb. And from then on, Oliver Blanc started commuting to Rose’s house rather than the Two-Dole Investments headquarters.With the broadcast of the Australian Grand Prix, one of the most exciting races of last year according to Oliver, playing, Rose sprawled out on the sofa. Oliver, looking up at the screen on the ceiling, fidgeted nervously. Rose said in a flat voice:“You can lie down too. Next to Brian.”Brian seemed to be asleep with his eyes closed.“Is that okay?”“If you prefer sitting, that’s fine, but your neck will end up like a turtle’s.”Oliver quickly moved to the sofa. To think he could earn a salary by lying next to his boss and explaining the race while watching it on a giant screen on the ceiling. Two-Dole Investments was truly the perfect workplace.The formation lap was starting on the screen. Watching the slow-moving cars, Rose frowned.“Is this the start of the race? Why are they so slow for Formula One? There’s no tension at all.”“That’s the formation lap before the race starts. It’s to warm up the tires and brakes and check the cars.”“That should be done before the race starts.”“Which is why this is before the race, boss.”“Why show it if the race hasn’t even started yet?”Oliver, taking the phrase literally, began to explain to Rose from the very beginning.“The slick tires used in F1 are different from regular tires. They have no grooves. Since racing cars run at high speeds, they need maximum grip, which requires the tires to be at the right temperature. So, they drive one lap beforehand to warm up the tires.”“Isn’t that excessively in favor of the drivers?”“It’s spectator-friendly. The audience wants to see cars roaring off from the start.”Rose concentrated on the race, asking questions whenever something piqued his curiosity.Not long after the race started, one car veered off the track line and headed into the pit where mechanics were waiting.“What’s that?”“That’s the pit. During the race, they change tires or parts, and do emergency repairs.”“Why do they do that during the race? Can’t they just not come in?”“No, they can’t. There’s a mandatory pit stop rule. All drivers must use two different types of tires during the race.”“Why?”“To add variables to the race. Each pit stop costs at least 20 seconds, no matter how fast they are.”Not understanding Oliver’s explanation, Rose pouted. On the screen, a car was shown changing tires in the pit.“Why are they so slow?”“Oh, that team is famous for being slow at pit stops. Even if the driver lined up all the crew to curse them, no one would say anything.”At that moment, one of the mechanics made a mistake while tightening a tire. The car, eager to leave before the tire was fully secured, lost a wheel, which rolled away. A crew member was hit by a flying bolt and fell backward. With an expression of seeing the most foolish person in the world, Rose criticized:“Is that driver an idiot? He didn’t know the tire wasn’t tightened before leaving?”“Well, he can’t see it… It’s not entirely the driver’s fault…”“Can’t see it? Why not?”“F1 racing cars are built for speed, so they don’t have anything on them except aerodynamic parts. They’re not designed for the driver’s convenience.”Throughout the race, Rose’s mind was filled with all sorts of questions.Why do they do that? Why is it so inefficient? Why must it be like that?His questioning reached its peak when a car got stuck in the gravel during the race.The car spun out after sliding off the track and came to a stop in the gravel. The driver, wearing a helmet, lazily communicated “I’m OK.” before just getting out of the car.“What’s that? No fighting spirit? Why get out?”Shouldn’t he try to drive again if he slid off? Isn’t it not over until it’s over? That was Rose’s common sense about sports.“Uh, boss. If the engine of an F1 car stalls, the race is over.”“Why? Can’t they just restart it?”“There’s no starter mechanism on the car. So, before the race, they have to start it artificially in the pit. To continue racing, the car must either fix itself or go back to the pit for repairs on its own power. But if the engine stalls, it can’t go anywhere.”Rose was baffled and retorted:“What kind of car is that? Is it a tractor?”It was a perfectly reasonable question from someone unfamiliar with F1.