ALICE Epilogue Part 1

People like Irina Orlova rarely go to jail, and that holds true after what happened in Suzuka. However, given the scale of the condemnation pointed at her from all corners, Irina has enough sense to know when to back off and lie low. Most of what happened in the hotel, she could have managed, but trying to kidnap a Formula One driver was an overextension. It would have worked if she could have gotten Faye out of reach; there’s nothing that Glynda and the team wouldn’t have done to make sure that she wasn’t harmed. But with plenty of witnesses, no hostage for leverage, and everyone suspicious and angry, Irina is left with **** but to withdraw in defeat.

Netflix couldn’t be happier. They only got snatches of footage of what happened; they weren’t invited to Irina’s party, so there’s really just an interview with Toto outside the Shigeno where one can see Alice come pelting out of the hotel at a sprint.

It does cause some wrinkles that Alice injured a man and stole his car, and it’s all on video, but people are more inclined to be upset with Irina.

Investigations within Formula One are quickly launched, and Drive to Survive will have to do an extra-long season if they want to cover all of the important people implicated in Irina’s scheme to use F1 to camouflage shady dealings.

The enigmatic Esme Moreau was spotted at the party but not afterward, and hasn’t been seen near F1 since.

FF1

Bright lights shine on the three simple chairs.

The managers for Williams Racing appear unusually sober.

Clarkson clears his throat. “Dreadful business.”

May nods. “Nothing like this happened the last time I was in Japan.”

“Mate, I don’t think we can blame this one on Japan,” Hammond tells him.

“Watch me,” Clarkson mutters, and Hammond nudges him with an elbow.

“It’s really unfortunate,” May says. “A very rich woman manipulating Formula One this way. People will question the integrity of the sport, and racing’s already seen in many ways as a sport of the upper class. It forms this association between corruption and that image. Very unfortunate.”

“Very unfortunate,” Clarkson echoes gravely. “It’s all still under investigation, of course. Wild accusations.”

“Wild,” May agrees. “And we’ve yet to hear Ms. Orlova’s side of it.”

Hammond’s eyes widen. “Her side? She tried to abduct an Irish national.”

“I just think there’s a lot of nuance there,” Clarkson says, looking away and speaking through his teeth as he occasionally does.

“I think you fancy her,” Hammond accuses. “She’s a gangster, Jeremy. A criminal. She commits crimes.”

“So do Catherine Connolly’s teeth. Pity nobody kidnapped her,” Clarkson mutters.

Hammond chokes on his coffee.

“Terrible. Terrible,” May cuts in. “Our hearts go out to Glynda and Faye, and everyone at FUTA Racing. Coping with all of this must’ve been so difficult.”