User:Kalathei95/sandbox/1020 Baeticia Grand Prix

The 1020 Baeticia Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 22 Avex 1020 at the Baeticia City Bridge Circuit, Vasuria. It served as the season opener of the 1020 Formula One Gatrovian Championship.

The race was won by Iocus O. C. Sariper who won the race from pole position and remained largely uncontested throughout the race. The race also saw the debut of Lagotha X. H. Xalinthina who deputised Sythomias R. Taiamora who contracted gastroenteritis a few hours before the first practice session. Xalinthina stunned the F1 world by achieving a debut podium at the age of 17 years and 352 days, becoming the youngest person in F1 history to achieve a podium. Tossetia L. R. Ferinia finished 2nd, completing a Hovonian 1-2 for the first time since the the 1019 Azam Grand Prix.

The race also saw the debut of Serpentina Academy graduate and 1019 F2 champion Rellosius G. Drenas who retired on lap 18 after a collision involving Vaksara A. Prijanu.

The sudden speed and performance by Xalinthina's SerCol generated intense scrutiny and controversy post-race, with Tymax protesting the result the following day. Despite numerous investigations, the International Automobile Federation found no evidence of cheating.

Background
The 1020 Formula One season began with 10 teams instead of 11, as the Honor Tymax F1 Team (which is set to become Tymax's junior F1 team) failed to procure the funds before the FIA's mandated race entry deadline a week prior to pre-season testing. The 10 teams, also known as constructors, were Hatamora-EraGlide, Hovonian, Imperial, Lagaz-Vozor, Seringola Colcras (or SerCol), Thagrom-Serpentina (or simply Serpentina), Tymax, GD ViperForce, Xynotrex and Zardan SD.

Attention fell mostly on Seringola-Colcras, a backmarker team since the 1014 season (and since 1011 when it was then called King's Team Icyria). Pre-season testing at Letrosarium saw the Icyro-Bulemani team suspiciously achieve timings within the top-five in all test sessions. Media at the time speculated that a series of aero-related upgrades, "Hadrianus Novarius" inspired designs, as well as Colcras's brand new engine, the more fuel-efficient and lighter Colcras NARVA-01 1.6 V6, collectively contributed to SerCol's sudden newfound pace which had not been seen since the Phogros-based team were a top running car in during the 1000s. The top teams of Hovonian and Tymax initially dismissed Formula One media that SerCol were to be a threat for the 1020 season, with Tymax team principal Vagarades O. Totounius 'Toto' calling it a "likely fluke". Hovonian Technical Director of Engine, Rumencus Scoeminus Pipila, called the situation similar to that of 1016 when SerCol showed very promising times in that year's pre-season testing, only for the car to remain at the back of the grid come the first race.

The Baeticia Grand Prix saw the debut of Rellosius G. Drenas who won the 1019 F2 Championship Season. The dolphin replaced Trucadus B. Cinabuladus who left for Imperial F1 the end of the 1019 Formula One Season. Drenas chose the number 70, the same number driven by his father, 70 when he was a rally driver between 998 and 1010.

Security was heightened throughout the weekend in response to the death of CEO and Chairman of ZZ Driver Academy F2 Team, Otaca Esuza, who was killed in hospital from an apparent syndicate assassination. A moment of silence was originally scheduled before the race when police released information confirming ZZ Academy's use as a money laundering company for the syndicate organisation: the GOC.

Practice
An hour before practice was scheduled to begin at 16:00, Taiamora was confirmed by his medical doctor to have contracted gastroenteritis. Reserve driver Xalinthina, having never sat in a Formula One car before, deputised him. Xalinthina initially struggled to get to grips with the car, and remained near the bottom of the timing sheets in all three practice sessions.

