Chapter Text
WARNINGS AND GLOSSARY
If this is your first time diving into the world of motorsports, this glossary will help you understand the vocabulary of Formula 1, and the world where Taehyung and Jungkook live, race, tease each other and fall in love…
Feel free to come back to this chapter whenever you don't understand something, and also feel free to ask all kinds of questions here or throughout the story, I'll answer them all <3
This is a story in which I put everything of myself, and since I'm slightly obsessed with this little world... I ended up developing the universe and making it more technical and closer to the real world, with that in mind, historical moments mix with the fictional narrative.
For those who are crazy about F1 like me, keep an eye out for easter eggs and references!!
This story takes place between 1997 and 2008, so the 2000s vibe is present in every aspect of the story, including the names of the chapters, each of which has a song that directly relates to the events of the story... at the end of this chapter I will make available the playlist that inspired me to write these taekook.
Tags:
Rivals to lovers / enemies to lovers (there is a difference, but the story will address both);
Toptae / bottomjk (at first, but you never know...);
Warnings: Violence, adult language, psychological abuse, misuse of alcohol and other chemical substances, sexual innuendos and explicit scenes.
Mostly long chapters, there will be 15 in total.
Enough beating around the bush, let's get to the glossary:
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ESSENTIAL TERMS
Paddock: A space reserved behind the scenes of each race, where the motorhomes, engineers, team leaders, VIP guests and, of course, the drivers are located. This is where a lot of things happen away from the cameras.
Pit stop: A quick stop during the race to change tires or adjust the car. A good pit stop strategy can change the outcome of a GP. One mistake... can ruin everything.
Box (or boxes): The team's garage. This is where the cars are prepared, adjusted and repaired. It is also the place where drivers hear the truth from their bosses when they make mistakes.
Grid: The starting lineup of the race, determined by the classification. Getting pole position is the dream, starting at the back of the grid is the worst possible scenario.
Pole position: The first place on the starting grid. This is the driver who was the fastest in qualifying. The pole holder starts the race ahead of everyone else.
Fast lap: The fastest lap made by a driver during the race. Sometimes, it is worth an extra point. Sometimes, it's all about ego.
Gap: This is the time difference between two cars. For example, if the car in front crosses the finish line and the car behind crosses it 3 seconds later, the gap between them is 3 seconds.
Safety car: A safety car that enters the track when there is an accident or dangerous condition. It groups the cars together and can change everything in the strategy...
Setup: The car's configuration: aerodynamics, suspension, tires and everything that puts the car "in the hands" of the driver. Each track requires a different setup, and each driver has his or her own quirks.
Sometimes a good setup means nothing, you need to be a natural talent.
Understeer / Oversteer: Two technical names for two nightmares in a driver's life:
Understeer is the front end: the driver turns the steering wheel, but the car doesn't obey. The front end slips and he ends up going straight on the curve.
It's like trying to make a curve and the car says "no thanks".
Oversteer is when the rear end comes out: the car turns more than it should, and the rear end slips away. If the driver doesn't correct it in time, it spins on the track.
It's as if the rear end wants to overtake you.
Jungkook hates understeer. He wants the car to react immediately, like a quick response.
Taehyung prefers oversteer. He likes the fine control, the feeling of danger, of having to tame the car at the limit.
It doesn't seem like much, but it says everything about how they race. And who they are.
Chicane: A "zigzag" curve placed to force the car to slow down.
Telemetry: Data captured in real time about everything the car does. The team sees everything, even when the driver doesn't want it to.
Radio: A means of communication between the driver and the team during practice and races. In the 2000s, each car had its own channel, and only the race engineer (sometimes the team boss) could talk to the driver.
Qualifying: Session that defines the starting order. Making a mistake in the classification can ruin the race before it even starts.
Undercut / Overcut
Undercut: stopping in the pits before your rival and gaining time with new tires.
Overcut: staying on the track longer to gain position.
These moves are risky. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they are just fuel to fuel a certain hatred.
Penalty: Punishments for infractions (such as cutting the track, causing an accident, or leaving the pit lane dangerously). They range from added seconds to disqualification.
Constructors' Championship: The team's title. The sum of the points of both drivers in the team. More than a trophy: it is status, money and history.
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This list is just a precaution, maybe some things won't even appear in history, but you never know!
If you've never seen a Formula 1 race, that's okay. Just remember one thing: in this world, speed is power. But knowing when to brake at the right time is also important.
Access the playlist via the link by clicking on the profile bio.
And when the red lights go out, the race begins!