Sumi’s Blog

F1 x IRONMAN AU

Description: Pictured above is the young Antony Edward Stark, aged 16. 

Young Antony Stark pursues a career in formula racing instead of taking up the mantle of Stark Industries. At 21 years old Anthony Edward Stark held the youngest World Drivers' Championship in Formula 1 history. After the tragic death of his parents the young Stark heir did what nobody else thought possible and pivoted the one mighty weapon manufacturing conglomerate into an energy and automotive giant. The new untested CEO proved capable of holding the mantle of his father, Howard Stark, after unveiling a line of his line of cars that seem to rival the innovation of ford motor company. 

Fortunately not everyone was a fan. While the Stark Industries still maintained its footing as a tech giant, 

After a former partner and CFO of Stark Industries, Obdiah Stane, had sabotaged the braking system of Stark’s formula car mid race, causing him to lose control of his car during the 1995 Monaco Grand Prix. The last race of the 1995 season. The then 25 year old was sent careening into a concrete wall at roughly 200km/h. The devastating impact left Stark in critical condition. The footage ofIt knocked him unconscious and left him with a shattered ankle and partially severed arm.

The world was silent in grief as it was believed that the young driver would never recover. But as always they were wrong. 

Seemingly rising from the ashes like a phoenix, Stark, complete with an bionic arm and leg and got behind the wheel again. 

The final race of the 1996 season. Coincidentally it was the same circuit that Stark suffered his injury last year. 

The world was watching. With the former CFO behind bars, Stark Industries stayed afloat. However, despite the hard work of the alternate teammate James Rhodes, Stark F1 team was losing to HYDRA racing. 

It didn’t look good. Especially after a not so great qualifier with a DNF that left Stark in the back of the starting grid. 

The world dismissed him. It’s a miracle he can race at all considering he just had a potential career ending injury but somehow Stark held on during the race. There was a slight hiccup in turn 1 that left some body injury to his car and the close call in the second chicane . By the end of lap one, Stark was 14th place. Not bad, but not great either. Especially not for someone who previously dominated the podium.

Then something started to change in lap 22. 

It started with a seemingly benign overtake of Hammer Racing driver Ivan Vanco by Stark. But then he did it again with ROXXON’s driver Dario Agger. Then more and more players followed. One by one Stark overtook them. 

The last lap. 

The audience was on the edge of their seats. No one could have predicted a comeback like this. The crowd was deafening. 

One last lap and one driver was left between Stark and victory. Tony Stark was neck in neck with Hydra Racing driver Brock Rumlow. Stark tried the overtake in the first chicane but Brock did not give in so easily, nearly clipping Stark car in the process. It looked like Stark was still going to have a podium finish but not first place like he wanted.

In the last turn Stark took a risk. Starks moves to the left of Rumlow in the last right turn, somehow fighting for some clearance on the left side of Rumlow. It looks like an error on Stark's part at first, but then he accelerates overtaking Rumlow in a risky right turn. Too sharp and he risks spinning out. Not sharp enough and he risks a devastating collision. 

It was just right. 

Stark overtakes him. Rumlow has no chance to regain his pole position with the checker flag ready to wave a few hundred meters down the track. 

It's over. 

As Stark crosses the finish line he makes history. 

The crowd was deafening.

The once 21 year old who had seemingly lost everything to the 26 years old standing now. Seemingly getting up again and again despite the drawbacks and the devastating losses. An ordinary man would have cut their losses. A different man wouldn’t have been brave enough to even try. 

As the world sat back in awe, and saw that this wasn’t just a one time fluke. When Stark once again led the team to Constructors' Championship, he was awarded a moniker that we still call him to this day.