Tertius DiParadisa

Tertius DiParadisa
DiParadisa in 2017
Nationality	Confederate
Astyrian Formula One Championship
Years active	2006-2021
Teams	MacGregor, Phaeton
Championships	2 (2010, 2011)
Wins	46
Podiums	124
Astyrian Grand Prix League
Years active	2001-2005
Championships	1 (2005)
Wins	12

Tertius DiParadisa is a Confederate racing driver who has competed in various forms of motor racing throughout Astyria, notably the Astyrian Grand Prix League from 2001 to 2005 and Astyrian Formula One from 2006 to 2021, where he won two Drivers' Championships in 2010 and 2011.

Early life and career

DiParadisa was born in Paradise City, Empire of Exponent. He began his racing career at a young age, competing in karting events throughout Hesperidesia. He quickly made a name for himself as a talented driver, winning several championships and drawing the attention of teams in higher levels of motorsport.

In 2000, DiParadisa made his debut in the Astyrian Grand Prix Junior League where he quickly established himself as a front-runner, taking several wins and podium finishes throughout the season. This performance caught the attention of team managers in the Astyrian Grand Prix League (AGPL), the top tier of motorsport in Eastern Astyria.

Astyrian Grand Prix League

In 2001, DiParadisa made his debut in the AGPL, competing for a small team. Despite limited resources, he was able to score points and impress the paddock with his raw talent and determination. Over the next few years, DiParadisa established himself as a regular front-runner in the AGPL, consistently scoring podiums and race wins.

In 2003, DiParadisa took the checkered flag at the Caranthaea Grand Prix and his first win, becoming the youngest ever winner of an AGPL race. This was a significant milestone for him and his team and it secured them a spot on the podium. He followed this up the next year with several more race wins and podiums throughout the season and came runner-up to < name > in 2004. In 2005, he dominated the season with 8 wins and 17 podiums, winning him his first and only AGPL championship.

His success in the AGPL caught the attention of many Astyrian Formula One team managers, including Bradley Pearce, team principal of MacGregor. DiParadisa signed a three-year contract to drive for MacGregor, replacing Sidus-bound Paavo Laakkonen for the 2006 season.

Astyrian Formula One

MacGregor (2006-2008)

DiParadisa's first year with MacGregor began with a 3rd place finish at the season-opening Aswickan Grand Prix, behind the Phaetons of Augustus Tertullius and Zander Rico. Despite the year being marred with several engine failures, he was still able to claim five podium finishes in 2006, and he and < name > secured 2nd place for MacGregor in the Constructors' Championship.

2007 was DiParadisa's breakout year, becoming part of a championship battle with his new teammate John Callaghan, defending champion Tertullius at Phaeton, and Laakkonen at Sidus. He took his first win at the < name > Grand Prix. He would go on to win four races in the 2007 season, but would lose out on the title to Laakkonen at the final race in the Confederate Grand Prix. DiParadisa finished runner-up to Laakkonen in the standings, with Tertullius and Callaghan in 3rd and 4th, respectively.

He remained with MacGregor for the 2008 season, where the team produced a dominant package that was the class of the field. DiParadisa was predicted to be the favorite to win the Drivers' Championship over Callaghan, however 2008 became a championship rivalry between both MacGregor drivers. The two were involved in a number of incidents, most notably at the Nynorsk Ostlijord Grand Prix when Callaghan in second tried to pass his teammate DiParadisa for the lead. The two collided and were out of the race, with neither driver taking responsibility for the accident. At the final round, the Confederate Grand Prix, DiParadisa led for 54 laps until he suffered an engine failure, handing the win to Callaghan and securing the latter's championship title.

Phaeton (2009-2021)

V8 era

Talks between DiParadisa and Phaeton began in secret as far as the 2007 Scottopian Grand Prix, where he met with Phaeton chairman Aurelius Graywood. DiParadisa said that he "showed interest" in the idea for a drive, but talks never progressed beyond the exploratory stages due to Tertullius' seemingly stable place at the team. However, talks picked up again after Tertullius announced that he was ending his MacGregor contract early at the 2008 Caprican Grand Prix. Not long after, DiParadisa secured a contract to start driving for Phaeton in 2009.

