The Next Day
A brand new day.
A fairly chill morning over at Tochigi.
The area surrounding Mobility Resort Motegi was fairly silent.
The distant sound of sprinklers spraying water across the grass echoed through the air. Street sweepers slowly trimmed the lawns with their mowers, while a couple of cars rolled quietly along the nearby roads.
It was 10:15 in the morning.
The group—
Maruzensky, Sakura Chiyono O, King Halo, Agnes Tachyon, Jungle Pocket, Manhattan Cafe, Symboli Rudolf, Special Week, Mayano Top Gun, and Mr. C.B
—walked down the stairs from the hotel entrance toward the parking lot.
Aside from the cars belonging to Chiyono O, King Halo, Manhattan Cafe, Symboli Rudolf, and Mayano Top Gun, something was missing.
Silence Suzuka's NSX was nowhere to be seen.
Or Suzuka herself.
Special Week looked around the parking lot.
Then she spotted the missing NSX, parked between King Halo's R32 and Cafe's 930 Turbo.
She blinked.
"Where is Suzuka-san's car?"
Rudolf glanced down at her.
"Suzuka informed me earlier this morning. She left early for the track safety briefing with the track manager and Zak."
Special Week nodded.
"O-Oh..."
She lowered her head slightly, her hands clasped in front of her chest.
"I… I'm still not sure if Suzuka can handle a car like that…"
King Halo immediately facepalmed.
"Give me a break, Spe-chan."
She looked directly at Special Week.
"You saw her drive at Hakone, right?"
Special Week nodded silently.
"You saw her take second place, right?"
Special Week nodded again.
King Halo crossed her arms.
"If you've seen what she's capable of, why not trust her with this one?"
Special Week shivered slightly.
Then she spoke again.
"I-It's because these cars have their wheels exposed… and no roof. It… it just doesn't look very safe, Halo-san."
Mr. C.B chuckled.
"Take it easy, Spe. These cars sure look scary. Hell, even unsafe. But I can guarantee they're actually very safe."
She raised a finger and began listing things.
"First of all—it's a closed circuit. That means marshals are stationed all over the track, and there are proper response vehicles in case of an accident. Not to mention there are dozens of run-off areas. If something goes wrong, the car usually stops there before ever reaching a tyre barrier."
Rudolf nodded and continued.
"And inside a Formula One car, drivers are required to wear a proper racing suit, racing footwear, and a helmet. Everything except the helmet is fireproof and must be approved by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile."
By now, they had reached the cars, still gathered together—mostly around Cafe's 930 Turbo.
Tachyon placed a hand on Special Week's shoulder and crouched down to her height.
"She'll be safe, Spe-chan… I promise you that."
She looked around at the others.
Then back at Special Week.
"Everyone here can promise you that."
Special Week looked around at the group.
Then she sighed.
"I… I'll keep your word, everyone."
The group nodded.
Soon, they parted ways toward their respective cars.
Cafe and Tachyon climbed into the 930 Turbo.
Cafe pulled the driver-side door shut with a firm thud and pulled her racing harness over her shoulders.
Tachyon did the same.
"Spe-chan really does have trust issues, huh?"
Cafe sighed.
"Knowing how close Spe-chan and Suzuka are… I'm not surprised she's looking out for her."
Tachyon nodded as she tightened her shoulder harness and buckled it.
"After that scary fracture Suzuka had years ago… I can't blame her."
Cafe twisted the ignition key with her left hand.
The 3.6-liter Porsche M64/50 twin-turbo flat-six softly rumbled to life.
Moments later, the parking lot filled with the sound of engines.
The roar of Chiyono O's Aventador.
The throaty V8 of Mayano's Mustang Dark Horse Super Venom.
The sharp brap of the RX-7's twin-rotary.
And the smooth hum of the R32's inline-six.
One by one, the cars began to move.
It was only a very short drive to the main building nearby.
Only ten minutes passed before they arrived.
The group walked behind the row of garages.
Not many vehicles were parked there.
Only the same two transport trucks from yesterday.
Chiyono O opened her notebook again, glancing over the research she had written down the previous night.
"So… the one Suzuka is driving—well, the two cars here had different engines. One had a V10, and the other had a V12."
She flipped a page.
"The MP4/6 was—and still is—the only V12-powered Formula One car to win both the Drivers' Championship and the Constructors' Championship."
