Qualifying in a car like this was never gonna be easy, but Hugo knew full well he didn't get here based on giving in, but on giving everything. It wasn't about 11/10ths, that was how you crashed, it was 9/10ths, that fine margin left in reserve that stopped you from writing off millions of dollars of carbon fiber engineering insanity. The G-forces were throwing his neck from left to right to left, as he stuck on the rear of a Red Bull on an out lap. It was an experience only a few people on this planet knew how to manage, a number roughly double of that of people who had stepped foot on the moon. The last few corners came fast, the brakes searing and even in spite of their carbon-ceramic compound aching under the sheer force of a modern Formula One machine, their glowing red and amber visible from afar in the hard braking zones, as Hugo took a neat line and kept it pinned through the last corner, flat to floor, DRS open. A long exhale hit, as he ran it again for the next banker, and prepared for the assault again.

The end results were hardly surprising, but were better than probably most were expecting in the paddock- Hugo had put the car on P18, and while both cars of Valkyrie were out of Q1, they had come faster. A smug fact was that Hugo knew he was ahead of Laurent Pascal, and beating the Haas had been a satisfying thought. He was a cool, easygoing man, but beneath that ex-Ferrari academy talent was a little rivalry, only the kind that knew the guy was an asshole. Beating him, well, that was fun. Amusing even. Pulling in, he drove the car to a halt and waited as the engineers came to his side, the crew lifting the car on a jack and hauling it back inside. He undid his harness as he exhaled hard, visor open and his hands already grabbing the side of the cockpit.
"Nicely done, Hugo. Couldn't have really asked for more, you did what you could. How was it?" Ray asked, the British engineer leaning against the wheel of the car as he knelt, Hugo clambering out and out onto the pit floor, standing as the engineer followed lead.
"Good, good. Car is understeery through two and three. But we can't do anything more. Better to comprimise the car there than anywhere else." Hugo added, Ray nodding, as he looked at the telemetry board.
"Now where did you get so knowledgable on knocking yourself back, eh? That's what we thought too. Not bad though. They'll be a lot of questions in the presser after this. Go get yourself a drink, we'll debrief this, and then you'll be up for interviews in an hour with Kasumi." Ray replied with a certain confidence, a knowledge almost of rookies as Hugo took his helmet off, followed by his balaclava. Qualifying was still on, and even the inner F1 fan in him despite knowing there was a debrief about to take place, knew he wanted to know who was on pole. Kasumi would come in soon, and they'd be running through it with Kimberly herself once they had all the data back.