MF GHOST (MFゴースト)

Suppressing the urge to speed off,

these 15 drivers focus on the drones in front of them,

waiting for that light to turn green.

And the 16, our final competitor, passes through the gate!

And there's the green!

It's a picture-perfect start!

It's all orderly as the Godly Fifteen zoom away in single file!

Sawatari in the 4 car is pushing hard from the start,

even though his tires will still be cold.

This is likely his strategy.

He's going on the offensive by flying out of the gate.

Living up to his reputation, Sawatari the gambler risks it all without fear.

But will it pay off in the end or cost him dearly?

It's no good. I still can't stand to watch.

Honey, you could at least try.

Our children are working hard in this race.

What does it say if we turn away?

Our children?

You're right.

I'm already so proud of Kana-chan and Ren.

The 4 car is in the process of eking out a lead.

How will the two cars directly behind him respond?

They're nearly at the Hydro Trap.

The 4 car splashes through it!

And the size of the spray he's kicking up indicates how fast he's going!

Whoa! The 4 is thrown sharply off balance!

Did his wet tires lose purchase on the road?

Get a grip, Sawatari, you utter imbecile.

The 4 car is spinning out.

How do I avoid him? Right? Or left?

Right!

Right!

Mistake.

The 4 car spins out!

And with their line blocked, the 12 and the 86 spin to avoid a collision!

MF Ghost

I've never seen chaos like it!

What's happening out there, folks?

m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100

The Strongest Train

The top three in qualifying have come to a complete stop!

They managed to avoid crashing,

but the cars previously behind them are now blasting past.

There's a gap between the Lamborghini and the red car behind it.

You know what to do. Go, Katagiri.

The 86 and the 12 manage to get going again!

Lightning fast as always, the pair executed perfect spin turns!

That was quite impressive.

They recognized there was enough space between the 3 and the 18 to squeeze in.

Even the slightest hesitation would've made it harder to rejoin.

They ran the risk of colliding with the next car.

They acted before race control issued a directive, which worries me a little.

I doubt they'll get a penalty for it.

The driver of the 86 seemed 100% confident in his maneuver,

and the 12 car spun it around pretty much in tandem.

I think both of them having three-pedal manual transmission was key.

Being a two-pedal automatic, the 4 couldn't pull the same trick.

And Sawatari, our polesitter, rejoins the race in last place.

A mistake like this is hard to imagine from a driver like Sawatari Koki.

What do you suppose happened?

I'd say he got on the power a split second too early after exiting the trap.

The wet tires didn't grip the road in the way the driver was expecting.

With the adrenaline pumping, it wasn't the measured start he needed,

and the Hydro Trap was in the perfect place to pounce on that nervous energy.

Ah, Ko-kun!

He's been acting differently since our date yesterday.

He didn't even finish his lunch.

It's the kind of call I doubt he'd make if he were in a calm state of mind.

And it shows the pressure of starting on pole and trying to stay out in front.

All that pressure must've been weighing him down.

My poor Ko-kun.

I'll make you feel better later, so please come back to me in one piece.

Ah, what a joke.

Well, I never denied being a screwup.

Still, that's a huge weight off my shoulders now.

Feels like someone exorcised ten specters that were clinging to me.

All I gotta do now is pass some cars.

I already got the pole position bonus,

so it's time to add to the stack by scoring some overtaking bonuses.

Wait for me, Sana.

Whatever you want, it's yours.

The Godly Fifteen bear down on the hairpin where Sector 1 becomes Sector 2!

Let's take a look at the order at this juncture.

In the lead, it's Moroboshi in the 885.

In second, it's Emma Greene in the 624.

Akaba is third in the 2 car.

Aiba is fourth in the 9.

Fifth, Yanagida in the 6.

Sixth, Ishigami in the 1 car.

Seventh, Maezono in the 13.

Eighth, Oishi in the 3 car.

And here, back in ninth place, it's Katagiri in the 86.

Tenth belongs to Beckenbauer in the 12.

These two still have plenty of the race left to climb up through the field.

And I have no doubts over whether they've given up.

These red and white bullets have explosive potential!

In 11th, it's Kitahara in the 18. In 12th, it's Sakamoto in the 5.

13th belongs to Taylor in the 8.

In 14th, it's Yashio in the 16.

And the 4 car is already hot on their heels!

Being able to rejoin the race without damaging the car is paying off big-time.

That's Sawatari Koki in his blue bullet, one of MFG's famous tricolor racers!

How far can he climb up the field? Let's watch.

My mind's gone blank.

I've lost my pacemaker.

Booth to Sena. You're wrecking your tires. This race has six laps, remember.

Rein it in!

I would if I could, damn it.

I don't know how to set the freaking pace.

What do you think of my pace? Am I going too slow?

Obviously not. Stay confident.

So I'm not going slow?

Despite the fact the Aston's breathing down my neck?

The whole world is watching me lead the pack right now.

My Gunma pride won't let me drive like a chump.

What's going on?

Something about the 885 makes it easy to stick close to him.

It's like he has something in common with Mr. Fujiwara's driving.

I think it might be the rhythm.

I could pass if I wanted,

but there's something to be said for seeing how this plays out.

The race has only just begun, and it's going to be a long one.

I'll be patient for now.

Because I know you'll be back.

And you're the one I want to battle, darling.

The Godly Fifteen scythe through the forested area of Sector 2.

And just look at those big numbers unexpectedly occupying first and second.

Being at the head of the pack comes with any number of stresses.

Gotta wonder if it's too much for a rookie like Moroboshi.

This might've turned into a stroke of luck for Kanata.

His biggest rivals are behind him,

and the top two are rookies, lacking in experience.

This could be a real opportunity, right?

If he's able to climb up through the field...

That's one way of looking at it, but you're forgetting one vital thing.

Beckenbauer is the "absolute king" for a reason,

and it remains to be seen what he'll do now that he's right on our tail.

The sunny yellow Supra and the dark green Aston Martin emerge from the shade.

And a bright red Ferrari is honing in on them.

Our colorful top three are coming up to the Jumping Spot.

This seems a good moment to ask, Sudo-san.

Jumps are a bit of a rarity in the world of racing...

...aside from in rally, which often takes place on mountainous courses.

As a rally driver yourself, could you give us some insight on how to take jumps?

I understand. I can certainly try.

Since this is a man-made jump,

it's a bit different from the kind you find in nature.

But in general, it's about controlling where and how you're going to land.

The last thing you want to do is lose speed or hit the brakes.

If you're tipped forward when you land, you'll be thrown off balance.

That'll prevent you from braking in time for the next right turn,

and risks sending you out of the course.

The crucial thing is to grip the wheel and try to touch down level.

If you start rotating in the air, you'll be all over the place when you land,

and as you struggle to regain control, you're at risk of spinning or crashing.

So in general, grip the wheel, don't touch the brakes,

and keep the gas pedal half down.

The more you explain it, the more dangerous and difficult it sounds.

It's pretty tough to verbalize it.

But I imagine these 15 elite drivers are able to handle it all intuitively.

The leaders are now on the run-up to the jump.

The jumping-off point awaits.

This legion of supercars takes to the air!

An incredible sight! It's Double Lane's specialty, the Jumping Spot!

You won't see a race like this anywhere else in the world!

Here's the duo in the spotlight.