#stage grand prix magazine

[mynicosensesaretingling]

Lost in the moment (part 2)

Nico Rosberg x fem!reader

Summary: After their friendship ended unexpectedly, Nico and (Y/N) continued their lives on different paths, but what happens when they meet again? (part 2 of 2)

Warnings: Once again a little angst, female reader

Note: I was honestly surprised how well the first part of this fic was received. Thank you all so much for your feedback!

(part 2 of 2)

Find part 1 here: https://www.tumblr.com/mynicosensesaretingling/733720166569033728/lost-in-the-moment-part-1?source=share

Hope you enjoy <3

The years that followed were a relentless storm for both Nico and (Y/N), each navigating their separate paths with the ghost of their past lingering.

Nico’s championship victory and the soon-following retirement propelled him into the dazzling spotlight of Formula 1, becoming a charismatic figure both on and off the race track.

However, the memory of that final race continued to linger in the back of his mind, a bittersweet victory tainted by the absence of someone he had considered a confidante. Someone he had loved. Of course, he had seen the notifications of her calls once the celebrations had stopped. But whereas at first, he didn’t call her back simply out of spite and having been hurt, the more time went by, the more he feared actually hearing her speak his suspicions of having been betrayed into existence.

Meanwhile, (Y/N) on the other hand, had to face the daunting task of fighting her way back into the world of reporting. Having lost her job at Countdown Magazine , the young woman found herself feeling lost in the working world. The void left by Formula 1 was a constant ache, a reminder of the dreams she once had to forfeit and the pain of not having been there for Nico during his triumphant moment was an emotional wound that refused to heal, casting a lingering shadow on her achievements. However, she found that her luck hadn't completely run out, for after a few unsuccessful jobs, she was offered a position as a reporter for a small, upcoming motorsport journal called The Racing Project.

Although over the years both Nico and (Y/N)  followed a similar career path, their paths did not actually cross until the much-anticipated Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The stage was set, the racetrack buzzing with fervour, as Nico stood filming a live segment in the paddock, delivering his commentary with practised ease. The cameras captured every word he spoke, but his mind was elsewhere. As he scanned the crowd, his eyes unexpectedly fell upon a familiar figure- (Y/N).

Time seemed to halt, the cacophony of the racing world drowned by a flood of memories and emotions. Nico’s heart quickened its pace, a turbulent storm surging within him. The very sight of his former friend, after all these years, sent his thoughts spiralling into a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. 

The ex-racer stumbled over his words, a subtle tremor in his voice betraying the storm of emotions raging inside him. “And…and as we witness this….um, remarkable race unfolding before us,” he managed to continue, though the words suddenly felt foreign on his tongue.

Nico couldn’t tear his gaze from (Y/N)’s form, caught between the past and present. The weight of their shared history bore down on him, each moment they had shared flashing through his mind like a movie reel. His eyes conveyed a mixture of surprise, longing and a hint of regret for the years of silence, that had separated them.

The subtle changes in Nico’s demeanour didn’t go unnoticed by the camera and crew. His usual composed demeanour wavered, a fleeting glimpse of vulnerability surfacing in his eyes. The inner conflict that churned within him was evident to those who knew him well, a battle between the duties of the present and the ghosts of the past.

As the blond shrugged to maintain his composure, the words of the commentary became a blur as the realization that (Y/N) was back in his life hit him. He tried to regain his focus, attempting to steer the commentary back on track, but the presence of (Y/N) in the crowd continued to pull at the threads of his composure.

 It wasn’t until the segment was finally finished, that Jenson, who had moderated the segment along with Nico and was well aware of the history between him and the female reporter, leaned in and whispered, “I didn't know that (Y/N) is working as a Formula 1 reporter again after her sudden release just before your championship race.”

Jenson’s statement led revelation to hit Nico like a tidal wave. The pieces of the puzzle all of sudden fell into place, and the weight of misunderstanding and regret bore down on him. “Excuse me.” Nico stuttered out, freeing himself of the broadcasting equipment before hurriedly plunging into the bustling crowd, determined to confront the past. 

Rushing past crew members and paddock guests, his blue eyes scanned the crowd with restlessness before finally landing on the all-too-familiar shape of (Y/N).

“(Y/n),“ he called out, his voice carrying the echoes of years of silence. 

Upon hearing his voice call out to her, the woman turned, eyes widening in surprise, before narrowing again in anger. The air around them was suddenly buzzing with the electricity of unspoken words and unresolved feelings. “Nico,” she replied coldly, her voice betraying a simmering anger beneath the surface. 

Nico took a cautious step closer, the atmosphere fraught with tension. “I…I didn’t know. I thought you used me for stories. I didn’t know what happened that day.” his words came out rushed, as he struggled to keep up with his own thoughts. Lifting her chin,  (Y/N) crossed her arms, a defensive gesture as she glared at him. “Well, glad you’ve figured it out by now.” her voice cut through the noise of the racetrack. “I lost my job, Nico. I lost everything I had worked for, and you didn’t even bother to hear me out. You think an apology fixes this?” 

Nico reached for (Y/N)’s hand, a silent plea for understanding and forgiveness. “My mind was too clouded by the fact that you weren’t by my side during my victory, to be able to think rationally. I should have known.” he tried to explain himself, voice haunted by the regret of misplaced assumptions.

(Y/N) pulled her hand away from his grasp, a scoff escaping her lips. “Known? I would’ve never expected you to just know. But you should have asked, Nico. You didn’t give me a single chance to explain myself. Instead, you just disappeared.” with the last word, she jabbed an angry finger at his chest. 

Nico opened his mouth to respond, but (Y/N) cut him off “ You don’t get to just waltz back into my life after all these years and expect everything to be okay. You have no idea what it was like for me, losing my job and feeling abandoned by my best friend.” 

The man’s face fell, the reality of the pain he had caused written across his features. “(Y/N),please. I didn’t know the truth, and I-”

“Don’t,” she interrupted, her voice sharp.”You didn’t bother to find out. You just assumed the worst, and I won’t just forget that.”

The tension between them was palpable as they stood there, the racetrack humming with the distant roar of engines. Whereas (Y/N)’s eyes held a mixture of anger and hurt, Nico felt the weight of his past choices pressing down on him. The heavy silence between them was once again interrupted by her voice, the anger now morphed into frustration. “You made your choice back then.” She sounded defeated. Nico struggled to find the right words, his chest tight with regret. “I messed up. I should have trusted you, and I’m sorry.” 

Unwilling to meet his gaze, (Y/N) turned away. “Sorry doesn’t erase the past, Nico. I don’t need your apologies now, I got work to do.”

The gravity of her words hung heavily between them.Once determined to seek reconciliation, Nico faced the consequences of his assumptions.The racetrack, witness to their shared highs and lows, now became a battleground for a different kind of race- a race against time to repair the fractured bond between them. As they lingered in the charged silence, a new layer of tension emerged. The unspoken truth of feelings that had never found a voice in the past now hovered between them. They had danced around something more profound than friendship, an undercurrent of emotions that had remained buried.

