Sakhir, Bahrain
Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2022
Akula awoke from his sleep with a loud gasp. Sweat running down his face and yet it wasn't even that hot.
Another nightmare, he thought to himself. This had been happening a lot recently, ever since the conclusion of last year's World Championship decider in Abu Dhabi. A horrible memory burnt into his mind. A memory of betrayal and corruption. Of villains winning in the end. Of hatred and rage unchecked.
A nightmare of Stranglegate.
Akula wiped the sweat off his brow, hopped out of bed, got dressed and headed into the garage. But he wasn't wearing the colours of Mercedes and he wasn't in the F1 Equestria Series anymore. This was the big time, the top echelon of motorsport. The Formula One World Championship, and Akula would be making his full-time debut with Alpine.
Now, before everything went down the shitter, Akula was originally contracted to drive for Williams for the 2022 season in the main series, alongside his best friend, Viral Velocity. However, since the events of Abu Dhabi, no Mercedes-affiliated team wanted anything to do with Akula and Viral had left for IndyCar, having given up all hope on the sport. Akula chose to stay behind. He wanted to see if he could get back some of that passion for the sport he had lost in Yas Marina. However, the only options left for him where Renault, Red Bull and Ferrari.
The changeling didn't trust Ferrari (the team and their engines) for shit. The Prancing Horse was an Italian clusterfuck, just like always. And he knew it.
And as for Red Bull... well, Akula joining Red Bull would be like saying man never landed on the moon. It was never going to happen. Akula hated Red Bull. Hell, Abu Dhabi 2021 proved that.
That left him with Renault, and as a result, that led him to Alpine. The last team that Akula could trust at all.
So, in order to get his seat back, the changeling bought out Esteban Ocon and got a two-year deal to race for the French team, alongside the veteran Fernando Alonso. He should have been happy, but Akula didn't really feel that way. He just felt like... well, he wasn't too sure what he was feeling like.
Nevertheless, he had a job to do. And that job was to race. And to win. And all throughout the weekend, it seemed like he was back. Fastest in Practice, Fastest in Q1 and placed his Alpine 6th on the grid. And since both Alpines had made Q3, Fernando was back in 10th. From the word 'go', the changeling was already up in and amongst it with the Ferraris, Red Bulls and Mercedes.
Question on everyone's lips was would the Demon Lord keep his frustrations to himself so he could finish the race. He was staring on the third row... both Red Bulls had locked out the row ahead of him. It made Akula visibly furious every time he had to look at the back end of the RB18, especially if it had that big #1 on it.
Akula had lost count of how many times he had wanted to put Verstappen into the wall and ruin his day. And earlier in the practice sessions... he did just that.
A few days eariler...
Bahrain GP Free Practice 2
The #98 Alpine was flying. Akula was making the French machine pull wonders around the Sakhir circuit. The whining of the Renault E-Tech RE22 engine was music to his ears, and knowing that he was on the top of the timing sheets only made him beam.
It was the biggest shock of the weekend, as well as Ferrari seemingly having a good car to finally take on Red Bull and possibly even win their first championship since 2007. But Akula's pace in the Alpine was a big shock, no one could catch him. And that was down to two things...
One, the Alpine A522 was a dream to drive. Granted, while it's Renault engine wasn't the best in terms of performance, it had unbelievable reliability and aerodynamic stats which made it fly around the corners. Coupled with the fact it performed exceptionally when partnered with the higher downforce setups the changeling preferred to use, you have a brilliant chassis that was more than ready to win points week in and week out, and maybe even a race or two.
And two, was the driver. Akula was a highly talented driver when it came to open-wheelers. It proved, given his two years at Mercedes in the Equestria Series and the 2019 Equestria Series championship was his too. His driving ability was second-to-none and it showed, he knew how to brake attack like a true Riccardo and the smoothness to get the most out of the exit. Hell, he was nicknamed 'Kamikaze' for this reason.
It was needless to say that the A522 in Akula's capable hooves... was a combination made in heaven.
And so far, it was showing. His qualifying runs were looking good and he was on the top of the timing sheets, fastest in all sectors.
And then came the fireworks.
As Akula was cooling down after another hot lap run, who should start filling up his rear view mirrors than the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. Or as Akula called him, 'the underserving champion'. That big fat #1 on his car? Yeah, Akula thought it shouldn't be there. He was firmly on team Mercedes when it came to how 2021 wrapped up.
And judging by hot the RB18 was running... the changeling wasn't going to let Verstappen win another championship the privileged white kid didn't deserve.
What happened next, was either sure stupidity or blissful release... depending on who you ask.
On the exit of the last corner, Verstappen got a hell of a run and began to close in on the changeling. He went to the inside... and Akula bodyblocked him. But Max kept coming and tried to do the switch and pass on the outside. And Akula went to block...
The two cars collided, smacking wheels and the Alpine being turned in front of the Red Bull and the two cars being sent into the wall. The red flag was flown and the session stopped as the marshals could pick up the pieces of car from the track. Thankfully, no-one was hurt. And hell, Akula was feeling great. He could tell this pissed Verstappen off and it made the changeling smile.
And thus, the Grim Reaper of Alpine was born.
Sigh, just another day. Akula thought to himself. He remembered how Verstappen approached him after FP2 to chew him out. Oh, how hearing Verstappen complain made him smile. And getting to floor him with a haymaker when he got too close, was even better.
Now, Akula had to kick him to the kerb on the track and the phase would be complete.
The changeling entered the garage and slipped on his helmet, covered in ace cards of all four suits, as well as branding of Alpine and the team's sponsors all over it. Of course, there was also the interesting blue and pink combination race suit, the blue of Alpine mixed with the pink of their title sponsor, BWT. Akula, despite being a bigger fan of the 2020-2021 Black Mercedes liveries, actually liked the blue-pink design quite a bit. It was a fresh changed.
He plopped into the cockpit, as the wheel was fitted and radio was connected. He heard his race engineer check the radio and he responded. The car was wheeled onto the grid, right into his spot on the 3rd row. It was time.