Maruzensky chuckled.
"It's still funny seeing you write all these things down in a notebook."
Chiyono nodded proudly.
"It helps me remember things better!"
She continued reading.
"And it was also the last Formula One car to win with an H-pattern transmission."
She then closed her notebook.
Jungle Pocket crossed her arms.
"A lightweight Formula One car with an H-pattern gearbox… those drivers had serious guts."
Tachyon nodded.
"You had even bigger guts if you drove those 1,600-horsepower Formula One monsters back in the 80s."
She raised a finger.
"They produced so much boost during qualifying that teams had to swap engines after the session."
Jungle Pocket raised an eyebrow.
"You're bullshitting me, right?"
Cafe shook her head.
"She's… unfortunately telling the truth."
Tachyon slowly turned her head toward Cafe.
"The hell do you mean unfortunately?"
Cafe chuckled, waving a hand calmly.
"Ah—shit. Sorry. I'm so used to saying 'unfortunately' to anything you say… so it just slipped out."
Tachyon laughed.
"Alright, alright. I'll forgive you."
They soon reached the first garage.
Chiyono was the first to reach the back door. She pushed it open.
Inside, the two classic McLaren Formula One cars waited.
The McLaren MP4/5B, now sitting on all four wheels. Its painted body panels were still removed, revealing the V10 engine and exposed carbon-fiber chassis.
And beside it—
The McLaren MP4/6.
Only a small team of mechanics and several officials from McLaren Racing were inside.
The rest of the group entered the garage.
Teio looked around.
"Suzuka-san isn't here yet?"
A McLaren official approached them.
The group stopped.
The official bowed politely.
"You must be guests of Miss Suzuka and Mr. Brown, correct?"
Rudolf nodded.
"That's right."
The official nodded in return.
"Mr. Brown has already headed back to Tokyo in preparation for the Japanese Grand Prix weekend tomorrow. Suzuka-san is currently getting prepared."
He gestured around the garage.
"You are free to wait here. Feel free to take a closer look at the cars while you wait."
Rudolf bowed slightly.
"Thank you, sir. We appreciate your hospitality."
The official bowed deeper before returning to his coworkers.
The group soon gathered around the two Formula One cars.
Maruzensky leaned over and peeked inside the cockpit of the MP4/6.
Her eyes widened.
"How does Suzuka not feel claustrophobic in here? The cockpit is super small!"
Across the garage, Teio peeked inside the cockpit of the MP4/5B.
Inside, she spotted a helmet with an extra attachment on top—two small shapes that looked almost like ears.
"This must be Suzuka's helmet?"
One of the mechanics nodded, raising his voice slightly.
"Yep! That's Suzuka-san's helmet! Just leave it there and pass it to her once she climbs into one of the cars!"
Teio continued looking around the cockpit.
"Man… I really, really want to sit inside here…"
Rudolf raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think they'll allow you."
Then another mechanic standing by a computer console walked over.
"Sure she can."
He leaned into the cockpit and grabbed Suzuka's helmet.
With his free hand, he pulled the shoulder harnesses out of the way.
Then he gestured toward the seat.
"Put one foot on the seat and pull yourself in. Then bring your other foot inside."
Teio nodded.
She grabbed the edge of the cockpit tub and lifted one foot into the cockpit.
She carefully stepped onto the exposed carbon floorboard, then lifted her other foot inside.
The mechanic circled his hand.
"Now turn toward the front of the car and slide in."
Teio crouched, placing both hands on the cockpit edges before sliding her legs into the footwell and settling into the seat.
She immediately sank deep into the cockpit.
Her eyes darted around.
"Whoa… I'm too short for this!"
She looked down at her feet.
"I can't even reach the pedals!"
The mechanic grabbed the steering wheel and inserted it into the hub.
Click.
The wheel locked into place.
The mechanic knelt beside the cockpit and looked at Teio.
"So… how does it feel, Ms. Teio-san?"
Teio looked around the cockpit once more.
Then she gripped the steering wheel with both hands.
"It feels… surreal that Suzuka can drive something like this."
Then—
A voice spoke.
"Of course I can, Teio. They trust me enough to drive these cars… and I'll do my best for them."
Teio's right ear twitched toward the sound.
She turned her head.
It was Silence Suzuka.
She was now wearing a Marlboro-red racing suit, styled almost exactly like those used in the late 80s to early 90s.