Deciding to try a different approach, Nico’s tone softened. “Remember that night when I waited for you in the pouring rain?”

As she turned back around to him (Y/N)’s eyes flickered with curiosity, a hint of vulnerability breaking through her defensive stance. “What?” 

Nico’s eyes nervously searched hers, an unsure, almost shy smile on his lips. “I stole that umbrella from Toto and to this day I am unsure of whether I was more nervous about waiting for you or the possibility of Toto finding out I was the reason he got drenched to the bone.”

A breathless chuckle broke through her frown, the sound like music to Nico’s ears. “You stole an umbrella from your boss, just so you could go on a walk with me?” her voice was laced with amusement and disbelief. “Mhm,” he hummed in response, his smile widening into a grin, blue eyes sparkling as he thought back to that very evening. “I actually hid around a corner for like 10 minutes, because I could hear how on edge he was, asking crew members about where his umbrella went.” A genuine laugh escaped (Y/N) at that, eyes glistening as she was hit by a wave of nostalgia. There was another moment of silence between the pair, although this time it felt more intimate.

“You know that when it came to us it was never about the job right?” her voice was barely louder than a whisper and if Nico hadn’t already been paying such close attention to her, he would have surely missed it. 

His eyes bore into (Y/N)’s, the weight of her words sinking in. The revelation hung in the air, an unspoken truth that had shaped their past interactions. With her vulnerability laid bare, (Y/N) waited for Nico’s response, the air heavy with anticipation. In that moment the racetrack seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the two of them suspended in an emotional crossfire.

Nico, grappling with the unexpected confession, searched her eyes for clarity. The realization hit him like a thunderbolt. Their unspoken connection had always transcended the confines of a professional relationship, a truth buried beneath the surface of camaraderie and shared passion for Formula 1.

Studying his face, (Y/N) could watch as a  myriad of emotions played across Nico’s face- surprise, regret and a hint of realization. 

“(Y/N)”, he murmured, his voice tinged with astonishment and understanding, as his brain struggled to find the right words.

The woman’s gaze wavered, and she nodded, a mixture of sadness and acceptance in her eyes. “You were so focused on the rivalry and the championship, that I didn’t want to complicate things. I thought, maybe one day…” Her voice trailed off, leaving the unspoken “one day” hanging in the air. 

Nico’s mind raced, grappling with the weight of missed opportunities and the realization of their connection has been far more profound than he had ever comprehended. “I had no idea. If I had known, I would have-” She cut him off, a bittersweet smile on her lips. “It’s in the past Nico. We can’t change it now.” Shaking his head, the blond reached out, tentatively taking (Y/N)’s hand and this time she allowed their fingers to intertwine, a silent acknowledgement of the emotions that had lingered, unspoken for years. “(Y/N), I wish I had known. I wish I had seen it then.” She met his gaze, the raw honesty of the moment reflected in her eyes. “We were caught in the whirlwind of the Silver War, and I didn’t want to be another distraction.”

Nico’s thumb gently traced circles on the back of her hand, as his gaze locked onto hers. “You were never a distraction, (Y/N).” Nico’s voice was stern. “If anything, you were the constant that I failed to appreciate.” 

As they found themselves standing at the crossroads of what could have been and what might still be, their hands lingered together, a silent testament to the depth of their connection. The unspoken feelings that had been tucked away for years now demanded recognition, weaving an intricate tapestry of emotions.

Nico took a step closer, his heart pounding with a mixture of uncertainty and hope. “Do you think we could start over…try to make up for the time we lost?”

(Y/N) looked up at him, eyes meeting his, and he thought to see a flicker of hope in their depths. “Nico-” she sighed clearly conflicted “It’s not that simple. We’ve both changed.”

He nodded a sense of gentleness in his understanding gaze. “I know, but what if we explore what we have now?” he leaned in a little closer, hand reaching up to gingerly cradle her cheek. “Let’s start from here, from this moment. Forget the misunderstandings, the lost chances and see where this takes us.” 

The warmth and sheer softness of his touch seemingly eased the mental conflict within (Y/N)’s mind and a tentative smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “Will you steal another umbrella from Toto?” her question was accompanied by a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. 

The suddenness of her request made Nico knit his brows in confusion. Taking a second to process the question, this time it was him, who laughed in disbelief. 

"Yes.” he chuckled, thumb tracing her cheekbone, loving eyes studying her face as to memorise every single feature. “I'd happily steal yet another one of Toto's umbrellas for you." Underneath his gentle touch, Nico could feel her timid smile grow into a cheeky grin. "Well, then I am happily willing to give us a second chance."

As they stood there, enveloped in each other’s presence, the soft glow of the racetrack’s lights painted their faces in a warm hue, mirroring the warmth that radiated between them. “I never thought I’d feel this way again,” Nico admitted, gaze still fixed on (Y/N) as if she held the answers to questions he’d never dared to ask.

 “I’ve missed this” he muttered softly “Talking to you, being here, it feels like coming home.” (Y/N) felt the words dancing on the tip of her tongue but unable to escape. Her heart fluttered as she realized there were no words adequate to convey how she felt. With a quiet resolve, she slowly leaned in, breath mingling with his. Nico’s eyes widened slightly in surprise before softening, understanding dawning upon him. Time seemed to pause as her lips met his in a tender, feather-light kiss. It was a silent confession and a promise for the future. 

Drawing back, a rosy hue dusted (Y/N)’s cheeks and if her heart hadn’t already been racing before, it certainly was now upon seeing the lovesick smile on Nico's face.

“Welcome home, Nico.”

[mirai-e-jump]

+act Magazine January 2024 Issue ft. Hirakawa Yuzuki Interview (translation below)

Publication: December 12, 2023

Hirakawa Yuzuki plays the immovable Rita Kaniska (PapillonOhger) in the Super Sentai series "Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger." In her first appearance in this magazine, she says that while her first priority is to complete this role, there are also things she wants to accomplish next.

"When did you first become interested in acting?"

Hirakawa: It wasn't until I joined my agency that I first became interested. Until then, I was attending a business high school in Kumamoto, my hometown, and wanted to become either a tax accountant or a certified public accountant in the future. Around that time, I learned about the "LDH Presents THE GIRLS AUDITION" and I told my parents, "I should enter like it's a commemorative entrance exam.*" I won the Grand Prix in the vocal and dance category, not the acting category. However, it wasn't until I joined the agency that I tried singing, dancing and acting genuinely. So, it was abit embarrassing being told that I was the Grand Prix winner in the vocal and dance category. (*exams taken for schools you have little to no chance of getting into)

"Your first performance was in a stage play."

Hirakawa: It was in "Moryo no Hako" starring Tachibana Kenchi-san. The play was set where the curtains rise on a scene between me and another girl, and I was so nervous that it caused my stomach to hurt every day. Once I said a few words on stage, I was okay, but until then…I guess that once I got on stage, I felt like I had no choice. But, until I was offstage, my heart would be pounding like crazy.

