The Bull Prince | Max Verstappen

SEQUEL - Chapter 11

So, I had a somehow ruff day and I would love to share this chapter with my lovely readers. I enjoyed the comments last chapter a lot, so don't let yourself be stopped from writing me a little note if you want to, I'm always happy about each and every comment. Cheers

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F1 – Flash News Exclusive 8th June 2019

WANNA START A WAR

CANADA – Red Bull vs. Mercedes Round 2

Normally it's the race, that makes a fans' heart beat faster while they can't stay seated, but this weekend – so far only of course – it was the Qualifying. The spiciest Qualifying I've seen in ages and that means something.

Lauda and Verstappen don't give each other anything. Apart from hard racing, a little mind game and whatever the f*** happened after the qualifying ended. Personally, I know that this wasn't about to be it as Verstappen drove over the line and Lauda had no chance to do the same due to a very clever trick from the Dutchman. But how's the saying? If you can't beat them on track, be smarter than them and that's exactly what Verstappen did that afternoon. He took all his cool and drove the slowest out lap ever or that's at least how it must have felt to Lauda.

The Austrian was fuming as she climbed out of her Mercedes which motived her to exchange a few niceties with the Dutchman. Sadly, enough nobody had quite caught what they were saying to each other, but it didn't look as if they were talking about the weather which spiced the whole thing up.

Something is going on between our favourite Austrian and the flying Dutchman there is no denying that. But I couldn't make sense of it just yet. All I felt as I saw these scenes playing out in front of me was that there is a lot of anger and hurt on Lauda's side and a huge amount of bitterness on Verstappen's.

Whatever it is, I feel like it's nothing that will be out of the world after a bunch of drinks and a few jokes. Just thinking about the absolutely icy press conference after the qualifying. I felt the need to get myself a parker just looking at Lauda's neutral cold look and Verstappen's mask of indifference, but the Dutchman couldn't fool me. Whatever is going on, it leaves its mark on the Dutchman, while the Austrian just looked tired.

Over the time there were a few occasions in which we've seen Joanna Lauda like this, until now she always recovered from it and came back stronger than ever and I, as a fan of Formula One dearly hope that the Austrian still has an ace up her sleeve. I want to see her standing on that top step again, smirking down at the crowd as if to ask why we were even worried. She had never left, and I deeply hope she will never leave, because do we really want to think about a grid without a Lauda?

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Feeling like her life was blurring together, Joanna barely paid attention for the rest of the weekend. There was a race, a lonely night in a hotel room, and some signed autographs. The Austrian had gone through all that with a smile on her face. Brave and unbending, Joanna had done her job. Joked around with the mechanics, talked about race tactics with James and let the car fly over the track on Sunday. It all happened on autopilot. One of her easiest exercises after all these years in the same routine.

Making Lewis believe she was fine was harder, but she did manage after all. They were happy about the trophy, Joanna thought to remember, but she actually wasn't sure if that was this weekend or another one. It didn't really matter to her any longer. One race was won, the other was lost. Not much memorable there. Her mind was somewhere else. Mostly stuck with a certain Dutchman and this strange feeling burning in the pit of her stomach.