Formula 1: The GOAT

“Is this a prank or something?” Inside a managerial-level office, someone was heard asking the question as he read what was on the screen in front of him.

“It is not April first, and it is from his manager, who doesn’t like to joke about these things, so I think the chances are near zero that it is a joke,” the man standing beside him responded, having read the email as well, trying to highlight the foolishness of the question the man sitting in the chair had asked.

“Call for a meeting ASAP,” the man in the chair said before picking up his phone to call the manager who had sent the email.

After half an hour, the meeting finally started after everyone who needed to be there had arrived.

“That is what the email said. So, what are the changes we need to make for the current project?” the man who called for the meeting asked.

His question was followed by silence from all the attendees in the room as they brainstormed for a solution or proposal.

“How about we divide this season into two halves? The first one addresses his current season, and the second half takes an encompassing look at his entire karting career, starting from when he first began racing at five all the way to now, when he is having his final official race in karting,” one of the writers in the room suggested.

Everyone in the meeting room was on the team responsible for the production of Fatih’s individual docuseries, which was now going to be made available for theconqueror.com viewers.

They had just received the update on his expected move to F4, so they could make their plans accordingly. This was also because Fatih’s individual docuseries contract was coming to an end this year, and if they were planning on renewing the agreement, their proposal needed to match the new situation.

“It’s a great idea, as he has footage of all his races and interviews during most of those seasons, so getting footage won’t be a problem if we license it from him. Plus, in the final scene of the last episode, we can have him at the center of a large room with all his trophies in front of him. That should translate to the viewers just how much he has dominated since he started karting at five, as I’m sure there will be more than a hundred trophies from all his race wins, championship wins, awards, and podium finishes,” another writer immediately took the suggestion and built on top of it.

“The idea is quite good. Anyone else with another suggestion?” the producer of the docuseries said while taking note of the ideas they had presented, also noting the names of those who presented them.

“If we are going to renew our contract, how about also starting the next part of the docuseries all the way from his training in preparation for the move to F4? If Red Bull agrees to it, which they most likely would, as it is no different from free advertisement, it should serve as a very interesting behind-the-scenes look that many people in motorsports don’t get the chance to see firsthand and can only read about or speculate,” another writer suggested.

“We are still waiting for approval regarding his renewal from the higher-ups, but I will reach out to them again for a fast decision,” the producer said, noting down the idea and the name of the one who suggested it.

The email had contained more than just an update that the next race was going to be the final one for Fatih, but also a request to expedite the shooting of the final interview scenes. For anyone with brain cells, it would appear quite obvious that this was because he wouldn’t have enough time to follow the previous schedule, as he would be away at a training camp. For a prodigy like him, who they had to secure against different driver academies trying to pry him from them, it was definitely going to be extensive, or they would risk him leaving for a team that would invest more into him. That was the perfect content to shoot. The only obstacle was that the production company had recently been split in two, and things were still settling as each new part tested the limits of what they could and could not do.

The meeting went on for about three hours as more ideas, changes in scheduling, planning, and many other things were decided and planned before it finally came to an end.

“I don’t think I have to say this, but it is still confidential. Until Red Bull or Fatih’s team makes the announcement to the world, you are to not talk about it to anyone other than those in this room. Understood?” the producer said as he closed his idea-filled notebook, tapping it on the table to gather all the loose papers wedged between the pages.

Following everyone acknowledging his final reminder, they all left the room, leaving only the producer behind.

“I have to make them renew it within two weeks at the latest,” the producer said to himself, as it was content that he too was looking forward to, before standing and leaving the meeting room.

…

“We have finished all of the first half of our track bookings, while leaving the latter half with a first-refusal right to give us some flexibility in case of scheduling changes. The team in Austria, regarding his initial physical test and training, is ready and is currently coming up with possible action plans depending on the results of his initial physical tests. At the same time, they are also working on his Ramadan nutrition and meal planning, which they intend to test with him during the training period and adjust depending on how his body reacts. This will allow us to have the best possible plan for when he has to go racing while fasting.

The F4 car we will be renting is currently undergoing comprehensive testing with our test drivers to let us know the maximum pace we can expect from the car. This way, we can compare it to the pace improvement we see in Fatih from the start of his practice to the final graduation and shakedown session…” Michael, the scout who had now been made the head of the Fatih-to-F4 project, was providing the breakdown in front of a few higher-ups in the Red Bull junior team, including Helmut Marko, who had been part of the planning for the entire duration. He presented the plan for the last and final time, showing them the current status. After this, only implementation would follow, and the next meetings would be to provide updates on their progress.