"Did the fact that it was your first time on stage, and your first performance, have a big impact on you?"

Hirakawa: I always thought that if I broke the tempo of the play in the first scene, things would become out of sync. Even during rehearsals I was told, "The beginning is important. It determines the quality of the performance." That's kind of scary. It's a big responsibility. But, I think they trained me well on that stage.

"What did you find interesting about the stage?"

Hirakawa: I always took lessons with two or three people at most, so more than anything, I enjoyed creating a production together with many people. I also thought it was fun to be with my dependable and kind seniors all the way through the rehearsal period, and that they started to feel like friends.

"Were there any memorable words that were said to you during rehearsals for the play or on the stage itself?"

Hirakawa: They'd say "Just try things out for now." I think I tend to worry about what other people think of me. If I think that I have to do something, I focus on only that. Still, I was told, "Just give it your all for now. It'll be easy to control things from there." This is often said on the set of the Sentai series that I'm currently performing in.

"Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, right?"

Hirakawa: Their keyword is "Immovable," and I do what I can within that context and to "just give things a try." If I really deviate from the character, the Director will get me back on track.

"Have you seen any other Sentai productions?"

Hirakawa: When I was little, I watched "Tom and Jerry." I haven't really watched the previous series. In middle and high school, I was either doing practice lessons, club activities, eating meals, or sleeping (laughs).

"What kind of programs do you currently watch?"

Hirakawa: Since I started working, because I have alot to learn, I've been watching various things. I've only been alive for 22 years, so there are many things that I don't know. I'm learning about these experiences as I watch these works. What have I been watching…I really can't remember (laughs).

"(laughs). How do you remember your lines?"

Hirakawa: One of my strong points is memorizing things, but I'm the type of person who (intentionally) forgets them immediately (laughs). When they say, "We're done filming this scene," I instantly forget about it. So, I don't really remember much. Recently however, at the recommendation of a co star in King-Ohger, I watched the entirety of "Heaven and Hell: 2 Psychos," starring Ayase Haruka-san.

"Were you interested in Ayase-san and Takahashi Issei-san's personality changing performances?"

Hirakawa: It was interesting to see how the two of them came to know each other through swapping bodies. I also experienced performing a body swap in King-Ohger. Before we filmed it, it was recommended to me with, "This show, it's got body swapping," so I learned alot from it.

"For Rita, did they have the keyword "Immovable" from the beginning?"

Hirakawa: Since my role is that of the International Chief Judge, the words "always neutral" were there from the audition stage. When I was reading the script before filming started, the Director said to me, "Rita is Immovable. That's it." It doesn't mean that they shouldn't move, but that they're unwavering. I was also told, "There may not be much movement, but it holds various meanings. Please be extremely immovable this year." That's why even now, I'm looking for things I can do within being "immovable."

"What did you do at the audition?"

Hirakawa: It was an audition for two roles, the yellow Hymeno Ran, and Rita, who I'm playing. I played both roles in the first round, but when I entered the second round, in terms of her character, I thought, "I'm definitely not Hymeno." From there, I went after Rita.

"Did you feel any similarity between Rita and yourself?"

Hirakawa: I thought I could create something close to the calm and dignified feeling of the character. I'm also pretty tall (166 cm, 5'5"), so I thought that the darker color would also suit me in terms of image. Actually, I had auditioned for the Sentai series and Kamen Rider series multiple times, but most of the roles I've gone for up until now have been for the heroine. So, I thought it wasn't really suited for it. But, with Rita I thought, "That's definitely me." I was pretty enthusiastic, thinking that if I missed out on Rita, I wouldn't get a role like this for about four or five years. And then, until I started working in this industry, I hated my voice.

"But it's an attractive voice, with a deep bassy tone."

Hirakawa: When I finished my first performance, many people said to me, "Your voice is really nice." Do the people around me see this voice as my weapon? Rita's words are very persuasive, or rather, have weight to them. I knew from the audition that I could use my voice in this role. However, since filming started in King-Ohger, I felt that my voice has become even lower. I was trying to make my voice sound deeper, but I ended up sounding lower than usual (laughs). I might be stuck with this low voice. Maybe it'll go back to normal once this role ends.

"What do you currently find interesting about performing?"

Hirakawa: Rita only keeps their left eye visible, right? However, there's a limit to what can be expressed with just the eyes. They're a character that doesn't move that much and doesn't laugh. Things like the inflection and intensity of my lines and how they're conveyed are different from how it's been in the past. Still, by experiencing this kind of role, I feel that the range of my expressions have expanded in slightly different directions. I think I'm lucky.

"What kind of roles would you like to play in the future?"

Hirakawa: In episode 38 of King-Ohger, I performed with my face showing, but I was embarrassed since it had been awhile. A year ago, I would've been able to do it normally, so first of all, I'd like to "reset" that (laughs). I don't have much of a funny role now, so I'd like to play more energetic roles. Also, I want to wear a uniform! I want to be in a school story. It doesn't matter if I'm a class president, a bully, or some kid with a depressed personality. I just want to wear a uniform (laughs). I definitely want to make that happen. But for now, my first priority is to finish King-Ohger. It's been a year, and I think the real battle afterwards will be letting go of Rita and returning to Hirakawa Yuzuki.

[rikeijo]

Today's translation #258

Febri vol. 40. Kubo Mitsurou's interview

Part 4.

--- So this time, it wasn't a manga, but 12 episodes of original animation. Was the feeling different?

"I had almost no experience in creating story with a length specified in advance - it was very refreshing. If it were a manga serialized in a magazine, then it would still be possible to correct the direction based on readers' response or reflect their opinions in the story, but in this case, when the first episode aired on TV, my part of work has already been almost finished. So, while I was working, I couldn't get any response from the viewers - it created a pressure, that I didn't know before. But I always thought that as a mangaka I should once try to challenge myself to try this reverse formula, where you need to decide how to direct a story toward a fixed ending to make it as exciting as possible - it was a lot of fun.

--- How the plot and characters, the elements which are the center of the story, were created?

"The Director has already been sitting on a foundation of the plot, from the time when I first met with her. The idea of a Japanese skater protagonist and a foreign top skater, who becomes his coach and together they compete in the Grand Prix Final - it hasn't changed from the very start. After that, we decided what events were going to happen in each episode, and how the competitions were going to develop, including the ending in which, in the end, Yuuri wasn't able to win a gold medal - it all was quite firmly decided at an early stage. The details of plot of each episode were then decided in many different ways - some things were decided by both me and the Director through discussions, and sometimes one of us created a draft proposal, to which we then introduced revisions. Among [manga] editors, there are also people, who know how to write a story, so for me it was something similar to working with this type of editor. At any rate, the screenplay which also included details, like the characters' lines, was created by both of us, me and Yamamoto Director.