DiParadisa had a strong first year, taking four wins and several more podiums, including his debut race with Phaeton at the season-opening Aswickan Grand Prix. However, he once again came runner-up in the Drivers' Championship, this time to LZS's Tomasz Maruszewski, who benefitted at the first half due to a double diffuser design that made his team faster than others. Despite this, DiParadisa fought to the last race at the Confederate Grand Prix, where he won the race, while Maruszewski secured his championship with a 3rd place finish.

In 2010, he faced a more competitive field, with himself, Maruszewski, and Laakkonen in contention for the Drivers' Championship. He finished on the top step of the podium five times, where he helped Phaeton secure their first Constructors' Championship since 2006 at the penultimate round at the Arimathean Grand Prix. He entered the final race of the season at the Confederate Grand Prix leading the championship, with Maruszewski once again his closest championship rival. However, in a reversal of the 2009 finale, Maruszewski won the race and DiParadisa finished 4th, which gave him enough points to become the 2010 AstyF1 Drivers' Champion.

DiParadisa's 2010 championship seemed to give him more momentum entering the 2011 season, where he won the first three races in quick succession, including the newly-introduced Mizia Grand Prix. He had a chance to win that year's Monsa Grand Prix but poor radio communication led to a slow pit stop, dropping him to 3rd place behind his teammate Rico and Maruszewski. Nevertheless, he went on to win a total of 9 wins over the course of the season, securing his 2nd successive title at the Valkean Grand Prix with four races left.

Before the 2012 season began, DiParadisa extended his contract to drive for Phaeton until 2017. However, his season didn't begin well due to the handling problems of the Phaeton SP2012. At the Aswickan Grand Prix, he could only qualify 12th and finish in 5th. Despite his and the team's rough start, he was able to win in Noordenstaat, Kelonna, and ViZion, as well as finish consistently on the podium. At one point, DiParadisa led by more than 40 points in the Drivers' Standings and looked to seal a 3rd championship, but a string of mechanical failures and 1st lap collisions reversed his lead, losing out on the championship to Laakkonen.

2013 saw DiParadisa famously take a win at the Sloverti Grand Prix, however he would never win again for the rest of the year. Instead, he remained in the hunt for the championship by scoring points on a consistent basis, with podium finishes in Nikolia, ViZion, Noordenstaat, Hindia Belanda, Nynorsk Ostlijord, and Valkea. Once again he would finish runner-up behind Laakkonen.

Hybrid era

The 2014 season saw DiParadisa have his first winless season since 2006, due to the Phaeton SPH-14's lack of power and difficult handling characteristics. Despite these problems, he claimed a 3rd place finish in Khyragus and 2nd place in Arimathea. In 2015, DiParadisa's season was mixed, as his car showed more pace but suffered several retirements due to mechanical failures and collisions. However, in the races where he finished, he claimed a win in Hindia Belanda as well as podiums in Monsa, Caprica, and Aquitayne.

In 2016, DiParadisa was part of a competitive championship fight alongside Robert van Grol, Simo Rassinen, Steven Grey, Conway Prescott, and Pekka Koivu. However, he struggled to get himself regularly into title contention due to reliability issues and a lack of aerodynamic grip. Regardless, he and Koivu claimed one win each for Phaeton.

DiParadisa started the 2017 season with a podium finish at the Aswickan Grand Prix. He followed this up with three podiums in quick succession at Mizialand, Azmir, and Noordenstaat, as well as several top 5 finishes and a win in Caprica. However, he and Koivu were still not competitive enough to challenge Breuer and MacGregor for the title. Questions loomed over whether DiParadisa will move to another team due to Phaeton's struggles, but he remained secretive of the progress of his contract negotiations.

News finally emerged in late October 2017 that DiParadisa extended his contract with Phaeton to remain with the team until 2021. His 2018 season was a more optimistic one, with two wins at Monsa and Scottopia being the highlights of the year. He also claimed several podium finishes. DiParadisa had a slow start to the 2019 season, however, but was able to claim victory in Kelonna and maintain his momentum going into the following year. The 2020 season was once again a highly competitive season, with several contenders for the title. However, due to wildly changing conditions throughout the season, DiParadisa was unable to gain consistent points and only placed 6th in the standings, two points behind his teammate Koivu.