Suzuka crouched beside the right sidepod and leaned toward the cockpit.
She chuckled softly.
"The seat you're sitting in, Teio, was tailor-made for me. That's why you can't reach the pedals unless you sink further into the cockpit."
Teio nodded, glancing down at her feet while pretending to press the pedals.
"It's not like I'm that far off. I can feel the pedals with my toes."
Suzuka smiled.
"Well… you're not that far off from my height anyway."
Suzuka then looked toward the mechanic.
"Is the MP4/6 ready?"
The mechanic nodded.
"Ready when you are, Suzuka-san."
Suzuka gave a small nod.
"Then let's get going. Let's not waste any more time."
The mechanic nodded before helping Teio out of the cockpit of the MP4/5B.
He first removed the steering wheel and gently placed it on top of the left sidepod.
Teio grabbed both edges of the cockpit and pulled herself up before sliding out.
She grabbed Suzuka's hand as she stepped out.
But as she lifted her foot over the cockpit edge—
Her shoe bumped against the carbon chassis.
"Whoa!"
Suzuka quickly caught her and steadied her.
Teio straightened up before turning to the mechanic and bowing.
"Thank you so much! And… sorry about that!"
The mechanic chuckled, waving his hand dismissively.
"Don't worry, Teio-san. That happens pretty often!"
The mechanic then stood and looked toward Suzuka.
"Let's do this."
Suzuka nodded.
The two walked toward the MP4/6.
The car was now fully prepared.
Its body panels were installed, and the white-and-red Marlboro livery shone brightly under the garage lights.
Suzuka reached the car.
She grabbed the edge of the cockpit and lifted one foot over the side.
Then she stepped into the cockpit, bringing her other foot in before sliding both legs down into the footwell.
She settled into the seat and shifted slightly, adjusting herself to check the fit.
Then she tested the pedals.
Full throttle.
Full clutch.
Then a simulated heel-and-toe movement.
Perfect.
The mechanic knelt beside the car and handed her the MP4/6 steering wheel.
Suzuka inserted it into the hub.
Click.
It locked into place with a metallic sound.
Next came the radio earpieces.
Suzuka pulled them up to her ears and pressed them into place.
She grabbed her balaclava, slipped it over her head, and pulled it down.
Her horse ears popped through the openings at the top.
She tucked the lower end of the balaclava into her suit, between the race suit and the Nomex shirt underneath, before pulling the zipper up completely.
She pressed the Velcro collar strap closed with a soft sound.
Next, the mechanic handed her the HANS device.
Suzuka placed it over her neck and adjusted it until it sat snugly on her shoulders.
Then came the helmet.
A Bell helmet, styled similarly to Senna's classic design, but with the colors of Suzuka's G1 racing outfit.
Suzuka lifted the helmet and lowered it over her head.
She secured the chin strap.
Her mechanic then clipped the HANS tethers to the mounting points on both sides of the helmet.
After that, he pulled the shoulder harnesses across her chest and locked them into place.
Click. Click.
He tightened the straps with firm tugs.
Suzuka lifted the clear visor and looked at the mechanic.
The mechanic nodded.
"We're proceeding with the start procedure. Once the engine fires up, we'll do a radio check."
He smiled.
"Just like the old days."
Suzuka nodded.
"Right."
The mechanic walked off to retrieve the external starter.
At that moment, Special Week walked over and knelt beside the left sidepod of the MP4/6.
She still looked worried.
Suzuka smiled behind the helmet.
"Don't worry about me, Spe-chan… I'll be fine."
Special Week took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
She gently patted Suzuka's shoulder.
"Be safe… okay?"
Suzuka gave a thumbs-up.
"Of course."
She smiled.
"I'll keep her tamed."
Special Week remained there for a moment longer.
Then she stood up and slowly backed away, returning to the group.
Jungle Pocket exhaled.
"You needed that moment with her, didn't you?"
Special Week lowered her head slightly.
"Not gonna lie…"
She gave a small smile.
"I'd probably do the same."
The external starter was brought over to the rear of the car and inserted into the gearbox shaft.
One of the mechanics standing beside a laptop glanced at the data feed.
Then he raised his thumb.
"Sensors are live. Fire it up!"
The starter engaged.
A deep mechanical whirr echoed through the garage as the electronics came alive.
Another mechanic, holding the external starter, gave a thumbs-up.