[gokartkid]

insane article in this motorsport magazine... "on the modern stage one sees a wonderful Grand Prix car from the 1930's, 60's, or 70's driven by someone who suddenly looks too big due to a roly-poly romper suit and massive bulky crash helmet. We also see cars whose once supremely fine proprotions have been wrecked by a lofty and massive roll over bar. We are all expected to turn a blind eye to such defacement because 'it's for safety.'"

open ur eyes to the sexiness of the racesuit helmet combo + the halo or choke the halo is genuinely a cool AND SEXY addition to the modern f1 car. what the hell

[lebomboniere06]

The September issue of 25ans magazine has a short article detailing Eiji, which was written by a screenwriter named Mihoko Yamada.

Beautiful People Collection The reason why that person in season is wonderful ikemen

Mihoko Yamada Essay This month's person Eiji Akaso When the intellectual "seasonal actor" who has a high elegance and affinity is on the cover, it moves That's right. "Said by a female editor of a weekly magazine. "Moving" means that the number of copies is sold out and the sales increase.

"He" is Eiji Akaso, the "seasonal actor" who won first place in the "20s actor soaring ranking" of the "Talent Power Ranking" in August and November 2021. he looks young because he has a baby face, but he is 28 years old.

His name spread to young people in the drama "Cheri Maho","It seems that you can become a witch if you are a virgin until the age of 30" (TV Tokyo series). In Wich starred for the first time alone ,It seems that it was "SUPER RICH (Fuji TV series)" were he played the role of Noriko Eguchi's husband that was "discovered" by the adult women in Japan. Eguchi who played the executive career woman was straight with clear eyes. Mr. Akaso, who is a super young husband who supports with such thoughts and played a business partner. I am not the only one who inflated my delusion how wonderful it would be if such a man supported me both publicly and privately.

In order to unravel the "beautiful person" with Elegance and affinity by 25ans magazine of this month I dig in

Mr. Akaso, the familiar "Elementary school town" in Nagoya" will be the most important. After all, Mr. Akaso was born in Osaka prefecture and is from Aichi prefecture. Because was a member of idol group of "IKEMEN ☆ NAGOYA". As a member of a local male idol group that will be renamed to "BOYS AND MEN" later, Eiji Akaso has appeared in stage performances and variety shows in the three Tokai prefectures since his teens. There is a "past" that was willing to respond to the "much swing" unique to local stations.

With such a flow, the roots are gradually known, but the most famous is that the father is a linguist (English studies), and now the president of Nagoya Gakuin University, it must be Mr. Haruyuki Akaso.

Akaso Eiji San says he has taken a lecture from his father because he is from the same university. "I spent my father's job in Wisconsin, USA until I was three years old." "When I was two or three years old, I was taken to an overseas academic conference," he said in an interview. That's why Twitter is flooded with English sentences and fans from overseas sometimes send comments in English. And my mother is a piano teacher. Akaso san, who learned the piano from the age of 3 to junior high school and was entrusted with the accompaniment in the chorus contest when he was in elementary school, is definitely a thoroughbred and can be said to be the most handsome guy who has a high affinity with the Elegance group of "25ans" readers. Probably.

After winning the Grand Prix at Samantha Thavasa's "Men's Model Audition" in 2013, he has belonged to the same office as Shun Oguri, Kei Tanaka, Shotaro Mamiya, Kentaro Sakaguchi, and younger people. It continues to the present as the first. I often hide my eyebrows with mashed hair, but the points are the thick and powerful "male eyebrows" and the eyes that tend to have brown/honey colored big eyes. The shape of the chin is also popular as "sexy". Eiji Akaso is appearing in July with Kasumi Arimura and Tomoya Nakamura in the role of a clumsy, serious and kind-hearted young man in "Ishiko and Haneo.

Let's enjoy the latest ikemen together!

PROFILE Yamada Mihoko Born in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. While working on variety programs such as "Dancing! pacific saury Goten!" (NTV), "A Story I Don't Know About One Round" (NTV), "Dodesuka" "!" "Up!" Me-Tele) Also active as a commentator for "Sunday Japon" (TBS series).

[thepotentialof2007]

"They say racing drivers talk more and do less about sex than men in any other sport."... I treated her to a bitter smile. The playboy reputation, and its sarcastic flip side, is one we no longer deserve. Everything has become too competitive and commercial. Indeed the playboy image has all but expired.

"Formula Zero has rekindled our infamy," I explained. "New cars. New regulations. They want to rekindle the old magic. It's plastic. Packaged. Our sponsors twist incidents into publicity gimmicks. It sells ratings."

- "Grand Prix" by Simon Ings, Omni Magazine, June 1993

No one spends eight figures sterling on one man without some feeling behind it. Me? I get fresh ROMs sent me every month from Achebi where they analyze my race data. It helps me drive better. Only they went one stage further. They built me a second jack, behind my arse. When I strap myself in, I hotwire myself to the car. I don't drive it; I become it. This has consequences. My body is a corporate concern.

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2002 - Number 12 - SPN-X - "Bravo Punk"

Oh look, agit-punks. SPN-X are a band from Cottbus who got their start practicing in their parents' houses and who decided to get started largely to annoy their neighbours. Their subsequent behaviour includes sending their own shit to a magazine which kept giving them bad reviews. They're more a collective than a band with no coherent structure and an attitude that seems to have been barely tolerated by those in the music industry.

Nevertheless they had some success and decided to try to enter Eurovision in order to come last and get excluded because of their bad behaviour. The song Bravo Punk is attack on another publication, German youth magazine Bravo which had been going since the 1950s. On stage they do the age old parody of using a toy drumkit and an acoustic guitar to show they're miming playing.

Yet, the song is a blast. A full-throttle early 2000s punk anthem of the type Eurovision has sorely needed and yet never had on stage at the main competition to this point. I'm sure they'd have come up with some new scandals if they'd qualified. The audience in Germany loved them unlike many other acts. This is a truly refreshing wake up from a band who didn't care.

They failed in their ambitions. They didn't get disqualified and finished 8th of 15 songs. Not last, not qualifying for the final. The didn't even get many bad write-ups in the national press unlike some of their predecessors on the Countdown Grand Prix.

They had three albums released after this and got through as many sets of management. The band leader and song-writer Alexander Muth had to quit with hearing loss, and the band ultimately split in 2009.

[terralinkresearch]

Ferrari Shines at Home Grand Prix, Putting Pressure on Verstappen’s Record Pursuit

Republished with full copyrights permissions obtained from the Sports Today Magazine. The stage is set for a thrilling Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with Max Verstappen chasing history by aiming for his tenth consecutive victory in F1. However, Ferrari’s dynamic duo of Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc have added an exciting twist to the story, with Sainz securing pole position and Leclerc…

[ishikawadesu]

[Information - Various] Mihotose 2019 + Bakumatsu Taiyoden Gaiden + THE RAW goods + Oshabeya + Magazines

I'm sorry if this post is too mixed haha (and too late orz), but since I'm doing summaries with everything Tsubasa related and in order to not make more posts (more than the ones I still have >.<), please read under the cut~

Musical Touken Ranbu ~Mihotose no Komoriuta~ 2019 DMM Stream Available!

