Dominik casually pulled on a hoodie, grabbed his car keys, and headed out. From afar, he saw Eszter standing at the gate, waving, illuminated by the evening sun.
After two years, she seemed to have gotten more athletic and tan, but Dominik understood. After all, this girl was like him; when they were young, they were mischievous enough to climb the old walls of Buda, and now she had quite a reputation in Hungary's road cycling scene, so getting tanned was understandable.
"Yo, the busy man is finally here!" Eszter threw an arm around Dominik's shoulder. "A Formula 2 driver is just different; it's harder to see you now than to spot a shooting star over the Danube!"
The two drove to a small bistro tucked away in a narrow alley in District VII, as most of Budapest's best food could be found in its hidden corners.
As soon as they sat down, Eszter handed him a bottle of Dreher: "Quick, tell me, what's it like to race F2? Is it super exciting? I watch your races on TV—that speed makes my palms sweat!"
Dominik used a bottle opener to pop the cap and took a big gulp. The ice-cold beer went down, and most of his travel fatigue dissipated. He didn't care if anyone around recognized him: "It's exciting, but it's also exhausting. Every day is training, adjusting the car... my nerves are constantly stretched tight."
"What's going on?" Eszter leaned over mischievously.
Dominik casually grabbed a piece of spiced meat, chewing as he spoke: "Just this Abu Dhabi race, the tires degraded too much in the last couple of laps. I had to constantly correct the steering."
"Good heavens, and he didn't even crash!"
Eszter was indeed Dominik's childhood friend and an F1 fan who understood the professional jargon. That mouth of hers was truly sharp when talking to someone familiar.
Hearing this, Dominik's face darkened with mock annoyance, and then he paid a friendly visit to Eszter's family tree with a few choice words...
Fortunately, Eszter shoved a piece of kolbász into Dominik's mouth. "But you're good, kid, you kept your cool at a crucial moment! Hey, how was your performance in this race?"
Dominik scratched his head, indifferently saying: "It was alright, fourth in the world. It's a bit of a shame I didn't get first place."
As expected of "fourth in the world," Dominik was not at all modest when bragging to acquaintances.
"What about you? Aren't you cycling? A top student from Eötvös Loránd University?" Dominik retorted. Having been in England for so long, Dominik thought the development of cycling in Hungary was comparable to Western Europe, but after hearing Eszter's words, he realized the gap.
Eszter sighed: "Compared to the big Western teams, the cycling scene in Hungary still has a significant gap. The competition system isn't perfect, and sponsorships are hard to come by. I can get some small local deals now, but it's a hobby, you know? I'm not planning to make a living off it like you."
Dominik listened and nodded. It turned out that the struggles in the Hungarian cycling world were quite similar to the racing scene.
The two ate and chatted. After they were full and satisfied, since they had been drinking and couldn't drive, they decided to stroll around City Park (Városliget). Actually, it was because there were more ruins bars and terraces near the park area.
Eszter declared, "Where there are more bars, there are more beautiful people."
Oh no, the 'drunk talker' is online, Dominik mused to himself, giving Eszter a side glance. Fortunately, she didn't see it.
"Eszter, if you have nothing to do, find a boyfriend. Although you're not as handsome as me, your physique is good enough," Dominik said, walking side by side on the streets of Budapest.
"I'm much more attractive than you'"
"Who are you showing off to ? See, you're getting agitated again." Dominik saw the situation was turning into a chase and took off running, only stopping when he saw Eszter was winded. After all, Dominik's current stamina was at the level of a professional athlete.
Despite her cycling training, Eszter couldn't withstand the alcohol in her system, so she stopped after chasing him for a few steps.
Dominik saw they had run near a trendy cafe, so he headed in, and they both grabbed some cold drinks. After all, Dominik, who had just returned to Hungary, found the local flavors refreshing.
As the city lights came on, a fan recognized Dominik. Because he didn't feel like a global superstar yet, he hadn't worn a hat or scarf. This fan very politely walked over to take a photo, being careful not to draw a massive crowd.
Such polite fans were rare.
After the photo, the fan enthusiastically invited them to experience his simulator shop nearby. Dominik and Eszter exchanged glances; they were both just over 20 years old and looking for a bit of fun. Dominik drove professionally, but Eszter had barely touched a high-end rig.
So they followed the fan to his shop. The place was impressive—rows of simulators with triple 27-inch monitors. Seeing Eszter eager to try, the owner let her jump on one first.
Dominik learned that the owner was named Viktor, a well-known figure in the Budapest street-tuning and hill-climb scene. This shop was half of his assets; the other half was a modification garage in the western part of the city. Dominik felt a surge of respect for this young man who dared to invest everything into car culture in this economic climate.
After learning that Viktor would also be participating in the Hungaroring Speed Festival the day after tomorrow, Dominik mentioned that he might even hitch a ride in Viktor's car to the event.
"How about we have a session? I'd like to learn from you," Viktor asked.
"First time hearing someone wants to 'learn' from me," Dominik suddenly felt a bit nervous. He and Viktor walked towards the only two six-axis motion simulators in the back.
Many car fans in the shop recognized Viktor, the local hero, and the professional driver Dominik Corvinus next to him. Instantly, a crowd gathered. Both men climbed into the cockpits.
(F1 2021 is starting...)
At this moment, Dominik was a bit anxious. Even at the Williams factory, he rarely used a six-axis motion rig, so he felt like a bit of a novice on this specific equipment. Plus, he had just finished a beer. Although the evening breeze of Budapest had cleared his head, he wasn't at peak condition.
Fortunately, it hadn't even been a week since he was in an actual F2 cockpit. His muscle memory was still there. Dominik glanced at the crowd and Viktor; many fans were already filming with their phones.
"Later, go easy on me, don't let me lose too much," Viktor said. Dominik felt a wave of awkwardness. He couldn't exactly tell everyone it was his first time on a six-axis rig while half-tipsy with a crowd watching.
If it were anyone else, Dominik wouldn't be so nervous, but Viktor was a local legend. He likely had hundreds of hours on these specific machines.
After the game's intro animation ended, the team and track selection screen appeared. The atmosphere in the shop reached a fever pitch, and some onlookers even started live-streaming the showdown...