Suzuka reached toward the small electrical panel beside her seat.
Fuel switch — ON.
Ignition — ON.
Then—
The 3.5-liter Honda RA121/E V12 roared to life.
The entire garage exploded with sound.
Everyone instinctively covered their ears.
Suzuka gave the car a few quick rev blips, letting the engine warm slightly.
Inside the helmet, her ears twitched from the vibration.
Then her radio crackled.
"Radio check. Radio check. How do you read me, Suzuka-san?"
Suzuka pressed the push-to-talk button on the steering wheel.
"Loud and clear."
Her crew chief responded immediately.
"Perfect. Just a few reminders."
"Take it easy on the out lap. One or two laps to warm up the tyres and brakes."
"Second — redline is 13,000 RPM for this test run."
"We've filled the car with 30 liters of fuel. We'll monitor it from here. If you need to box, just let us know and we'll prepare for you."
Suzuka nodded inside the cockpit.
"Affirm."
A mechanic stepped out into the pit lane, looking left and right to check for clearance.
He turned back toward the car.
Then he gave the signal.
Suzuka pressed in the clutch and pushed the gear lever into first gear.
She raised the RPMs.
Then slowly released the clutch.
The Formula One car rolled forward.
As she exited the garage, Suzuka turned the steering wheel fully to the right.
The car pivoted smoothly and pointed straight toward pit exit.
The group stepped outside the garage, watching as Suzuka slowly accelerated further down the pit lane.
She crossed the pit exit line and began her warm-up lap.
Tachyon slowly removed her hands from her ears, her ears twitching upright.
"Jeez… I'll never get that noise out of my head now."
Rudolf chuckled.
"Honestly… that's the sound many Formula One fans truly miss."
Maruzensky nodded.
"I grew up when they still had V8s, V10s, and V12s in Formula One."
She sighed.
"Nowadays they sound like glorified vacuum cleaners. More like a mosquito buzzing by."
Far across the circuit, the sound intensified.
Suzuka had already cleared the first corner and was now going flat out down the second straight.
Third gear.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Suzuka approached the entry to Turns Two and Three.
She slammed hard on the brakes.
The car shrieked as she rapidly downshifted.
Fifth.
Fourth.
Third.
She turned in left, clipping the entry apex.
The car flowed through the corner, drifting wide before hitting the exit apex, widening her line as she prepared for the next turn.
She turned into Turn Three, rhythmically blipping the throttle as the rear of the car rotated slightly.
A controlled hint of oversteer helped the car pivot faster.
She aimed for the exit apex—
Then slammed the throttle to the floor.
The Formula One car surged forward, screaming toward the 13,000 RPM limiter.
Fourth gear.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Her radio crackled again.
"Suzuka-san, remember — warm up the tyres. Set up for five laps. Box on the sixth."
Suzuka pressed the radio button.
"Affirm."
She eased off the throttle slightly and began weaving across the straight, warming the core of the tyres.
Back at the pit lane—
Teio, Special Week, and Jungle Pocket climbed up onto the pit wall, walking toward the safety fence.
Jungle Pocket leaned forward, peeking through a gap in the fencing.
She looked left.
Then right.
"This place feels… weirdly empty."
Suzuka's crew chief stepped beside them, standing next to a makeshift pit wall station displaying live onboard footage and Suzuka's sector times.
He crossed his arms casually.
"Not many races happen here anymore."
"Mostly MotoGP, Super GT, and Super Formula now."
He pointed toward the circuit.
"Sometimes there are demonstration events too."
He smiled slightly.
"Red Bull did one here a couple of years ago."
They waited a little longer.
Then—
The sound of the naturally aspirated V12 began to grow louder.
Teio leaned forward and peeked through the gap in the fence.
"She's coming!"
The crew chief picked up the radio again.
"Tyres are warmed up. Engine parameters look good. Feel free to push."
Suzuka pressed the push-to-talk button.
"Wilco."
Suzuka slowed down along the front straight.
Then she began building up the revs.
Suddenly—
She dumped the clutch.
The rear tyres broke loose, spinning violently as the engine screamed toward the redline.
Then she let the car coast.
And again—
The rear tyres lost traction once more.
A rolling burnout, warming the rear tyres further.
Teio pulled away from the fence and looked back at the others.
"What's Suzuka doing?"
The crew chief chuckled.
"She always does this during a practice run."