Since April on DMM, Mihotose rerun is already available to purchase. The period is one year and you can get it HERE. Remember you will need a proxy to see the page and purchase the stream as well. Price: 3600 yen.

Bakumatsu Taiyoden Gaiden Stage Play - DMM stream available for a limited time + DVD pre-order

You can purchase the stream HERE from April 29th to May 28th, 23:59 (JST). Remember you will need a proxy to see the page and purchase the stream as well. Price: 2700 yen.

You can also pre-order the DVD of the performance HERE. It's also a limited time from April 23rd to May 24th, 23:59 (JST). You will need a proxy service to purchase it.

Price: 8,800 yen (tax included).

Release Date: End of September (not specific day yet)

Sakiyama Tsubasa 2nd Photobook "THE RAW" - Commemorative Goods on Store Release!

As usual, Space Craft shop is selling THE RAW goods that were available on HMV & BOOKS POP UP SHOP during March and April!

You can get them HERE.

Totebag: 1,500 yen (tax included) Bromide Set (L Size): 1,000 yen (tax included) Clear File Set (A4 Size): 1,200 yen (tax included)

Remember you will need a proxy service to purchase them.

All Night Nippon i Oshabeya DVD Best of Oshapair “Oota Motohiro x Sakiyama Tsubasa” 2 + Previous Radio Broadcasts

All Night Nippon i Oshabeya DVD Best of Oshapair “Oota Motohiro x Sakiyama Tsubasa” 2

Release Date: May 20th Price: 3240 yen (tax included)

Animate Online Shop

Animate pre-order benefit: Two bromides Set L Size -  Set A

Amazon (Regular Version - Benefit Version)

Amazon pre-order benefit: Two bromides Set L Size -  Set B

Potune Online Shop

Potune pre-order benefit: Two bromides Set L Size -  Set C

HMV・LOPPI (Regular version - Benefit Version)

Price: 3996 yen (tax included) This price applies if you order ONLY the benefit version.

HMV pre-order benefit: Two bromides Set

It also comes with a limited talk serial code to download. The serial code is enclosed on each DVD in the limited set bromide 1 & 2. There is a deadline for download.

CDJapan

It doesn’t include any benefit.

Depending on the site, there are cases where benefits are not available (CDJapan for example).

The benefits are not for sale on their own.

There is a limit number of benefits, it will be end as soon as they are sold out.

This blog is only posting the information given from their official and purchasing sites. It doesn’t get responsible for changes that might happen.

Oshabeya Previous Recordings

I will put a list with the shows from March to the last one for you to listen to them.

Oshabeya #84 (March 4th, 2019) HERE

Oshabeya #88 (April 1st, 2019) HERE

Oshabeya #92 (April 29th, 2019) HERE

Oshabeya #94 (May 13th, 2019) HERE or HERE (This was the public recording from April 29th I talked HERE)

*You can listen the recordings for free from “All Night Nippon i” site for a 3 months only.

Tsubasa was/is going to be featured in some magazines.

omoshii mag Vol. 15 Release Date: April 15, 2019 Price: 1980 yen (tax included) Where to get it: Amazon, HMV, HMV Special Preview photo HERE

Cut May 2019 Issue Release Date: April 19, 2019 Price: 810 yen (tax included) Where to get it: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Animate Preview photo HERE

TV Guide Stage Stars Vol. 6 Release Date: May 31, 2019 Price: 1836 yen (tax included) Where to get it: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Animate, Animate Limited Edition.

Stage Grand Prix vol. 7 Release Date: June 27, 2019 Price: 1566 yen (tax included) Where to get it: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Animate

[blackfireswallow]

~ NEW MAGAZINE APPEARANCE ~

It was announced Mario is going to appear in a magazine again. ^^ You can find the details and purchase links below. The photo sample is a bromide what you can get if you buy the magazine from Animate.

Stage Grand Prix Vol.13 - release date: April 6 - CDJapan: https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEOBK-2603454... - Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.jp/.../dp/4074470373/ref=sr_1_1... - Animate: https://www.animate-onlineshop.jp/pn/pd/1908570/...

Source & source of the photo: https://twitter.com/Stage_GP/status/1375357447318040576

[noviceaoiryusei]

「 Hyuga Wataru : A Fan Guide 」

Hello!

It is my first time in writing a fan guide and to be honest I have been contemplating on writing about it because he is merely a newbie but what made me write about him is the sole fact that he is gaining quite an attention at the tokusatsu community with his role as the main character's younger brother.

His acting in the tokusatsu drama, Kamen Rider Revice made me follow this newbie and dug a little about him so here I am writing basic introduction for this new kid. :)

Now, let's dive in to the basics.

INTRODUCTION

Name: Kajihara Hyuga ( 鍛治原日向 // かじはら ひゅうが ) Stage Name: Hyuga Wataru ( 日向亘 // ひゅうが わたる )) Date of Birth: 18th of March 2004 Birthplace: Gunma PrefectureHeight: 180cm Talent Agency: Horipro Agency Profile: https://www.horipro.co.jp/hyugawataru/ SNS accounts: hyuga_wataru (twitter and instagram)

Hyuga Wataru (real name: Kajihara Hyuga) was born on 18th of March 2004 hailing from Gunma Prefecture. He is skilled in sports (baseball, volleyball and table tennis) and was said that he belonged to the volleyball club. His skill is playing the Rubik's cube and hobbies include cycling, doing DIY and watching anime.

In 2019, he was hailed as grand prix from a total of 6468 applicants in MEN'S STAR AUDITION held by the talent agency, HORIPRO. His mother and older sister applied for the said audition for the then 14 year old Kajihara. On his first interview feature on the magazine Wink Up (2019 March issue), Kajihara mentioned that he was asked by his mother and older sister if they can take a photo of him and sent the audition form on his behalf. Thus he is not confident on taking the audition to become an actor at first.

"I will do my best not to disappoint everyone's expectations." said Kajihara when he was announced as the grand prix.

Since he is a new kid on the block, not many people knew that the name Hyuga Wataru is just a stage name. It is a name given by his agency, Horipro. The reason for the name given to him was the Kanji for Wataru ( 亘 ) includes the idea that they wanted him to play an active role in many situations and become known to many people.

"It was a strange feeling that I would be another person, but at the same time, I was prepared to do my best with this name." said Kajihara.

HIS WORKS

As part of the audition prize, the person who will be hailed as grand prix will have an exclusive contract with Horipro and be a part of Fujiwara Tatsuya's new movie and drama, "Taiyou wa Ugokanai". In the movie/series he portrayed the young counterpart of Fujiwara's role, Takano Kazuhiko.

October 2020, he appeared in the drama series "Nee-chan no Koibito" as Adachi Yuki, Kasumi Arimura's younger brother.

Currently he is taking part of the tokusatsu series, Kamen Rider Revice as the main character's younger brother, Igarashi Daiji. He gained attention and quite a following to the tokusatsu community with his physique and manly look.

