I have no choice but to watch as Anthony and Diego sweep past, their tires correct for this weather, their timing marginally better in this meteorological lottery. I grip the wheel tighter, frustration building as the advantage we'd worked so hard to create evaporates in the Melbourne rain.
Then salvation comes in an unexpected form.
"Yellow flag sector two," Tom reports urgently. "Bertrand and Fuentes contact. Safety car deployed. Box now for full wets."
Thank fuck for that.At least Bertrand is useful for something.
I don't need to be told twice, immediately adapting my pace for the safety car conditions while navigating toward the pit entry. The crew scrambles to prepare for my arrival, wet tires ready as I slide into my marks. Once again, their execution is flawless—a testament to the improvements throughout the team.
"How's EJ doing?" I ask as I rejoin the safety car train, my wet tires finally providing the grip needed in these conditions.
"P7 on full wets," Tom confirms. "Got lucky with his stop timing just before the rain really hit. You're P9 now, but with cars ahead potentially needing to stop again when it dries."
The safety car leads us through three agonizing laps as marshals clear the damaged cars and debris. I use this time to study the track conditions, noting where water pools in certain corners, where the racing line is beginning to dry, where opportunities might emerge when racing resumes.
When the safety car lights go out, signaling an imminent restart, I position myself carefully behind the Velocity Racing ofKal Nevitt, looking for any weakness as we prepare to go racing again. He’s not the fastest, and the Velocity Racing car has been running last place in most races, so this should be an easy one.
The restart is chaos—cars sliding, spray reducing visibility, everyone seeking grip where little exists. I stay patient through the first lap, observing rather than attacking, understanding that mistakes will create opportunities more efficiently than forced passes.
True to my prediction, Nevitt runs wide at Turn 9, opening the door for me to slip through into P8. Ahead, Roth, Diego and EJ are battling for position, their duel slowing both and allowing me to close the gap.
"You're catching them," Tom confirms. "Your pace is strongest in sector two. Use it."
The rain begins to ease, creating that treacherous hybrid condition—not wet enough for full wet tires, not dry enough for slicks. This is where experience matters more than car performance, where a driver's feel and adaptability become the deciding factors. And thankfully, I love driving in the rain and mixed conditions—so let’s do this.
I pick my moment carefully, seeing Diego defend against EJ into Turn 3, compromising his exit. I position my car perfectly for the switchback, getting superior traction out of the corner and powering alongside them down the straight. Three-wide is rarely sustainable, but for those brief moments, we occupy the track like hostile neighbors disputing boundary lines.
I brake impossibly late for Turn 4, the car dancing at the edge of adhesion, finding grip where physics suggests none should exist. Diego yields first, recognizing the futility of three cars occupying space meant for one. EJ, with the instincts that mark him as a future star, slots in behind me rather than risking an incident but ends up overtaken by Diego.
"Brilliant move!" Tom's excitement bleeds through his usually measured tone. "P6 now, and pulling away."
The final laps are a masterclass in precise driving under evolving conditions. The track dries in some sections while remaining treacherously damp in others, creating a patchwork of grip levels that changes with each passing minute. The graining is clear. I extend my lead over Diego while maintaining consistent pace, managing my tires for the run to the flag.
"Five laps to go," Tom updates. "Looking good for P6. EJ defending P8 from Nevitt."
I settle into a rhythm, staying away from the increasingly dry lines around the circuit, carefully hitting the damp patches to cool my tires. The checkered flag approaches—not just the end of a race, but the culmination of everything we've built over the past year. From a team struggling to survive to one fighting in the upper midfield, scoring solid points, establishing ourselves as legitimate competitors.
The flag waves as I cross the line, P6 secured despite the chaos of the changing conditions. Not the podium result that briefly seemed possible in qualifying, but points that validate our progress, that prove the trajectory of Colton Racing is undeniably upward.
"Great job, William." Tom's voice carries genuine pride. "P6, and EJ held on for P8. Double points finish!"
As I navigate the cool-down lap, despite the physical exhaustion, despite the emotional rollercoaster of the changing conditions, despite the knowledge that we could have finished even higher with different timing, something extraordinary blooms in my chest—not just personal satisfaction but collective achievement. Not just my success, butoursuccess. Two cars in the points. A solid points total for the team. Concrete proof that Violet's vision, her leadership, her belief in both me and EJ was justified.
Colton Racing is back. And this is just the beginning.
Chapter 21
Just like my father
Violet
The Tokyo skyline glitters outside the window of our cab as we ride toward the karaoke place Blake insisted on. My chest still buzzes with pride in my team after the Suzuka race. I steal a glance at William beside me, his profile sharp in the neon-streaked darkness. We haven't been this close in months, not outside work. His hand rests between us on the seat, fingers just centimeters from mine. I fight the urge to bridge the gap.
"Here we are!" Blake announces as the cab pulls over. "Best karaoke in Tokyo, according to the hotel concierge."
The place looks unassuming from outside—a narrow building squeezed between a convenience store and a ramen shop. Inside, it's all dim lighting and private booths, the hallways vibrating with muffled music and laughter.
"Room for four, two hours," Blake tells the receptionist while I hang back with William and EJ.