He glanced at Teio, Special Week, and Jungle Pocket.
"Suzuka-san likes to do a standing start after her warm-up lap."
He tapped his forehead.
"We think it's her way of practicing lap time consistency."
Special Week tilted her head.
"And how much fuel did you put in the car, anyway?"
The crew chief rubbed his chin.
"Well… that depends on Suzuka's pace."
Jungle Pocket tilted her head as well, her ears folding slightly.
"What do you mean by depends on her pace?"
The crew chief smiled.
"You see—the harder she pushes, the more fuel she uses."
"But the faster her lap times become."
He glanced back toward the timing screens.
"If Suzuka sets a time around the 1 minute 25 second mark, we'd estimate around six to eight laps of fuel."
Then he looked back at the group.
"If she's a little slower, we might see nine to thirteen laps."
The three of them turned back toward the start–finish straight.
Suzuka was now slowly rolling into position.
The Formula One car crept forward.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
The front tyres reached the yellow start marker.
The car came to a stop.
Waiting.
Suzuka looked left.
Then right.
Then down at her RPM gauge.
Finally, she glanced toward the fence.
The trio—Teio, Special Week, and Jungle Pocket—were now joined by every Uma present.
Suzuka raised a thumbs-up.
Then she lowered her visor, sealing the helmet.
Her eyes locked forward.
Clutch in.
First gear.
She built up the revs.
Lightly feathering the throttle.
On.
Off.
Gradually raising the engine note higher.
The car crept forward slightly as she eased the clutch.
Then she stopped again.
A countdown formed in her mind.
Three.
Two.
One.
Her eyes snapped open.
Right foot flat to the floor.
Left foot dumping the clutch.
The rear tyres instantly broke traction, spinning violently as the car launched.
The chassis shuddered briefly—
Then the tyres bit into the asphalt.
The engine screamed upward.
13,000 RPM.
First gear.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
One hand on the steering wheel.
The other working the gear lever with precise movements.
Ahead—
Turn One approached fast.
Suzuka slammed the brakes.
Holding fourth gear.
She turned toward the entry apex.
Hit.
The car drifted slightly wide through mid-corner.
Then she cut back toward the second inner apex, rhythmically blipping the throttle.
The rear rotated slightly.
Then—
She stabbed the throttle on exit.
Exit apex hit.
The V12 screamed again.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
The speed climbed rapidly.
196 km/h
249 km/h
272 km/h
279 km/h
Brake boards rushed toward her.
At the 70-meter mark—
Hard on the brakes.
Heel-and-toe downshifts.
Sixth.
Fifth.
Fourth.
Third.
The engine briefly over-revved to 13,450 RPM.
She threw the car into a hard left.
First inner apex.
First outer apex.
A quick throttle blip rotated the rear further.
Then she hammered the throttle again.
Charging toward Turn Three.
Second inner apex hit.
Upshift to fourth.
Outer apex.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Down the straight.
The speed peaked at 288 km/h.
Between the 100 and 50 meter boards—
Hard braking again.
Sixth.
Fifth.
Fourth.
Third.
Into the corner.
Out of it.
Throttle blip—
Then flat to the floor.
The MP4/6 screamed through the tunnel section toward Turns Five and Six.
She clipped the outer apex.
Then slammed the brakes again.
Down to fifth and fourth.
Flowing through the left of Turn Seven and immediately into the right of Turn Eight.
Then—
Full throttle on exit.
The engine hit redline at the end of the short straight.
Then Suzuka attacked the brakes again.
Turn Nine — the hairpin.
Down to third.
Then second.
She blipped the throttle—
Just like Ayrton Senna once did.
The rear rotated aggressively.
On exit—
Full throttle.
The rear tyres broke traction slightly.
But Suzuka caught it instantly.
The reaction time of a Formula One driver.
The car slid briefly into a perfect four-wheel drift before gripping again.
Accelerating hard.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Then braking again at the 50-meter board.
Down to fourth.
Third.
Second.
Into the right-hand hairpin of Turn Ten.
Another throttle blip.
More rotation.
Then—
Full throttle on exit.
The rear stepped out again.
Suzuka caught it perfectly.
The car launched down the straight between Turns Ten and Eleven—
The longest straight on the circuit.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
The speed climbed.
300 km/h
Then—
303 km/h.
At the 100-meter board—
Hard braking.
Heel-and-toe downshifts.