Since he is a newbie who have debuted last year (2020) there are still a few on his list so he is one easy guy to follow or look out for. ;)

Look out for him more on Kamen Rider Revice, I believe that this kid won't fail your expectations!

gifs/pics/ [1] [2] [3] sources: [1] [2] [3] [4]

[rz-jocelyn]

[NEWS] Live Spectacle NARUTO: Sato Ryuji and Kitazono Ryo will be Featured in "Stage Grand Prix vol. 15"

Magazine Name: Stage Grand Prix vol. 15

Japanese Name: ステージグランプリ vol.15

Release Date: September 13, 2021

Sato Ryuji and Kitazono Ryo's Feature:

Sato Ryuji (Uchiha Sasuke) and Kitazono Ryo (Namikaze Minato) will be featured on the front cover of the magazine. 

They will have an interview about their participating in the upcoming production of the "Live Spectacle NARUTO ~Uzumaki Naruto Monogatari~".

They will also be featured on two bonus bromides included with purchase of the magazine from Animate and Shufunotomo Infos Online Shop.

To pre-order the magazine, please refer to the links below.

Animate: HERE

Shufunotomo Infos Online Shop: HERE

NOTE:

[1] Both bonus bromide designs will be different.

[2] Both bromides are included in a set of five bromides each.

For more information about proxy services available in Japan, please refer to this link: HERE

Source: ( x )

[crystalracing]

Archive: The ups and downs of Raikkonen's 2007 F1 title triumphBy:

Adam Cooper

Sep 1, 2021, 8:53 PM

With two races to go in the 2007 Formula 1 season, Kimi Raikkonen appeared down and out. His recovery of a 17-point deficit as McLaren's challenge imploded is one of the greatest comebacks in F1's history and, on the occasion of the Finn announcing his retirement, we dug out the 25 October 2007 Autosport magazine feature explaining his remarkable title season

It took a long time but Kimi Raikkonen has finally won the world championship title that he so clearly deserves. And, of course, it came at the expense of McLaren after his own two near misses with the British team in 2003 and '05.

This was an extraordinary season for the Finn that began with an oh-so-easy victory in Australia that proved to be a false dawn. It was followed by a series of frustrating races that even led some to speculate his future with the team was in doubt. Yet, once everything clicked, Raikkonen was more often than not the man to beat, a position that was obscured by the headline-grabbing battle between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

He had a lot of catching up to do. It's hard to believe now that he was as much as 17 points behind Hamilton at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix, with only 20 up for grabs over the final two races. And a few laps into that race, when he languished at the back after a disastrous strategy gamble by the team, he was staring at a title-losing 23-point deficit.

It's easy to overlook how much is involved when a frontrunning driver changes teams. Raikkonen had, after all, spent five full seasons at McLaren, and was used to the Woking team's systems and way of doing things. Moving over from Renault, the team he'd grown up with, Alonso faced similar challenges.

But Raikkonen undoubtedly had the more difficult job, for he was also filling the shoes of Michael Schumacher. In addition, the departure of Ross Brawn meant he was joining a team that was under serious pressure to maintain its equilibrium, and had also lost the advantages conferred by its special relationship with Bridgestone.

Raikkonen was also up against a team-mate who not only had a year's head start, but enjoyed a special relationship with the team boss. It could all have gone horribly wrong - like it did for Alonso - and the fact it didn't was a reflection of Raikkonen's ability to focus on what really matters.

Alonso had a slight advantage over Raikkonen in that he had a day in a McLaren in December, which accelerated the getting-to-know-each-other process. Kimi had to wait until January until he was free to drive a red car for the first time.

There was a limited amount of testing before Melbourne, and a great deal to learn. And perhaps trickiest of all was the transition from Michelin to Bridgestone, something that caught out many drivers.

"The Bridgestones were like playing on a different field," says David Robertson, who co-managed Raikkonen with son Steve. "Kimi and Alonso struggled. Lewis [Hamilton] when he was on the Michelins [in his early McLaren testing] struggled like hell - he couldn't do anything. He went to the Bridgestones, and it was 'this is it!', because that's the playing field he was used to being on. That's what we all believe, that's what Kimi believed."

Raikkonen left the winter-headline grabbing to others, but when he got to Australia things could hardly have gone any better in terms of making his mark with both the team and the tifosi: pole position, victory and fastest lap. Michael who? But he was flattered by circumstances, not least the fact team-mate Felipe Massa had a problem in qualifying and had to fight through the field.

Things got tougher in Malaysia, where the car's performance was compromised, but he took third and some useful points. Massa's early excursion suggested that Raikkonen had already established himself as de facto team leader.

"The Michelins were quite a bit different when you approached the corner and, in order to avoid understeer, you had to use the tyres in quite an aggressive way. With Bridgestone it's completely the opposite so, if you want to avoid the understeer, you need to be more gentle on turn-in" Luca Baldisserri

That perception changed abruptly in Bahrain, where Massa scored an impressive win, and Raikkonen was some way behind in third. "Australia just stunned us all, I think," says his Aussie engineer Chris Dyer. "It was just such an easy weekend. And really you kind of know that that's not going to last. We came back down to earth with a bit of a thud in Malaysia, especially with Kimi struggling there with the engine, so he was pretty much fighting with one hand tied behind his back. And then Bahrain wasn't glorious."

That weekend at the Sakhir circuit had put a negative focus on Raikkonen, and it was evident that all was not well.

"The problems started more in qualifying, to be honest," says Ferrari engineering chief Luca Baldisserri, "because he was not able to put the lap time together. Even in Brazil he was still struggling a little bit. Then he had problems to understand all our systems, to understand the tyres. At that stage we were not fantastic in terms of starts, and we improved quite a lot.

"The Michelins were quite a bit different when you approached the corner and, in order to avoid understeer, you had to use the tyres in quite an aggressive way. With Bridgestone it's completely the opposite so, if you want to avoid the understeer, you need to be more gentle on turn-in. And that is what he learned. We did some tuning of the set-up, plus he adjusted his style."

That process was still being explored in Spain, the first of a run of four races during which Raikkonen was to earn just 10 points. At Barcelona he suffered a failure after just nine laps, the first retirement among any of the top runners to date.

Another Massa win confirmed that the Brazilian was on the ascendancy. "That was a pretty bad run," says Dyer. "Spain was an electrical problem - we would have been second or third. We probably wouldn't have beaten Felipe there, but I'm pretty sure it was an easy third, with a probable second."

Having been frustrated by the unreliability at McLaren, Raikkonen was hardly impressed. Keen to get home to Switzerland to watch the ice hockey world championship final on TV, he bailed out of the circuit early. The team had let him go of course, but it created the wrong impression at a bad time. Schumacher would never have done that, we observed. Indeed, that very day Schuey left the paddock three hours after the race - and he hadn't even been driving.

The former world champion was a regular presence at that stage of the season, and there's little doubt that Raikkonen was probably as confused as everyone else about his predecessor's exact role. The Finn clearly bristled at naive questions about how much Michael was helping him. After all, he didn't need any fatherly advice from Mika Hakkinen when he started at McLaren and, at that stage, he had just one year's F1 experience behind him.

