The morning sun rose over the Nottingham circuit like a spotlight for the stage that would soon roar to life. The air was crisp, humming with expectation. The third and final free practice session was set to begin, and the Vaayu GP crew was already in motion.
Inside Garage 7, Siddharth Mahato stood over his tablet, watching the last updates from the telemetry scans. He wiped his hands on a rag and turned to Sukhman, who was tightening the strap on his gloves.
"You ready for FP3?" Siddharth asked.
"Been ready since yesterday," Sukhman replied, cracking a confident grin.
"Good. Let's stick to the strategy. First ten laps on softs, then we switch to hards for the next fifteen. Then intermediates for the last five. I want clean, stable laps. Let's refine our setup."
Sukhman nodded. "Copy that."
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Free Practice 3: Precision and Control
The session unfolded like clockwork. The red-marked soft tires carried Sukhman through the first ten laps with precision. He weaved through the chicanes like thread through a needle, pushing the car just to the edge of its capabilities.
When he switched to the hard compound tires, he noted the change in grip and responded with small tweaks in braking and acceleration. The car responded with poise.
By the final five laps, the intermediate tires gave a stable but floaty feel, and Sukhman used the time to simulate a race start, testing how the car would launch.
Back in the garage, Siddharth sat back and exhaled, satisfied.
"I've gathered enough data. I think you'll secure 9th or 10th position in the qualifying laps," he said.
Sukhman raised an eyebrow. "Okay, so I'll take that as a great thing, right?"
Siddharth chuckled. "Yeah. You should. You're in the mix now."
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3 PM: Qualifying Laps Begin
Lap 1–5: The Setup
Engines screamed as the green lights went out, signaling the start of the 30-lap qualifying dash. The top twenty racers hurtled into Turn 1 at Nottingham Circuit, each one determined to grab one of the coveted ten qualifying spots for Sunday's Grand Prix.
Callum Graves took an early lead, his textbook start launching him ahead of the grid. Finn Carter slotted in behind him with calculated precision, while Omar Irani surged from the third row with a daring move around the outside at Turn 2.
"Callum Graves already showing why he's the pole king," Jack commented on the live broadcast. "But keep your eyes on Omar—he's climbing early."
Down the grid, Isabella Romano and Luciana Fernandez were engaged in a fierce battle for 6th. Luciana used her impeccable tire control through the tight Turn 5 chicane, but Isabella stayed glued to her gearbox.
Further back, Charlotte Reid was off to a feisty start—blocking not just Sukhman but also Diego Montoya and Yuki Sasakai as she fiercely defended her 10th position.
"Charlotte's driving like a goalie in front of the net," Whitney said. "Every angle shut down."
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Lap 6–10: Midfield Mayhem
Lap 7 saw a stunner from Ayanda Nkosi. She executed a perfect switchback on Lukar Meier through Turns 7 and 8, taking the inside of the sweeping right-hander with grace and grit.
"Ayanda Nkosi with a chess move on Lukar Meier!" Jack shouted. "That's instinct and intellect in motion."
Yuki Sasakai tried to push past Montoya on Lap 8, but the Argentine driver closed the door. Sparks flew—literally—as their tires kissed briefly, but both held their lines. Behind them, Daan Vermer struggled with oversteer, nearly spinning on Turn 11.
Meanwhile, Sukhman Singh stayed focused in 13th, methodically shaving tenths off his lap time. His communication with Siddharth was calm, calculated.
"Lap 9—Your rear tire temps look great," Siddharth said in his ear. "Stay smooth and wait for your moment."
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Lap 11–15: Sukhman on the Move
Lap 11: Sukhman overtook Daan Vermer through Turn 4, using a tighter line through the exit. Clean and crisp.
Lap 14: He overtook Yuki Sasakai through Turn 9, getting better traction out of the sweeping corner.
Lap 15 saw another highlight—Luciana Fernandez outbraked Isabella Romano at Turn 6, only for Isabella to take the place right back on the straight. It was classic wheel-to-wheel action.
"These two are racing like it's Sunday already!" Whitney shouted.
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Lap 16–20: Positioning for the Final Push
Lap 17: Sukhman gained half a second on Diego Montoya.
Charlotte, still clinging to 10th, was visibly struggling with grip. Her aggressive early laps had burned through her tires.
Further up, Aiko Fujimura made a bold move past Ryan Brooks into 8th place on Lap 18, slipping through the inside during a momentary hesitation from Brooks.
"And there goes Aiko!" Jack exclaimed. "The quiet samurai strikes again!"