Fifth.
Fourth.
Third.
Second.
The front right tyre locked momentarily before spinning again.
She powered out.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Flat through Turn Twelve.
Then heavy braking again into Turns Thirteen and Fourteen—
A tight chicane.
She clipped both inner apexes cleanly.
Then stomped the throttle.
Back onto the main straight.
At the pit wall—
Rudolf, Maruzensky, and Mr. C.B leaned out through the fence as Suzuka blasted toward them.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
The MP4/6 screamed past them at over 266 km/h, still pulling toward redline.
Sparks flew from beneath the chassis as the titanium skid plate scraped the tarmac.
Maruzensky jerked her head back from the fence, laughing loudly over the deafening exhaust.
"FUCK ME!! THAT SOUND IS HOLY!!"
Behind the wheel, Suzuka downshifted again—
And began another lap.
Her first timed run flashed on the monitor.
1:29.603
Rudolf chuckled, shaking her head.
"I still can't believe we're here… actually seeing this in action."
Mr. C.B nodded quietly.
"Mhm…"
Special Week jogged down from further along the pit wall and joined them.
"Was that really Suzuka-san driving?"
Rudolf nodded again.
"Mhm."
Maruzensky laughed.
"It's not like Suzuka swapped places with someone halfway through the warm-up lap. There's nobody else here."
Just then, Mayano Top Gun slowly walked toward them.
She looked completely speechless.
Her head was lowered.
Then she looked up at the group.
"I… I was watching the onboard camera back at the pit stall."
Maruzensky nodded.
"And?"
Mayano slowly shook her head.
"It's like Suzuka becomes a completely different person when she's behind the wheel of a Formula One car."
Mayano raised her hands, mimicking a steering wheel while turning it back and forth.
"Suzuka-san was literally sliding the car. I mean… it looked so natural!"
Maruzensky's eyes widened.
"Wait… sliding a Formula One car?"
Mayano nodded twice.
"Yes! And she was barely countersteering too!"
Maruzensky lowered her head.
Her right hand formed into a fist as she pressed it lightly against her mouth.
Her thoughts began racing.
Suzuka… sliding a Formula One car like it's nothing?
Sure, she can slide road cars…
But a Formula One car?
A car where if you countersteer too much, you're straight into the gravel… or the wall?
Special Week looked over at Maruzensky, noticing she was now lightly biting her knuckles.
"Maruzen-san?"
Maruzensky turned to her.
"Hm?"
"I-Is something on your mind?"
Maruzensky quickly shook her head.
"No… nothing."
Out on the circuit—
Lap after lap, Suzuka kept getting faster and faster.
The timing screen updated again.
Lap 2 — 1:27.327
Then another lap flashed.
Lap 3 — 1:26.746
The crew chief leaned slightly toward the monitor as the next time appeared.
Lap 4 — 1:26.330
And Suzuka was still pushing.
Then came Lap 5.
The crew chief pressed his push-to-talk button.
"Okay Suzuka, that was a purple sector in Sector Three. You lost a bit of time at Turn Thirteen."
Suzuka pressed the PTT button on her steering wheel.
"How much fuel do I have left?"
The crew chief quickly glanced at the telemetry.
Enough for two more laps.
He pressed the radio again.
"Two and a half laps left, Suzuka. One more timed lap. Let's go."
Suzuka's eyes narrowed inside the helmet.
"Roger."
A pause.
"I'll push harder."
The crew chief looked back at the group, who were all focused on Suzuka's onboard screen.
"Suzuka says she's going to push harder."
Special Week immediately jumped in place.
"Wh-What?! She shouldn't push too hard! She might hurt herself!"
Out on the circuit—
The MP4/6 blasted onto the front straight, accelerating aggressively.
Special Week suddenly ran toward a gap in the pit wall fence and started waving her arms.
"Su—Suzuka-san! Slow down!"
King Halo rushed forward and pulled her back.
"Wh-What are you doing, Spe-chan?!"
Suzuka shifted into sixth gear and briefly noticed someone waving near the pit wall.
She saw it.
But ignored it.
King Halo shook her head, hands on her hips.
"What on earth are you doing, Spe?! Trying to ruin Suzuka's rhythm?"
Special Week exhaled nervously.
"I-I'm sorry, Halo-san! I'm just worried she might overdo it!"
King Halo blinked in confusion.
"Huh?"
