Formula 1: The GOAT

“What do you mean?” Rümeysa asked, genuinely surprised. Where had that question come from? And how could he even consider such a thing instead of being happy and welcoming her after her surprise return?

“The people on TV said there was an economic collapse and people are losing their jobs every day,” Fatih explained, pointing at the television as he spoke, carefully ensuring his speech matched his age.

His response was met with looks of astonishment from both his mother and grandmother. They quickly covered their faces, trying to stifle their laughter, but failed, bursting into giggles. Fatih’s serious, concerned expression only made them laugh harder.

“Nooo, sweetie, Mom wasn’t fired,” Rümeysa managed to say, taking deep breaths between words, still recovering from her fit of laughter. “I just resigned because I got a new job here in Istanbul, so I can be with you every day.”

“Really?” Fatih’s face instantly lit up with a wide smile. “You’re not leaving for Germany again?”

“Yes, really. I’ll only be leaving for work in the morning and returning in the evening,” she answered, finally dropping the bags she was holding near the doorway. She walked to the sofa and sank into it, momentarily devoid of the strength to carry them further.

“Where are you going to be working?” he asked, following her, eager to know. This time, he hoped for a concrete answer, unlike before when she’d cited his age as a reason for her vague replies.

“I’m going to be working here,” she said, pulling a chocolate bar from her pocket. She pointed to the familiar logo on the wrapper as she handed it to him.

“Ülker?” Fatih asked. This didn’t come as a surprise to the two adults; the brand was so well-known in Turkey that even a young child would recognize the name and associate it with their products.

“Yes. I’m the new Vice Head of Legal there,” Rümeysa said slowly, knowing he likely wouldn’t grasp the full meaning of the title.

The moment Fatih received the answer he wanted, his attention shifted entirely to the chocolate. He climbed onto the sofa beside his mother and laid his head on her lap. She gently brushed his hair as he happily ate the chocolate, his previous worries completely vanishing, replaced by the pure joy that his mother would be with him much more, no longer limited to her vacation days.

With Rümeysa’s return, Fatih’s daily routine didn’t change drastically, other than his mother now taking over the role of pre-mixing his go-kart fuel in the morning before she left for work. His grandmother still handled refueling when he wanted to drive. The most significant change was the evenings; after an initial week of settling in at home, Rümeysa started spending time with him in the park after she returned from work.

By January 2009, Rümeysa had acclimated to her new role at Ülker. This month also marked the first major change of the year for Fatih: his mother had taken him to sign up for a karting academy. This made him incredibly happy; it was a clear sign she was recognizing his passion and was even considering supporting him fully if it truly was his dream.

“As you can see, because we have both indoor and outdoor karting tracks, our students can practice all year round, even in winter conditions like we have currently,” the academy’s receptionist explained, giving Fatih and Rümeysa a tour of their facilities.

“How are the timetables structured?” Rümeysa asked, looking around the well-lit indoor track. It was fully covered and heated, and several people were driving rental karts around its twists and turns.

“Since we operate as both a rental karting facility and a professional karting academy, our schedule is structured accordingly,” the receptionist elaborated. “On weekdays, from 3 PM to 6 PM is dedicated academy time, with one-hour slots for different age groups and kart types. On weekends, it’s the opposite: morning until noon is for the academy, and the afternoons are open to the public for rental karting.

You can choose how many days a week your child attends, and we’ll set a timetable based on that. However, we recommend a minimum of two days a week, as our curriculum is quite comprehensive, and it takes time to teach children his age properly.”

She continued, her voice enthusiastic, “Once they pass the basic training, we assist them with the application for the appropriate TOSFED (Turkish Automobile Sports Federation) karting license for their level. This license allows them to participate in all motorsport competitions covered by it.

As long as a student continues to develop, we are also responsible for helping them upgrade their license accordingly. And, as one of the reputable academies, we often receive information regarding upcoming competitions a few days ahead of the public announcement, allowing our members to register early for the categories they are eligible for.” The receptionist delivered her well-rehearsed speech, making sure to highlight as many benefits as possible, even hinting at potential future glory. She knew many children who signed up would lose interest within a few months, but that wasn’t her concern; her job was to get them signed up.

Rümeysa took a moment to digest the information. Even if only a few of the promises were delivered upon, professional training would still greatly benefit her son if his passion continued – and it seemed more and more likely with each passing day. Barring the winter days when the park was covered in snow, he hadn’t missed a single opportunity to drive his kart. In fact, his continuous use over seven straight months had necessitated a complete engine rebuild by a mechanic.

“So, how is the pricing?” she finally asked the most important question.

“Pricing depends on the number of lessons per week and is paid quarterly. An average single day of training is about 50 Lira (approximately ($30- $35) USD in early 2009),” the receptionist stated. She inwardly frowned; this was usually the point where she lost most potential customers. She quickly deployed her countermeasure: “But please don’t worry if that seems expensive. It’s quite competitive compared to other academies, and we also offer scholarships for students who demonstrate exceptional talent. We see it as a way of supporting them, as their success ultimately enhances our academy’s prestige.”

She had used this approach many times. A child would drive a few laps, a trainer would declare them a “diamond in the rough” needing some polishing, and then they’d offer a ten percent scholarship. More often than not, parents, eager to believe their child was special and acknowledged by professionals, would sign up.

Seeing the hopeful smiles on both Rümeysa’s and Fatih’s faces, the receptionist knew she had them.

“So, what does the test involve?” Rümeysa asked expectantly, quite sure her son would qualify for a scholarship. If he didn’t, who would?

“We’ll call our instructor. Your son will be given ten minutes of practice to get used to our karts and the indoor track. After that, he’ll be required to drive ten timed laps. His average lap time will determine the level of scholarship he receives. And,” she added, pointing to a large board displaying various lap records, “if he breaks the existing lap record for his kart category on that board, he will be fully sponsored and receive his training for free, under the agreement that he races as a student of our academy for the duration of the sponsorship year.” The board showed times set by academy instructors for larger karts, and by exceptionally talented former students for smaller categories like the Bambino karts.

“What do you think, Fatih? Do you want to try?” Rümeysa asked her son, who had been gazing intently at the karts circulating on the track.

“Yes,” he replied, his answer directed not only to his mother but also to the System mission that had just appeared before him.

[Urgent Mission!]

The truly great often don’t pay; opportunities are provided for them to prove their worth. Seize this chance and benefit without financial investment.

Objective: Break the official Bambino Kart lap record for this academy’s indoor track.

Rewards: Full Scholarship, 50 SP

Punishment: None

(YES] \[NO])

He mentally selected [YES]. How could he deny an opportunity to reduce a potential financial burden on his mother, regardless of her ability to fund it?

“Then please follow me to the waiting room while I brief the instructor and start the preparations for the test,” the receptionist said, her widest, most professional smile firmly in place as she escorted them back into the main building connected to the indoor karting track.