Early in Q2 in Monaco, Raikkonen made his most costly mistake of the season, clipping the Swimming Pool barrier with the front right after the back had stepped out on him. A trackrod was broken and a wishbone cracked, and he demonstrated his bravery to the team by insisting he still wanted to go out, and would take responsibility. He was overruled, and forced to start 16th. In a race of low attrition, he made laboured progressed up to eighth.

"That was the mistake he made," says Robertson. "Until that point he was right there. I'd say Monaco was the turning point, despite the mistake. He felt he'd conquered it."

Dyer adds: "Monaco was a strange weekend, with an unforced error. He's been looking pretty good up to then, really comfortable all weekend, really happy with the car. A small mistake, and you pay the price.

"Obviously he was disappointed. We're all disappointed when we make mistakes. We're disappointed when the car breaks down on him, we're disappointed when we don't give him quite the right set-up, and he's disappointed when he doesn't do the job."

The pace of the McLarens was such that Raikkonen would probably have been racing for third in Monaco and there was a similar performance deficit in Canada. This time Raikkonen edged out Massa in qualifying, but he had another poor start, and made life difficult for himself by damaging his front wing on the Brazilian's rear tyre. Later he picked up some of Robert Kubica's crash debris, and he was also delayed by having to wait behind his team-mate at the first stops under the safety car. He eventually finished fifth, after what was outwardly another unconvincing performance. The team felt differently.

"To be honest we weren't that bad in Canada," says Dyer. "We had a dreadful start, and then we got screwed like everybody else by the safety car, so it was never going to be glorious. But the signs through the race were that things weren't as bad as they looked."

Indianapolis a week later was to be even better. It didn't look too promising when Raikkonen made yet another bad start and got stuck behind Nick Heidfeld and Heikki Kovalainen but, in the late stages, he showed impressive speed and set the fastest lap as he salvaged fourth, behind Massa.

"Canada and Indy weren't good results," admits Dyer. "But we would see signs we were making progress."

"The really great thing about Kimi is he suffers for about one hour, and then it's all behind him. It's simple philosophy - and I couldn't do it - which is to say, 'That's behind me now, I can't do anything about it. Let's go forward'" David Robertson

Steve Robertson agrees the US race was significant: "In all honesty, it really clicked at the race at Indianapolis. I think he found his feet there in terms of a car he really enjoyed, and was more to his liking. And from then on I don't think anyone can question the fact that Kimi has been the strongest driver. You can't argue with that."

Nevertheless, after Indy, Raikkonen was 26 points behind Hamilton, and at that stage there seemed to be little hope of stopping the McLaren steamroller. But then things began to swing in his favour. At Magny-Cours he qualified only third, but he got ahead of Hamilton at the start and then made the most of the pit strategy to leapfrog poleman Massa. It was a critical race in many ways, not least because it featured him getting the upper hand on his frustrated team-mate.

"We struggled a little bit earlier in the year with the starts," says Dyer. "And, since Magny-Cours, Kimi's starts have been spot-on. I don't think he's lost a place since then, and more often than not he's gained places. The guys have done a fantastic job with the rest of what's required for the start."

Another win seven days later at Silverstone suggested that Raikkonen might be gaining enough momentum for a title challenge, but Nurburgring was to change that. Significantly, he took his first pole since Melbourne, but then the first-lap rain created a lottery. Raikkonen made his life difficult by understeering out of the pit entry back onto the track, and had to run an extra lap on dry tyres.

Once things calmed down, he was destined for a useful helping of points when he suffered a hydraulic glitch, at the very same track where retirements had cost him two titles at McLaren. It was his second failure of the season - the only other DNF to that point among the top four was Massa's self-inflicted black flag at Montreal.

"It was really gutting for me," Dyer admits. "I'd seen him lose two championships before due to reliability, and it's always been one of our strong points. I was not very happy to think that maybe he was going to lose another one here to reliability."

Robertson says the man himself was unfazed: "The really great thing about Kimi is he suffers for about one hour, and then it's all behind him. It's simple philosophy - and I couldn't do it - which is to say, 'That's behind me now, I can't do anything about it. Let's go forward'."

The next three races featured some efficient points-gathering: an unexpectedly close second to Hamilton in Hungary, another second, to Massa, in Istanbul and a third at Monza on a day when McLaren humbled Ferrari at home.

Baldisserri thinks Raikkonen would have beaten Hamilton in Hungary had he not lost a crucial few seconds when he ran off the road: "He lost two seconds behind Hamilton that didn't allow us to change the strategy in the pitstop, which I think we could have done differently."

Then came Spa, where Raikkonen had won the previous two races for McLaren. He took his third (and final) pole of the season and put in a masterful performance that showed beyond all doubt he was on top of his game.

Top 10: Kimi Raikkonen’s greatest F1 races ranked

A season is fought over 17 races, of course, but arguably it was Fuji that ultimately won Raikkonen the title. After three laps, it looked like he was well out of the game after the team's ill-advised (and, as it turned out, illegal) decision to start on intermediate tyres.

"We took the decision that we took," says Baldisserri. "Until the mathematics put you out of the game, our team spirit is to try, and it was the right approach."

Helped by the safety car, but mostly by a largely unsung virtuoso performance that humbled his struggling team-mate, Raikkonen fought back to third place. He was still in the title picture, but... 17 points in two races?

The impossible dream became a little more likely in China, where he hustled his way past the struggling Hamilton - after keeping his tyres in better shape - and logged a superb wet/dry win. And then came Brazil, where there was only one target: a win, with Massa riding shotgun. Incredibly, all the cards fell into place, and Massa played his supporting role. With six wins to the four of each of the McLaren drivers, no one can deny Raikkonen's claim to the title.

"He did everything right when everybody else was spouting off and saying this or that. He just kept his head down, got on and delivered. That's why Ferrari got him, and I know they're thrilled that he managed to do it" David Robertson

"He's put in some fantastic drives this year," smiles Dyer. "He hasn't let us down, but we've let him down a few times. He's gone from strength to strength, the car's been good, and he hasn't really made any errors in the last two thirds of the season. He's cool and he's fast and he just gets on and does the job."

Robertson adds: "He really is a giant - the right man has won this. He did everything right when everybody else was spouting off and saying this or that. He just kept his head down, got on and delivered. That's why Ferrari got him, and I know they're thrilled that he managed to do it."

Baldisserri offers a fascinating footnote to the season: "Michael had input into the team; he was a lot closer to the team. Kimi has a completely different approach, and he tends to accept what we give to him. It's a lot more complicated for us to understand what he needs. With Michael it was a bit easier. And Kimi drove a very good car this year. Michael showed that even with a car that was not so competitive, he could win. With Kimi, I don't know yet."

Wt happened next?

While Raikkonen's talents have never been questioned, it is remarkable to note since his F1 title-clinching Brazilian GP triumph in 2007, he has gone on to claim a further six grand prix victories, the same total he achieved across his title-winning year.

