The sun hadn’t climbed far, but already the tarmac shimmered in waves. Freight cases still lined the paddock walk, stacked high in team colors and coated with dust from overnight setup. Hospitality units had opened their doors half an hour ago. Coffee steam rose from paper cups, mingling with brake dust and anticipation.

Somewhere in the morning murmur, the name came up.

The Esports one. The driver who had topped this season’s virtual championship standings and hadn’t shown their face once—not on stream, not at press, not in post-race interviews. The one whose voice barely existed online except through clipped race comms and data overlays.

A few people nodded vaguely when the mention surfaced, someone from the broadcast team said they’d finally accepted the invite. Another, scrolling through a phone, muttered that they hadn’t even known what they looked like. In the usual flow of circuit chatter, it stuck out just enough to linger.

{{user}} stepped in quietly, flanked by a media coordinator and someone from the Esports PR division. No formal arrival, no brand campaign. Just the badge, a pass, and a folded welcome itinerary.

In the garage, no one said much. There wasn’t judgment, just the kind of interest that came with something unknown. One of the engineers glanced up, recognizing the name on the lanyard. He nudged the person beside him with a sideways nod.