Lap 20: Diego Montoya started to falter, his tires falling off dramatically. Sukhman capitalized and moved into 11th. Only one more spot to claim.
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Lap 21–24: Sector by Sector
Lap 21: Sukhman's split times were within tenths of Luciana Fernandez. The commentary picked up:
"Sukhman Singh is showing remarkable composure," Whitney noted. "Clean, consistent laps—exactly what you want to see from a developing driver."
"And look at those sector times," Jack added. "He's just a heartbeat behind Ryan Brooks."
Meanwhile, up front, Finn Carter had reeled in Callum Graves. For a moment on Lap 22, he pulled side-by-side, but Callum defended beautifully through Turns 6 and 7.
Ayanda Nkosi, maintaining fourth, fended off pressure from Lukar Meier. Their duel was silent but intense, neither giving an inch.
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Lap 25: Showdown with Charlotte
Charlotte Reid appeared ahead of Sukhman—still in 10th. But Sukhman was faster. Much faster.
"Uh-oh," Jack said. "Here comes trouble."
He took the outside line in Turn 6. Charlotte drifted over, blocking him.
He switched to the inside at Turn 7—again, she cut across.
"Same old tricks," Siddharth muttered.
But this time, Sukhman was ready.
Coming into Turn 9, he baited her wide, then tucked in close and cut through the inside line. He floored the throttle, gained on the exit, and slipped past her.
The crowd erupted.
"What a move!" Whitney exclaimed. "Sukhman Singh just schooled Charlotte Reid through Sector 3!"
"And cleanly, too," Jack said. "That was surgical."
Charlotte tried to catch back up, but her tires were gone. She oversteered through Turn 10 and lost any hope of regaining position.
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Lap 26–30: Hold the Line
Now in 10th, Sukhman only had to protect his position. Behind him, Montoya's pace had fallen off, and Charlotte had nothing left in the tank.
Ahead of him, Ryan Brooks was slightly out of reach, but that was fine. Sukhman focused on clean lines and tire management.
Meanwhile, the battle for pole heated up.
Lap 28: Finn Carter made one final lunge at Callum through Turn 11 but locked up his brakes slightly, giving Callum breathing space again.
Lap 30: The checkered flag waved.
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Final Results: Qualifiers Announced
The pit lane buzzed with nervous energy as the timer ran out.
Jack's voice came back on.
"Here are your top ten qualifiers for tomorrow's big race!"
1. Callum Graves
2. Finn Carter
3. Omar Irani
4. Ayanda Nkosi
5. Lukar Meier
6. Luciana Fernandez
7. Isabella Romano
8. Aiko Fujimura
9. Ryan Brooks
10. Sukhman Singh
"There he is! Sukhman Singh takes the final qualifying spot!" Whitney announced. "That's a massive win for Vaayu GP. The rookie has shown that he has talent. He is not some accidental racer."
"And heartbreak for Charlotte Reid, who ends in 11th," Jack added. "She won't be happy."
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Non-qualified:
11) Charlotte Reid
12) Diego Montoya
13) Yuki Sasakai
14) Daan Vermer
15) Dafydd Morgan
16) Amelia Foster
17) Ming Tao
18) Jakab Lewandowski
19) Thiago Martins
20) Wei Zhang
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Post-Race: Frustration and Fire
In the Vaayu GP garage, Sukhman unstrapped and climbed out. His visor lifted to reveal a confident smile. Siddharth was already nodding, satisfied.
"You kept your head. That was world-class, kid," Siddharth said.
Yudhvir clapped his back. "Top ten. You did it."
But across the paddock, the mood was stormy.
Charlotte ripped off her gloves and tossed her helmet onto her chair. Her jaw was clenched, and her expression was pure thunder.
TV cameras caught her storming past reporters, muttering curses under her breath.
"She's not taking this well," Whitney said on the post-race panel.
Jack chuckled. "Guess the rookie just ruined her weekend."
---
Siddharth handed him a water bottle. "You earned that. Every second."
They looked across the pit lane.
Charlotte stood by her car, helmet off, jaw clenched, throwing a towel onto the ground. Her engineers tried to console her, but she brushed them off. Her eyes locked onto Sukhman's for a second—full of fury.
"She's fuming," Yudhvir whispered.
"Let her be," Siddharth said coolly. "She just learned the hard way—talent beats attitude."
Sukhman exhaled, the tension slowly leaving his body. Tomorrow was race day. Today, he had made his mark.