Despite this, and with the exception of his two years out of F1 in 2010 and 2011, the Finn has never been far away from the sharp end of the F1 grid until his second departure from Ferrari in 2018 to move back to the Sauber-run Alfa Romeo squad.

Raikkonen continues to make F1 history through his longevity. After surpassing Rubens Barrichello's record tally at the 2020 Eifel GP, the Finn made his 341st start in last week's washout Belgian GP and assuming the current TBC 21 November date is filled will end his career on 351 race starts.

PLUS: Why the time is right for Raikkonen to hang up his F1 helmet

While Raikkonen may have never hit the heights of 2007 since, his record remains outstanding in F1 to cement his place as an all-time great.

[aud-himesama]

Araki Hirofumi for Stage Grand Prix magazine

[ewrthings-race-repair-repeat]

We normally re-write or heavily edit press releases to make them more truthful, relevant and less corporate but this release is so good and informative we've left it whole. Enjoy reading about a new lap record round the Nürburgring by a stunningly fast Mercedes-Benz!

How close the new Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series (fuel consumption combined: 12.8 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 292 g/km)[1] actually is to motorsport has now been impressively demonstrated by GT3 racer Maro Engel on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. With an officially measured and notarized certified time of 6:43,616 min for the 20,6 kilometre-long track (measured without the straight at track section T13) and 6:48,047 min for the 20,832 kilometre-long total track (measured with the straight at track section T13), the new V8 meteor is placed in the top group of the street-legal “sports cars” category and number one among the fully standard, unmodified models.

Maro Engel made full use of all the possibilities offered by the new Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series as standard: such as the most powerful AMG V8 series engine ever with 537 kW (730 hp), the sophisticated aerodynamics and extensive suspension adjustment options. For example, the front splitter made of visible carbon fibre was extended to the “Race” position, and the lower and upper wing blades of the rear spoiler were each adjusted in the middle position. The adjustable AMG coilover suspension with adaptive adjustment damping was lowered by five millimetres at the front and three millimetres at the rear to further enhance the venturi effect of the front diffuser. The camber was adjusted to the maximum possible values of negative 3.8 degrees at the front axle and negative 3.0 degrees at the rear. In the case of the adjustable anti-roll bars, racing professional Engel opted for the hardest of the three possible settings, and the 35-year-old adjusted the nine-stage AMG traction control between positions six and seven -depending on the section of the track. AMG GT Black Series customers can also take advantage of all these settings and variations.

This also applies to the MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup 2 R MO tyres with “soft compound,” which are completely standard equipment and were developed in collaboration with development partner Michelin especially for the top sports car in the AMG GT series. The highest possible level of safety was ensured not only by the standard AMG ceramic high-performance composite brake system, but also by the Track Package with rollover protection system and four-point safety belts offered as standard equipment.

“That was a really impressive ride,” said Maro Engel after completing the record lap. “With speeds of up to almost 270 km/h in the Kesselchen section of the track or well over 300 km/h on the long Döttinger Höhe straight, the AMG GT Black Series is significantly faster than my GT3 race car. To finally drive around the Nordschleife in 6:48.047 minutes with a production road car in these track conditions is really awesome. Like my GT3 race car, the AMG GT Black Series offers a lot of adjustment possibilities, all of which enabled me to create a setup that was tailor-made for me.”

Also in terms of aerodynamic efficiency, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series takes a great deal from the race car. A direct derivation from motorsport, for example, is the carbon-fibre hood with two large exhaust outlets. These specifically guide the warm air that flows from the slanted radiator setup out of the engine compartment. This increases overall downforce, as does the sophisticated rear wing concept and the largely enclosed underbody.

“It's really impressive how much downforce the Black Series generates and how confident and reliable it can be driven, even at the absolute limit. My hat is off to the developers from Affalterbach for what they have put on wheels here. And I'm very pleased that I was able to demonstrate these fascinating engineering skills with this great lap time,” said Engel.

Just as they were for AMG development engineer Demian Schaffert, who set a new lap record with the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+ (fuel consumption combined: 12.5 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 286 g/km)1 on the same day, the conditions were not quite ideal for Maro Engel either. Because when the GT3 professional drove through the light gate of the timing system on November 4, 2020 at 5:02 p.m., not only were 20.832 kilometres of Green Hell behind him in the dim light – the GT3 professional also set the fastest time at an outside temperature of seven degrees Celsius and ten degrees Celsius on the asphalt. In addition, some passages of the extremely demanding track were not yet totally dry.

The fast lap times were precisely measured by neutral experts from “wige SOLUTIONS”. An independent notary also certified the condition of the vehicle as well as the measurements. The spectacular drive can be watched on a video here:

http://amg4.me/GT_BS_ring_lap

Background: Why there are two differently timed laps on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife

The Nürburgring-Nordschleife is regarded as the most difficult racetrack in the world and is included in every new development by Mercedes-AMG. A record lap is therefore the most demanding test of the qualities of a sports car. The times are determined for two track alternatives – 20.6 and 20.832 kilometres long.

Since 1997, the 20.6-kilometre circuit has been the measure of all things. The specialist magazine sport auto from the Motor Presse Stuttgart publishing house drives this circuit as part of their so-called “Supertest”. For historical reasons, the short straight at the T13 grandstand – from the turnoff from the Nordschleife to the Grand Prix circuit to the exit of the Grand Prix circuit onto the Nordschleife – was not included in the timing. The starting line is therefore at the end of the T13 grandstand in a northerly direction and the finish line is at the beginning of the T13 grandstand in a southerly direction. Therefore, no complete lap is measured after the flying start. The total length of the course is exactly 20.6 kilometres.

In 2019 the official Nürburgring lap was added. It was organised by the operating company “Nürburgring 1927 GmbH & Co. KG” and is 232 metres longer, because the start and finish line are identical here, also on the T13 section, so a full Nordschleife lap of 20.832 kilometres is driven and measured with a flying start.

Numerous conditions must be met for both record times to be recognised: In addition to timekeeping with calibrated photoelectric sensor technology, official record attempts and attempts to achieve a lap time are always accompanied by a notary. In addition to monitoring the timekeeping, the vehicles and the tires are also inspected and approved by the notary. The classification of the vehicle classes is based on the official categories of the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (“Kraftfahrtbundesamt” KBA).

The data at a glance

Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series

Engine

4.0L V8 biturbo

Displacement

3,982 cm3

Power

537 kW (730 PS) at 6,700-6,900/min

Max. torque

800 Nm at 2,000-6,000/min

Drive system

Rear-wheel drive

Transmission

AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7G

Fuel consumption combined

12.8 l/100 km*

CO2 emissions combined

292 g/km

Efficiency class

G

Acceleration 0-100 km/h

3.2 s

Top speed

325 km/h

*The stated values were determined according to the prescribed measuring method. These are the NEDC CO2 values as defined by Art. 2 No. 1 of the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1153. The fuel consumption values were calculated on the basis of these values.