Trampos Headquarters, Germany.
Two days after the South African Grand Prix in Midrand, the headquarters in Berlin was mostly vacant. The drivers, engineers, work crew, and operational management who made up the race team were still abroad, while only a skeleton staff remained behind.
The wind moved freely through the empty service roads, carrying the scent of the racing world's fiasco. Outside, the sun ducked behind a blanket of clouds, dulling the sharp lines of the facility and casting a portion of the complex in muted grey.
Two security guards wandered the perimeter, slaphappy in the quiet, hands resting on their utility belts as they checked sector after sector. With most of the team still overseas, their routine inspections felt lighter and unhurried. All they looked forward to was the cafeteria and a long, well-earned lunch.