She leaned forward slightly.
"Can't you see her lap times? She's been consistent this entire run—and she's still getting faster."
She sighed.
"You've got to take it easy, Spe-chan. You can't do things like that while she's driving."
Special Week nodded quickly.
"I… I'm sorry…"
King Halo gently pulled her upright, and the two walked back toward the stand.
They turned toward the screens.
Then—
Sector One appeared.
Purple.
21.605 seconds.
A moment of silence.
Then the next time appeared.
Sector Two — Purple.
15.265 seconds.
Suzuka was going even faster.
It wasn't long before—
They heard the wailing scream of the V12 engine approaching.
Cafe immediately called out.
"She's coming!"
The group instinctively rushed out of the stall and moved toward another opening further down the pit lane, where a marshal was standing.
Suzuka had already cleared the final chicane and was blasting down the front straight.
From the cockpit, Suzuka spotted them near the pit wall.
They looked small from that distance.
She gently steered the car closer to the pit wall.
Maruzensky leaned out through the opening, pumping her fist excitedly.
Then—
The MP4/6 screamed past them, hugging the pit wall before Suzuka slammed on the brakes for Turn One.
Maruzensky clapped loudly and raised her fist high.
"YES! HAHA! THAT'S OUR SUZUKA!"
Cafe slowly walked back toward the timing screens.
Suzuka's crew chief was staring at the monitor.
Speechless.
Sector Three — Purple.
Then the final time appeared.
1:25.478
Cafe blinked.
"Wh-Whoa…"
Suzuka's crew chief chuckled softly, shaking his head in disbelief before pressing his radio button.
"Alright Suzuka… we're bingo on fuel."
A small pause.
"Box, box."
A brief moment passed.
Then Suzuka responded over the radio.
"Copy. Box."
The crew chief chuckled again as he removed his headset.
Still laughing quietly to himself—
He walked back toward the garage.
The others soon gathered around the screen.
Rudolf leaned closer and peeked at the timing display.
"So… what's her lap time?"
Cafe lifted a finger and pointed at the number on the monitor.
Tachyon leaned slightly over Cafe's shoulder.
Then she saw it.
Her eyes widened.
"Holy shit…"
Special Week let out a long breath.
"I'm glad that's over…"
King Halo chuckled.
"For now, Spe-chan."
She glanced at Special Week.
"She still has another car to drive."
Special Week sighed again.
"Doesn't matter."
She smiled softly.
"Suzuka was amazing out there…"
Tachyon nodded, crossing her arms.
"She really was."
She turned to Maruzensky.
"What do you think, Maruzen?"
Maruzensky nodded slowly.
"Her driving style really does remind me of Senna."
A small smirk formed on her face.
"The classic F1 fans at Suzuka Circuit are going to be emotional hearing the MP4/6 again."
She folded her arms.
"Especially if Suzuka runs it at full pace that day."
Rudolf raised an eyebrow.
"Will they even permit her to do that?"
Maruzensky nodded confidently.
"Sure, of course they will."
Then she sighed.
"Shame the Honda engine in that Aston Martin nowadays is a piece of—"
She stopped herself briefly.
"A complete mess."
Mr. C.B nodded.
"I still don't understand what they were thinking."
"Letting go of seventy percent of the championship-winning crew they had when they were with Red Bull."
Chiyono O raised a finger.
"But Suzuka-san being that consistent is already amazing."
Then—
They heard it again.
The sound of the V12 engine.
The group turned toward pit entry.
Then the MP4/6 appeared, rolling into the pit lane.
The engine note was calmer now as Suzuka carefully kept the car below the 80 km/h pit speed limit.
A mechanic stepped out in front of the garage, guiding her toward the pit stall.
Suzuka changed lanes and slowly approached.
Then the car stopped precisely in front of the mechanic.
The mechanic made a slicing motion across his neck.
Suzuka reached down and flipped the ignition and fuel pump switches off.
The Honda RA121/E V12 fell silent.
The run was over.
One of the mechanics crouched beside the left sidepod as Suzuka unclipped the HANS tethers from her helmet.
She released the chin strap, then lifted the helmet off her head.
Next she pulled off her balaclava, shaking her head slightly.
Her hair was damp with sweat from the heat.
She looked down at the mechanic and smiled.
"Whew! That was fun!"
The mechanic nodded with a grin.
"It sure looked like it."