Defending champion, Rusiencus V. R. Stylus set the fastest time in FP1. However, in FP2, Stylus suffered a crash involving rookie driver Drenas who slammed into the back of him during an outlap, causing his Tymax to spin out of control and into the barrier at turn 7. Drenas was subsequently handed a 5-place grid penalty and 2 penalty points for his shunt. When FP2 resumed, Sariper topped the time sheet. The following day, Ningola topped FP3 convincingly.

Qualifying classification

 * Notes
 * – Rellosius G. Drenas received a five-place grid penalty for crashing into Rusiencus V. R. Stylus during FP2.

Race
The race began at 20:00 local time (UTC-05:00) on 24 Avex 1020 and lasted for 50 laps. All drivers in the top 10 opted for the softs. Conditions were gusty with winds exceeding 45km/h along the bridge section, prompting safety concerns by some in the paddock. At the start, Ferinia overtook Stylus after the latter's slow start to take second. Varcus, who started in eleventh, crashed into the back of his teammate Kochinza and damaging the Sorgunese's diffuser which would soon prove terminal by the middle of the race. Varcus retired from the race after driving just 15 metres from the start, prompting a first lap safety car as marshals cleared his car from the starting grid.

At the safety car restart on lap 4, Stylus briefly took the lead after Sariper braked too late into turn 1. Stylus began to build a gap over the course of 5 laps, and by lap 10 was 10 seconds clear of Sariper in second who by this point was being harassed by the other Tymax of Ningola. On lap 18, Drenas collided with Prijanu after an audacious overtake for eighteenth place went awry at the penultimate corner of the circuit. The two stricken cars blocked half of the road, prompting a second safety car. Both Tymaxes and Hovonians came in for the hards, switching their strategy to a one-stopper. However, Sariper reversed his decision and decided to pit again for mediums, a decision that confused the paddock but would soon pay off. Xalinthina, who was the only driver to remain on the hards since the beginning of the race, stayed out after overriding team orders. On lap 20, while under safety car condition, Avarenus suffered a software glitch on his electronics control which delayed the car's ability to change gears for the rest of the race.

At the safety car restart on lap 24, Kochinza returned to the pits when his already damaged suspension finally gave way, prompting him to retire from the race. Sariper, overtook Xalinthina for the lead and remained uncontested ever since. Ferinia was stuck in eighth, and forced to fight her way through the Lagaz-Vozors of Luporio and Vitras, and Ermidus of the Hatamora. Stylus was in third behind Xalinthina. Despite being on worn hards, she defended against Stylus for four laps, taking advantage of Baeticia's narrow streets which made it difficult for overtakes. On lap 36, Ningola clipped the wall on turn 1 after taking avoiding action from the lapped car of Yamula, causing his front wing to come off which brought out yet another safety car after stewards decided that there was too much debris on track. Sariper, Stylus and Xalinthina used the opportunity to pit, all three of them going on to the mediums.

The final safety car came in on lap 39 with Ferinia briefly leading the race when Sariper performed a double overtake on Xalinthina and Ferinia for first place at the race restart. Between laps 39 and 47, Xalinthina defended Stylus who was in fourth. Stylus eventually passed the SerCol by lap 48. However, Stylus was given a 5 seconds time penalty for exceeding track limits five times during his attempts to overtake the secretarybird. The race concluded with Sariper and Ferinia making it a 1-2 for the Hovonian team. Stylus crossed the line in 3rd, but his 5 second time penalty meant he was dropped to fourth behind Xalinthina, who crossed the line at 4.998s behind. Xalinthina was promoted to 3rd, becoming youngest podium finisher, youngest driver to score points and youngest driver to lead a lap in F1 history. She also secured SerCol's first ever podium since the 1010 Bulema Grand Prix when the Phogros-based team were then known as King's Team Icyria.

Race classification

 * Notes:
 * – Includes 1 point for fastest lap
 * – Epharaches D. Avarenus was classified as he completed more than 90% of the race distance.
 * – Rusiencus V. R. Stylus finished 3rd, but he received a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits.

Championship standings after the race

 * Drivers' Championship standings


 * Constructors' Championship standings