lap of honor

by AppleLauda99942

Rating: everyone
Tags: Starlight Glimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Original Character
Length: 1835

Apple Lauda wants to honor Celestia with a new lap record

since ever Apple Lauda has terrorized the Nordschleife and scared everypony, he's ready again. He's on the charge again... but he wants to do something different. Since he has met Celestia for the first time, the amount of respect he has towards her is absurdly high. And on a fateful day, he wants to do something...

but there's also a certain Pony on the Nordschleife... who will it be? and will he stop Apple Lauda once and for all?

Published 2023-10-29 21:50:00 UTC
Last updated 2023-10-29 21:50:00 UTC

lap record attempt

on a fateful day in October, Apple Lauda and Danger Dean meet each other at the Nordschleife again for their tiebreaker battle. Danger did practice quite a lot in the past and has significantlly improved. He took his Nordschleife lap times below the 6:30 minute barrier. That makes Apple Lauda worried because he knows that a powerful opponent has arrived.

"I studied your driving style and the car you use. So I thought, how about we race with equal material" Danger explains.
"well sure but I have upgraded myself as well" the Nürburgring God says. "But to be honest... what did I ever do for the Princess to honor her?"
"what do you mean?" Danger asks curiously. "You did already so much for her and I know it's kinda your duty because the commands from above tell you to do so."
"I know Danger... but I can't get it off my shoulders... you know what... I'm going to try to break 6:28 today..." Apple Lauda says with a sigh and guilty expression on his face.
"don't do it Juggernaut, you are going to hurt yourself or even worse" Danger says.
"Celestia is a royal pony and we both know that... I feel like that it's my duty:.." Apple Lauda explains.
"are you crazy?! dude, if you do a mistake, you might be dead!!!" Danger warns.

But Apple Lauda has another plans. He wants to get over with this fast so he can get rid of the weight that are on his shoulders. Apple Lauda and Danger Dean get into their GT3 cars. Both drive a Dodge Viper GT3-R in the hope of Danger beating Apple Lauda once and for all.

The lights go green and Danger gets the better start off the line but Apple Lauda is right on his tail. At Hatzenbach, Apple Lauda backs off because he gave himself the "never overtake in Hatzenbach" rule but on their way to Schwedenkreuz, Apple Lauda goes for the pass and drives into the distance.

But Danger can keep up with him. Apple Lauda gets in panic as he realizes that he can't get rid of the Viper in his mirror.

"UGH!!! WHY CAN'T I GET RID OF HIM?!!?!?" Apple Lauda asks himself in fear.

Twilight smirks. She knew that she can help Danger out. And Starlight, well... she did watch him and give him tips about how to keep up with the Nürburgring God.

"I must say that was a good training program you gave me there girls" Danger says through the radio. Apple Lauda is furious.

"YOU GIRLS HELPED HIM?!" Apple Lauda yells in disbelief. Twilight and Starlight only can laugh.

"awww, is somepony scared?" Twilight says teasingly. Starlight speaks up.
"look who's in your mirror Juggernaut!!!!! oh you're a good boy are you, yes you are, just keep looking into your mirror" Starlight teases.

But suddenly, something happens... Apple Lauda somehow ascends into a higher level, getting ahead of Danger.
"I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY!!!!" Danger yells.
"catch me if you can hahaha" Apple Lauda responds.

and suddenly, Apple Lauda is gone... he vanished into the Eifel Mountains.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING GIRLS?!" Danger asks furiously. Twilight is looking for a explaination.
"I don't know why he ascended again. I believe that the Eifel Gods had stepped in there" Twilight explains.
Danger gets annoyed. "ugh... not again the Eifel Gods..." the British Speedfreak says.
"keep pushing, you can still match his pace!!!" Starlight cheers. But Apple Lauda is already on his way back to the start/finish line.

Arriving on the Döttinger Höhe, Apple Lauda has pulled a lead of 4 seconds over Danger Dean. Apple Lauda knows, if he misses the Hohenrain or spins in T13, Danger will win.
"There's no way I will win this girls!!!" Danger says. "it's over... there's no way I can win this unless a miracle happens"

but that miracle doesn't happen. Apple Lauda crosses the finish line in 6:28.140 minutes, setting a new lap record in the process. This doesn't get unnoticed. Celestia makes her way over to the Nürburgring to congratulate Apple Lauda to his new lap record. Danger Dean crosses the finish line 2.5 seconds later than Apple Lauda thanks to a better Galgenkopf exit than him.

"that was tight!!!" Apple Lauda shouts. "well done Danger... that was a real challenge there"
"thanks, but seriously, how on earth are you so fast?!?!?!" Danger asks.
"I can't explain it either... whenever I have an opponent in my mirror, something happens and suddenly, I'm a level higher." Apple Lauda answers. "But still, I didn't break 6:28... I have to go again in a few hours..."

"does it even matter?" Starlight says. "I mean you did that for Celestia... you have every record you can have on the Ring. You can retire now, how about we do something together instead?"

"Starlight is right, screw 6:27 and let's hang out, playing some games, baking cookies, making stuff..." Twilight tries to convince him.

