What followed was the biggest lawsuit in the history of motorsport, perhaps the most significant case Formula racing had ever seen.
The governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), had filed a lawsuit against one of the top teams in the Formula 1 division, bringing five serious charges against them:
1. Fraud and Misrepresentation
2. Sporting Corruption & Breach of FIA Regulations
3. Endangering Safety & Negligence
4. Financial Misconduct & Embezzlement
5. Tampering with Official FIA Records
You might be wondering where all these allegations stemmed from. It all began the moment Luca publicly revealed that he was Aldo Rennick’s son.
If Nevada was found guilty on all five counts, they would face a minimum five-year ban from participating in Formula 1, along with massive fines.
Mr. Lemaître, who had long known the truth about Luca’s parentage, was the most delighted to witness the broadcast. As a co-owner of a rival team, he saw an opportunity to eliminate a major competitor.
Seizing the moment, he facilitated the prosecution, presenting enough damning evidence that the FIA could not overlook.
The world was in shock when Luca made his declaration. Years ago, it had been widely accepted that Aldo Rennick was unmarried and had no children.
Even official FIA driver records stated as much. However, an investigation revealed that those records had been altered once at some point.
And since nothing could ever be truly erased from a computer system, the original data was retrieved.
It revealed that Aldo Rennick had, in fact, been the father of two children, one still being breastfed and the other a little boy.
Contrary to his officially recorded single status, he had actually been happily married for six years before his death.
This was where the charge of Tampering with Official FIA Records came into play. Aldo could not have altered these records on his own; such a change would have required the involvement of his team and several FIA clerks.
At first, it was believed this would be the only charge Nevada would face and they could easily give a simple small fine and resolve the issue, but as more investigations were fired from their enemies who seized the predicament, things were looking slim for the Red Stallions.
Some reporters wished they had asked Luca a very important question back then. But he was too swift to get into the car, and ever since then, Luca hadn’t made a public appearance.
"Luca, you grew up in a struggling household, yet your father was a seasoned F1 driver. How do you explain that contradiction? Shouldn’t a champion’s family have lived in comfort?"
This was a question that even bothered the President of the FIA, Mr. Avilés, and his board, prompting them to give the go-ahead to work hand in hand with the Italian government to investigate Aldo’s financial records.
Nevada HanSama could only sit in silence, sulking and gritting their teeth as everything was uncovered little by little. Luca, on the other hand, had resumed tough training sessions in the gym, occasionally getting fresh news of everything.
It didn’t take long before the investigators unearthed the truth behind Aldo Rennick’s financial downfall and the hidden dealings of Nevada HanSama. The deeper they dug, the uglier it became.
They uncovered that Aldo had invested 17 million dollars of his own money into the "development and maintenance" of a certain entity, a sum that should have never come from a driver’s pocket.
Records also showed that Aldo Rennick had taken out a sum total of $15 million loan, but its investment seemed questionable as the funds repeatedly ended up in closed accounts.
However, further investigation revealed that these so-called closed accounts were actually a joint account shared between Aldo Rennick and Nevada HanSama fifteen years ago. The two had combined their funds, which were ultimately and consistently forwarded to their engine supplier—Ferrari.
As the investigation deepened, with Ferrari’s cooperation, the charge of Financial Misconduct & Embezzlement officially held.
Ferrari Scuderia quickly spilled the truth, despite receiving numerous confidential and classified calls regarding the matter.
They knew better than to entangle themselves in a lawsuit. If telling the truth was their way out, they would take it. After all, they had merely used the funds to do what was said as agreed at the time.
The investigation questioned this "agreement" and it led to the full story and the start of everything.
In the last generation of Formula 1 racing, HiCEs—or any engine exceeding the standard power rating of that era—were strictly prohibited.
The FIA had enforced this rule to maintain fairness and limit the financial gap between teams, preventing wealthier constructors from gaining an unfair advantage.
In fact, the engines were considered deadly back then and "untamed" for control with any chassis back then.
Despite the ban on HiCEs, wealthy teams had already begun considering acquiring these powerful machines as long-term assets.
They anticipated that, in the future, production and development costs would skyrocket, making early investments a strategic advantage.
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Nevada HanSama was among these forward-thinking teams. Within a year, they had discreetly obtained one of these engines.
However, such an expensive asset required extensive insurance and maintenance, making its upkeep even more costly.
Meanwhile, Luca’s father, Aldo Rennick, was at the peak of his career in that fateful F1 season. Ranked P5, he was just four points away from P4.
Despite multiple race wins, Aldo had never secured the title of F1 World Champion. It was a reality that gnawed at him relentlessly.
He was ambitious to the point of obsession, his love for racing bordering on desperation.
He needed to climb the rankings!
The upcoming race in Austria presented a rare opportunity as Harlan Owen, the championship leader, wouldn’t be on the grid.
With only 23 points separating Aldo from P1, the season remained wide open. If there was ever a moment to take a risk, it was now.
Determined, Aldo approached his team principal, Mr. Schafer, and the Nevada HanSama management, pleading for the twentieth time in ten months to be allowed to race with one of their Super engines as they called it that time, the very ones the FIA had banned.
Mr. Schafer, recognizing Aldo’s hunger for victory, strongly supported him and joined in persuading Nevada’s higher-ups.
However, the issue wasn’t just about fitting the engine into Aldo’s chassis and ignoring the FIA’s rules. Find your next read on freewebnovel
That super engine was an irreplaceable asset, and any damage or exposure could result in a massive financial and reputational loss for the team.
To minimize risk, they decided to keep their first HiCE untouched and instead fund the production of a new one for Aldo, even securing backup funding for potential repairs and refinements.
Aldo, blinded by his desire for victory, emptied his life’s savings to contribute to the project. He convinced himself that with the right car, he could win the championship, regain his investment through sponsorships, and reclaim his wealth.
Little did he know, his desperate pursuit of victory was going to become his downfall and the cause of his death.