Her crew chief walked over with a clipboard.
"Consistent and fast as ever, Suzuka-san."
He pointed at the sheet.
"1:25.478 was your fastest lap."
He tore a small printout from the clipboard and handed it to her.
It showed all the lap and sector times from Lap 1 through Lap 6.
Another mechanic nearby shook his head.
"And just so you know… we couldn't get the MP4/5 to run."
He sighed.
"Looks like it's only firing on half the cylinders."
Suzuka blinked.
"So… uh…"
She glanced at the MP4/6.
"This is the only run I'll be doing?"
The mechanic nodded silently.
Suzuka smiled.
"It's alright."
She glanced down at the car.
"I was going to choose this one anyway."
The mechanic chuckled.
"Glad to hear that."
Suzuka leaned forward and slid the HANS device off her shoulders, gently placing it beside her helmet on top of the right sidepod.
Then she ran a hand through the back of her hair.
A few loose strands fell onto the painted body panel of the car.
Suzuka turned her head to the left.
She spotted the group walking toward her across the pit lane.
She chuckled softly as she pulled off her gloves, resting her left elbow on the edge of the cockpit.
"So… how are you guys holding up?"
Special Week raised a finger.
"A-Are you still Silence Suzuka… or are you someone else?"
Suzuka laughed lightly.
"Of course it's still me."
Jungle Pocket chuckled.
"You sure about that?"
She folded her arms.
"You didn't look like yourself when you were driving out there."
Suzuka shook her head.
"I said this before, everyone."
"My driving style just happens to resemble Senna-san's."
She looked down briefly.
"But I'm not him."
"And I won't replace him."
"And I won't try to become him either."
She patted her chest gently.
"I mean… look at me."
"I'm an Umamusume."
"I ran the URA tracks as a front runner."
She shrugged.
"I'm not a Formula One driver."
She sighed softly.
"And honestly… I probably never will be."
Suzuka looked back at all of them.
"And besides… running on the track…"
She smiled warmly.
"It's always been a way for me to clear my mind."
Her ears twitched slightly.
"Running is something I truly enjoy."
Rudolf nodded calmly.
"Yes."
She crossed her arms.
"That is definitely still Silence Suzuka."
The group burst into laughter.
Special Week crouched beside the car and carefully peeked into the cockpit, studying Suzuka's seating position.
"A-Are you comfortable in there?"
Suzuka nodded.
"Surprisingly comfortable."
She tapped the cockpit side lightly.
"At least while the car is sitting still."
Special Week then noticed the gear lever beside her.
"Wait… is it automatic?"
Suzuka shook her head.
She grabbed the gear lever, pressed the clutch pedal, and moved it through the gates.
First.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth.
Then back down again.
"Nope."
She smiled slightly.
"Six-speed H-pattern manual with a clutch."
Special Week's eyes widened.
Jungle Pocket leaned closer.
"Wait… you were shifting with one hand the whole time?!"
Suzuka nodded.
"On acceleration, yes."
"The car accelerates so quickly that there isn't much time to move your hand back to the wheel unless you're adjusting something."
Pocket scanned the cockpit again.
"W-Wow…"
Mr. C.B crossed her arms.
"You need help getting out?"
Suzuka shook her head.
"Not yet."
She leaned back slightly in the seat.
"Let me rest here for a minute."
Tachyon nodded.
"Take your time."
She smirked.
"From the onboard footage, it looked like you were wrestling that car."
Suzuka chuckled.
"With how stiff the chassis is…"
She nodded slightly.
"I actually was."
She tilted her head and smirked faintly.
"I was fighting the understeer most of the lap."
She pointed toward the front tires.
"The front tires are much narrower than the rears."
"So the car naturally wants to push wide on entry."
Rudolf stepped forward.
"Even so…"
She gave Suzuka a respectful nod.
"You were incredible out there."
Then Rudolf turned her gaze toward the track.
Toward Turn One, visible in the distance.
The empty circuit stretched quietly beneath the morning sky.
"In just a few days…"
She spoke calmly.
"Suzuka circuit will be full."
She glanced back at Suzuka.
"And when that moment comes…"
"You will be the one at the center of it."
She paused.
"A few laps."
"But they will be unforgettable ones."
Suzuka looked out toward the circuit as well.
The track was silent now.
But she could almost hear the roar of the crowd already.
Her ears twitched slightly.
Then she smiled.