"Sorry girls, but I can't... I can't retire now... I must break 6:28... I'm so close to breaking it... I can't stop, not now..." Apple Lauda responds.

In the evening, Apple Lauda goes through his mind again, remembering the words of Twilight and Starlight. But he cannot stop at this point. He wants to keep going, but he knows, one mistake and he could be dead.

After a short dinner, Apple Lauda goes through his checklist one final time before he goes to sleep.

The next day, Apple Lauda wakes up and gets his breakfast. His choice is pao de queijo which translates to brazilian cheese rolls. Then, he walks over to the garage, where his team is already waiting for him. After final preparations, the call has been made. Apple Lauda gets into his Dodge Viper GT3-R and transforms. His mane and tail become red. He only has one try because he drains his power very quickly. It will last only for half an hour to an hour. He will not know when the transformation will end.

Author's Note

I actually ate pao de queijo by myself and it was very delicious.

breaking 6:28

After the outlap, Apple Lauda goes for it. Twilight looks worried towards Starlight.
"I have a bad feeling about this Starlight." Twilight says.
Starlight sighs. "I know Twilight, but we can't do anything now. He's all by himself now"

Apple Lauda blasts through Hatzenbach, barely missing the grass by less than a inch. Twilight knows that Apple Lauda is not messing at all. First split time is a 40.3 at Quiddelbacher Höhe. Starlight's jaw drops.
"HOW DID HE DO THIS?!?!!?!?" Starlight screams in shock.
"He did go with all 4 wheels on the grass, he did cut the corner, but apparently, it didn't give him an advantage." Twilight says. It's true that there's a penalty detection system installed that is strict. Apple Lauda can be lucky that he didn't invalidate his lap at exit Hocheichen.

Apple Lauda however doesn't notice anything that happens around him. Entry foxhole is a 1:11.8, he's on record course. Celestia is watching this as well.

"okay what Apple Lauda does there is beyond insane!!!! if he doesn't slow down, he will crash!!!" Celestia says in a worried tone.

things go very fast for Apple Lauda... he blinks once and suddenly, he's in the next corner. He doesn't feel nervous or so. Anypony would say that he would have no emotions right now.

Apple Lauda knows that this attempt may cost him his life and that's why he wrote a goodbye letter to everypony he knows in advance.

my dear friends and Silverstream

I'm afraid to tell you this but I'm going to try to break the 6:28 minute barrier on the Nordschleife. I don't know how it will go but what I know is, is that if I crash that I could die. I want to say goodbye to all of you just in case that I will fatally crash.

I hope I make it out alive of this. To be honest, I don't want to do this but I want to honor Princess Celestia. I know I should not put my life on the line just to honor somepony. But Celestia is our ruler, the best ruler that I've could have ever imagined. It is my duty to do this. I know your opinion will be a different one, but by the time you read this letter, I might be already trying to break 6:28. I hope it goes well...

Silverstream, if you read this, I wanted to tell you that you're the best what could have happened to me. I will always love you, regardless if I'm alive or in heaven. I love you

yours

Apple Lauda, the Nürburgring God

Apple Lauda races through the corners at maximum attack and at exit Hedwigshöhe, he almost loses control of his car, but saves it just in time.

"that gave me a heart attack there" Twilight says.
"I hope he will make it" Starlight prays.

Apple Lauda doesn't seem to care at all about that little incident. A few minutes later, Apple Lauda approaches the Döttinger Höhe. It's almost over.

Celestia sees the Viper of Apple Lauda hurdling towards the Hohenrain chicane. "There he is!!!!" Celestia says happily.
"He made us worried sick!!!!" Twilight frowns.
"was that necessary Apple Lauda? I mean come on... that is just ridiculous... you will mess up T13 and ruin the lap, as always" Starlight says, knowing what could happen...

but not today... Apple Lauda crosses the finish line in 6:27.9 minutes. He has finally done it...

Apple Lauda pulls back into the pits, and as he gets out of his car, he gets greeted with a hug from Twilight and Starlight.
"don't do this ever again!!!" Twilight begs.
"you almost lost it!!! you're such a crazy stallion!!!" Starlight says.
"that one's for Celestia" Apple Lauda says emotionless.

Celestia comes over to Apple Lauda and speaks up.

"Apple Lauda... in all of these years of ruling Equestria with my sister, I have never seen somepony to do something that dangerous like this. You did truly put your life on the line. I saw how the car unsettled at the exit of Hedwigshöhe. That was really scary for all of us. I have huge respect for this effort. You had only this attempt and you converted it into a sub 6:28 lap. You truly deserve the title Nürburgring God." Celestia says.
"Thank you your highness, I know that I unsettled my car due to my upshift into 5th gear. But I had everything in control, from beginning to the end." Apple Lauda says. He checks the penalty system if he violated the track limits.

But he was lucky... he didn't violate the track limits and the new lap record is now valid.

After this insane attempt, Apple Lauda heads home and takes some rest.
"finally, I can retire from lap record hunting" the Nürburgring God says.