2021 championship challenge and first retirement

The 2021 season saw a major shift in technical regulations with the advent of ground effect cars and synthetic fuels. During testing, Phaeton emerged as the championship favorite, and it was confirmed with Koivu's pole position at the Aswickan Grand Prix. However, DiParadisa suffered a brake issue and had to settle for 8th place. He went on to retire from the race due to an engine failure on Lap 6. Despite this setback, DiParadisa bounced back at the Mizian Grand Prix, leading a 1-2 finish for Phaeton and taking his first victory of the season.

Return to AstyF1 with AMZ (2025-)

On 20 August 2024, DiParadisa announced that he will be making his AstyF1 return with AMZ Racing on a multi-year contract, racing alongside Henri Makitalö.

Profile

Driving style

DiParadisa is regarded as a driver that can consistently find pace from cars in various conditions and tracks, as well as adapt to different vehicle setups and philosophies. This has been demonstrated in his failed 2012 title defense, where he extracted pace from his Phaeton E2012 and scored consistent points, despite the car being the third or fourth-fastest car on qualifying pace. Many paddock observers compare him to Clayton Norris in terms of natural driving feel, with an "almost telepathic sense of grip" when turning around corners.

His preferred driving style is an aggressive one, with a preference for an understeering car. He also has an excellent feel for the brakes, applying them with the right amount of force very quickly. This allows him to throw it into the corners instead of easing it in, without losing any speed upon exit or control of the car. While his style has been noted to be "dirty but effective", former race engineers have stated that DiParadisa understands when to push and when to manage his pace.

Due to his wealth of experience in the sport, DiParadisa is also known for his racecraft and awareness of his surroundings, which makes him one of the most formidable opponents in an on-track battle. Despite the intensity of his duels with other seasoned drivers, he has been described to be "aggressive but fair" by his contemporaries, and is masterful at placing his car at the right place at the right time. In addition to this, his race starts have been superb, as he would make up places in the first few laps by taking unorthodox lines to overtake other drivers. As such, many have declared DiParadisa to be one of the most intelligent drivers on the grid.

Personality

DiParadisa is known as a highly skilled and dedicated driver, who has a deep passion for motorsports. He along with Augustus Tertullius have been instrumental in reviving interest in AstyF1 post-collapse of the Empire of Exponent. He has been consistently voted as one of the Blackhelm Confederacy's most popular male athletes, as well as the most popular AstyF1 driver for fans in 2010 and 2012. He has opened a karting track in < place > in 2016 to help develop the next generation of Confederate racing drivers.

He is known for his relentless work ethic, which has helped him to achieve success throughout his career. Zander Rico has stated that he is "a driver who is always looking for ways to improve his performance, even if it means playing mind games to gain an advantage over his rivals".

Off the track, DiParadisa is known for being a media-savvy person, who loves to be in the spotlight and always has something to say. He is one of AstyF1's most eloquent speakers and uses this skill to construct narratives that portray him as the one who is right and has all the facts in a situation. He is not one to shy away from confrontation, and he is not afraid to speak his mind, even if it means ruffling some feathers. As such, many have perceived him to be egotistical, very confident, and arrogant.

DiParadisa has also gained a reputation for getting into conflicts with team staff or other drivers, and has been criticized for being hotheaded, emotional, or petty when circumstances do not go his way. Whenever he feels he was wronged by another driver or by the team, he would often do things that attract a great deal of attention. An example of this is his infamous radio message at the Nidwaldeser Grand Prix in 2014, where he slammed the Phaeton EH-14 as "built for AstyF2" as he was overtaken by the Juhola of Martin Søndergaard. Phaeton chairman Aurelius Graywood strongly condemned his radio remarks, reminding him publicly that "[DiParadisa] cannot help improve the team through outbursts".

In his public life, DiParadisa is a driver who is highly respected and admired by some fans, but also has a reputation of being a divisive figure. He is known for his brash and cavalier attitude, and he is often seen as a role model for some young drivers, but his impatience and short temper is cited as a cautionary tale for others. However, his private life is said to be different, as he distances himself from the media and largely refrains from luxury possessions. Despite this, he drives a one-off coachbuilt supercar from Phaeton worth over $2 million. When asked about this contradiction at the Nikolian Grand Prix in 2018, DiParadisa coyly replied, "Well, the people at Phaeton were very generous and gave it to me as a company car. It would be impolite of me to refuse so that's why I drive it."