“Uh, I’m not sure, but the starter motor is very heavy… Speed is important, but being light is also crucial. So, racing cars have nothing unnecessary.”It’s common sense that you need to start the engine to move a car, but can you even call it a car if it lacks a starting mechanism? Isn’t it closer to something primitive like a tractor?But to Oliver, who had been watching F1 for a long time, Rose’s questions seemed like a rebellion against the obvious.Why? How come? Why can’t they?Why, why? Why!Rose’s questions were reminiscent of a three-year-old’s barrage of queries.In the end, Rose bombarded Oliver with questions throughout the two-hour race, and Oliver, explaining every variable and situation, was thrilled to share the allure of F1. Of course, Rose’s questions were not easily resolved.The climax was the podium ceremony.The champion, two drivers, and an ordinary-looking engineer, each with giant champagne bottles, sprayed each other like mad. It was not for drinking; using four magnum-sized champagne bottles just to spray on people was frankly a waste.To Rose, F1 was exactly that.An embodiment of inefficiency.People driving the fastest vehicles on Earth, with incredible technology, enormous capital, and absurdly primitive labor all coming together. This sport, when you think about it, was full of questions.Using fragile tires that might puncture with the slightest touch against a guardrail or something else, drivers often drive in zigzags to warm up the tires, leaving the clear line.Despite living in such a highly modernized world, tires are still changed manually, and to save even a millisecond, this is measured with extreme precision, making it part of the race’s competitive element.With cars accelerating and decelerating from 300 km/h to 50 km/h using eight gears, they consume a huge amount of fuel without regard to efficiency, spilling it all over the track.Yet, watching the race on screen was surprisingly dull. Overtaking was not frequent, and the cars kept their distance, racing cautiously. The cars on the screen didn’t seem that fast unless you looked at the speedometer.Nevertheless, countless people were enthusiastic. Enthusiastic to the point of shouting, dancing, crying, and laughing with great excitement. If it were just one or two, you might overlook it, but the average attendance per F1 race is officially 200,000, with an annual viewership of 600 million. It’s not for nothing that F1 is called the world’s greatest sport.Why do people get so passionate about this absurd sport? What on earth is the reason?Rose, despite deciding to buy an F1 team, couldn’t understand.Compared to this, the driving Johann had shown when he came to rescue him was far more thrilling and intuitive.Johann Hayward.The man who drove like a work of art.“Do you know Johann Hayward?”At the name that popped out of Rose’s mouth, Oliver jumped up from the sofa in surprise.“How does the boss know Johann? Oh, Johann Hayward saved you, right. Ah, why wasn’t I your secretary back then?”I should have seen it with my own eyes, Oliver Blanc said, wearing both a dreamy and regretful expression.“Stop talking nonsense and tell me what you know.”“Of course, how could I not know? Johann Hayward, the driver who would cause a sensation if he debuted in F1! Johann is a genius, a genius. Of course, F1 is full of geniuses. Only twenty-four are chosen from countless people.”Oliver continued in a dreamy tone.“There isn’t a driver who skipped the rookie season when moving from F2 to F1, right? Even excluding Johann, there are quite a few who won in their rookie season. But drivers who excel in battles are rare. Experience makes the difference, I guess.”“Keep going.”“Johann is different. Johann has been a crazy driver who devoured opponents in battles since he was very young.”Apparently a fan of Johann, Oliver recited Hayward’s career highlights. F3 champion, Macau Grand Prix winner, F2 rookie season champion, Antoine Hubert Award recipient. His junior career was filled with championship records, and right after winning the Macau Grand Prix, he was scouted into the Wellington Junior Program.“Then why hasn’t he become an F1 driver?”“There wasn’t a seat available. He’s waiting. And there are some circumstances too.”“Explain.”“First, in motorsport, they don’t determine fault in accidents. The rule is that each team handles repairs at their own expense, regardless of fault.”“Even if the car behind crashes into you?”“Yes, that’s the rule. And Johann has been the biggest victim of that rule…”During Johann’s racing career, three words typically categorized his record: podium, DNF, DNS. Johann was a truly unlucky driver who experienced many accidents. His cars were often half-destroyed or completely wrecked.“All of that was absolutely, never, Johann’s fault.”“But?”“The problem is, it’s undeniable that the cars Johann drove were frequently involved in accidents. As you know, boss, F1 has a budget cap, and every time a car needs repairs or rebuilding, it eats into the budget. They even publicly rank drivers by their repair costs in F1.”Oliver’s voice now turned somewhat gloomy.“Even without a budget cap, no team would welcome a driver who wrecks a car every race. For Scuderia Wellington, pouring astronomical sums into engine and chassis development, they simply couldn’t bring Johann up to F1.”“So?”“But letting Johann go wasn’t an option either, because his skills were undeniably exceptional. It’s true that other teams with struggling juniors approached Johann.”“And?”Rose’s voice grew heavier.“Scuderia Wellington kept Johann as a reserve driver and test driver. It was more than enough time for other rookies to debut. Johann’s patience ran out after three years. He finally left Wellington.”“That bastard…”