Faking it || Lando Norris LN

18

(commentators)

Sunday. Austin Grand Prix.

- Is that...?

+ It is! Race leader Lando Norris crashes into the wall in the last 10 laps of the race! Man!! That's tough luck!

- God! It seemed that his race was going to be a lot more relaxed after Leclerc's puncture and early pit stop... we can still see Charles giving absolute everything trying to cling to the fifth place he's currently holding, but nothing would've prepared us for a crash so close to the checkered flag!

+ Absolutely terrible for the reigning World Champion, but still not heartbreaking news for the team as teammate Carlos Sainz steals that first place and fights to widen the gap between him and George Russell on the Mercedes, who's really trying to keep Daniel Ricciardo's RedBull behind him.

- Carlos Sainz is doing an incredible job, he's just done the fastest lap of the race and he keeps pulling away from Russell and Ricciardo battling for that second position.

+ Unbelievable. If the race ends in this particular order, it would break Leclerc's and Norris' tie for the Driver's Championship and position Leclerc on top, Sainz behind him, and Norris in third place... Let me tell you something, Chris, I'll make sure I'm nowhere near Lando's choice of nightclub tonight after this race's events.

- Don't think you have to worry about that, we've got to be glad for Reyes keeping Norris out of trouble these past weeks and hope she can talk him down in situations like this one. Which, by the way, Reyes seems to have overtaken Lance Stroll as we speak and is currently just within the points. Terrible position for a Ferrari but given her form this year let's hope she can make the most out of the small gaps between the cars in front of her and manage to overtake as many as she can.

+ Definitely an unlucky position for a Ferrari especially given her teammate Leclerc is, not one, but five places in front of her even after his puncture. It doesn't seem like the car has changed much from last season to this one, it's for sure a championship contender car, but it has definitely shown us Olivia struggling a lot to find her pace.

- I don't want to say it but...

+ Is this a bad luck streak, or was she just lucky last year? Yup... I may be edging towards the not-so-favorable option, but either way, at least she didn't crash the car.

- Couldn't have said it better.

Olivia Reyes

Four points. "Better than nothing", or so the interviewers said.

Better than nothing my ass. I was driving a Championship contender car. It was a Ferrari, for fucks sake.

A weird combination of feelings mixed the contents of my stomach during the post-race interviews and debrief. Four points. I was relieved I'd at least managed to score, but I couldn't allow myself to rejoice much of that easing feeling. I had to do better, I had to get better. For the team, the crew, the factory members, the fans. For my family.

The bizarre combination that gripped my abdomen with tension vanished as soon as Charles told me Lando had left already. Before I could celebrate not having to go back to the hotel with him, I allowed my mind to wander. I still needed to know more about him. I needed to try and dig out the pieces of him he was hiding if I really wanted to decrease the leverage he had over me, but it was harder than expected.